I rapidly threw on my clothes and was ready in a few minutes to accompany my friend down to the sitting room. A lady dressed in black, who had been sitting near the window, rose as we entered.

"Good morning, Madam," said Holmes cheerfully "my name is Sherlock Holmes. This is my friend and associate, Dr Watson, and you speak as freely in front of him as you speak to me. Ah! I am glad to see that Mrs Hudson has had the good sense to light the fire. Please come close to it and I will order a cup of hot coffee because I can see you're shivering."

"It is not cold which makes me shiver," said the woman in a low voice, moving her seat as Holmes had requested. "It is fear, Mr Holmes. It is terror."

As she spoke, we could see that her features and figure were those of a woman of 30, but her hair was grey in places, and her expression was tired and hunted. Sherlock Holmes gave her one of his keen glances.

"You must not fear," he said.