My fingers were steady around the grip of my pistol, but I could feel my heart knocking in my chest. Beside me, Holmes was going over his preparations, his expression tight, calculating. It seemed to me that once again in dire straits the machine had taken over from the man.

Catching my glance with his piercing gaze, he suddenly looped his arm around me and pulled me close. He surprised me with a tense, aggressive kiss, deep on the mouth that had my head spinning.

He smiled thinly at my dizzied awe. “And now we may proceed, my dear Watson.”