Chapter 5
Lady Mi Amore Cadenza found the Chairstallion of the Royal Canterlot City Council on the orb in his study, embroiled in a stern conversation.
“There will be no more debate on the matter, Miss Primrose. The Lord Magistrate will not be sitting at this council for the duration of these investigations.” he declared “You know his influence will throw credibility straight to the four winds. The stallion was involved in a sexual assault. We’re still uncertain whether or not she was underage!”
“Yes, yes, I do understand, sir, but we can’t just have him watched like a hawk. This isn’t Bayjing. No matter what he’s done, to treat him in this way would be an invasion of privacy.” a fussy-sounding mare replied through the orb “That wouldn’t look good for any of us. He’d use that to his advantage, as long as he had the bits to turn eyes towards us.”
The Chairstallion rubbed his hoof below his ear in thought.
“You make a point. Leave it with me but above all else, keep him out of that council hall. By any means necessary.”
“I’ll do what I can but I’m not touching him.”
“Duly noted and entirely understood. Good luck, old thing.”
The golden mist in the orb dissipating, Fancypants looked up as Cadence made her entrance.
Cadence hadn’t known the Chairstallion long but she had great respect for him. Young for his title, despite his appearance, he’d done sterling work at combating poverty, crime, corruption and all kinds of perils Canterlot had suffered from. So unlike some of the rich snobs she was used to seeing, Fancypants defied the stereotype for all it was worth and set an example for all.
He’d helped her more than several times over the past in one way or another and Cadence was adamant that he was a stallion worth trusting.
Whether he was quite as intrepid as she hoped was about to tell. Ordinarily, she would have asked the Princess but, as miraculously wonderful as she was, Celestia had an unfortunate habit of mothering her, not wanting her to experience the horrors of corruption and misdemeanour outside of her day-to-day life.
Fancypants meanwhile was more open to her experiencing, and better still combating, the unseen evils a Princess would one day ward off from her subjects.
Celestia wouldn’t object to her decision but Cadence knew she would find a way to discourage her in some way. And she wasn’t about to let Alma down.
“Ah, my lady. Apologies, otherwise embroiled in the grand venture of politics.” Fancypants stood and bowed “Miss Inkwell said you wished to see me. Something about wanting permission to investigate a murder in the outskirts.”
“Well, when you put it like it sounds really over-the-top.” Cadence said uneasily, sitting down to give the gentlecolt the whole story.
Fancypants had sat quietly throughout, his chin resting on one hoof, the eyebrow above his monocle raised in an evaluating manner.
“Practical jokes, you say?” he said at last.
“Yep.” Cadence replied.
“Defecating cows?” He hadn’t managed to say it without sounding awkward.
“Just the one.”
“A centuries-old book on embalming and a missing bottle of rat poison?” he put his hooves together, his face serious “Rather thin, wouldn’t you say?”
Cadence sighed.
In truth, she hadn’t really looked at how sparse the story and its superstitions seemed when faced with the big picture.
Sitting before the Chairstallion, she felt more than a little silly.
“Yeah, pretty thin.” she admitted.
“Hardly enough to justify going down to Sanguine Hall and muddying the waters.”
Relations between Equestria and its vassal states were largely the Princess’s job but if the Chairstallion was involved, he would have to act with prudence. There was reason in what he was suggesting.
Still, Cadence shifted impatiently.
“Well, it’s just that...” she trailed off.
“Yes?” Fancypants prompted.
“Well, Alma Rose isn’t exactly a ‘fanciful’ mare. Exuberant, sure, but she wouldn’t jump to conclusions unless something was seriously off.” Cadence explained “I’m inclined to believe her if she says there’s foul play ahoof.”
“Is she...imaginative?”
“Well, naturally. She’s an artist and a good one too.” Cadence straightened up, finding strength of will in this debate.
Her friend’s credibility was on the line and it was up to her to defend it.
“But if you mean ‘impressionable’, Mr Chairstallion, I’d have to say no.”
Fancypants raised one eyebrow and removed himself from his chair.
“Capital. Then without intending any offence to either of you, my lady, perhaps you or Miss Rose can account for this.” he declared, pacing over to the desk and retrieving a newspaper “Have you seen this morning’s Gazette, my lady?”
“Not yet, no. I was in a bit of a rush.”
“Well then...” Fancy found the right page and guarded it momentarily from the alicorn “According to you, or rather according to Miss Alma Rose, Prince Herod made a will dividing his estate more or less equally among all his family, with a share going to this young bride of his, Miss Honeysuckle.”
“He made that announcement, yes.” Cadence said, ears pricking with curiosity as Fancypants smiled grimly.
“Then he’s been playing them all for fools.” he said, slapping the paper down on his desk “According to the Gazette, Miss Honeysuckle gets the lot!”
“What?!” Cadence exclaimed, grabbing the paper and turning to the page Fancy had hidden from her.
There it was, in big bold letters on the Social Column.
Actress Inherits Family Fortune
“Give or take a hundred bits or so.” Fancypants continued “Seems he stabbed his family in the eye. Not quite equal shares all round now it seems.”
“But that can’t be right!” Cadence was almost rendered speechless. It simply didn’t make sense.
Fancypants sat back down and spoke.
“My lady...at the birthday dinner, Miss Alma Rose couldn’t have...” he brushed the air uncomfortably “...misheard?”
“Absolutely not, sir. She was certain. And well-detailed. Why would she imagine it? Or make it up?”
The gentlecolt polished his monocle and gave her an uncertain look.
“Sir?” Cadence groaned pleadingly.
As a Royal Lady of Canterlot, Court Representative and former student of Celestia, Cadence and Fancypants were pretty even in their level of authority. But nonetheless, she would need the Chairstallion’s permission to look into matters of investigating the possible murder of nobles and he didn’t seem to be ready to cooperate.
“Now look, my lady, I’m sorry to seem like an unreasonable old buffer but I just don’t see any reason why haring off down to Sanguine Hall would be well-advised.” he sighed, his tone frank and firm “I understand your concern but let’s look at the facts here before we do anything drastic. Herod Sanguine was seventy-five and not in a good way even for his age. As far as anypony can tell, he ate and drank what he shouldn’t have done, he was warned what would happen and it did. He conked out, dead and...Has he been buried?”
“I think so.”
“Righto. Then we’ve little grounds for an autopsy." He sat back in his chair "So let’s leave this one to rest, eh? No need to make the Sanguines any more distressed than they already are.”
Cadence gave a dry chuckle.
“From what I’ve heard, sir, I don’t think they’ll be wearing black for all that long.”
“Well quite. I was more thinking of the will.”
Before anypony could rise, there was a tapping on the door.
“Come in.” Fancypants bid the unseen pony who entered in the form of Sergeant Shining Armour.
He saluted and spoke.
“Apologies for interrupting, Mister Chairstallion, milady, but I wondered if it was in either of your interests to know that Sir Persnickety Sanguine just in touch?”
There was a pause.
“Oh?” Fancypants mused, his brow rising again “Continue, old chap.”
Cadence beamed at him. There were times when she owed the stallion he dignity and credibility. In the admittedly short time she’d known him, he’d developed a reputation for appearing seemingly out of thin air in the perfect place at the perfect time with the perfect device to make her day.
She could kiss him for it more times than she could count. One day the right moment would come.
“According to him, there’ve been letters, anonymous, all in the same form and style and addressed to all members of the family, hinting at foul play with regards to the late Prince Herod’s death.”
Cadence turned expectedly to Fancypants who was playing with his mustachios in thought.
He sighed and spoke.
“Oh very well...I suppose I’d have to send somepony round eventually.” he managed a resigned smile “Alright you two, look into what you wish but for all our sakes, make sure to act with tact and subtlety.”
*
Cadence looked at the scraps of paper in her grasp as she, Shining and Persnickety stood in the flat the entrepreneur had been staying in. A small but luxurious suite situated close to the city border. Easy to get off from the train and straight to the place of business. Persnickety was certainly a practical-minded stallion and while used to the rich life, didn’t live excessively.
There were nine in total. All looked the same as Shining had said, down to the paper and ink.
“Care to read it?” Persnickety said, grim-faced and seemingly short on patience.
Cadence opened one up and read it aloud.
“Prince Herod Sanguine’s death was brought about by the pony who’s received the most benefit from it...curious.” She looked up “Any envelopes?”
“We threw them away, sorry. But they were nothing special. We’ve seen their like at the local mail office bare feet from Sanguine Hall.”
“So this was done by a local?”
The white stallion shrugged.
“Can’t imagine why it wouldn’t be.”
“And the recipients?”
“Well, they came at around breakfast-time yesterday, Aeschylus passed them round...Let’s see.” he thought back “Gwen got one...and Ninny, Cordy and Muffy...Gormless, or Prince Blueblood as he’s calling himself now, mustn’t leave him out...nor myself of course...and the young couple, Rowena and Bayard...Oh, and Babbles but Ninny took it away from her. The filly was already busy with the cat.” He shuffled on his hooves.
Cadence pursed her lips and asked what she’d been expecting answered soon.
“But not Miss Honeysuckle?”
“No, not Miss Honeysuckle.” Persnickety’s tone turned even grimmer “That’s why, for once in their lives, the family are in agreement.”
“You mean, that she’s the one referred to in the letters?”
“That does seem to be the case, does it not?” he finished with a smile.
Cadence weighed his words and gave Shining a look.
“What do you make of them, Sergeant?”
Shining Armour gave her a puzzled look. Princess Cadence was getting into the ‘detective’ act a little too enthusiastically.
He shuffled the letters and hummed.
“Well...I haven’t had my morning coffee yet so I’m a bit out of it, my lady, but let’s see...All written by hoof...Fairly good quality paper but nothing fancy...The writer’s deliberately put it in block capitals, probably to avoid anypony recognising the hoof-writing. That’s how I’d do it at least. They’ve been careful, I’ll say that.”
Cadence nodded and patted him on the head.
“Thank you, Sergeant.” She took back and deposited the letters and turned back to Persnickety.
“Mr Persnickety, potentially personal question but do you prescribe to your family’s...dubious opinions on Miss Honeysuckle.”
Persnickety gave a look of distaste and spoke in a brusque manner.
“You mean ‘Do I think she murdered Papa?’”
Cadence and Shining was taken aback by his frankness, something he was clearly intending on.
“There, it’s been said, out-loud that is. Unlike some members of my family, I choose not to hide behind false courtesy.” He sighed before continuing “And to answer your question...I didn’t at first.”
“And now?”
Persnickety smiled again.
“Well, I suppose it’s time for what the Prench call the coup-de-theatre.” he sat down and recanted.
“After the letters came, the atmosphere got a bit fraught. Before any hooves could be pointed, Miss Honeysuckle up and said that she’d rather die driving in the rain that put up with our loathsomeness a moment longer. Of course, whenever there is a dramatic occasion, you may depend on the Sanguines to rise to it. Nopony cared to openly suggest that she’d put poison in Papa’s hot drink before bedtime, a custom of his she’d familiarised herself with...but it did seem wasteful, given that she was out of the house, for us not to indulge a little curiosity.”
“You all searched her room.” Cadence guessed.
“Well, I didn’t do much searching myself, I lack the family inquisitiveness. Besides, I wasn’t sure what exactly it was we were looking for. Honeysuckle didn’t get where she is now by using her brains, for certain, but she was hardly likely to leave a bloody knife in her drawers. Though, personally, I think Gormless just fancied a leaf through her undergarments. It went on for about half an hour, I was about to call it in when suddenly there’s a shrill cry of victory from the en-suite bathroom. A sure sign that Muffy had found something.”
“And what did she find?” Shining Armour asked.
To answer, Persnickety paced over, almost theatrically, ever a Sanguine, and pulled out a drawer behind his desk. His horn glowed dark purple as he showed up a small pale bottle with a bold red X criss-crossed over the label.
“It’s the rat poison.” he answered darkly “The one nopony could find.”
Cadence and Shining made their way out of the suite. Checking to find the receptionist was on a break, they conversed.
“So, do I get an arrest warrant, or send this to the lab colts first?” Shining asked, gesturing with the rat poison.
“Neither.” Cadence answered “All we know for certain is that this isn’t what killed Prince Herod Sanguine.”
“What?” the stallion was taken aback “How? It must have been.”
“I think you’re wrong there, Sergeant. Look closely” Cadence took the bottle in her magic and held it up before him, spinning it slowly.
Shining Armour squinted his eyes, hoping to find a clue that had escaped him.
“Wait.” He took it in one hoof and eyed the label.
It overlapped the lid perfectly.
“It hasn’t been used!” he exclaimed “The sealing’s broken but the label isn’t torn. This has never been opened.”
“Which means...” Cadence prompted.
“Somepony else is framing Honeysuckle! She never murdered Prince Herod at all.”
“Let’s not go that far. All we know is that this wasn’t what killed him. There could be something else and it could still have been Honeysuckle. But we’re not going to know anything for sure until we go to Sanguine Hall in person.”
“My lady? Sergeant?” There was a holler from back up the stairs they’d descended.
Cadence glanced around and whispered.
“You talk to him. Tell him nothing.”
“Wh-what?” Shining barely had time to register before Cadence had dashed out the door as Persnickety trotted down the stairs, looking about sheepishly.
“Blast, I’ve just missed her.” he cursed.
“Can I help?” Shining found himself asking, still a bit nonplussed.
Persnickety gave him a look and explained.
“Well, it occurred to me that, in the case of Papa, is there likely to be a...” he faltered “Well, you know...are there going to want to go rummaging around in the family vault?”
“Er...hard to say at this stage, sir.”
“No, what I mean is you’d want to look inside him for signs of poisoning.”
Shining’s eyebrow raised.
“Let’s not jump to conclusions.”
Persnickety sighed in resignation.
“No, no, you don’t see what I’m driving at...Well after all, how could you?” His lips twisted uncomfortably, trying to find the right words “How shall I put it? Would it matter to you...Would it make this investigation, if it takes place, that much harder to know that we’ve had the body...embalmed?”
Shining gave a look and answered.
“As I said, hard to say. Leave it with us, Sir Persnickety. We’ll keep in touch. I’ll let her ladyship know everything.”
“Very well. Thank you all the same. I must be off.”
And with that, the monocled white stallion left, tipping his top hat.
Giving a weighty sigh, Shining looked about for Cadence, who seemingly appeared out of thin air and beamed at him.
“Well done, Shiney, that was brilliant!”
“Wh-wh-where were you?!” the Sergeant was too confused to string sentences “Why did you vanish?!”
“He was about to give away vital information. I had to be certain he’d give you the truth.”
“But why me?”
Cadence gave an embarrassed look and answered.
“On investigations like these, one must trust nopony and suspect everypony involved in the case. They in turn, will suspect and distrust us. But you have a certain...atmosphere that makes suspects relaxed around you. They don’t fear giving away information that could potentially doom them to somepony of your...” she waved a hoof “...mellow demeanour.”
Shining scowled.
“You mean other ponies think I’m stupid and that makes them feel safe.”
“Well...Yeah. But you know what?” Cadence ruffled his deep-blue mane and smiled tenderly “You always prove them wrong. Because, thanks to you, we know something absolutely crucial to this investigation.”
The Sergeant’s cheeks grew as red as a pair of ripening plums as he blathered.
“Great...Thanks...What’s that then?”
“Come on, Shiney, you can work it out. The body’s been embalmed. Do you know what they use in embalming, traditionally?”
Shining had a thought.
“Bandages?”
“Arsenic!” Cadence answered excitedly “They use it as an embalming fluid, at least in the outskirts. And its also the main ingredient in rat poison, this one anyway.” She gestured with the bottle “And what was in that book Alma found that Honeysuckle had been reading?”
“...The Art of the Embalmer!” Shining exclaimed before giving another puzzled look.
“So wait, did she do it or didn’t she?”
“We don’t know but we certainly know how that book fits in at last. Now, I need to find Mr Runcible, the solicitor. Find out about this will.”
“So are you going to Marchion?”
“No, Ponyville.”
The Sergeant raised an eyebrow.
“Ponyville? How do you know he lives there? It doesn’t sound like there’d be much interest for a stallion like him.”
“Runcible Spoon is a member of the Silver family, Shining. The Silvers are a family that were prominent in Canterlot, had that cutlery business and something about hunting Vamponies, but during the financial crisis years ago, they had to relocate to Ponyville. I found out about it from Octavia, she’s a relation of theirs. Ponyville’s where she met her marefriend.”
“You’re...very well informed.” Shining felt flustered at his lady’s wit.
“It helps to be. You see if you can get us a way to Marchion. It shouldn’t be hard. But remember, just say you’re looking for the one who wrote the letters, nothing else. And see if you can find the name of the Embalmers. Catch you later!”
And, full of vigour and giddy with inquisitiveness, Cadence set off on the trail.
The second Argentine Manor, though an ostentatious sight in Ponyville, was nowhere near as high and grand as the first, that having been sold and redeveloped into a mall a decade ago. All the staff had been convinced to stay on, however, including the massive light-blue bodyguard and chauffeur, Sticker Shock, recognisable by his eye-patch.
Letting in the alicorn without a word, she found Runcible Spoon in the downstairs living-room, seemingly in the midst of family lessons with a small grey filly, barely older than a foal, with a silver ponytail, large spectacles and a stuffed toy fox over her shoulder. She was scribbling away at a small notepad as she and Runcible sat in opposite armchairs by the fireplace.
“And then if I take another two jobs both at forty-eight bits an hour. One court case lasts three hours, the other lasts eight hours. The three-hour court case is lost, so I only get half but the eight hour court case is won. What do I have?”
“I’m just trying to add it all up..." the filly mumbled, scribbling sums "So why do you only charge forty-eight, uncle? Why not just fifty?"
“Ah! That, Silvy, is another one of the little tricks of business.” the old stallion tapped the side of his head with his hoof and smiled “Never ask for a big round figure, always go just below it. It sounds like an awful lot less but it isn’t.”
A slim, graceful and slightly more blue mare appeared, her silver mane done up in a bun, and chuckled.
“Really, Runcible. Little Silvy will probably find out about this at Cheerilee’s later on.”
“Hah! I still don’t know why you think learning under a tarty little grad-student and hanging around with those unwashed little scabs is going to be good for your filly, Sonnet.” Runcible huffed.
“Well, we all need to economise. In this day and age, we can’t all afford to be home-tutored. And I think it’ll be good for her.” She at last, noticed the alicorn in the doorway, taken aback by the sudden appearance.
“Can I speak with Mr Runcible, please?” she asked before anypony could roll out an unnecessary red carpet.
“Is there a problem, my lady?” the stallion asked, adjusting his spectacles.
“I’m investigating into the incident at Sanguine Hall. We heard about the will and...” she thought of an excuse “Chairstallion Fancypants wants to know where this leaves Marchion and its princedom.”
“Ah, very well. I’ll just be a moment, Silvy, you work on those sums.” He chuckled, ruffling his niece’s mane fondly, and took Cadence up to his study where he began his explanation.
“There is no puzzle, my lady. Based on rough drafts, prepared by Prince Herod, I drew up two separate wills.”
“Two?” Cadence asked “Strange.”
“Perhaps.” Runcible shrugged “Or perhaps not in the case of a stallion in two minds.”
“Are you saying Prince Herod was schizophrenic?”
“Nothing quite so serious, at least as far as Dr Caraway diagnosed. But Prince Herod was rather fickle-minded, around his family at least. I did not know his grace well but I knew him to be rather capricious. Wilful in his old age, sometimes distressingly so. Perhaps this was all an act until the end but all I was made entirely aware of was that he was...uncertain as to the merits of his immediate family. Are you a gambling pony, my lady, without any offence or suspicion intended?”
“It’s fine. And not really, no.” Cadence said, having never really thought about the question.
“Well, Prince Herod hedged his bets, preparing for both cases of his family either earning his approval or not so much. One of the wills was signed and witnessed before the dinner. I quoted its provisions in front of the family. Later that night, he destroyed it.”
“Because of what happened to the portrait?”
Runcible sat back in his chair.
“So you’re aware of what happened?”
“Yeah, there was something in the paper.” Cadence said quickly. A lie but she was still hesitant to bring Alma into this until certain that Runcible was not a suspect in the murder.
“I see.” he seemed content and continued “Yes, a foalish prank culminated in the vandalism of the portrait. While not unsalvageable, it was, to his grace, the straw that broke the camel’s back, no offence intended towards any camels of course. He sent for me later that night. I found him greatly perturbed. He burned the will, the first one, there and then in the bedroom hearth. Then, at his insistence, I sent the butler to fetch a Mr Scathecraw, one of the gardening staff, and his wife. They were witnesses to the second will.”
“Which left it all to Miss Honeysuckle?”
“Indeed. But that wasn’t quite all. There were several...requests in the will.”
“Requests?” Cadence repeated “What kind? We need to know.”
“Well, this information was to be kept confidential but...I suppose in such circumstances...” Runcible trailed off, before producing a few of the drafts from his desk “According to this second will...let’s see here. The nephew, Persnickety, is to no longer receive the family allowance and must from here on, donate a third of his company’s profit to Sanguine Hall until the debt is gathered from between now and the year he left Sanguine Hall whilst still receiving the allowance. His daughters, Miss Ninienne and Miss Cordelia, will henceforth retire to their respective husband’s estates. His daughter-in-law, Miss Gwendolyn, will leave for her original family’s estate; her parents were fishers living outside Baltimare. His youngest daughter, Miss Maeve, and his eldest grand-daughter, Miss Rowena, will each choose a husband from his old acting colleagues within the year or be sent to a convent. His youngest grand-son, Mr Bayard, will take up work in the local amateur production group. His youngest grand-daughter, Miss Babette, will be sent to a boarding school in Slovenly for the remainder of her foalhood and early adolescence.” As he reached the final draft, he gave a smile of faux-sympathy “Oh, and his eldest grand-son and heir, Mr Gormless, will take up work with the Royal Auxiliary Guard in Chilblain Peak Outpost in the Frozen North...I suppose one can easily understand why they’re all rather...concerned.”
Cadence was speechless as she looked the drafts over.
This wasn’t just a show of disapproval on Prince Herod’s past, this was a spit in the face to his entire family. It went beyond just leaving them with nothing, he’d piled on something worse. Each provision was designed to spite the individual as far as possible. Even Ninienne and Cordelia, sent to their husband’s household, would now have to watch their children stuck in a loathsome career or married off to stallions near as old as Herod himself. There had been no doubt that Herod was angry and accusing with his family but nowhere near this much.
A trip to Sanguine Hall was of the utmost importance. And she had a feeling she’d be more welcome than previously assumed if she was there to help them contest the will.
*
On the very same train that Alma had taken weeks before, Cadence and Shining Armour made their journey to Marchion, telling Alma all on the small portable orb Cadence had brought.
“It all sounds pretty deep, sorry to miss out.” Alma chuckled.
“I’m just sorry you’ve been roped into all this, we’ll make sure you’re kept safe.” Cadence assured her friend.
“No trouble, you kids have fun, it’ll be a great bonding experience.” the bubbly pegasus said before disappearing.
Cadence and Shining gave each other a look as the train came to a stop at last.
The services around the train station looked rather Equestrian. Of course, Marchion probably hadn’t wanted the train in the first place but even discounting their prickly, snobbish stereotypes, it seemed unlikely they’d seen much use in candy stalls, pet shops and the like. While Cadence checked the map, Shining passed by the window in a toy store.
“My lady, could you have a look at this?”
“Maybe for your birthday, Shiney.” Cadence said cheekily.
“Very funny.” he sighed, humourless “Just look, I’ve found something.”
Turning to the window, the mare followed Shining’s direction and saw it, just between the clockwork false teeth and the rubber chickens.
A selection of raspberry cushions.
“Very perceptive, Sergeant.” she said, impressed “Shall we see who gets to investigate?” She forked a gold bit out of her hoof-bag “Heads or tails?”
“Heads.”
She tossed it in the air and caught on on the sole of her hoof.
“Heads.” She held out a hoof and grinned “In you go. Let’s see the master at work.”
Shining gave a startled expression, having assumed it would be the loser who went in, but stepped inside, trying not to grumble.
In truth, he knew that the way Cadence played with him was nothing malicious. If anything, it showed how comfortable she felt around him. She’d probably picked up the habit from babysitting Twilight. But, as it was with Twilight, it could at times get rather degrading.
The door rang a bell and a pudgy but beaming orange stallion in a fluffy red clown wig emerged.
“Welcome to Gingernut’s Joke Shop, sir. Looking for something in particular?”
Shining gave a moment’s thought, recollecting Alma’s story and picking out a suitable guise.
“Yeah, I’m looking for something to cheer up a little filly who’s been quite ill for a while.” he said “Proper scamp when she’s well. Says she’s looking to play a joke on her Doctor...Caraway, she told me. Dr Caraway. I noticed the raspberry cushions, I think that’ll do nicely.” He hoped he’d got the name right.
“Ooh, that Caraway. Doubt he’ll appreciate that. Suffers from a lack of humour, that one.” Gingernut winced, waddling over to the stand, owing to wearing swimming flippers on each hoof “But isn’t it a small world. I sold one of these, barely a couple of weeks ago, and that was also to a little filly who’d been ill.”
“No kidding.” Shining was getting somewhere “This one’s up at the big house.”
“Sanguine Hall?”
“Yeah, I’m a friend of Bayard’s. From the guard. It’s his little sister.” He was impressed with his own ability to lie.
Gingernut hooted with laughter.
“Well, if that’s the case, Babbles, they call her, and she is a scamp, you’re right there...I’m afraid to say she already has one.”
“Ah. That’s a bit of a bummer.” Shining could feel himself getting closer to the truth. He was actually feeling pretty good about this, the thought of impressing Cadence so much.
“Oh well. A foal can never have too many raspberry cushions. I’ll take one anyway. That’s Caraway’s problem, not mine.”
“Very well, sir. They’re seven bits each.”
Shining forked over the coin, wondering if Cadence would find it in her heart to pay him back, and went for the final shot.
“Hold on, Babbles has been stuck at home since she caught the ringworm. You aren’t telling me the little pest sneaked out, came here and brought it for herself are you?”
“Oh goodness, no. It was her aunt.” Gingernut explained “Her new aunt...or should that be her new grand-mother? Poor kid’s gonna’ grow up terribly confused.”
Shining resisted punching the air until he was out of the shop where Cadence was waiting.
“You were right, Cadey! Honeysuckle was the one who was framing Babbles! She bought the raspberry cushion just a few days before Alma arrived!”
Cadence gave a triumphant bray of laughter and gripped bodyguard’s shoulders in an almighty hug.
“You ace!” she cried “We’re on the trail! I knew I could rely on you, Shiney.”
Shining felt the pride and other warm feelings wash over him, blushing more than ever, weak in the fetlocks.
It had been worth it.
Finding Sanguine Hall was no difficulty and walking the way was fairly leisurely, the countryside proving a very pleasant atmosphere. Cadence couldn’t help but find somewhat...romantic.
Before she could fully wrap her foreleg around Shining’s, she found a small pink filly in a bonnet in the garden just outside the house. She was kneeling over a small mound of dirt that she’d placed a stick in front of from which hung a small note.
Her eyes were red, her cheeks moist and she was constantly wiping her nose with her forehoof as she sniffed.
Carefully pacing over, Cadence read the note.
Here Lies Scaramouch
Rest In Piece
Have A Nice Time In Kitty Paradise
I’ll Always Miss You
Love From Babette
The alicorn held a hoof before her mouth in sympathy.
It was never easy for a foal to experience death in a creature they’d raised themselves. Somehow, a pet dying always felt so sudden. Like one couldn’t quite say goodbye to it in the same way as a pony.
Gently kneeling down, she spoke.
“Hello.” she began “You must be Babette. That’s what’s written here anyway.” She pointed to the note. The filly barely noticed her, her attention fixed on the grave.
“Was Scaramouch your kitten?”
“He wasn’t a kitten, he was a cat.” Babette answered at last “He was Papa’s cat. Only he loved me better than Papa. He loved me better than anypony. I was his friend. And I didn’t give him the ringworm! I hate Aunt Muffy! She says I killed Scaramouch with the ringworm!”
Shining gave her a look of sympathy.
“I’ll bet you never did.”
“I might give you the ringworm.” the filly snapped.
At this the Sergeant snorted snidely.
“You do that and I’ll give you trench-hoof.” he retorted.
“He’s just joking.” Cadence chuckled “Why don’t we try to cheer you up. I need to have a word with the family but I’m sure the Sergeant wouldn’t mind playing a game with you.” She ignored Shining’s look of dismay.
“Can he play Happy Families?” Babette asked, looking the Sergeant up and down.
“Play it? He invented it!” Cadence trotted off brightly “Carry on, Sergeant.”
“Oh yes. Why don’t we? Sounds swell.” Shining groaned sarcastically, once again lumped with the difficult foal.
Well, I've gotten back in Bournemouth, helped my friend out with her finances and all seems well. Hope everyone else is doing fine.
The plot thickens as Special Detectives Cadence and Shining are on the case!
Yes, that is Silver Spoon. And Sticker Shock and Silver Sonnet are from MustLoveFrog's headcanon. It's some of the most heartwarming art and shipping I've ever seen. 
I'd recommend following it.
Runcible's talk of business tricks is based off Dad's Maths Lesson in Roald Dahl's Matilda.
And for Cadence and Shining. You know the phrase 'Like An Old Married Couple'?
Rather fun to write.
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Nice detective work you two. Shining could dress as Sherlock Homes, semiliar as his sister did, the the pony counterpart of Sherlock could help out.
Indeed, you can never have too many.
I know that feeling too well, lost my cat, Tiger, that was very close to me back in 2012. Really cried over his death but in my heart, he always will be alive.
8444054
Thanks.
I think Cadence would be wearing the Sherlock Holmes hat. Maybe that's where Twilight got it from.
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Sorry to hear that. I think everyone who's had a pet suffers from that kind of heartache.
8444255
Yeah, that would makes sense. About my cat, apprechiated. I thought by basing the cat of the hill's of him, I could honor him. He was like a little brother to me
8444261
Sounds nice.
8444278
Glad to hear it
Is that will enforceable? It seems very odd to have that degree of control without the family having any recourse, especially as they aren't inheriting anything; normally all a will can do is specify what happens to the estate, even if it puts conditions on it.
I do agree with your opinion of MustLoveFrog's work though, it's some good stuff.
8445700
Well, it's going to be contested now, with him dead.
It's all rather dubious and, since it was clear he wasn't in his right mind, we may never know if he would have renegaded on it when he came to his senses or if the courts would allow it.
8445850
Fair enough