Merry heard the carriage bumping around outside, and the laughter of his three girl cousins. When he heard them knock on the door, Merry just leaned against the doorway that lead into the front room. He wasn't going to let them in. They knocked again. Merry just stood there. Luckily for the knocker, however, Esmerelda heard the noise. She came from Saradoc's study, and hurried past Merry, skirts flying. "Why didn't you open the door, darling?" Esmerelda asked. Merry shrugged, as his mother opened the door. Eglantine stood on the stoop, with Pippin clutching tightly to her left hand, and a large suitcase in her right. She and Esmerelda managed, however, to hug one another, and Esmerelda bended down to kiss Pippin's forehead. Little Pippin trembled and hid behind his mother. Merry rolled his eyes and disappeared to his room.

"No, darling, this is your Auntie Esmerelda. You're going to stay with her until Mummy comes back." Eglantine said, as she struggled to pry Pippin's hand away from hers. The little one was hanging on for dear life, but his mother managed to release the grip, and replaced her hand with the suitcase. "I'm sorry I have to run off like this, Esme, but we're quite late."
"It's alright, Elan, we don't mind caring for little Pippin." Esmerelda said with a laugh. "After all, it's the least we could do, after you minded Merry for that week Saradoc and I were gone."
"Oh, it was nothing. I'm sure our little one won't be any trouble." Eglantine bent down and hugged the small trembling boy tightly, then kissed his forehead. Then, she gave him a little push inside, and hurried out, calling, "Goodbye, Pippy, Mummy loves you!" as she went. Pippin clutched his suitcase tightly, and eyed the Hobbit-lady that was his aunt. She bent down and smiled at him. "My goodness, Pippin, how much you've grown! I'm your Auntie Esme. Goodness, I haven't seen you since you were a baby in your cradle." Pippin did not respond. Esmerelda thought for a moment, and then an idea came to her. "Here, sweetheart, I'll bet you like mushrooms. I've made some for supper, but I suppose we can just have something else." At this, Pippin suddenly warmed up. He loved mushrooms.

Merry was lying on his bed reading a book, when the delicious smell of cooked mushrooms wafted into his nose. He remembered his mother had promised to make her dearly loved stuffed mushrooms for supper earlier that day, and so he when he caught the aroma, he jumped up and burst into the kitchen. What he saw almost made him keel over. Pippin was sitting at the table. The plate in front of him was empty, save for a single mushroom. Before Merry could say anything, however, Pippin took it into his chubby fingers and popped it into his mouth, chewing slowly, as if savouring every single bite. Merry looked around the kitchen, his eyes falling on the pan that his mother cooked her mushrooms in. Empty. Pippin had eaten every last mushroom. It was too much for an already angry Merry. He promptly flew into a rage.
"MUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM! You let him eat ALL the mushrooms?!?!? How could YOU? They were for ME!" Merry felt hot tears coming to his eyes, but he squeezed his eyes shut tightly and got them out.
"Darling, Pippin hadn't eaten at all today. They've been traveling all day, Merry, and Pippin didn't get any of his first six meals. And he would have had to wait for supper. So I thought he'd want some mushrooms. He was very hungry, dear."
"I don't care! They were MINE, Mum! Now I have to wait for supper! How could you!?" Merry's eyes flashed at Pippin, who was smirking contentedly, and not looking the least bit sorry for what he'd done. He wiped his mouth and climbed down from the table, handing his plate to Esmerelda. "Thank you veby much, Auntie Esme. Where do I sleep?" Pippin's manners so enchanted Esmerelda, that she forgot about Merry's complaints, and took Pippin's hand. "Come, darling, and get your suitcase. You'll be sleeping in Merry's room. We have a cot." The two left the kitchen. Merry, still fuming, stormed after them. "MUM!" he yelled. She didn't answer. She opened the door to Merry's room and showed Pippin the little cot that had been set up. But Pippin frowned at it. He went instead, to sit on Merry's bed. "I likes this better!" He announced, bouncing up and down a little. Esmerelda smiled. "Alright, you take Merry's bed. Merry, you won't mind sleeping on the cot will you?" She didn't wait for Merry's answer. "Good. Pippin, you've got a full tummy, are you going to bed now?"
"Yes. I'm sleepy." Pippin went through his bag and pulled out his nightgown. "Can you help me, please?" He said sweetly. Esmerelda went over and undressed Pippin, and then put his nightgown on him. She helped him into bed, and tucked him in. She then placed a kiss on his forehead. "Good night, Pippin." She told him. "Nighty." Merry pretended to gag from his place in the doorway. Esmerelda happened to come past him, and smacked him on the arm, not hard, but enough to evoke some discipline. She pulled her son's arm. "Come on, Merry, darling. I'll fix up some tomatoes and sausages for supper." She pulled him into the kitchen and planted him firmly into a chair.

Merry decided then that he hated his cousin Pippin.