Chapter one: The unexpected visitor with the wonderful news.
Dear Diary,
I went to the most wonderful party today. There was plenty of food and
many friends, oh and fireworks! Wonderful fireworks. But I will explain
some before I go on.
My name is Peony Proudfoot; I am 31 years of age and am currently living in
Hardbottle with my mother. It seems rather odd doesn't it; a Proudfoot in
Hardbottle, but the story behind it is rather odd as well.
You see, my father, his name is Prothos Proudfoot, youngest son of Bodo
Proudfoot of Frogmorton, and my elder brother Pothos and I were born there.
I lived in Frogmorton for 4 years and one day my family went on a picnic
by The Water. My memory fails me but my mother says Pothos saw a frog and
chased after it, right into the water. My father dove in, trying to
desperately save him, but they both drowned.
My poor mother was devastated, losing them. So we moved to Hardbottle,
back into the same hole my mother had grown up in. That is where I grew
up.
That was 27 years ago. Since then my mother and I have lived alone. Mom has many friends, mostly our Bracegirdle relatives. But I felt I wasn't wanted there. Because I am half a Proudfoot, I have big feet, very big, furry feet. My schoolmates teased me, the terrible girls laughed at me and where not friendly, and the lads called me "big foot" and "Fuzzy feet" I would go home everyday, crying. But since I have left my public schooling, I've been much happier. I paint, and my relatives say I can play the flute well. My relatives don't mind that I have big feet, well, most of them anyway. There are some exceptions. Three weeks ago, one of those exceptions came to our hole, on a cart pulled by a shaggy, old pony. I remember I was painting in the garden, the sun was behind the tall hills surrounding our hole, when the old maid walked up the front steps. She was wearing a yellow dress and a straw hat and she didn't even notice me when she came up the walk and tapped the door with her umbrella. She looked up and smiled, thinking of some fond memory of long ago in the old hole. One or two moments passed until our round door opened to the smiling face of my mother. "Lobelia! How long has it been?" She embraced her. "Oh, too long. But I have wonderful news." Said Lobelia. "Than you must come in and tell me all about it." My mother stepped aside and ushered her in. Than she called to me. "Peony, stop that silly painting and help me with the tea." Then she went in and closed the door. I stood up and wiped my hands on my pinafore, and made my way across the garden.
Inside the two ladies sat and chatted lightly of old times, when I entered the room they looked up. "Lobelia, this is my daughter Peony." My mother stood up and put her arm on my shoulder. Lobelia did not smile right away. She looked me up and down and her eyes stopped at my feet. "Prothos's." she said, giving me a tight smile. I did not smile back. "Yes, I have not remarried Lobelia." My mother laughed uncomfortable. "How is your husband?" "Very good." She nodded, making it clear that she did not want to discuss it further. "Oh. Well.tell me about your good news." I served the tea and sat down. "Thank you Peony." Said my mother. "Oh dear, I haven't even told you who our stranger is darling." She motioned to Lobelia. "This is my dear old friend and second cousin, Lobelia Sackville-baggins. Dear me, she was my next door neighbour when we were young." "Best friends in our tweens." Lobelia smiled a real smile for my mother. "Yes. But then you met that Otho and married him." My mother shook her head. They continued to chat and I stayed silent. "Children should be seen and not heard." My mother had always said. So I did not speak at all during tea, and they seemed not to want me too. Ten minutes later my mother put down her tea cup. "Now," said my mother. "About this good news." "Oh Pansy it's wonderful, have you heard of this long expected party in Hobbiton?" She removed something from her done up umbrella and laid it on the table. "Oh what a lovely card." I breathed. It was a white card with a picture of a rose in front. The inside was marked with gold ink. My mother read it. "Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sackville-baggins (and family), it is my pleasure to invite you to my 111th birthday party on the day of the 22nd of September on the field under Hill, you are also invited to the family supper party of that evening in the largest pavilion. I do hope you can come. Sincerely Bilbo Baggins of Bag End." My mother finished. "Bilbo Baggins! The Bilbo Baggins! Oh my!" She echoed.
"Yes!" Lobelia said, raising her voice. "The same Bilbo Baggins who stole Bag End from our family and now he's inviting us to his little party. What nerve." "But I thought this was good news?" said mom. "It is, the party is going to be wonderful." Lobelia laughed. "Lobelia, how little is this party going to be?" said my mother eagerly. "According to rumour, it will not be little at all. Half the Shire has been invited, they say."
"May we come?" I cried out. They both turned and stared at me. I was silenced. "Peony, don't be so rude. She can get excitable you know." "No, that's all right." Lobelia said. She looked into my eyes. "You want to come to Hobbiton to go to Mr. Baggins' party do you." She continued, mockingly. I nodded eagerly. Anything to leave Hardbottle for a few weeks, whether Lobelia knew or not. "It does sound interesting Lobelia." My mother added. "I've never been in Hobbiton, only passed by a few times." "Pansy my dear," said Lobelia laughing. "Do you even know Bilbo Baggins?" "I met him once. 60 odd years ago, he came to Hardbottle to visit relatives I think. I believe we are distantly related." Lobelia looked doubtful. "And I know all about his going away and returning with wealth beyond imagination." Wonder came into her eyes. And mine, as well I'm sure. I had never heard of this Bilbo before, but it seemed to me that my mother had heard quite a bit. "I've heard those stories." Said Lobelia. "But it would be fairly easy to get invitations for you if you are indeed distant family members." She sighed. "However, I will not be in Hobbiton until the day before the Party, and I think you should ask before then. Do you have any other relatives that live in Hobbiton" "I have distant cousins, Bico and Daisy Hornblower, do you think they'll be invited?" "Almost everyone in Hobbiton is. And Bilbo, I believe, is related to the Hornblowers as well. They will do." "I will send them a letter. What is the date Peony?" I stirred from my thoughts.
"Oh, um, the 7th of September." "Thank you, I will ask them if we may stay there for a few weeks for the party." "Splendid, then I will have a good friend there at least. My son Lotho will be there, he might be pleased if Peony were to come." She gave my mother a knowing glance. What did she mean "might"? "Look at the time!" She jumped up to the chime of our clock. "I must be making my way back to Nobottle. Thank you very much for tea." My mother helped her with her shall.
After she had left, my mother and I went back to the kitchen to start preparing supper.
"Will we go to Hobbiton, do you think?" I asked. "I would like very much to go, to see Bilbo again." She went silent and seemed to look far away. A smile spread across my face.
"You fancy him, don't you mom." "I do not!" she snapped. I wasn't convinced. She saw she wasn't fooling me. "All right." She said. "But what maid my age wouldn't. Impassable wealth endless vigour, a mansion like hobbit hole, and no wife. When I was young, and I met him, he did seem interested." She sighed. "I will never forget your father, but it has been nearly 30 years, I." she broke off. "I understand mom. Does this mean we can go to his party?" "Thank you, and I understand why you want to go. For the same reason I suppose." She laughed. That was true. I had long dreamed that I would go to Hobbiton, where there were other Proudfoots. And not only that, that the folk there would look past my big feet and look at the pretty maid with the pinwheel curls tied with blue ribbons, the painter and the musician. Also, like my mother, I would like to meet a lad of my own. But that is just my dream. "All right, I've made up my mind. We're going to visit Bico and Daisy and see if Daisy can get us invited." I jumped for joy. "And.maybe afterwards, we could visit Frogmorton." I looked up again and gasped. "Frogmorton! Really!" "I think.if I can think about remarrying, I can.go back to Frogmorton." I ran up to her, and embraced her. My relatives! And not the ones that need to pretend to like me. "We'll leave in a fortnight." She said. "Oh, thank you!" I embraced her again.
What will happen when Peony reaches Hobbiton? Will she be invited to Mr. Bilbo's party? And what about her mother and her little crush? Be sure to read the next chapter; Chapter 2: A Dandy Trip to Love.
That was 27 years ago. Since then my mother and I have lived alone. Mom has many friends, mostly our Bracegirdle relatives. But I felt I wasn't wanted there. Because I am half a Proudfoot, I have big feet, very big, furry feet. My schoolmates teased me, the terrible girls laughed at me and where not friendly, and the lads called me "big foot" and "Fuzzy feet" I would go home everyday, crying. But since I have left my public schooling, I've been much happier. I paint, and my relatives say I can play the flute well. My relatives don't mind that I have big feet, well, most of them anyway. There are some exceptions. Three weeks ago, one of those exceptions came to our hole, on a cart pulled by a shaggy, old pony. I remember I was painting in the garden, the sun was behind the tall hills surrounding our hole, when the old maid walked up the front steps. She was wearing a yellow dress and a straw hat and she didn't even notice me when she came up the walk and tapped the door with her umbrella. She looked up and smiled, thinking of some fond memory of long ago in the old hole. One or two moments passed until our round door opened to the smiling face of my mother. "Lobelia! How long has it been?" She embraced her. "Oh, too long. But I have wonderful news." Said Lobelia. "Than you must come in and tell me all about it." My mother stepped aside and ushered her in. Than she called to me. "Peony, stop that silly painting and help me with the tea." Then she went in and closed the door. I stood up and wiped my hands on my pinafore, and made my way across the garden.
Inside the two ladies sat and chatted lightly of old times, when I entered the room they looked up. "Lobelia, this is my daughter Peony." My mother stood up and put her arm on my shoulder. Lobelia did not smile right away. She looked me up and down and her eyes stopped at my feet. "Prothos's." she said, giving me a tight smile. I did not smile back. "Yes, I have not remarried Lobelia." My mother laughed uncomfortable. "How is your husband?" "Very good." She nodded, making it clear that she did not want to discuss it further. "Oh. Well.tell me about your good news." I served the tea and sat down. "Thank you Peony." Said my mother. "Oh dear, I haven't even told you who our stranger is darling." She motioned to Lobelia. "This is my dear old friend and second cousin, Lobelia Sackville-baggins. Dear me, she was my next door neighbour when we were young." "Best friends in our tweens." Lobelia smiled a real smile for my mother. "Yes. But then you met that Otho and married him." My mother shook her head. They continued to chat and I stayed silent. "Children should be seen and not heard." My mother had always said. So I did not speak at all during tea, and they seemed not to want me too. Ten minutes later my mother put down her tea cup. "Now," said my mother. "About this good news." "Oh Pansy it's wonderful, have you heard of this long expected party in Hobbiton?" She removed something from her done up umbrella and laid it on the table. "Oh what a lovely card." I breathed. It was a white card with a picture of a rose in front. The inside was marked with gold ink. My mother read it. "Dear Mr. and Mrs. Sackville-baggins (and family), it is my pleasure to invite you to my 111th birthday party on the day of the 22nd of September on the field under Hill, you are also invited to the family supper party of that evening in the largest pavilion. I do hope you can come. Sincerely Bilbo Baggins of Bag End." My mother finished. "Bilbo Baggins! The Bilbo Baggins! Oh my!" She echoed.
"Yes!" Lobelia said, raising her voice. "The same Bilbo Baggins who stole Bag End from our family and now he's inviting us to his little party. What nerve." "But I thought this was good news?" said mom. "It is, the party is going to be wonderful." Lobelia laughed. "Lobelia, how little is this party going to be?" said my mother eagerly. "According to rumour, it will not be little at all. Half the Shire has been invited, they say."
"May we come?" I cried out. They both turned and stared at me. I was silenced. "Peony, don't be so rude. She can get excitable you know." "No, that's all right." Lobelia said. She looked into my eyes. "You want to come to Hobbiton to go to Mr. Baggins' party do you." She continued, mockingly. I nodded eagerly. Anything to leave Hardbottle for a few weeks, whether Lobelia knew or not. "It does sound interesting Lobelia." My mother added. "I've never been in Hobbiton, only passed by a few times." "Pansy my dear," said Lobelia laughing. "Do you even know Bilbo Baggins?" "I met him once. 60 odd years ago, he came to Hardbottle to visit relatives I think. I believe we are distantly related." Lobelia looked doubtful. "And I know all about his going away and returning with wealth beyond imagination." Wonder came into her eyes. And mine, as well I'm sure. I had never heard of this Bilbo before, but it seemed to me that my mother had heard quite a bit. "I've heard those stories." Said Lobelia. "But it would be fairly easy to get invitations for you if you are indeed distant family members." She sighed. "However, I will not be in Hobbiton until the day before the Party, and I think you should ask before then. Do you have any other relatives that live in Hobbiton" "I have distant cousins, Bico and Daisy Hornblower, do you think they'll be invited?" "Almost everyone in Hobbiton is. And Bilbo, I believe, is related to the Hornblowers as well. They will do." "I will send them a letter. What is the date Peony?" I stirred from my thoughts.
"Oh, um, the 7th of September." "Thank you, I will ask them if we may stay there for a few weeks for the party." "Splendid, then I will have a good friend there at least. My son Lotho will be there, he might be pleased if Peony were to come." She gave my mother a knowing glance. What did she mean "might"? "Look at the time!" She jumped up to the chime of our clock. "I must be making my way back to Nobottle. Thank you very much for tea." My mother helped her with her shall.
After she had left, my mother and I went back to the kitchen to start preparing supper.
"Will we go to Hobbiton, do you think?" I asked. "I would like very much to go, to see Bilbo again." She went silent and seemed to look far away. A smile spread across my face.
"You fancy him, don't you mom." "I do not!" she snapped. I wasn't convinced. She saw she wasn't fooling me. "All right." She said. "But what maid my age wouldn't. Impassable wealth endless vigour, a mansion like hobbit hole, and no wife. When I was young, and I met him, he did seem interested." She sighed. "I will never forget your father, but it has been nearly 30 years, I." she broke off. "I understand mom. Does this mean we can go to his party?" "Thank you, and I understand why you want to go. For the same reason I suppose." She laughed. That was true. I had long dreamed that I would go to Hobbiton, where there were other Proudfoots. And not only that, that the folk there would look past my big feet and look at the pretty maid with the pinwheel curls tied with blue ribbons, the painter and the musician. Also, like my mother, I would like to meet a lad of my own. But that is just my dream. "All right, I've made up my mind. We're going to visit Bico and Daisy and see if Daisy can get us invited." I jumped for joy. "And.maybe afterwards, we could visit Frogmorton." I looked up again and gasped. "Frogmorton! Really!" "I think.if I can think about remarrying, I can.go back to Frogmorton." I ran up to her, and embraced her. My relatives! And not the ones that need to pretend to like me. "We'll leave in a fortnight." She said. "Oh, thank you!" I embraced her again.
What will happen when Peony reaches Hobbiton? Will she be invited to Mr. Bilbo's party? And what about her mother and her little crush? Be sure to read the next chapter; Chapter 2: A Dandy Trip to Love.