Chapter 6
Snowfall
"So tell me.are you handling things?" asked Saradoc later in the evening as he took a sip of tea. Bilbo puffed on his pipe from his favorite cushioned armchair by the fireplace and smiled thoughtfully.
"I suppose I am. Dear Frodo is such a comfort to me.I enjoy having someone to spoil every now and then."
The others laughed. At that moment little Samwise let out a yawn.
"Uh oh." Said Hamfast. "I think someone is ready for bed."
Sam gave his father a sleepy smile and shook his head in protest. "I want to stay a little longer, Da.if you don' mind."
"You won't, Samwise. Your mother would have a fit if I kept you up any later."
"By the way.where is Bell?" asked Bilbo. "I am very surprised not to see her here."
Hamfast nodded in understanding. "She went to visit some friends earlier this week in West farthing. She should return by Sunday. Come on, Samwise.let's get you home now." The old gardener lifted his young son into his arms before thanking Mr. Bilbo for his kindness.
"Anytime, Hamfast."
"Let us know how Mr. Frodo is doing in the morning."
"I will. Good night."
When they left Bilbo noticed that Merry and Pippin had fallen asleep side by side curled up in little balls right on the rug and made eye contact with Paladin, Eglatine Saradoc. "Perhaps we should spend the night here.I'd hate to make them walk all the way home like this." Paladin whispered.
"Of course you may.I'll go and get the guest rooms ready for you." Bilbo hurried off and Eglatine lifted Pippin while Saradoc lifted Merry. The little hobbits' murmered in their sleep but did not wake up when they were carried down the corridor. After getting his guests settled, Bilbo went straight to Frodo's room. Esmerelda was still awake, watching her nephew who had finally fallen asleep. "How is he?" Bilbo whispered.
"Sleeping.finally." She whispered.
"You go on to bed.I'll sit up with him now." Bilbo whispered back.
"Oh.I couldn't."
"Go on."
Esmerelda nodded and gave Frodo a soft kiss on the cheek before heading off to join her husband. Bilbo sat down in the chair she had pulled beside Frodo's bed and sighed. He picked up Frodo's little hand and squeezed it gently feeling his lower lip quiver. "We're going to help you feel better, dear boy. I promise." He encouraged. Frodo let out a quiet moan and moved around a bit trying to get comfortable. The old hobbit looked out the window and gasped.snow was falling heavily over Hobbiton looking like little sparkling diamonds in the sky.
"So tell me.are you handling things?" asked Saradoc later in the evening as he took a sip of tea. Bilbo puffed on his pipe from his favorite cushioned armchair by the fireplace and smiled thoughtfully.
"I suppose I am. Dear Frodo is such a comfort to me.I enjoy having someone to spoil every now and then."
The others laughed. At that moment little Samwise let out a yawn.
"Uh oh." Said Hamfast. "I think someone is ready for bed."
Sam gave his father a sleepy smile and shook his head in protest. "I want to stay a little longer, Da.if you don' mind."
"You won't, Samwise. Your mother would have a fit if I kept you up any later."
"By the way.where is Bell?" asked Bilbo. "I am very surprised not to see her here."
Hamfast nodded in understanding. "She went to visit some friends earlier this week in West farthing. She should return by Sunday. Come on, Samwise.let's get you home now." The old gardener lifted his young son into his arms before thanking Mr. Bilbo for his kindness.
"Anytime, Hamfast."
"Let us know how Mr. Frodo is doing in the morning."
"I will. Good night."
When they left Bilbo noticed that Merry and Pippin had fallen asleep side by side curled up in little balls right on the rug and made eye contact with Paladin, Eglatine Saradoc. "Perhaps we should spend the night here.I'd hate to make them walk all the way home like this." Paladin whispered.
"Of course you may.I'll go and get the guest rooms ready for you." Bilbo hurried off and Eglatine lifted Pippin while Saradoc lifted Merry. The little hobbits' murmered in their sleep but did not wake up when they were carried down the corridor. After getting his guests settled, Bilbo went straight to Frodo's room. Esmerelda was still awake, watching her nephew who had finally fallen asleep. "How is he?" Bilbo whispered.
"Sleeping.finally." She whispered.
"You go on to bed.I'll sit up with him now." Bilbo whispered back.
"Oh.I couldn't."
"Go on."
Esmerelda nodded and gave Frodo a soft kiss on the cheek before heading off to join her husband. Bilbo sat down in the chair she had pulled beside Frodo's bed and sighed. He picked up Frodo's little hand and squeezed it gently feeling his lower lip quiver. "We're going to help you feel better, dear boy. I promise." He encouraged. Frodo let out a quiet moan and moved around a bit trying to get comfortable. The old hobbit looked out the window and gasped.snow was falling heavily over Hobbiton looking like little sparkling diamonds in the sky.