The adventure of the retired colourman

Plot summary: The Adventure of the Retired Colourman
“The Adventure of the Retired Colourman” is a short Sherlock Holmes story in the collection “the Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes” by Sir ArthurConan Doyle. Doyle wrote fifty-six short Sherlock Holmes stories in total and four full length novels featuring the popular detective. Like the majority of the canon “the Adventure of the RetiredColourman” is narrated by Dr. John Watson.
At the outset of the story Scotland Yard send Josiah Amberley to Sherlock Holmes. Amberley is a retired colourman who claims that his wife has run off with a doctorcalled Ray Ernest and taken his deed box with her. Within the box was a good part of Amberley’s savings.
After talking to Amberley Holmes sends Watson to the old man’s house in Lewisham toinvestigate further. The house Mr. Amberley had shared with his wife is called The Haven. When Watson arrives he is struck by how dilapidated and uncared for everything is.
Amberley shows Watson his strongroom which has an iron door and shutter. He explains that his wife stole cash and securities from the room probably by means of a duplicate key. The room is freshly painted and Amberley explains toWatson that he is trying to distract himself from his recent trauma.
Mr. Amberley met and befriended Dr. Ray Ernest through their mutual enjoyment of chess. Ernest was often at The Haven and as a matterof course he met Mrs. Amberley, a woman twenty years younger than her husband.
Amberley tells Watson that he was always generous with his wife and on the night of her disappearance he had theatreseats booked but Mrs. Amberley had refused to go. Mr. Amberley went alone when he returned he found both his wife and his money gone.
Amberley showed Watson the ticket he had bought for his wife. Holmeslater finds out from Watson that the ticket number was 31B meaning that Mr. Amberley must have sat in either 30 or 32 B.
Mr. Amberley comes to Holmes and shows him a telegram urging him to go to a...