Chapter Twenty-One
Holly fiddled with her fingers desperately . . . it had only been a day since she saw Nina locked up in the house and she wasn't too sure that Nina was telling the whole truth. She knew her friend more than Nina knew . . . she knew when Nina was hiding something.
She walked aimlessly towards the Roper's house, putting on fake smiles to passers-by and short, meaningless waves. Across the road she saw Merry, Pippin, Friagrin and Sogrin talking and laughing amongst themselves . . . but then again, they had no idea of what she and Frodo had discovered at the house.
Frodo had been up all night, worrying . . . and Holly had listened and tried assuring him that she was fine, thought she wasn't too sure herself. Why would he lock her up like that?! And if he had threatened to kill Frodo, surly had must have given Nina some sort of punishment . . .
Holly pressed all those thoughts out of her mind, not bearing to even think an ounce of what he might have done. She wondered if Nina's family knew what was going on, and that was the reason she knocked on their front door that morning.
"Hullo Holly!" Lilla Roper welcomed her. "Surely you should know by now that Nina is not living here anymore . . . she's on the other side of Hobbiton with Friado"
"Yes," Holly answered. "I wanted to speak with Portia . . . if she is available?"
"Why, yes she is," Lilla stepped back so Holly could enter. "And I'm sure you've heard the fantastic news . . . my daughter is pregnant"
"Yes, I heard" Holly forced a smile. "Though, I never quite expected it so soon, at first Nina did seem quite . . . hesitant to speak to Friado. Surely you sensed that she never liked the idea of marriage when it was not her choice?"
"Oh yes, we knew" Lilla sighed. "She would talk nonsense of him and such things. I guess she has finally decided to co-operate . . . or maybe, she fell in love with him in the end"
"Nina has always been one to talk of love and romance . . . although her views on Friado never made me to believe that could fall for him"
Lilla frowned and then raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying Holly? Is Friado Broadbeam not good enough for my girl?"
"Well . . . now that brings me to the point, I-"
"Because we believe he is an excellent suitor for my daughter; he's very handsome, wealthy, kind, honest . . . what more in a hobbit could a lass ask for?" Lilla rambled on as she interrupted, too caught up in the whole suitor thing for her to understand what was good and what wasn't.
"Maybe there's more to Mr Broadbeam than that"
"If you wish to see Portia . . . or ever be in this household again, I suggest you hold your tongue. A little bit of advice there Holly . . . if there is such gossip going around Hobbiton then I shall have Meruda sort it out. I cannot believe the cheek of those gossipers! We all get so happy that everything is working out fine and then they start to waggle their tongues!"
"No, Mrs Roper, believe me, there's been no gossiping on your expenses"
"Then where, pray tell, did you get such silly thoughts into your mind?" she put her hands on her hips, and Holly decided that maybe talking to Lilla was not a good idea. Portia, on the other hand, knew about Nina sneaking off to see Frodo . . .
"N-no where Mrs Roper, I was just worried about Nina that's all . . . perfectly natural, I am her best friend . . ."
"Well," Lilla sighed. "As we are her family, leave the worrying to us!"
Holly gave a smile before turning to Portia's room.
"Portia?" she called out. Portia entered her room for the privy and looked at the young Brandybuck knowingly.
"What is it?" she asked, in a not-so-friendly tone.
"I need to talk to you" Holly answered, closing the door quietly behind her.
"About?"
"Nina"
"Well, there's a surprise!" Portia rolled her eyes in mock sarcasm. "What has she done now?"
"Nothing," Holly helped herself to sit on the bed, beside Portia. "It's more like what Friado may have done"
Portia turned her face to her, her eyebrow raised. "Oh, I take it you mean the pregnancy . . . yes, well, I suppose he knows everything Nina's done with that, that Baggins"
"Done talk like that about Frodo in that tone, there's no need for it" Holly said, getting a little angry that Portia would blame Frodo over this.
"Oh yes there is, Nina would be in this mess if he hadn't-"
"Fallen in love with her" Holly finished. "And you must have known that Nina has been in love with him for years. I'm happy they finally confessed it to one another . . . although the timing was rather, late"
"Well, that's their problem" Portia answered. "Nina's engaged to Friado and there's nothing they can do about it . . . I'm surprised Friado has not done anything about it, he's just carrying on, telling everyone it's his baby. Now *that* is a kind gentlehobbit. He knows it would crush Mama and Papa if they found out Nina had an affair . . . I have total respect for Friado, a true gentlehobbit"
"I'm not sure that he is what you say" Holly sighed. "In fact I am very sure . . ."
"Pardon?" she inquired.
"Yesterday, Frodo and I were worried, we hadn't seen Nina in over five days . . . so I decided to take Frodo to see her at the house, make sure everything was alright. As soon as we got there, we spied on Friado. He looked really angry and kept mumbling and shouting stuff to someone in the house, just before he left the house, he locked the door as though he was keeping some poor caged animal in there. It was Nina . . . oh; you should have seen her Portia. She looked old and ragged and completely worn out and exhausted. I've never seen her more relieved to see me and Frodo . . . she jumped in his arms and cried and cried. But when I asked her what Friado had done, she told us that he had told everyone the baby is his and that he had threatened to kill Frodo if she went near him again"
"Again, I do not blame him" Portia answered, though, she looked a little frightened and distraught by the news Holly had just laid upon her.
"There's more," Holly said. "She told me he hadn't done a thing to her, but I've known her years Portia, I know when she's been keeping something from me. I could see it in her eyes. And from the way I'd heard him yelling at her, I can only assume he's forced something on her . . . like . . . forcing her to sleep with him . . ."
"Rape?! Oh don't be ridiculous!"
"How can you be sure?!" Holly called. "You weren't there, you didn't see her! I almost wish I hadn't gone . . . she wasn't the Nina Roper I knew!"
"And she wouldn't be like this if Frodo hadn't come along!"
"Don't blame Frodo! He's done nearly everything possible to help her, make her happy and protect her! I've never seen Nina so happy before . . . despite what your family has been doing to her life. I'm glad they are together but Friado is forcing them apart! It shouldn't be this way . . . please Portia, just go to see her, then you'll understand how miserable and ill she looks. Frodo is so concerned and worried and I can't assure him until I know that you have been to see her"
"Why me?"
"Because somehow, in my mind, something is telling me that only you can get us out of this . . . only you can help us"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She had refused to go, but something had somehow led her to Friado's house. Portia let out a huff of air, not really wanting to go and see. But Holly's words were stuck in her mind. No way would she help Frodo be with Nina . . . how could Holly be so absurd?! Portia was going to stay true to her family wishes; Portia was going to get her suitor and marry him and make her family happy.
When Friado knocked on the door, Portia saw he was wearing a smile.
"Why, Miss Portia!" He said in his usual way, kissing her hand. "Are you here to see your beautiful sister?"
"Yes I am," Portia smiled as he led her into the room.
"I'm afraid Nina is not looking her best today . . . the pregnancy is certainly taking its toll on her sleeping and resting. It is on mine too but it really does not bother me. I know it is part of the package when you are about to become a father - or should I say, the most happiest man in Middle Earth"
"Yes," Portia said, then stopped when she saw Nina walk into the room, the exact description Holly gave of her. She looked tired, ragged and much older than she was.
"Dearest, get our guest some tea" Friado said sweetly.
Nina looked to her elder sister as though she was giving some sort of silent plea. But turned around and walked back into the kitchen, not a word escaping her lips.
"She does look rather ill . . ." Portia said silently.
"Ah, believe me it shall pass" Friado said happily. "All pregnancies seem to go this way"
"Shouldn't she be resting, instead of waiting on me, making my tea and things like that?"
"Well," Friado paused. "She says she wants to work, be a good wife is what she wants to be. I suppose she is a true Roper, you know, doing what your father wishes. And I respect her choices"
"But if you really cared, you'd make her rest"
"Hmm . . ." Friado pretended to think, then gasped in horror. "Oh yes Miss Portia! How unforgiving of me! Nina! Nina!" he called her back.
Nina stood in the doorway, a black expression on her.
"Come, come, sit beside me, you should not be doing such a thing in your condition!"
Nina aimlessly walked and sat beside him in silence. Portia frowned. Holy was right, this wasn't her sister . . .
"So, Nina," Portia started. "How is the baby?"
Nina just nodded.
"Your stomach is beginning to bulge! You won't need to wear those fancy dresses no more"
Nina just put a hand to her stomach protectively as Friado rambled on about how fantastic the birth would be and he even suggested some names.
"Well, it *seems* all is well" Portia stood up as Nina looked at her wide eyed.
"It is, it is" Friado conclude, leading her to the door. "And please, come round again whenever you can! Bring your family also!"
"Nina?" Portia called to her sister. "Holly Brandybuck and Frodo Baggins have been asking about you"
Nina stood up as if automatically. Friado cleared his throat.
"There's no need for it" he said simply. "Tell them she is fine and we do not need their company. Ciao!"
"Goodbye," Portia frowned as she stepped outside and the door closed. Something strange was going on here . . .
Holly fiddled with her fingers desperately . . . it had only been a day since she saw Nina locked up in the house and she wasn't too sure that Nina was telling the whole truth. She knew her friend more than Nina knew . . . she knew when Nina was hiding something.
She walked aimlessly towards the Roper's house, putting on fake smiles to passers-by and short, meaningless waves. Across the road she saw Merry, Pippin, Friagrin and Sogrin talking and laughing amongst themselves . . . but then again, they had no idea of what she and Frodo had discovered at the house.
Frodo had been up all night, worrying . . . and Holly had listened and tried assuring him that she was fine, thought she wasn't too sure herself. Why would he lock her up like that?! And if he had threatened to kill Frodo, surly had must have given Nina some sort of punishment . . .
Holly pressed all those thoughts out of her mind, not bearing to even think an ounce of what he might have done. She wondered if Nina's family knew what was going on, and that was the reason she knocked on their front door that morning.
"Hullo Holly!" Lilla Roper welcomed her. "Surely you should know by now that Nina is not living here anymore . . . she's on the other side of Hobbiton with Friado"
"Yes," Holly answered. "I wanted to speak with Portia . . . if she is available?"
"Why, yes she is," Lilla stepped back so Holly could enter. "And I'm sure you've heard the fantastic news . . . my daughter is pregnant"
"Yes, I heard" Holly forced a smile. "Though, I never quite expected it so soon, at first Nina did seem quite . . . hesitant to speak to Friado. Surely you sensed that she never liked the idea of marriage when it was not her choice?"
"Oh yes, we knew" Lilla sighed. "She would talk nonsense of him and such things. I guess she has finally decided to co-operate . . . or maybe, she fell in love with him in the end"
"Nina has always been one to talk of love and romance . . . although her views on Friado never made me to believe that could fall for him"
Lilla frowned and then raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying Holly? Is Friado Broadbeam not good enough for my girl?"
"Well . . . now that brings me to the point, I-"
"Because we believe he is an excellent suitor for my daughter; he's very handsome, wealthy, kind, honest . . . what more in a hobbit could a lass ask for?" Lilla rambled on as she interrupted, too caught up in the whole suitor thing for her to understand what was good and what wasn't.
"Maybe there's more to Mr Broadbeam than that"
"If you wish to see Portia . . . or ever be in this household again, I suggest you hold your tongue. A little bit of advice there Holly . . . if there is such gossip going around Hobbiton then I shall have Meruda sort it out. I cannot believe the cheek of those gossipers! We all get so happy that everything is working out fine and then they start to waggle their tongues!"
"No, Mrs Roper, believe me, there's been no gossiping on your expenses"
"Then where, pray tell, did you get such silly thoughts into your mind?" she put her hands on her hips, and Holly decided that maybe talking to Lilla was not a good idea. Portia, on the other hand, knew about Nina sneaking off to see Frodo . . .
"N-no where Mrs Roper, I was just worried about Nina that's all . . . perfectly natural, I am her best friend . . ."
"Well," Lilla sighed. "As we are her family, leave the worrying to us!"
Holly gave a smile before turning to Portia's room.
"Portia?" she called out. Portia entered her room for the privy and looked at the young Brandybuck knowingly.
"What is it?" she asked, in a not-so-friendly tone.
"I need to talk to you" Holly answered, closing the door quietly behind her.
"About?"
"Nina"
"Well, there's a surprise!" Portia rolled her eyes in mock sarcasm. "What has she done now?"
"Nothing," Holly helped herself to sit on the bed, beside Portia. "It's more like what Friado may have done"
Portia turned her face to her, her eyebrow raised. "Oh, I take it you mean the pregnancy . . . yes, well, I suppose he knows everything Nina's done with that, that Baggins"
"Done talk like that about Frodo in that tone, there's no need for it" Holly said, getting a little angry that Portia would blame Frodo over this.
"Oh yes there is, Nina would be in this mess if he hadn't-"
"Fallen in love with her" Holly finished. "And you must have known that Nina has been in love with him for years. I'm happy they finally confessed it to one another . . . although the timing was rather, late"
"Well, that's their problem" Portia answered. "Nina's engaged to Friado and there's nothing they can do about it . . . I'm surprised Friado has not done anything about it, he's just carrying on, telling everyone it's his baby. Now *that* is a kind gentlehobbit. He knows it would crush Mama and Papa if they found out Nina had an affair . . . I have total respect for Friado, a true gentlehobbit"
"I'm not sure that he is what you say" Holly sighed. "In fact I am very sure . . ."
"Pardon?" she inquired.
"Yesterday, Frodo and I were worried, we hadn't seen Nina in over five days . . . so I decided to take Frodo to see her at the house, make sure everything was alright. As soon as we got there, we spied on Friado. He looked really angry and kept mumbling and shouting stuff to someone in the house, just before he left the house, he locked the door as though he was keeping some poor caged animal in there. It was Nina . . . oh; you should have seen her Portia. She looked old and ragged and completely worn out and exhausted. I've never seen her more relieved to see me and Frodo . . . she jumped in his arms and cried and cried. But when I asked her what Friado had done, she told us that he had told everyone the baby is his and that he had threatened to kill Frodo if she went near him again"
"Again, I do not blame him" Portia answered, though, she looked a little frightened and distraught by the news Holly had just laid upon her.
"There's more," Holly said. "She told me he hadn't done a thing to her, but I've known her years Portia, I know when she's been keeping something from me. I could see it in her eyes. And from the way I'd heard him yelling at her, I can only assume he's forced something on her . . . like . . . forcing her to sleep with him . . ."
"Rape?! Oh don't be ridiculous!"
"How can you be sure?!" Holly called. "You weren't there, you didn't see her! I almost wish I hadn't gone . . . she wasn't the Nina Roper I knew!"
"And she wouldn't be like this if Frodo hadn't come along!"
"Don't blame Frodo! He's done nearly everything possible to help her, make her happy and protect her! I've never seen Nina so happy before . . . despite what your family has been doing to her life. I'm glad they are together but Friado is forcing them apart! It shouldn't be this way . . . please Portia, just go to see her, then you'll understand how miserable and ill she looks. Frodo is so concerned and worried and I can't assure him until I know that you have been to see her"
"Why me?"
"Because somehow, in my mind, something is telling me that only you can get us out of this . . . only you can help us"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She had refused to go, but something had somehow led her to Friado's house. Portia let out a huff of air, not really wanting to go and see. But Holly's words were stuck in her mind. No way would she help Frodo be with Nina . . . how could Holly be so absurd?! Portia was going to stay true to her family wishes; Portia was going to get her suitor and marry him and make her family happy.
When Friado knocked on the door, Portia saw he was wearing a smile.
"Why, Miss Portia!" He said in his usual way, kissing her hand. "Are you here to see your beautiful sister?"
"Yes I am," Portia smiled as he led her into the room.
"I'm afraid Nina is not looking her best today . . . the pregnancy is certainly taking its toll on her sleeping and resting. It is on mine too but it really does not bother me. I know it is part of the package when you are about to become a father - or should I say, the most happiest man in Middle Earth"
"Yes," Portia said, then stopped when she saw Nina walk into the room, the exact description Holly gave of her. She looked tired, ragged and much older than she was.
"Dearest, get our guest some tea" Friado said sweetly.
Nina looked to her elder sister as though she was giving some sort of silent plea. But turned around and walked back into the kitchen, not a word escaping her lips.
"She does look rather ill . . ." Portia said silently.
"Ah, believe me it shall pass" Friado said happily. "All pregnancies seem to go this way"
"Shouldn't she be resting, instead of waiting on me, making my tea and things like that?"
"Well," Friado paused. "She says she wants to work, be a good wife is what she wants to be. I suppose she is a true Roper, you know, doing what your father wishes. And I respect her choices"
"But if you really cared, you'd make her rest"
"Hmm . . ." Friado pretended to think, then gasped in horror. "Oh yes Miss Portia! How unforgiving of me! Nina! Nina!" he called her back.
Nina stood in the doorway, a black expression on her.
"Come, come, sit beside me, you should not be doing such a thing in your condition!"
Nina aimlessly walked and sat beside him in silence. Portia frowned. Holy was right, this wasn't her sister . . .
"So, Nina," Portia started. "How is the baby?"
Nina just nodded.
"Your stomach is beginning to bulge! You won't need to wear those fancy dresses no more"
Nina just put a hand to her stomach protectively as Friado rambled on about how fantastic the birth would be and he even suggested some names.
"Well, it *seems* all is well" Portia stood up as Nina looked at her wide eyed.
"It is, it is" Friado conclude, leading her to the door. "And please, come round again whenever you can! Bring your family also!"
"Nina?" Portia called to her sister. "Holly Brandybuck and Frodo Baggins have been asking about you"
Nina stood up as if automatically. Friado cleared his throat.
"There's no need for it" he said simply. "Tell them she is fine and we do not need their company. Ciao!"
"Goodbye," Portia frowned as she stepped outside and the door closed. Something strange was going on here . . .