‘The body of a deceased male was removed from the Thames after being spotted by a Mr Camphor Rooney, a pilot with the J. Benson Ferry Co. Police despair of a positive identification due to the decomposition of the corpse, which is believed to have been in the water some two weeks or more. However, the police have revealed that the body was found unclothed and was male, between thirty to fifty years of age, strongly muscled and slender, indicating athleticism. Dark hair and dark black moustache. No other identifying features were noted. Anyone with any information …’

‘Holmes! You don’t think—’

He smiled at me, that impish smile of having known something all along. ‘Yes, Watson. Dario Borelli. Your clipping seems to confirm it.’

‘Then he never ran off to Berlin with Gertrude Aufenbach?’

Holmes said nothing. Instead, he peeled off his frock coat with a wince of discomfort and reclined himself on the settee exactly where I had been sitting. He then picked up my coffee cup next to the settee and drained it.

‘Madame Borelli! Do you think she … extracted revenge on her husband for his attempt to frame her?’ I mused. ‘Without your intervention, she could have very easily been convicted of frying him up in the Great Cauldron.’

‘I suppose,’ said Holmes.

‘Or perhaps she still loved Colangelo. That is another explanation,’ said I with enthusiasm.

‘Possibly. But I favour a third.’

‘What is that, Holmes?’

‘That the Great Borelli remained in London after faking his death and threatened her later. Perhaps Madame Borelli killed her husband in an act of self-preservation.’

Upon reflection, that sounded more logical. ‘What a dangerous woman!’ I exclaimed.

‘Was that ever in doubt, Watson?’

Another thought struck me. ‘But what of her lovestruck professor, Cosimo Fortuny? Might he, and by association Leo Vitale, be in her clutches now?’

‘They are not. Two days ago, an anonymous buyer in London purchased the rights to ‘Lucifer’s Lights’, as Madame Borelli called the invention I helped to inspire. For a rather exorbitant price. Madame profited and was well pleased. The two young men have returned to Cambridge considerably the richer, and in Mr Fortuny’s case, his thirst for a life in theatre has been quite thoroughly quenched. I believe he gained some insight into Madame via a letter from a “concerned friend”.’

I laughed. ‘You? And were you the anonymous buyer, as well? With what funds?’

‘My brother makes himself useful from time to time. In this case, in support of the Cavendish Laboratory. Not hard to convince him.’ Holmes smiled enigmatically. ‘Mycroft is sure, as I am, that great things are to come from that place.’

‘But you will let Madame Borelli roam free to continue with her life?’

‘For the present, yes.’

‘But isn’t she a dangerous madwoman? May not others be in danger?’

‘I think the population at large have nothing to fear.’

‘Then you condone her action! You condone revenge?’