//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10 
// Story: Yes, My Lady 
// by Tatsurou 
//------------------------------//

	Filthy Rich entered his home calmly, looking at everything in a new light.  In truth, everything he was seeing was things he'd been seeing for a long time, but that he hadn't wanted to see.  As much as he loved his little girl, so much of his marriage with Spoiled was a matter of 'don't rock the boat', doing his best to keep things quiet for Diamond's sake.  In truth, that went further back than he would admit to anyone, for rather significant reasons.  Still, when he thought about what he'd seen in Cheerilee's report of Diamond Tiara's behavior, of what Spoiled had turned her into, and the one who was her primary target...

He quickly dashed those thoughts.  They were maudlin, and counter productive.  He had a plan, and he would enact it.  He calmly walked into the dining room as Randolph brought him a meal before silently withdrawing.  As the butler started to remove himself, however, Filthy gave him the silent signal he knew well to meet him later privately.

Turning his attention back to his meal, he was caught off guard as Spoiled decided to make her pique known once again.  "Did you give that...that griffon a stern talking to?" she demanded angrily.

Filthy sighed as he took a sip of coffee, unsurprised to find that Randolph had fortified it.  The old boy was quite efficient in his own way.  "Sebastian and I had quite the delightful talk," he offered noncommittally.  "He seems a reasonable enough fellow.  Our talk was quite productive."

Spoiled smirked smugly.  "Well that's good to-"  Her voice caught in her throat as Filthy casually set a batch of documents on the table, the file labeled 'Spoiled Rich' in Cheerilee's hoof writing plainly visible to her.  "...hear," she managed to finish, though her voice had lost most of its confidence.

"So how goes your homework, my little princess?" he asked sweetly, turning to where Diamond Tiara was alternating between eating her food and irritably scribbling at some papers.

"J-just fine, Dad," Diamond Tiara informed eagerly.  "I can handle this-ah!"  The quill she had been writing with snapped, the tip flipping into her drink as the upper part fell into her food.  "I can...handle it..."

Randolph was there before Filthy could say anything, clearing away the contaminated dishes for fresh ones and cleaning up Diamond's ink-stained hooves.  Filthy shifted his position enough so he could see Diamond's work, and instantly saw where she was making the mistake that was presently frustrating her.  "You transposed those two," he pointed out, gesturing to the two equations that had gotten mixed up.

Diamond Tiara lowered her gaze, flushing in embarrassment.  "Sorry..."

"Why don't you set that aside and enjoy your dinner?" he suggested brightly.  "And after that, we can meet in my office and work on this together.  How does that sound?"

Diamond's head jerked up, her eyes wide in surprise.  "R-really, Daddy?" she asked, her voice quiet with hopeful disbelief.

It took a great deal of Filthy's self control not to break down right there.  It had been far too long since he was 'Daddy'.  "Of course, princess," he promised.  "We'll work right up until bedtime if that's what you need."

The wide, genuine smile that crossed her face was well worth ignoring his wife's disapproving scowl.





After Diamond Tiara was put to bed, homework she could be proud of tucked into her saddlebags, Filthy waited calmly in his study as Randolph stepped in.  "You called for me, sir?" he asked in his wheezy voice, an affectation as he was far sturdier than he appeared.

Filthy smiled at the apparently elderly stallion before him.  "Randolph, I'm sure you noticed I took a different approach with my wife and daughter tonight," he offered idly.

"It was hard to miss," Randolph observed.  "It's been a long time since I've seen the young Miss so happy."  He frowned.  "Pity..."  He stalled his voice.

"Go on, Randolph," Filthy coached.  "I'm not going to penalize you for voicing an honest opinion."

Randolph chuckled softly.  "I was going to say 'Pity the same can't be said of the old Miss looking so perturbed'," he explained.

Filthy managed to smile.  "Randolph...I want you to do something for me-"

"Name it, sir," Randolph interrupted quickly.

Filthy shook his head, amazed at the dedication and loyalty he'd somehow inspired in this old timer.  "I intend to begin a new regimen as far as what Diamond learns in this household.  Spoiled has taught her to..."

"Be as much a spoiled brat as her mother is, and to squander whatever useful skills she has behind annoying temper tantrums and throwing her apparent weight around?" Randolph supplied.

Filthy winced at the pointed if accurate barb.  "Indeed.  I intend to break those habits."

"Pardon for speaking so, sir, but how will you do that when you're rarely here?" Randolph pointed out.  "You might be reasonable, but the Miss is determined to get her own way, and she will and has dismissed help for voicing an opinion, even if she fed you a different reason come your return."

Mr. Rich frowned angrily at that news.  "Well, both of those things are going to change.  First off, I'll be staying here in Ponyville much more often...and if something does require me to rush off somewhere else, if at all possible I intend to take Diamond Tiara with me so she can learn about the business.  And for those times when I can't, I leave it to you to keep things going."  He pushed a sealed envelope over to him.  "And if my wife tries to make a fuss or interfere with that in any way, show her this."

Randolph didn't bother to ask about the letter's contents as he slipped it into his jacket.  He'd served Filthy alone before Spoiled entered the picture, and knew his employer well.  "Finally laying down the law with her, sir?"

"It's about time, isn't it?" Filthy asked ruefully.





Sebastian smiled to himself as he let the mirror return to just showing his reflection.  While it wasn't really his business what happened with the Rich family, he had stuck his oar in and was idly curious about the outcome.  And from what he'd seen, the potential for chaos and suffering there was most exquisite, and the sort of thing he would want to keep an eye on.  Beyond that, his Mistress' interests were involved, and he was certain she would approve.  But for now, it was her bed time, and even if he was a teacher in Ponyville, it was still his duty to tuck her in.

It wouldn't be long before the spa trip, and then his duty would be far more complex.