Interesting Though Elementary: In Defense of My Prosecution of Hatty Doran

Chivalry is not dead. Brad Keefauver has proven that this week in his post defending Hatty Doran. I will admit that he makes a valid point, calling me out on my use of the word "vile." I blame that on the three cups of coffee I had before sitting down to write that day.

But I stand by my sentiment. Hatty Doran was a villain.

Let's look at Brad's points one by one, shall we?

"I am rather proud of Hatty, a fellow American who stayed loyal to her man under the tremendous pressures of British society"

As I pointed out in my previous post, Hatty Doran hardly stayed true to her man. She reads a report in the newspaper that he might have been killed by Apaches and she is suddenly okay entertaining British lords who come a'calling. Does this sound like a loyal wife?

"Sherlock Holmes did not invite just anyone to dinner at 221B Baker Street. And yet he invited Hatty Doran Moulton and her husband. Did he invite Flora Millar? No. Did he invite Inspector Lestrade? No. Did he invite his own brother, Mycroft? No, no, no."

I'm going to handle this one in reverse order. Mycroft isn't even in this story, Brad! Plus, he has his rails and he runs on them. Lestrade and his pea coat are being insufferable in this story. And Flora Millar? Let's just say she's no New Jersey opera singer...

As for Holmes inviting Hatty and her husband to Baker Street, that's not really an accolade. Let's look at some of the other guests that have graced Baker Street:

Jefferson Hope

James Windibank

Grimsby Roylott

Professor Moriarty

Charles Augustus Milverton

Shinwell Johnson

Well respected members of society, all of them.

Oh, and there's this quote from Holmes: "I should not sit here smoking with you if I thought that you were a common criminal." Holmes may be the last court of appeal, but he's not above spending time with villains.