Sorry this took so long, but I could not get it right. I think I have it now. Hope you enjoy this.
A special thank you to all the reviewers.
Ch 12 The unveiling
There was a murmur as Holmes' words were spoken. I noticed that there were two young hobbits behind me wearing grey cloaks with their hoods covering their faces. The Thain glanced casually in my direction, and he nodded his head. So far everything was going according to the plans we had made.
Holmes then said, "Has everyone received their silver penny?" He looked around the room as a murmur of assent was heard - except for the two cloaked figures. "Nay, we did not get one."
All heads turned towards them. They threw off their hoods to disclose the Thain's son Faramir Took and his cousin, Saradoc Brandybuck, the son of Meriodoc Brandybuck, the Master of Buckland.
"Are you positive you handed out twenty-seven pennies?" Holmes asked the steward.
"Aye, I am positive." The steward quietly replied, then moved beside Peregrin.
"Very well." Holmes' voice was the only sound heard in the room. "The facts are as follows: There are visitors, from a collateral branch of Tooks. Afterwards, footprints are seen in the hall. The Thain's wand then is missing. There was a great deal of wanton mischief, with cows being let out of their paddock and into the cornfield; holes deliberately bored into the barn roof so hay would get mouldy; casks of ale being breached and general mischief being done in the smial itself. I have also heard reports of breakfasts missing, clothing being taken, and beds being slept in after they were made."
Holmes started to pace as he spoke. I noticed he was getting nearer the Thain each time.
"I have all the pieces of the puzzle. There were two perpetrators. They knew the Thain would be gone for some days. How they got that information is not relevant at this time. They arrived to an empty smial. They gained entrance to Tuckborough, roaming the halls, leaving their dusty footprints. They were after one thing - the wand of office. They thought that without it, the Thainship would then revert to that branch of the Tooks."
As Holmes was talking, his pacing was leading him nearer and nearer to the far doorway.
"However, they were not quick enough in leaving. The Thain returned a little quicker - and they were not able to take the wand with them. What was to be done? Leave the wand? No. After all, that is what they came to get. Stay, and be found? Again, no. It would be of no use if they were detained. What was to be done? A solution was then found - stay hidden, and, eventually, leave and take the wand."
There was absolute silence as Holmes looked around the room. "Thain Peregrin, I hereby return your wand." With that, Holmes reached out and appeared to be detaching a part of the carving from the wall. All were amazed as the carving easily came off, revealing the wand.
Peregrin smiled, and said "I thank you for returning it. However, there is still the matter of the ones that stole it."
"Ah, I have not forgotten that. I will give you the thieves now." With that, Holmes reached out and grabbed two hobbits that were standing near the doorway. "Here are the thieves." Holmes brought them forward to stand before the Thain.
"Why did you steal the wand? It would not have made any difference whether I had it or not. It is simply a memento. It was the gift of a beloved cousin and has nothing to do with the office I hold." There was a look of sadness in Pippin's eyes as he spoke to the two hobbits.
"You are correct. We are part of the Great Northern Tooks. You, sir, are correct in your statements. We did indeed, enter the smial, and steal the wand. We then decided, that since there were so many hobbits already here, two more would not be noticed. I see we were wrong in that assumption. We had to eat, and sleep, somewhere. We were unable to remove the wand, so I decided to glue it on the wall. I was not able to tell where it was after it was attached. I do not see how you could find it so quickly."
Holmes said merely "I noticed it only after a bit of time had passed."
"Did you also do the mischief, such as the holes in the roof, letting the cows out, and all the other mischief?"
The second hobbit spoke up. "No, I did that. There would have been more, if HE had not been here. We could not move around as we did before."
The next day, Holmes and I were ready to leave. Peregrin and Diamond met us after breakfast.
"We are most grateful to you," said the Thain. "Here is a small token of our appreciation and gratitude." With that, they handed Holmes a box of Mallorn, bound with gold. Inside was a pipe, carved in the likeness of a dragon, with the bowl being the head.
"Here is a special gift for you, as well, Dr. Watson." I received a medicine chest, bound with silver and filled with the healing herbs that grew in Tuckborough, and Buckland.
We left Tuckborough, and wended our way back to the shire.
We received word later that the hobbits were later tried before a court, and found guilty. They were taken back North, and banned from the Shire for life.
