The Baker's Detective

| The Garden and the Brownies |

First changing into some old clothes, she heads up to 221A, and Mrs. Hudson, thankfully, is home.

"Oh, Lily!" she says happily. "Hello. Thank you again for the cookies — you know, they get better with every one you eat."

Lily laughs. "You're welcome. And thank you."

"You're welcome, dear. You have a talent."

"Thank you," Lily repeats. "I just came up to ask if it would be alright if I worked in the garden today?"

"Of course!" Mrs. Hudson says, basically waving her off. "It's all yours. I've honestly never seemed to have the time for it, or the patience. Plants can be so finicky."

Lily nods. "They can — but it's so gratifying when you get them to actually grow. And flowers are pleasing to look at it."

"Pleasing to look at, but not pleasing to bring up," Mrs. Hudson jokes. "To each their own. That garden is all yours, if you really want it."

Lily smiles. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Hudson."

"It's no sacrifice, believe me. But you're very welcome." Lily starts to go, but she stops her. "Oh! Let me give you your cookie dish back. I just washed it this morning." She hurries inside, then returns with the dish.

Lily tells her goodbye, puts the dish in her flat, then heads to the backyard to get a better look at what she's dealing with.

It's a bit small, which is to be expected considering the location. The clothesline is to the left of the door, a load of laundry drying on it. Lily first sees a child's shirt, which must be Rosie's. There's also a button-up shirt that looks as if it could be Sherlock or John's, amongst some other laundry.

She turns her attention to the rest of the yard, where it's divided in two. One side is for a small selection of fruits and vegetables, none of them even close to ripe — some likely never to grow again — and the other for a gaggle of flowers. Some are wilted, others are overgrown. In the corner, next to the clothesline, is a basket of gardening tools, so Lily, using her knowledge of helping in the garden as a kid, does what she can. All the while, she thinks of seeds to buy tomorrow, happy to have something to do.

After working for a couple hours, there's nothing more for her to do, so she returns to her apartment, her hands, clothes, and legs a bit dirty, and a smudge of dirt across her face where she wiped a bit of sweat off on her glove. It's an uncommonly hot day, and the work didn't help matters. She's just got back, about to go take a shower, when there's a knock at the door.

She can't leave it unanswered, so, a bit panicked now, she walks up the stairs and answers the door to find Sherlock Holmes on the other side.

"Hello," he says.

Surprised and a bit embarrassed by the her state right now, she replies, "He- Hello."

"I brought your dish back," he explains, holding it out to her. "Rosie sends her love; she's watching the new Thomas and Friends, and that takes precedence over everything."

Lily laughs lightly, still wondering at what he must think of the state of her clothes, not to mention her hair. "Well, you can tell her I send my love to her, and- and I'll send some baked goods with it soon."