60 for 60 II: 4: The Adventure of the Speckled Band: Graveside Condemnation

[sabrinaphynn.livejournal.com]

Canon Story: SPEC

Title: Graveside Condemnation

Author:  sabrinaphynn

Rating: PG
Warnings: Mention of verbal and physical abuse

Author's Notes: I pondered and pondered over this one.  I finally considered the line of dialogue of the Granada series where Helen Stoner states that Dr. Rylott was " ...the only father"  she had ever known and went from there.  I imagine that verbal abuse as well as isolation would be highly effective in keeping the girls away from suitors.

I shall not mourn this man. His physical violence was nothing to the years of casual verbal cruelty, belittling us for what hopes we had for life outside of his protection.  Without Julia's fighting spirit, I should have cowered, withered.  Only her presence, our shared bond, kept me from despair.  These last years have indeed been lonely, my dearest Percy. 

Comments

[debriswoman]

Well done, but very sad.

[sabrinaphynn.livejournal.com]

Thank you.
Yes, this is sad. But given we know that the man physically hurt his step-daughter and followed her to London...
Dr. Roylott is one of the worst baddies of the Canon and would stop at nothing to keep what he considers "his". I actually restrained myself here - verbal abuse of the girls could very well be the very least of this bad doctor's sins. (shudders in horror)

[debriswoman]

Sadly possible.

[love-bug-54.livejournal.com]

Whenever I am tempted to think about how "romantic" it must have been to have lived in the 19th Century, I recall stories like this one and remember that it wasn't so long ago women had no rights and were completely at the mercy of the males in their family.

Had Sherlock Holmes not helped her, what recourse would she have had, even if she had broken things off with her fiance?

[snycock.livejournal.com]

I was thinking this throughout both the story and the episode - how sad it was that this awful, violent bully was the only father they'd ever known. No wonder they were both going gray early. You've done a great job of illustrating Helen's thoughts at the funeral here.

[bwblack.livejournal.com]

I agree. I read this as those girls had been through a lot emotially living with this man who was so prone to outbursts and whose best interest was served by them being kept down. I like that Helen took such strength from julia, as well. Because you really felt in the story how she had grieved for her sister.

[hisietari.livejournal.com]

This is certainly the darkest part of the story, the constant abuse of the girls who, if single, would have perished terribly. It's a good reminder for all of us to keep an eye on those around us.

[impulsereader.livejournal.com]

Good point about Roylott being one of the worst baddies in canon. I wonder if this adds to the fact that many of us remember this story as one of our favorites...

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Such a sad story, and then only a temporary happy outcome, for considerably less years than she had suffered. Nicely put.

Saturday, 15 September and Sunday, 16 September 2012

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User thisprettywren referenced to your post from Saturday, 15 September and Sunday, 16 September 2012 (http://holmesian-news.livejournal.com/236445.html) saying: [...] by (Holmes/Watson | R | BBC) Graveside Condemnation [...]

[firthivated.livejournal.com]

Perfectly chilling...and so sadly true. Well done!