What Frodo Did
Part 11
Bell walked back into the cosy sitting room at Bagshot row after seeing the last of the children asleep in bed. She took off her apron and paused a moment before the hall mirror to straighten her hair a little.
"Well," she announced herself. "All asleep and peaceful, m'dear."
The Gaffer knocked out his pipe. "Then come and sit awhile lass," he patted the cushion on the settle before the fire.
Bell settled herself down by her husband's side to watch the logs crackle on the fire, and pretty soon an arm sneaked round her shoulder.
"Six young 'uns an still as pretty as a May morn."
"Get away with you, you old fool," Bell smiled happily. "And each of them a credit to you," the Gaffer continued. "They're all as pretty as you."
"And with your cheek to go with it."
"What say you we sneak down the corridor."
There was a knock on the door.
"Botheration! Who can that be at this hour?"
Hamfast was even more taken aback when Bell escorted Mr Bilbo Baggins into their sitting room. The gardener was on his feet in a moment, horrified at having been caught sitting down by his employer.
"Good eve, Mr Bilbo, Sir."
Bell ran frantic eyes around her sitting room, pleased to note all was in order, and fluffed up the cushion for Bilbo to sit in the best chair. "The kettle is on if you would like a cup."
"That would be very nice Mrs Gamgee," Bilbo responded, knowing that, however unusual he himself was for a hobbit, the formalities had to be observed. And tea drunk before any business mentioned. In taking their time over things hobbits were second only to Ents.
Tea was drunk, cake eaten, and small talk made. When Bilbo finally put down his second emptied cup he judged the time was right. "I've come to ask a favour of you and Mrs Gamgee."
"Anything we can do, sir. You've no need to ask."
"Now, you know the sad state my Frodo is in."
"Aye, Sir. Lying in that room all day, curtains drawn, won't see anyone."
"It is true Frodo is badly in need of some cheering up. If you have no objections, especially you, Mrs Gamgee, I would like to borrow Samwise."
Bell gave her husband a puzzled look.
"I will pay him a proper wage for his time. What ever you think suitable. I want him to come up to Bag End and sit with Frodo for a while. If a little piece of the outside world, like your Sam is, cannot give Frodo back some life, then I despair that anything will. Also, he would give me the perfect excuse to start reading again. I have some wonderful stories that I don't think Frodo has heard, and that Sam certainly never has! Between my stories and Sam's love of life I'm hoping it might have some effect on Frodo."
Hamfast poured himself another cup of strong tea. "Well, Sir. You're right as it being Mrs Gamgee's decision, but I have no objection."
"I think it's a right good idea," said Bell decisively. "Especially given how hard it's been to keep him away! No harm to Sam and maybe some good to Master Frodo."
"And I could start him on his letters while he is with us. Frodo won't pick up his books and I've an idea that Samwise might be a help there too."
"Well, in that case, Mr Baggins," said Bell. "There will be no talk of wage. Letter learning will be payment enough."
"Done then," said Bilbo respecting a mother's pride. "Tomorrow morning if you can spare him."
The Gaffer saw Bilbo to the door. "Forgive me for speaking Sir, but I think you've hit on the very thing Master Frodo needs."
"I do hope so," Bilbo looked up at the stars. "I do hope so. There is something about Frodo, something which terrifies me. I think just now, if he could, he would like to die."
*****
Samwise stood hesitantly outside the round green door of Bag End the next morning. He was afraid to knock. Frodo's dismissal of weeks before still stung in his mind and the pain stung deeper in his heart. He shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Come on Sam Gamgee," he told himself. "Master Frodo needs you." The little boy screwed up all his courage. "You mustn't let Master Frodo down. You must help him get well and be himself again." After swallowing hard, he knocked.
*****
Frodo stared up at the curve of his bedroom ceiling.
The door pushed open and he heard the hesitant patter of feet. Then a crown of blond hair appeared by his pillow.
"Sam?" Frodo turned his head listlessly on the pillow.
"Hello Master Frodo," said the child, slightly tremulously, but with a hopeful look on his face. "I brought you some pansies. They're real pretty."
"Thank you Sam."
"Where shall I put 'em?" Sam asked.
"There's a glass on the stand. You can take some water from the jug."
Samwise busied himself with his task and then set the pansies on Frodo's bedside cabinet. "You can't see 'em. It's too dark."
"I like it dark," said Frodo gloomily.
"Can I open the curtains just a bit?" Sam asked.
"I suppose so," said Frodo ungraciously.
Samwise had to climb up onto the window seat to pull open the curtains. The room the sunshine revealed was a sad sight, as was the occupant of the bed. Sam also cracked open the window to allow the entrance of a light, warm and fragrant late summer breeze.
"Them flowers need sunshine and air," he said confidently and returned to Frodo's bedside. He was less confident here - the gloom of the other boy was rather subduing, especially after what had happened here during his last visit.
"How are you, Master Frodo? Does your back still hurt?"
"Not so long as I lie still," Frodo relied.
"Then what do you do all day?" Sam looked curiously at the strange, thin, pale boy in the bed with the dark circles under his eyes.
"What CAN I do?" asked Frodo wearily. "It hurts too much to sit up."
"Does it?" asked Sam. "When did you last try?"
Frodo was beginning to get impatient. "I don't need to try. My legs won't work anymore."
"That's sad," said Sam. "But if you have to lie down all the time, you could still do it outside sometimes. The summer is ever so pretty this year."
Frodo thought of the meadows by the Brandywine and in his memory little yellow butterflies stirred up in the grass again to greet him.
He took a deep breath.
Sam was prattling on. "May's cat's 'ad kittens. They're ever so funny. There's one's got orange stripes. And they're the most marvellous little bundles of fur - each one almost small enough to curl up in the palm of your hand!" Sam's eyes gleamed with pleasure and wonder as he recounted what he had seen. Frodo looked into those eyes and saw - what? - joy at life, even the life of a kitten?
"I'd like to see them," said Frodo wistfully, stirring a little on the bed. "Could you ask her to bring them to see me?"
"I can't," said Sam. "They're too little. They stay by their mum all day and their eyes ain't open yet. Ma says they'll be opening their eyes any day now and when they do they will be blue like cornflowers at first. I never saw a cat with blue eyes. Ma says they grow out of it, like babies do, so you will have to be quick about it."
*****
"Bilbo," said Frodo that evening. "Do you think I might be able to sit up a bit? Maybe in a chair?"
"We could try it lad," said Bilbo carefully, trying to conceal his sudden rush of hope. The fact that the curtains were still open in Frodo's room and the sweet smell of the flowers wafting in on the evening air was more progress than he had even dared hope for in just one day. "Was there some reason you want to sit up?"
"I wondered," continued Frodo slowly and thoughtfully. "If it was not too much trouble. If I might be carried down to Bagshot row."
"I am sure we could manage that, my boy."
"Sam said May has some orange kittens with blue eyes, but they are too little to be brought to me so I have to go to see them."
"And would you like that?" Bilbo came to sit by Frodo's bedside.
"I think I would,"
"Then how about we try a little now. Just sit you up a bit in bed with some pillows to prop you?"
Frodo looked nervous, but he did so want to see the kittens. "All right," he agreed.
Bilbo went to fetch some extra pillows. Frodo was usually propped up on a couple in order to eat, but now he brought a few more.
"Ready, my lad?"
Frodo nodded and reached out to grip Bilbo's upper arms while Bilbo placed his arms round Frodo's back. With infinite care Bilbo eased Frodo up and Frodo tried to use his weakened muscles to pull himself up. He was panting and sweat broke out over his face, but he was doing it! He was sitting up!
Bilbo popped another pillow behind Frodo.
"I did it!" Frodo was sitting nearly upright now, clutching hold of the older hobbit and gasping. "I sat up! I didn't think I could."
"We can often do things we think are beyond us," Bilbo said. "You can sit up for supper but then you had better lie back down and in the morning we will try sitting you up again."
"Oh, I shall be too excited to sleep tonight. Can you imagine the look on Sam's face when he sees me up and about!"
Samwise Gamgee will be even more surprised, thought Bilbo to himself, when I present him with a fine new suit of clothing for his efforts! And then for the first time in weeks, he smiled.
Bell walked back into the cosy sitting room at Bagshot row after seeing the last of the children asleep in bed. She took off her apron and paused a moment before the hall mirror to straighten her hair a little.
"Well," she announced herself. "All asleep and peaceful, m'dear."
The Gaffer knocked out his pipe. "Then come and sit awhile lass," he patted the cushion on the settle before the fire.
Bell settled herself down by her husband's side to watch the logs crackle on the fire, and pretty soon an arm sneaked round her shoulder.
"Six young 'uns an still as pretty as a May morn."
"Get away with you, you old fool," Bell smiled happily. "And each of them a credit to you," the Gaffer continued. "They're all as pretty as you."
"And with your cheek to go with it."
"What say you we sneak down the corridor."
There was a knock on the door.
"Botheration! Who can that be at this hour?"
Hamfast was even more taken aback when Bell escorted Mr Bilbo Baggins into their sitting room. The gardener was on his feet in a moment, horrified at having been caught sitting down by his employer.
"Good eve, Mr Bilbo, Sir."
Bell ran frantic eyes around her sitting room, pleased to note all was in order, and fluffed up the cushion for Bilbo to sit in the best chair. "The kettle is on if you would like a cup."
"That would be very nice Mrs Gamgee," Bilbo responded, knowing that, however unusual he himself was for a hobbit, the formalities had to be observed. And tea drunk before any business mentioned. In taking their time over things hobbits were second only to Ents.
Tea was drunk, cake eaten, and small talk made. When Bilbo finally put down his second emptied cup he judged the time was right. "I've come to ask a favour of you and Mrs Gamgee."
"Anything we can do, sir. You've no need to ask."
"Now, you know the sad state my Frodo is in."
"Aye, Sir. Lying in that room all day, curtains drawn, won't see anyone."
"It is true Frodo is badly in need of some cheering up. If you have no objections, especially you, Mrs Gamgee, I would like to borrow Samwise."
Bell gave her husband a puzzled look.
"I will pay him a proper wage for his time. What ever you think suitable. I want him to come up to Bag End and sit with Frodo for a while. If a little piece of the outside world, like your Sam is, cannot give Frodo back some life, then I despair that anything will. Also, he would give me the perfect excuse to start reading again. I have some wonderful stories that I don't think Frodo has heard, and that Sam certainly never has! Between my stories and Sam's love of life I'm hoping it might have some effect on Frodo."
Hamfast poured himself another cup of strong tea. "Well, Sir. You're right as it being Mrs Gamgee's decision, but I have no objection."
"I think it's a right good idea," said Bell decisively. "Especially given how hard it's been to keep him away! No harm to Sam and maybe some good to Master Frodo."
"And I could start him on his letters while he is with us. Frodo won't pick up his books and I've an idea that Samwise might be a help there too."
"Well, in that case, Mr Baggins," said Bell. "There will be no talk of wage. Letter learning will be payment enough."
"Done then," said Bilbo respecting a mother's pride. "Tomorrow morning if you can spare him."
The Gaffer saw Bilbo to the door. "Forgive me for speaking Sir, but I think you've hit on the very thing Master Frodo needs."
"I do hope so," Bilbo looked up at the stars. "I do hope so. There is something about Frodo, something which terrifies me. I think just now, if he could, he would like to die."
*****
Samwise stood hesitantly outside the round green door of Bag End the next morning. He was afraid to knock. Frodo's dismissal of weeks before still stung in his mind and the pain stung deeper in his heart. He shifted his weight from foot to foot. "Come on Sam Gamgee," he told himself. "Master Frodo needs you." The little boy screwed up all his courage. "You mustn't let Master Frodo down. You must help him get well and be himself again." After swallowing hard, he knocked.
*****
Frodo stared up at the curve of his bedroom ceiling.
The door pushed open and he heard the hesitant patter of feet. Then a crown of blond hair appeared by his pillow.
"Sam?" Frodo turned his head listlessly on the pillow.
"Hello Master Frodo," said the child, slightly tremulously, but with a hopeful look on his face. "I brought you some pansies. They're real pretty."
"Thank you Sam."
"Where shall I put 'em?" Sam asked.
"There's a glass on the stand. You can take some water from the jug."
Samwise busied himself with his task and then set the pansies on Frodo's bedside cabinet. "You can't see 'em. It's too dark."
"I like it dark," said Frodo gloomily.
"Can I open the curtains just a bit?" Sam asked.
"I suppose so," said Frodo ungraciously.
Samwise had to climb up onto the window seat to pull open the curtains. The room the sunshine revealed was a sad sight, as was the occupant of the bed. Sam also cracked open the window to allow the entrance of a light, warm and fragrant late summer breeze.
"Them flowers need sunshine and air," he said confidently and returned to Frodo's bedside. He was less confident here - the gloom of the other boy was rather subduing, especially after what had happened here during his last visit.
"How are you, Master Frodo? Does your back still hurt?"
"Not so long as I lie still," Frodo relied.
"Then what do you do all day?" Sam looked curiously at the strange, thin, pale boy in the bed with the dark circles under his eyes.
"What CAN I do?" asked Frodo wearily. "It hurts too much to sit up."
"Does it?" asked Sam. "When did you last try?"
Frodo was beginning to get impatient. "I don't need to try. My legs won't work anymore."
"That's sad," said Sam. "But if you have to lie down all the time, you could still do it outside sometimes. The summer is ever so pretty this year."
Frodo thought of the meadows by the Brandywine and in his memory little yellow butterflies stirred up in the grass again to greet him.
He took a deep breath.
Sam was prattling on. "May's cat's 'ad kittens. They're ever so funny. There's one's got orange stripes. And they're the most marvellous little bundles of fur - each one almost small enough to curl up in the palm of your hand!" Sam's eyes gleamed with pleasure and wonder as he recounted what he had seen. Frodo looked into those eyes and saw - what? - joy at life, even the life of a kitten?
"I'd like to see them," said Frodo wistfully, stirring a little on the bed. "Could you ask her to bring them to see me?"
"I can't," said Sam. "They're too little. They stay by their mum all day and their eyes ain't open yet. Ma says they'll be opening their eyes any day now and when they do they will be blue like cornflowers at first. I never saw a cat with blue eyes. Ma says they grow out of it, like babies do, so you will have to be quick about it."
*****
"Bilbo," said Frodo that evening. "Do you think I might be able to sit up a bit? Maybe in a chair?"
"We could try it lad," said Bilbo carefully, trying to conceal his sudden rush of hope. The fact that the curtains were still open in Frodo's room and the sweet smell of the flowers wafting in on the evening air was more progress than he had even dared hope for in just one day. "Was there some reason you want to sit up?"
"I wondered," continued Frodo slowly and thoughtfully. "If it was not too much trouble. If I might be carried down to Bagshot row."
"I am sure we could manage that, my boy."
"Sam said May has some orange kittens with blue eyes, but they are too little to be brought to me so I have to go to see them."
"And would you like that?" Bilbo came to sit by Frodo's bedside.
"I think I would,"
"Then how about we try a little now. Just sit you up a bit in bed with some pillows to prop you?"
Frodo looked nervous, but he did so want to see the kittens. "All right," he agreed.
Bilbo went to fetch some extra pillows. Frodo was usually propped up on a couple in order to eat, but now he brought a few more.
"Ready, my lad?"
Frodo nodded and reached out to grip Bilbo's upper arms while Bilbo placed his arms round Frodo's back. With infinite care Bilbo eased Frodo up and Frodo tried to use his weakened muscles to pull himself up. He was panting and sweat broke out over his face, but he was doing it! He was sitting up!
Bilbo popped another pillow behind Frodo.
"I did it!" Frodo was sitting nearly upright now, clutching hold of the older hobbit and gasping. "I sat up! I didn't think I could."
"We can often do things we think are beyond us," Bilbo said. "You can sit up for supper but then you had better lie back down and in the morning we will try sitting you up again."
"Oh, I shall be too excited to sleep tonight. Can you imagine the look on Sam's face when he sees me up and about!"
Samwise Gamgee will be even more surprised, thought Bilbo to himself, when I present him with a fine new suit of clothing for his efforts! And then for the first time in weeks, he smiled.