[John bristles. This is stupid. He should just stop playing and try to go back to sleep. Except worse things are waiting for him in his dreams than a petulant Sherlock Holmes. He can at least lie down next to Mary and stare at the dark ceiling. The doctor is feeling significantly less vulnerable now than when he'd made his plea for Sherlock not to leave him.

But it's he doesn't like losing, even if Sherlock is far worse about it. John crosses his arms and glares down at the upset board.]

It was Mrs. Peacock in the ballroom with the candlestick. White and Scarlett were probably making a scene, a loud one, between being drunk and disorderly. Peacock used that distraction to club Mr. Holmes over the head with the candlestick and drag him out as fast as she could after he was being an insulting berk to her. Ms. Scarlett's probably already used to the barbs if she's been cited, so she'd be able to deal with Mr. Holmes making jabs. That leaves Peacock, who doesn't have a criminal record, but might have some other secret. Something Mr. Holmes learned when she accidentally spilled her wine on him.