The Adventure of the Speckled Band.

He made me tell my story as best I could. At first I found the telling easy as we talked of times long ago when Dr Roylett was married to my dear mother.

Discussing how he seemed to lose his mind after my mother’s passing was not so easy, but the worst was putting in to words the last few hours of my sister’s life. That night we girls sat talking in my room, mainly of her approaching wedding. As she turned to enter her room she asked me the strangest question “Tell me Helen, have you ever heard someone whistling in the dead of night?” We discussed this and I suggested that it must have been the gypsies in the plantation.

As usual we locked ourselves into our bedrooms because of the nature of the Drs Pets. I will never, ever forget that night. I had a feeling of premonition; a vague feeling of impending misfortune which I can only presume was because my sister and I are twins, with such links that are well known. The wind was howling and splashing against the windows. Amid all the hubbub of the gale, there burst forth the wild scream of a terrified woman. I knew that it was my sister’s voice.

I ran to her room and caught her before she fell to the floor. She writhed as one in who is in terrible pain and her limbs were dreadfully convulsed. I shall forget her final words, “It was the band! The speckled band!” We tried to revive her with brandy, for my stepfather had now arrived but she slowly sank and died. There was nothing more to do.

I feel some relief from pressure now that I have shared this story with Mr Holmes. I pray that he will be able to solve the mystery of my darling sister’ death.