It was the best kind of summer day. From her place beneath the sycamore tree Esmeralda could hear the shrieks of laughter and loud splashing of children playing in the shallows at a bend in the river. In the branches above her a gaggle of sparrows was fighting over crumbs snatched up cheekily from the remains of several picnic cloths spread out on the bright green grass and away in the distance a cow was lowing.
Esmeralda sighed contentedly as her body went about the daunting task of digesting the large quantity of food she had just consumed and around her she could hear the drowsy sounds of other adults as they wound down to an afternoon nap, safe in the knowledge that today it was someone else's turn to watch the young ones. Their voices blended with the drone of bees collecting nectar from the clover in the meadow grass.
The sun shone warmly, even through the filter of leaves above her and Esmeralda turned her face towards it, like a flower. There was not a cloud to be seen in the bluest of skies, so the sudden shadow that fell across her face made Esmeralda's eyes fly open in alarm. She sat up, shielding her eyes as she tried to make out the features of the hobbit standing above her.
"Good afternoon, Esmeralda. Saradoc said that I would find you out here." Bilbo Baggins chuckled as he glanced around at the somnolent figures strewn about the grass. "Although I suppose I could have worked that out for myself. It seems most of Brandy Hall has decided to picnic this afternoon. May I sit down?"
Esmeralda smiled and drew aside her skirts to allow him room on the rug. "Certainly. Although I think you'll find Frodo with the other youngsters, down by the river."
The older hobbit settled upon the rug and leaned back against the tree. It had taken several patient years to get Frodo anywhere near the river but now he swam like a fish. "Actually, he's gone indoors."
"Oh. That's not like him. Then he's probably gone to the library. Would you like some cider?" She surveyed the meagre pickings in her basket. "And I believe there's some seedcake left here somewhere."
"No thank you, Esmeralda. I've just had an excellent tea with Rorymac."
Esmeralda looked across at him curiously. In ten years she noticed he had started to show a good sprinkling of grey hair amongst the brown and his girth had expanded a little. But other than that Bilbo Baggins did not seem to her to be one tock older than he had been at that fateful birthday party where they had first met.
If he noticed her scrutiny, Bilbo chose to let it pass without comment . . . almost as though he was used to such assessments.
"I've done it, Esme."
"Done what?" she replied, still a little sun drowsed.
"I have the documents for Frodo's adoption ready to sign in Rorymac's study."
Esmeralda was suddenly wide-awake. "Have you told Frodo?"
"He knew matters were coming to a head but Rorymac wants a word with him on his own first, to make sure that this is what the lad wants. If it is I have only to sign the papers and I have come to ask if you and Saradoc will be the principle witnesses."
Hard pressed to hold back her tears of joy, Esmeralda sat up straight. "Oh Bilbo, I would love to. You will make Frodo so happy. But however did you win over the Sackville-Baggins'?"
Bilbo's face gave no clue to his reply. "It wasn't easy. I had to agree to Lobelia and Otho becoming Frodo's guardians in the event of my death before the lad comes of age."
Esmeralda studied the ageless face again. She did not know precisely how old Bilbo was but she knew that he was much older than he looked. He had already lived longer than many hobbits and if he died before Frodo reached his majority Bag End would effectively belong to the Sackville-Baggins. Esmeralda was in no doubt that should tht happen there would be little left of Bilbo's property for Frodo to inherit on his thirty-third birthday.
A small smile began to dance about Bilbo's lips, however, and Esmeralda's heart lifted. The calendar may say that Bilbo Baggins was old but there was no sign of the advancing years in the hale hobbit that relaxed at Esmeralda's side. Having closed his eyes against the sun's brilliance Bilbo opened one to look at her and continued quietly.
"Of course, I have no intention of allowing them to take advantage of that clause. I think Lobelia will be a little upset when she sees me next. I am very much recovered from that awful cold that I had last time we met." He coughed dramatically, thumping his chest. "I'm afraid I was not at my best when she came to sign the documents and I had taken to my bed."
Esmeralda's face broke into a spontaneous grin. "Why Bilbo Baggins! You old fraud!"
Bilbo opened both eyes wide in mock horror. "Who me? But now that you mention it I did make a very quick recovery. It must be my constitution. Of course, if you want to complete my return to health you could come and witness my signature on that document. Shall we go? I think Rorymac and Frodo will be ready for us by now." He stood in one fluid movement and offered Esmeralda a hand up.
"Far be it from me to stand in the way of your return to complete health, Bilbo. And it would be my pleasure to see Frodo settled."
The dark wood panelling in Rorymac's study made it feel permanently dark, despite having two large round windows set in its outer wall. Esmeralda had been here rarely as she and Rorymac had never quite seemed to hit it off. It was her husband who had ushered them in and he stood in silent support behind her now.
Frodo looked rather nervous as he perched on the edge of one of the large overstuffed chairs. His feet only just touching the floor were testament to the fact that he still had a little growing to do and he jumped up as soon as his elders entered. Bilbo moved forward to squeeze his shoulder lightly as Frodo smiled up at him, tears gathering in the blue depths of his large eyes.
Rorymac looked up from beneath heavy brows, his impressive girth compressed tightly between chair and desk, and waved Bilbo and Esmeralda to the two chairs set before him. Saradoc came to stand behind his wife, one hand resting lightly upon her shoulder, and Bilbo settled in the one recently vacated by Frodo. The younger hobbit flashed a hesitant smile at Esmeralda, moving to stand at Bilbo's side, and Esmeralda settled more comfortably in her own chair as Bilbo reached his arm about Frodo's waist. The lad leaned in towards him trustingly.
All looked expectantly at Rorymac, who made the most of the attention by taking time to shuffle the large legal documents before him before addressing them in his most formal voice.
"I have spoken to Frodo to ensure that he knows exactly what we are about to sign, Bilbo, and what it will mean to him. He assures me that he not only understands but is very happy at the prospect."
Frodo broke into a genuine smile, his cheeks high and pink, dashing away a tear with his hand and sniffling lightly. Esmeralda fished about in her pocket and handed over a clean hanky. She had never been able to persuade him to carry one of his own. His smile broadened to a grin as he accepted it and wiped his nose.
Rorymac cleared his throat and Esmeralda looked back to find his steady hazel gaze upon her. "There is no legal obligation for you to be made aware of the content of this document but I understand that Bilbo has advised you. Are you willing to serve as witnesses to Bilbo's signature, Esmeralda and Saradoc Brandybuck?"
She returned his gaze levelly. "I am more than willing, Rorymac." A hobbit of few words, Saradoc merely nodded.
The Master of Brandy Hall lifted a quill and paused for a moment. "Before I append my signature and seal I would like to say that this is one of the most pleasant and long awaited services I have ever had to perform. As you all know, I had my doubts about Bilbo's fitness to look after a child and in that, perhaps, the wait has been to his advantage, for Frodo is now a tweenager. But over the years it has been my pleasure to watch the familial love grow between the two of you until I could not imagine the consequences of keeping you apart any longer."
All were now smiling broadly as he dipped the quill in a large pot of red ink and signed his name with a flourish, blotting it, turning the document around and offering the pen to Bilbo. The Master of Bag End added his own chicken scratch signature and Rorymac blotted that. All now turned to Esmeralda and, dipping the pen in the inkpot once more, Rorymac held it out for her.
Rory cleared his throat. "Esmeralda Brandybuck, I will ask you now to verify that you have witnessed Bilbo Baggins sign this document."
Esmeralda stood, straightened her skirts and reached for the pen and Saradoc came to stand proudly at her side. Rorymac pointed to the relevant space and Esmeralda signed her name. She had been worried that she would shake and splatter ink on the page but now it came to it her hand was firm and sure. She could not remember ever having been so sure of the rightness of an action in her life and when she turned back to her seat, Saradoc leaned down without hesitation to add his name to hers.
After that there was five minutes of relative chaos as four residents were accosted in the hallway to append their signatures. That they had not actually witnessed Bilbo sign the document seemed irrelevant to the Master, who had always been able to slip from formal to informal in mid breath. However getting those residents to depart took several more minutes as they all insisted upon shaking Bilbo and Frodo's hands, offering their congratulations and looking around pointedly for victuals or at least a glass of wine. It was only Saradoc's determined shepherding that cleared the room at last.
Once peace had been restored Rorymac turned the document back to face him and dipped a tiny spoon into the dish of red wax melting over a candle on his desk. Spreading the wax in a large blob he then quickly breathed upon the large official seal of the Master of Brandy Hall and stamped it firmly. All sighed in relief and Rorymac looked across and smiled for the first time, once again the head of the family, rather than the Master of Brandy Hall.
"Frodo, you are now the adopted heir of Bilbo Baggins."
The young hobbit could contain himself no longer. Tweenager or no, his joy must find expression and he threw himself at his Uncle, wrapping his arms about the older hobbit's neck in a fierce hug. Bilbo returned the hug warmly, laughing even though the tears were rolling down his face.
"Frodo my lad."