Holmes glanced over to me and added for my benefit: "And, I would hazard to say that this is a rather appropriate choice of refreshment considering our guest, wouldn't you say, Watson?"

It took a moment to disengage my mind from tiaras and hospitals to realize what he meant. "Oh! Tea. Yes, I see now. Lord Haversmith made his money from the tea industry."

"Yes, Watson. It is said his company rivals the British East India Company itself. He is quite the philanthropist and has given extensively to several hospitals. His wife is said to be like- mindedly active. Now let us see what else the man is famous for. Make an arm, Watson, would you, and take down the appropriate reference from that shelf. And I trust you will be more mindful of the newspaper clippings I have peppered throughout my volumes and would be a bit more careful this time in retrieving one?" But before I could make my way to the bookshelf in question, I was called back by a sudden exclamation of discovery.

"Ho! Here is quite a significant addition to our letter," he said, turning the paper over in his hand. "I think you will find this interesting, Watson. Someone else with different handwriting has seen fit to give us a telling list of place names."

I looked at the list of locations, street names and seemingly unrelated scribbled notes. I asked why another person would write this without including some explanation as a heading. Then I waited for Holmes to continue his analysis.

"Elementary. Another person, in a hurry or distracted perhaps, needed to include this even after the note was in the process of being delivered. This other gentleman, obviously a male hand, I would say it belongs to the son, desired that he momentarily intercept the note so that we may have what he considers more significant information. This listing shows the various stops that the family made before they discovered the tiara's substitution."

At first I did not understand what my friend had said so nonchalantly. "Did you say "substitution,' Holmes?"

"Yes, Watson, " he said. "It is clear that the son did not know exactly when the tiara was missing. He obviously suspected it was with his mother at the beginning and before the end of the trip; otherwise, she would have discovered it sooner and Lord Haversmith would have included this significant item in his note. So, this list, which you will see includes a stop to give a donation to a homeless mendicant at a street corner and visits to several floors of the hospital, reveals much."

At that moment, another knock was heard at the door, and our own Mrs. Hudson reappeared, with a bit of wide-eyed confusion, as she said, "For you, Mister Holmes. A boy left this and said it was for your birthday."

Holmes took the gaily-wrapped package from her outstretched hand. "Very curious," he said.

I looked at the package as he unwrapped it carefully and said. "In all the years I have known your acquaintance, Holmes," I added, taken aback, "there is much I have not yet learned about you. I had no idea it was your birthday."

"I do not have need of acknowledging them, Watson. Birthdays are merely part of a method of categorizing age by year. Except for suitably filling out my reference books, the celebration of such moments seems all rather pointless," he said, continuing to unwrap the gift.

I could not help smiling. "I notice it has not dampened the enthusiasm with which you are opening that package. So, tell me Holmes, exactly when is your birthday?" Our conversation was cut short as my friend opened the lid of the exposed package. He placed his hand quickly inside and retrieved a small gem.

"Is that a diamond?" I said, looking at the shiny stone.
"Yes, Watson, but this is no gift. I draw your attention to the marks of another element coating the underside. This diamond was part of a setting and has been pried out. I believe our case is becoming increasingly more interesting."

"Do you think it is related to the Haversmith matter?"

"It would be speculation at this point, Watson. But, there is a good chance. In addition, you will see from a quick examination of the empty box that there is more information revealed here that points to the Havermith tiara."

Proceed to Part Three