Chapter 20-Of Burnt Salad and Hot Chestnuts
Diamond suggested that they might like to come back to her own hobbit hole for a snack, and their answer was quite predictable. They entered the rather large home, stamping snow off and dropping their skates down beside the door to thaw out. Pippin, who knew his way around the Hole well, got a fire going, while Diamond bumbled through to the kitchen to start some food.
Merry seated himself in front of the warm fire and thawed out, practically purring. Pip was just about to nervously ask him about (ahem) earlier, when there was a muffled clang and a yelp from the kitchen. 'Heyyy, smells like she burnt the salad' said Merry jollily, sniffing. 'Och, shut up!' Pippin defended, prodding his friend. 'Aire ye a'richt?' he called. There were more clangs from the kitchen, and a whimper. 'I think I've just crippled myself for life, but other than that, I'm in perfect health!' replied Diamond.
Pip got up, concerned, and went through to the kitchen. It looked like Diamond had dropped the tray of mincemeat pies on her foot, the floor was strewn with pieces of buttery pastry. 'Nononono.you're the guest. Bugger off and let me get on with it!' said Diamond, shoving a lock of hair out of her eyes. Pip sighed. She had flour on her nose, and the kitchen looked like an oiliphant had rampaged through it. She looked decidedly sweet. 'Ach, I'm afreed ye've got mah help wether ye waunt it or not, gurl!' he said, scraping the pastry into his hand and putting it in the bin. 'Whaurs the larder roond her, thein?' 'Oh, er, second on your left,' answered Diamond, pointing down the corridor.
Pip was really quite a brilliant cook, and when Merry got bored, came through and helped, it wasn't long before they had mincemeat pies, spiced wine, and roasting chestnuts ready. They took them through, Diamond ashamed and apologizing for inconveniencing them. They weren't though, as both of them liked cooking things anyway. And at least Pippin was Gentlehobbit enough to say: 'Ye can paint, sung aind look beautiful. Nobody expects ye tae cook beautifully ais weel!', and rub the flour of the end of her nose off.
There was a great sheepskin fleece rug in front of the fire, so they sat on that, balancing the chestnuts on the coal shovel and generally burning their mouths on the hot wine ( Merry's own recipe- made by and guaranteed to make you).
Pip got up and perched on the window seat, looking out side at the snow already piled up round the windows. It was snowing again, the flakes large against the black sky. He pulled the curtains, as it was so dark outside.
Merry reckoned this was a chance too good to miss, and he made sure Diamond wasn't looking, then plucked a chestnut off the shovel, and juggling it because of the heat, flung it straight at Pippins rump. It stung him right on target and made the Took jump. 'Hey!', he shouted, spinning round, 'Wha did that?' Merry had his back turned, sniggering. Pip thought 'stupid question really' and gobbled the nut down anyway. Diamond was completely unaware, gazing at a half-finished canvas, a painting of the Brandywine in the snow.
Pip gulped, and swallowed the nut, and thought how lovely she looked, dark hair cascading down her back, face rosy with the heat, feet probably singed to a crisp through sitting too close to the enormous fireplace.
Diamond suggested that they might like to come back to her own hobbit hole for a snack, and their answer was quite predictable. They entered the rather large home, stamping snow off and dropping their skates down beside the door to thaw out. Pippin, who knew his way around the Hole well, got a fire going, while Diamond bumbled through to the kitchen to start some food.
Merry seated himself in front of the warm fire and thawed out, practically purring. Pip was just about to nervously ask him about (ahem) earlier, when there was a muffled clang and a yelp from the kitchen. 'Heyyy, smells like she burnt the salad' said Merry jollily, sniffing. 'Och, shut up!' Pippin defended, prodding his friend. 'Aire ye a'richt?' he called. There were more clangs from the kitchen, and a whimper. 'I think I've just crippled myself for life, but other than that, I'm in perfect health!' replied Diamond.
Pip got up, concerned, and went through to the kitchen. It looked like Diamond had dropped the tray of mincemeat pies on her foot, the floor was strewn with pieces of buttery pastry. 'Nononono.you're the guest. Bugger off and let me get on with it!' said Diamond, shoving a lock of hair out of her eyes. Pip sighed. She had flour on her nose, and the kitchen looked like an oiliphant had rampaged through it. She looked decidedly sweet. 'Ach, I'm afreed ye've got mah help wether ye waunt it or not, gurl!' he said, scraping the pastry into his hand and putting it in the bin. 'Whaurs the larder roond her, thein?' 'Oh, er, second on your left,' answered Diamond, pointing down the corridor.
Pip was really quite a brilliant cook, and when Merry got bored, came through and helped, it wasn't long before they had mincemeat pies, spiced wine, and roasting chestnuts ready. They took them through, Diamond ashamed and apologizing for inconveniencing them. They weren't though, as both of them liked cooking things anyway. And at least Pippin was Gentlehobbit enough to say: 'Ye can paint, sung aind look beautiful. Nobody expects ye tae cook beautifully ais weel!', and rub the flour of the end of her nose off.
There was a great sheepskin fleece rug in front of the fire, so they sat on that, balancing the chestnuts on the coal shovel and generally burning their mouths on the hot wine ( Merry's own recipe- made by and guaranteed to make you).
Pip got up and perched on the window seat, looking out side at the snow already piled up round the windows. It was snowing again, the flakes large against the black sky. He pulled the curtains, as it was so dark outside.
Merry reckoned this was a chance too good to miss, and he made sure Diamond wasn't looking, then plucked a chestnut off the shovel, and juggling it because of the heat, flung it straight at Pippins rump. It stung him right on target and made the Took jump. 'Hey!', he shouted, spinning round, 'Wha did that?' Merry had his back turned, sniggering. Pip thought 'stupid question really' and gobbled the nut down anyway. Diamond was completely unaware, gazing at a half-finished canvas, a painting of the Brandywine in the snow.
Pip gulped, and swallowed the nut, and thought how lovely she looked, dark hair cascading down her back, face rosy with the heat, feet probably singed to a crisp through sitting too close to the enormous fireplace.