‘You are too intelligent for that. Though I am new to your work, it is quite lovely, Miss Wyndham. I intend to read more. Given the observant eye of the poet, perhaps you might be able to help us, I think?’

Her eyes glanced about the room, and a shadow crossed her face. It was obvious even to me that the sisters were not friends. ‘Well, I will certainly try, although I doubt it.’

‘I understand your sister goes missing on a regular basis?’ said Holmes.

The young woman coughed. The wheeze was familiar. ‘Would you like to sit down, Miss?’ I asked, noting also a drop of perspiration on her forehead. It could indicate the early stage of consumption.

She waved a dismissive hand at me and remained in the doorway, stifling a second cough. ‘She does. Quite often.’

‘For how long?’

The girl shrugged. ‘One or two days, usually. Some of the time our parents don’t even notice. I write at night, mainly. They don’t notice that, either.’

‘Do they care that your sister runs away?’ asked Holmes.

‘Our mother might. But she is too busy attending to her own needs,’ said Miss Wyndham. ‘A lady of constant small woes.’ Her smile softened her dismissive comment.

‘Ah, understood,’ I said.

‘And the servants?’ asked Holmes.

She rolled her eyes.

‘With two invalids in the house, the servants are quite occupied, I would imagine,’ I said.

She flashed a look of anger, then willed it away. ‘My mother is not an invalid. She is just a rather weak person, given to strong emotions.’

‘And you, Miss Wyndham,’ I said. ‘That cough—’

‘You overstep, Doctor,’ she responded sharply. ‘I am both mobile and self-sufficient. As you can easily see.’

Holmes looked at her steadily for a long moment. ‘Miss Wyndham, do you have any information about your sister that might help us to find her?’ he asked. ‘Might there be a young gentleman she is seeing?’

‘Only this. Dillie has another place she goes to. It happens often enough. She is, well, she will do as she pleases. Always.’

‘This other place – do you know where it is?’ asked Holmes.

‘It is somewhere in town, close by. I know this because she once left, forgot something, came back, and left again. All within an hour. Find it, and you will find her.’

Holmes nodded at me. That fitted with the maid’s timeline last night as well. ‘Have you anything more for us?’ he asked her.

Atalanta Wyndham shrugged.

‘You don’t seem worried,’ said Holmes. ‘Do you think that there is a threat to your sister? Her doll was found partially dismembered. Somewhat suggestive, don’t you think?’.

‘How terribly dramatic! Well, let’s see, who would dislike my sister? I would wager there is a list.’ She laughed at this.

‘Do give us your thoughts, Miss Wyndham.’