a/n: refers to The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place.
A variation on a Rime Couée
Holmes and companions do not belong to me.
Family Values
Holmes seeks out dust and threads of tweed and then, in triumph, glue;
The microscope is put aside, a client's overdue.
A new case to crack?
He bids me to enlighten him on racing, for he knows
Precisely where a portion of my army pension goes;
On the thrill of the track.
~0~
He mentions Robert Norberton; I tell him all I can;
A baronet, a daredevil, reputed ladies' man,
And fond of a bet.
A past Grand National runner up; a boxer, past his prime;
Accomplishments more suited to a grander, bolder time;
And deeply in debt.
~0~
His widowed sister, Beatrice, is holder of their land;
Devoted to her brother, and her Shoscombe spaniels and
To Shoscombe Old Place.
John Mason, client, enters; self-possessed, composed and cold;
For everything he does is calm and carefully controlled;
It shows in his face.
~0~
He thinks Sir Robert Norberton, his boss, is quite insane;
The Derby and his plans for Shoscombe Prince have turned his brain.
He fears for the worst.
His gambling debts are mounting, he is heading for a fall
He's borrowed money where he can, prepared to risk it all;
On his colt coming first.
~0~
He's always at the stables, each spare moment, night and day;
His sister, fond of Shoscombe Prince, now keeps the colt at bay
And she simply drives by.
No simple explanation why the two remain apart
She broods and drinks excessively despite her weakened heart;
No clear reason why.
~0~
He gave her favourite pet away despite its pedigree
He took away her spaniel, but what motive could there be?
It howled, nothing more.
He used to see his sister, in her chambers, every night,
But now he rarely visits; had there been a bitter fight?
They'd not argued before.
~0~
Strange sinister activities are witnessed after dark;
A haunted ruined crypt Sir Robert visits in the park
Next night he goes back
Sir Robert meets a stranger in that damp and lonely place,
Such outings add disturbing new suspicions to this case
Two men mark his track.
~0~
So, an ordered, peaceful household till about a week ago;
What happened to significantly rock the status quo?
What dreadful event?
The sister, isolated, and the brother wild and tense
Disturbance of some ancient bones, defying common sense
Perhaps evil intent?
~0~
That spaniel, briefly borrowed, for a planned strategic walk;
A routine carriage trip waylaid for commonplace small talk;
The spaniel released.
A joyful hoped reunion with his mistress turns to woe;
Subterfuge identified, suspicions start to grow
That the sister's deceased
~0~
At first, foul play's considered, though the motive isn't clear;
Then other, quite distasteful possibilities appear
No respect for the dead
A brother who is focussed on the winning of a bet
His sister's peace comes second to avoidance of the threat
Of foreclosure instead.
~0~
Success for Robert Norberton; his dark horse wins the race
Concealment of his sister's death does not bring much disgrace;
Reputation preserved.
He takes his Derby winnings, and seems quite devoid of shame
Continuing to prosper both in fortune and in fame;
Much more than deserved.
~0~
a/n 2: Rime Couée- French form, 12 century I think. 6 line 1 and 2 rhyme, as do 4 and 5. 3 and 6 rhyme with each other and are shorter than the others.