Chapter 66:

The reason people were curious about Robert was that he fitted the costume very well. In Will’s universe, Robert Downey Jr was already 43 when the first Holmes movie came out.

Even the original director of [Sherlock Holmes], Guy Ritchie, had felt that RDJ was too old for the role.

It was only because his body was still in shape that RDJ was able to get the role. But in this parallel world, Robert was only around his 30s, making him fit the look very well.

Even the executives who had come here to reject him blatantly were now thinking of waiting till the audition.

“Robert, you look good.”

Will walked up to him and patted his shoulders. On their left, two staff members were putting up a table for the audition.

The scene Robert was going to perform was one that would come quite early in the movie. It was the first meeting between Holmes and Mary Morstan, a governess and the woman Watson wanted to marry.

Will felt like this was the best scene to show Robert’s acting chops and his strong grip on the character of Holmes.

“The costume is a bit tight. Otherwise, I’m fine.” Robert said with a smile.

Unlike their first meeting, he looked a bit more confident. Will had tried his best to give him sufficient belief that he could nail down the role, and he was happy to know that it had worked well.

“Get used to it. You will be wearing it a lot from now on.”

“Those guys there don’t seem like they want me to.”

Robert pointed at the group of executives that were talking among themselves with a sour look on their faces. James was in between them too and was glancing at Will for help.

“They won’t say anything after you prove yourself. You have worked hard, and it’s just one scene. Do your best.”

Amanda chipped in and gave a confident smile. Will also nodded his head.

“Yeah, just focus on your acting. Leave everything else to me.”

Will and Robert bumped fists, and he moved to take his position. There were two actors from a theatre group that Will had hired for today, and they were going to say the lines of Watson and Mary, respectively.

As Robert walked away from them, Amanda looked at him and asked.

“I saw you talking to Spencer Miller. What was the old man saying?”

“You know him?” Will asked, looking at Amanda, but she shook her head.

“A little bit. Never met, just heard.”

“He told me he will decide whether he wants to invest in me or not after the audition.”

Amanda made a weary smile hearing that.

“I wonder if that’s a good or bad thing.”

“We will see about that.”

As he said that, Will felt the eyes of Spencer on him.

***

Robert was sitting at the table, and his eyes were closed. There were three glasses of wine on top of the table, and it was prepared to keep the scene’s authenticity.

In the distance, a camera was recording, and one of the staff members was holding the slate. Will and the executives from Foxstar were watching from a distance.

As the sound of the slate came, the scene started, and Robert opened his eyes, his aura changing a bit, now similar to the aura of Holmes.

He was not Micheal Robert Elrod now. He was the great yet a little crazy detective Sherlock Holmes.

“Holmes!”

“Hmm.”

As a familiar voice came out, Holmes raised his head to look at his dear friend, Watson. Besides him was a lady who was his girlfriend, Mary.

“You’re early,” Watson said in a deadpan voice, though there was a hidden surprise in his words.

“Fashionably.” Sherlock corrected.

“Miss Mary Morsten.” Watson introduced her as Holmes smiled, standing up to kiss the back of her hand.

“Oh my goodness. What a pleasure.” Sherlock rose from his seat and said this in a gentlemanly manner after kissing the back of the hand of the lady, “For the life of me, I don’t know why it’s taken him so long to introduce us properly.”

“The pleasure is mine,” Mary said, sitting down.

Sherlock and Watson followed and took their seats, respectively.

“It really is quite a thrill to meet you, Mr. Holmes. I’ve heard so much about you. I have a pile of detective novels at home… Collins, Poe.” Mary said.

“It’s true.” Watson agreed.

“It can seem a little far-fetched, though, at times. Making these grand assumptions out of tiny details.”

Sherlock glanced at the ceiling while replying, “That’s not quite right, is it? In fact, the little details….” His eyes were not back on Mary, “..are by far, the most important.”

“Take Watson…”

“I intend to.”

Sherlock smiled at that quip and added, “See his walking stick? A rare African snakewood. Hiding a blade of high tensile steel. Few were awarded to the veterans of the Afghan war, so I can assume he’s a decorated soldier. Strong, brave, born to be an adventurer. and neat, like all military men.” Each word that escaped his mouth was made more meaningful with his hand gestures.

He said, then his hands moved towards his pockets.

“Now, I check his pockets. Ah, a stamp from a boxing match. Now, I can infer that he’s a bit of a gambler. I’d keep an eye on that dowry if I were you.”

“Those days are behind me.” Watson immediately added. Slightly embarrassed…

“Right, behind you.” Sherlock continued in an indifferent tone, “It’s cost us the rent, more than once.”

“Well, with all due respect, Mr. Holmes, You know John very well. What about a complete stranger?”

Mary asked after a slight pause, “What can you tell about me?”

“You?” Sherlock stared at her as if having expected such a question.

“I don’t think that’s…” Watson tried to change the topic, getting a bad feeling.

“I don’t know that that’s….” Sherlock repeated; he too knew what was coming.

“Not at dinner.” Watson nodded.

“Perhaps another time,” Sherlock added.

“I insist.” Mary was quite firm.

“You insist?” Sherlock was a bit taken aback.

“You remember we discussed this.” Watson reminded Sherlock of something.

“The lady insists,” Sherlock replied to him.

After bickering with Watson, Holmes moved his chair towards Mary, put his hand on his chin, was lying on the table by his elbow.

Staring at her, he spoke, “You’re a governess.”

“Well done,” Mary said, unimpressed.

“Yes, well done. Shall we… Waiter!” Watson tried to close the conversation.

“Your student… It’s a boy of eight.” Sherlock ignored their remarks and added.

“Charlie is seven, actually,” Mary replied.

“And he’s tall for his age. He flicked you with ink today.” Sherlock added.

“Is there ink on my face?” Mary asked Watson, slightly embarrassed.

“There is nothing wrong with your face,” Watson reassured her.

“There are two drops on your ear, in fact. India blue is nearly impossible to wash off.” Sherlock added, pointing his finger at her ear with a flick of his hand.

He then continued, “Anyway, a very impetuous act of that boy, but you’re too experienced to react rashly, which is why the lady for whom you work lent you that necklace.”

He smiled, seeing Mary’s astonished expression.

“Pearls, diamonds, flawless rubies. Hardly the gems of a governess. However, the jewels you are not wearing, tell us rather more.” Sherlock continued with a corner of his lips slightly curled up.

He looked down at her fingers as she tried to put her other hand on top of them.

“Holmes!” Watson called out, trying to stop the inevitable, but Sherlock was unaffected.

“You were engaged. The ring has gone, but the lightness of the skin where it once sat suggests that you spent some time abroad, wearing it proudly, that is until you were informed of its true and rather modest worth, and then you broke off the engagement and returned to England for better prospects.”

Sherlock remained silent and turned towards Watson, “…A doctor perhaps?”

This made Mary stare at him and throw the wine in the glass on Sherlock’s face. Sherlock on the other hand, wore a smug smile, which came from the confidence in his skills.

Watson lowered his gaze, and on the other hand, Mary too did the same while saying.

“You’re right on all counts, Mr. Holmes, apart from one.” There was a long silence as Sherlock continued to stare at Watson as the lady then continued, “I didn’t leave him. He died.”

There was a silence, and Mary left the table.

Sherlock glanced at her and let out a sigh. This turn of events was somewhat unexpected, even for someone like him.

“Well done, old boy,” Watson said, without looking at his friend and stood up, then followed Mary.

Sherlock then continued to stare at the plate in front of him as the scene came to an end.

***

A weird silence shrouded the theatre as the scene came to an end. The eyes of all of the executives looked like they would pop out.

James ended the silence as he started laughing hysterically. Besides him, a lady muttered, “This is exactly how I imagined Sherlock Holmes to be.”

That was maybe the thought in everyone’s head. As [Sherlock Holmes] was one of the biggest projects of Foxstar, every one of them had read the script.

The way Robert had acted was exactly like how they imagined Holmes to be.

Even Amanda, who was against Robert at the start, looked convinced and was clapping for the performance.

As she started clapping, everyone around her began to do the same. The sound of it broke Robert’s immersion, and he looked around before glancing at the executives.

“Hahaha, Will.”

Spencer walked towards Will while laughing, and he looked back at him.

“Mr. Miller, what do you have to say now?”

“Nothing much. I’m just feeling very happy that I was right about you. It seems like you are someone who can really be invested in.”

…

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