Chapter 5
The Perfect Match
Logo sat back and listened to his daughter and Bilbo as they talked among each other. He noticed a lot of similarities of the two. For one thing, They both were considered very plain looking and a bit odd at times for most hobbits of the Shire. Both admired books and such things as checkers and either of them did not like to be the loser.
This fascinated Logo as he considered the two. He knew Belladonna was planning an arranged marriage for Bilbo and was not having any good luck with it. Even though Bilbo was 10 years older than his daughter, Logo had more than enough time to begin Lobelia's match making. Logo wondered if Bungo and Belladonna might consider Bilbo and Lobelia as a match. This idea intrigued him. If Logo could pick a son, it would be Bilbo as he admired him so much.
When Bilbo put down his napkin he turned to Logo, "Well now, that was a fine stew, a fine stew in deed! But time is wasting and I better get back to work!"
Logo held up his hand to stop Bilbo. "I have an idea. We've worked so hard lately that I think we are entitled to some time off! Would you be up to a game of checkers with my daughter, if she were willing to play? I know, I would so much enjoy watching the two of you play a friendly game."
Bilbo put his thumbs into his vest pocket and rocked back and forth on his heels as he considered Logo's suggestion. "Well, I am quite good at the game and I think it would not be too fair for Miss Lobelia to play against me."
Lobelia looked up at Bilbo and narrowed her eyes at his off handed comment. "Mr. Baggins, I beg your pardon, but I too am very well skilled at that game and seldom if any, ever lose! I would be more than a challenge for you!"
Logo frowned at Lobelia to hold her tongue as he stood up and walked over to his decorative cupboard to get his game board and finely crafted chips. "I must tell you, Bilbo, Lobelia is very good at checkers. In fact I have not won a game in months! I think you will find her a worthy opponent!"
Lobelia smiled and nodded in agreement with her father's statement.
"If you insist, I would love very much to play a game!" said Bilbo.
While Bilbo put the round wooden chips on the checkerboard, Lobelia went into the kitchen to pour a cup of tea for everyone. She added a small bit of sugar into each cup and took her families silver spoons that had a lovely elegant 'B' craved in it's handle for Bracegirdle. This was a wedding gift that was given to her mother when she married Logo many long years ago. Lobelia loved these spoons as it reminded her of her mother.
She placed the teacups on a tray with the elegant spoons placed next to each cup. Sitting the tray down she served her guests.
Bilbo picked up his spoon an immediately noticed the 'B' scrolled on the end of the handle. "What a lovely set of spoons you have here, Lobelia! My mother has a set of these types of spoons at Bag End. But your 'B' on the handle has a bit more of a curl to its letter. Quite lovely, I must say!" said Bilbo and he took his napkin and polished the 'B' while he admired it.
Logo smiled as he observed Bilbo. "Those spoons were given to my wife on our wedding day and a treasure of our family!"
"Are you just going to polish the silverware or are you going to play some checkers!" commented Lobelia as she sat there waiting to begin to play.
Bilbo put down his spoon next to his teacup while Logo took out his pipe and pouch to offered Bilbo a pinch of his pipe weed. Bilbo pulled his pipe from a deep pocket from his coat. Filling his pipe, he struck a match, lighting his pipe. He blew a thick cloud of smoke in the air as the smell of tobacco filled the room. Logo clamped his pipe between his teeth and crossed his arms as he sat back to watch them play. Logo only hoped that Lobelia would not be too out spoken towards Bilbo.
Lobelia rolled her eyes as Bilbo made her wait again as he fussed with his pipe and the position of his wooden chips on the board. Making sure that each one sat upon each square perfectly even.
When the game finally began, Bilbo puffed his pipe as he watched Lobelia set up a strong defensive placement of her chips during the first few rounds. He marveled at her strategy. Seeing only one weak area, Bilbo knew he must move his chip accordingly in order to make her move against him to set up his strike force. In the process he took two of her chips and opened area for him to crown his piece.
"You may think you have me on the run, Mr. Baggins, but you failed to consider this move!" Lobelia took her chip and jumped three of his pieces making an outstanding show of her skill at checkers.
Bilbo scratched his head and he looked up at her nervously. "Now that was one of the best moves I've seen, yet!"
Lobelia smiled wickedly feeling she would be the victor of this game. Bilbo took another puff of his pipe as the smoke swirled above his head while Logo watched Bilbo intently. Logo was on the edge of his seat when Bilbo placed his fingers on his chip and then pulled it away again. Mumbling slightly to himself and reconsidering his next move, a slow smile crossed Bilbo's lips when he took his chip and jumped a magnificent set up taking four of her chips and leaving her wide open and helpless to win this game.
Lobelia's eyes widened in total surprise and shock, as she never realized her pieces were in such jeopardy. "You tricked me! You scoundrel!"
Logo clapped his hands together and congratulated Bilbo on such an outstanding game.
"This is outrageous, I never lose! You tricked me is what you did! You knew what I was going to do and you set me up to lose! You're a snake is what you are!" shouted Lobelia.
"Well,I daresay, Miss Lobelia...."
Biblo paused a moment, thinking about what she said and then looked back at her as he spoke. "A snake could no more trick even the trickiest trick in order to trick the other to believe the trick that had tricked him!" said Bilbo as he pointed his finger in front of him and rolled it around while he spoke and then blinking his eyes.
As she stood there, thinking about what he said and trying to make any sense of it. Bilbo nodded to Logo and said a polite, "Good morning."
Turning away, he walked out of the Bracegirdle's home for Bag End, leaving the red faced angry Lobelia standing there unable to say anything more.
Logo admired how quickly he turned the table on his daughter and was able to escape her outrageous temper with such ease. He knew at that moment, that if anyone could handle Lobelia's temper, it was Bilbo Baggins!
~*~
Logo could hardly contain himself as he waited for Bungo and Belladonna to return back to Bag End. He wrote out Lobelia's inheritance and dowry to give it to the Baggins in order to sweeten his proposal.
When they finally returned, Bilbo greeted his parents warmly as their wagon came to a stop in front of their home. Bilbo helped unpack the wagon and noticed many bushel baskets of grapes from Tuckborough. "What have you hear, Papa!" asked Bilbo.
Bungo almost giggled with delight as he handed Bilbo the first basket of fresh grapes. "I'm planning on putting down many fine bottles of wineyard from an old recipe given to me by my own great-grandfather!"
Bilbo smiled at his father thinking about the wonderful wines that he tasted from Bag End's cellars. "What have you been doing during our visit to Tuckborough?" asked Belladonna.
"Resting and reading, is about all!" commented Bilbo. "I have a letter that was delivered just yesterday for you and Papa from Mr. Logo Bracegirdle, if you care to read it."
Belladonna placed her arm around her son as they walked into Bag End. "I'll read it once we are settled."
Bilbo was so happy to see his parents as he had missed them so much during the week of them being gone.
~*~
Reading the letter from Logo, Belladonna was surprised that he had requested a meeting with them concerning their children. Both Belladonna and Bungo could not figure out what he meant by that. Belladonna returned his request with a dinner invitation to discuss this matter with him.
Logo was delighted when the messenger arrived with his invitation and he raced to his study to prepare the necessary paperwork of Lobelia's dowry and inheritance. The only thing left to do is prepare his daughter for this most important dinner party.
She scoffed and complained when her father who told her only that they were to attend a dinner party at Bag End.
"If you agree to attend this party, I will take you to the Bolger's store and you can pick out anything there that you may want!" pleaded Logo.
Lobelia wondered why her father was willing to go to all ends for this dinner party and buy her want ever she wanted. It must mean something very important to him. She would play along until she discovered his real reasoning behind all of this. She smiled sweetly to her father, "In that case, I will go to the party if I get something very special!"
Logo escorted his daughter to the Bolger's store and Lobelia took her time looking over everything that they had, but had trouble deciding which item that she really wanted. After a couple of hours of her picking some items only to change her mind for another item and then another, Logo was becoming frustrated by her indecisiveness of what she wanted. "Lobelia, please! Will you just pick something!" said Logo becoming weary from shopping.
She finally settled for the most expensive brush and comb set in the Bolger's store. Logo almost fumed at the cost of this. But he held his tongue and just paid for it. After all it was worth it, by her willing to go to this party.
Lobelia smiled as she took the gift and held it in her arms. Walking to the door to leave the shop, she commented to her father. "I have agreed to go to the party, but I will not enjoy myself in the least bit!"
Logo took her arm and turned her around. "Oh, yes you will! And you will be on your very best manners!" snapped Logo.
Lobelia knowing she had her father over a barrel since he was so willing to give her anything that she wanted. "We only agreed that I would go to the party, not that I would be sociable!"
Logo looked at Lobelia and knew that the very minute she entered Bag End, she would be her nastiest in order to ruin the party. His face turned a bright red with anger as he quickly thought of a way to get her to make another agreement. He knew she loved fancy things and had nagged him of going to Tuckborough, an idea came to him. "Okay, Lobelia. You have me and you know it! If you are on your very best manners and treat Bilbo with courtesy, then I will promise to take you to Tuckborough to buy you a very fancy present!"
Lobelia thought a minute and told him, "I'll agree if you take to me Tuckborough in the following week!"
Logo stuck his finger in front of her face as he almost snarled at her. She knew that Bungo and Belladonna had brought back new orders from Tuckborough for new shelves and furnishings and that he would be very busy in the next following week. Gritting his teeth together, he held his tongue and withdrew his finger from her face and slowly nodded his head in agreement. Lobelia held her head up high and walked pass her father with a big smile on her face.
~*~
The day of the dinner party, Logo escorted Lobelia to Bag End. She worn her new dress and her hair was brushed to its finest. Logo knocked on the door and turned one last time to warn his daughter. "Now you remember your promise! I will hold you to it!"
"I've promised and I will hold to my bargain!" said Lobelia as she smiled the sweetest smile that she could place on her face. "After all, Da. I've been looking so forward to going to Tuckborough for ages!"
When Bungo answered the door he smiled as he greeted his best friend and his daughter. "Why Lobelia, You are looking very lovely this fine afternoon!" said Bungo.
"Why, thank you, Mr. Baggins. How nice of you to notice!" commented Lobelia in a sweet honey tone of voice, almost going over the top with her courtesy,
Belladonna welcomed them into her home and escorted them into their front sitting room. Belladonna poured the tea into each teacup when Bilbo entered the room. He greeted their guests and he sat down next to Lobelia because it was the only spot left that was not taken.
Lobelia noticed the spoons that Bilbo spoke about a week past, he was right her spoons were much more elegant than the masculine 'B' standing for Baggins.
After a polite conversation, Belladonna asked her son if he would take Lobelia to the garden for a walk so they could talk over business matters.
Bilbo stood and offered his arm to escort her. Logo smiled as he watched his daughter graciously except his offer.
Logo cast warning glance at his daughter when she looked at him as she passed him. Lobelia nodded eloquently with a cheerful smile on her face.
Both Belladonna and Bungo stared at each other and commented. "Why, Logo, your daughter has certainly grown into a fine young lass. You must be so very pleased!"
"Yes that she has, she is more mature than anyone really knows!" commented Logo a bit sarcastically.
After the young couple left the room, Belladonna turned to Logo and asked him. "So now tell us, what is this meeting all about?"
Logo cleared his throat and took another sip from his tea and took out a parchment from his pocket. Handing it to Belladonna he began to explain. "I am very fond of your son, Bilbo. I know that you have started looking for a match for your son and I thought when I have seen my daughter with your son this past week, that perhaps we could consider my daughter matched with your son. Lobelia has a wonderful inheritance and our family is very well excepted by the good folk of Hobbiton. You can see by my figures I have giving you, that my daughter has a sizable dowry if she marries. And I could not ask for a better son-in-law than Bilbo!"
Belladonna looked at the amounts that Logo placed on the parchment and her eyes rounded. "This is very impressive, Logo!" She handed the parchment to her husband as he too looked over the figures.
Bungo looked up at his very best friend and commented. "This arrangement is more than just money, Logo. They must be compatible for each other. Lobelia is ten years younger than our Bilbo."
"Yes, I am aware of that, but I am willing to forego her coming of age and willing for her to marry when she reaches her twenty-eighth birthday. That way they would have five years to get to know each better before they would marry."
Belladonna and Bungo smiled at each other as they both nodded at the same time. "We will still have to see if they have common interest and enjoy being with each other before we agree!"
"Yes, I most certainly agree! Lobelia is still young and tends to forget herself at times, but five years will give her the maturity she will need to become a wife. If anyone can handle Lobelia, it is your son! Let's consider them tonight at the evening meal!"
~*~
Bilbo smiled as he walked Lobelia down the long hallway of Bag End. When they passed the study area, Lobelia could see a large bookshelf filled with books. She stopped and commented to him. "Are those all your books?"
Bilbo looked into the study and nodded. "Do you likes books, Miss Lobelia?"
"Yes, I do! Might I have a look at which books that you have on your shelves?"
Bilbo nodded and was very proud to show her his most favorite books. Lobelia marveled at the folklore books with its many poems and songs. Thinking of a silly song to make her smile, Bilbo began to sing a verse for her.
"To my feet I say beware,
Upon your brown and curly hair,
For the songs and the dance,
Will make you prance.
And a twilling on your tip-toe,
Long into the late night,
Until the Shire cock would crow!"
Lobelia giggled and found being nice to Bilbo had been easier than she had imagined. She was truly enjoying herself which had surprised her.
Lobelia remembered a poem and quoted it to Bilbo.
Changes will never come-not,
Nor time will ever stop;
In the hills that we so love,
Forever-blue the skies above;
And the greenest of our grass;
The Shire will forever last."
Bilbo smiled as he looked at Lobelia and thought for once it was a pleasure to be in company of a lass whose head was not filled with silly ideas, but demonstrated a keen wit and good sense. After all she did enjoy similar things that Bilbo held dear in his own heart, his love of his books.
The other lasses that his mother had paraded in front of him possessed none of these things, but tea-parties and silly little games.
"You love the Shire, don't you, Lobelia?" said Bilbo as he stared at her.
Feeling uncomfortable standing so close to Bilbo and the way he had looked at her as she quoted her poem. Putting the book back in its case, she moved about the room. "Bag End is certainly lovely, Bilbo. I think this is my favorite room, you could get lost in your thoughts just sitting in here."
Bilbo smiled and nodded, "Yes, you can! I have many times been so lost just sitting here in my favorite chair surrounded by all my books!"
Lobelia walked around the room and lightly touched wonderful cabinets and chests that adorn this room. "I remember each room that your father had built and all the wonderful furnishings in them. I would admire them, as my father would carve them in his shop. I love this large and wonderful home!"
Belladonna smiled as she watched the young couple as they spoke to each other and she knew in her heart that Lobelia was perfect for her son. "Our dinner is ready, if you will follow me to the dinning room."
Belladonna took Lobelia's arm and then Bilbo's, when she walked them into the dinning room. Belladonna smiled at Lobelia, while considering her a daughter-in-law.
~*~*~*~*~
Thank you, Mlynnbloom: Even though this story does not appear to be very popular, I'm still enjoying writing this. The next chapters are going to start getting more exciting as Lobelia begins to show her true colors once she realizes her father had set her up in an arranged married and feels like he sold her off. Only Bilbo will be able think of something to stop her wrath and mayhem.
The Perfect Match
Logo sat back and listened to his daughter and Bilbo as they talked among each other. He noticed a lot of similarities of the two. For one thing, They both were considered very plain looking and a bit odd at times for most hobbits of the Shire. Both admired books and such things as checkers and either of them did not like to be the loser.
This fascinated Logo as he considered the two. He knew Belladonna was planning an arranged marriage for Bilbo and was not having any good luck with it. Even though Bilbo was 10 years older than his daughter, Logo had more than enough time to begin Lobelia's match making. Logo wondered if Bungo and Belladonna might consider Bilbo and Lobelia as a match. This idea intrigued him. If Logo could pick a son, it would be Bilbo as he admired him so much.
When Bilbo put down his napkin he turned to Logo, "Well now, that was a fine stew, a fine stew in deed! But time is wasting and I better get back to work!"
Logo held up his hand to stop Bilbo. "I have an idea. We've worked so hard lately that I think we are entitled to some time off! Would you be up to a game of checkers with my daughter, if she were willing to play? I know, I would so much enjoy watching the two of you play a friendly game."
Bilbo put his thumbs into his vest pocket and rocked back and forth on his heels as he considered Logo's suggestion. "Well, I am quite good at the game and I think it would not be too fair for Miss Lobelia to play against me."
Lobelia looked up at Bilbo and narrowed her eyes at his off handed comment. "Mr. Baggins, I beg your pardon, but I too am very well skilled at that game and seldom if any, ever lose! I would be more than a challenge for you!"
Logo frowned at Lobelia to hold her tongue as he stood up and walked over to his decorative cupboard to get his game board and finely crafted chips. "I must tell you, Bilbo, Lobelia is very good at checkers. In fact I have not won a game in months! I think you will find her a worthy opponent!"
Lobelia smiled and nodded in agreement with her father's statement.
"If you insist, I would love very much to play a game!" said Bilbo.
While Bilbo put the round wooden chips on the checkerboard, Lobelia went into the kitchen to pour a cup of tea for everyone. She added a small bit of sugar into each cup and took her families silver spoons that had a lovely elegant 'B' craved in it's handle for Bracegirdle. This was a wedding gift that was given to her mother when she married Logo many long years ago. Lobelia loved these spoons as it reminded her of her mother.
She placed the teacups on a tray with the elegant spoons placed next to each cup. Sitting the tray down she served her guests.
Bilbo picked up his spoon an immediately noticed the 'B' scrolled on the end of the handle. "What a lovely set of spoons you have here, Lobelia! My mother has a set of these types of spoons at Bag End. But your 'B' on the handle has a bit more of a curl to its letter. Quite lovely, I must say!" said Bilbo and he took his napkin and polished the 'B' while he admired it.
Logo smiled as he observed Bilbo. "Those spoons were given to my wife on our wedding day and a treasure of our family!"
"Are you just going to polish the silverware or are you going to play some checkers!" commented Lobelia as she sat there waiting to begin to play.
Bilbo put down his spoon next to his teacup while Logo took out his pipe and pouch to offered Bilbo a pinch of his pipe weed. Bilbo pulled his pipe from a deep pocket from his coat. Filling his pipe, he struck a match, lighting his pipe. He blew a thick cloud of smoke in the air as the smell of tobacco filled the room. Logo clamped his pipe between his teeth and crossed his arms as he sat back to watch them play. Logo only hoped that Lobelia would not be too out spoken towards Bilbo.
Lobelia rolled her eyes as Bilbo made her wait again as he fussed with his pipe and the position of his wooden chips on the board. Making sure that each one sat upon each square perfectly even.
When the game finally began, Bilbo puffed his pipe as he watched Lobelia set up a strong defensive placement of her chips during the first few rounds. He marveled at her strategy. Seeing only one weak area, Bilbo knew he must move his chip accordingly in order to make her move against him to set up his strike force. In the process he took two of her chips and opened area for him to crown his piece.
"You may think you have me on the run, Mr. Baggins, but you failed to consider this move!" Lobelia took her chip and jumped three of his pieces making an outstanding show of her skill at checkers.
Bilbo scratched his head and he looked up at her nervously. "Now that was one of the best moves I've seen, yet!"
Lobelia smiled wickedly feeling she would be the victor of this game. Bilbo took another puff of his pipe as the smoke swirled above his head while Logo watched Bilbo intently. Logo was on the edge of his seat when Bilbo placed his fingers on his chip and then pulled it away again. Mumbling slightly to himself and reconsidering his next move, a slow smile crossed Bilbo's lips when he took his chip and jumped a magnificent set up taking four of her chips and leaving her wide open and helpless to win this game.
Lobelia's eyes widened in total surprise and shock, as she never realized her pieces were in such jeopardy. "You tricked me! You scoundrel!"
Logo clapped his hands together and congratulated Bilbo on such an outstanding game.
"This is outrageous, I never lose! You tricked me is what you did! You knew what I was going to do and you set me up to lose! You're a snake is what you are!" shouted Lobelia.
"Well,I daresay, Miss Lobelia...."
Biblo paused a moment, thinking about what she said and then looked back at her as he spoke. "A snake could no more trick even the trickiest trick in order to trick the other to believe the trick that had tricked him!" said Bilbo as he pointed his finger in front of him and rolled it around while he spoke and then blinking his eyes.
As she stood there, thinking about what he said and trying to make any sense of it. Bilbo nodded to Logo and said a polite, "Good morning."
Turning away, he walked out of the Bracegirdle's home for Bag End, leaving the red faced angry Lobelia standing there unable to say anything more.
Logo admired how quickly he turned the table on his daughter and was able to escape her outrageous temper with such ease. He knew at that moment, that if anyone could handle Lobelia's temper, it was Bilbo Baggins!
~*~
Logo could hardly contain himself as he waited for Bungo and Belladonna to return back to Bag End. He wrote out Lobelia's inheritance and dowry to give it to the Baggins in order to sweeten his proposal.
When they finally returned, Bilbo greeted his parents warmly as their wagon came to a stop in front of their home. Bilbo helped unpack the wagon and noticed many bushel baskets of grapes from Tuckborough. "What have you hear, Papa!" asked Bilbo.
Bungo almost giggled with delight as he handed Bilbo the first basket of fresh grapes. "I'm planning on putting down many fine bottles of wineyard from an old recipe given to me by my own great-grandfather!"
Bilbo smiled at his father thinking about the wonderful wines that he tasted from Bag End's cellars. "What have you been doing during our visit to Tuckborough?" asked Belladonna.
"Resting and reading, is about all!" commented Bilbo. "I have a letter that was delivered just yesterday for you and Papa from Mr. Logo Bracegirdle, if you care to read it."
Belladonna placed her arm around her son as they walked into Bag End. "I'll read it once we are settled."
Bilbo was so happy to see his parents as he had missed them so much during the week of them being gone.
~*~
Reading the letter from Logo, Belladonna was surprised that he had requested a meeting with them concerning their children. Both Belladonna and Bungo could not figure out what he meant by that. Belladonna returned his request with a dinner invitation to discuss this matter with him.
Logo was delighted when the messenger arrived with his invitation and he raced to his study to prepare the necessary paperwork of Lobelia's dowry and inheritance. The only thing left to do is prepare his daughter for this most important dinner party.
She scoffed and complained when her father who told her only that they were to attend a dinner party at Bag End.
"If you agree to attend this party, I will take you to the Bolger's store and you can pick out anything there that you may want!" pleaded Logo.
Lobelia wondered why her father was willing to go to all ends for this dinner party and buy her want ever she wanted. It must mean something very important to him. She would play along until she discovered his real reasoning behind all of this. She smiled sweetly to her father, "In that case, I will go to the party if I get something very special!"
Logo escorted his daughter to the Bolger's store and Lobelia took her time looking over everything that they had, but had trouble deciding which item that she really wanted. After a couple of hours of her picking some items only to change her mind for another item and then another, Logo was becoming frustrated by her indecisiveness of what she wanted. "Lobelia, please! Will you just pick something!" said Logo becoming weary from shopping.
She finally settled for the most expensive brush and comb set in the Bolger's store. Logo almost fumed at the cost of this. But he held his tongue and just paid for it. After all it was worth it, by her willing to go to this party.
Lobelia smiled as she took the gift and held it in her arms. Walking to the door to leave the shop, she commented to her father. "I have agreed to go to the party, but I will not enjoy myself in the least bit!"
Logo took her arm and turned her around. "Oh, yes you will! And you will be on your very best manners!" snapped Logo.
Lobelia knowing she had her father over a barrel since he was so willing to give her anything that she wanted. "We only agreed that I would go to the party, not that I would be sociable!"
Logo looked at Lobelia and knew that the very minute she entered Bag End, she would be her nastiest in order to ruin the party. His face turned a bright red with anger as he quickly thought of a way to get her to make another agreement. He knew she loved fancy things and had nagged him of going to Tuckborough, an idea came to him. "Okay, Lobelia. You have me and you know it! If you are on your very best manners and treat Bilbo with courtesy, then I will promise to take you to Tuckborough to buy you a very fancy present!"
Lobelia thought a minute and told him, "I'll agree if you take to me Tuckborough in the following week!"
Logo stuck his finger in front of her face as he almost snarled at her. She knew that Bungo and Belladonna had brought back new orders from Tuckborough for new shelves and furnishings and that he would be very busy in the next following week. Gritting his teeth together, he held his tongue and withdrew his finger from her face and slowly nodded his head in agreement. Lobelia held her head up high and walked pass her father with a big smile on her face.
~*~
The day of the dinner party, Logo escorted Lobelia to Bag End. She worn her new dress and her hair was brushed to its finest. Logo knocked on the door and turned one last time to warn his daughter. "Now you remember your promise! I will hold you to it!"
"I've promised and I will hold to my bargain!" said Lobelia as she smiled the sweetest smile that she could place on her face. "After all, Da. I've been looking so forward to going to Tuckborough for ages!"
When Bungo answered the door he smiled as he greeted his best friend and his daughter. "Why Lobelia, You are looking very lovely this fine afternoon!" said Bungo.
"Why, thank you, Mr. Baggins. How nice of you to notice!" commented Lobelia in a sweet honey tone of voice, almost going over the top with her courtesy,
Belladonna welcomed them into her home and escorted them into their front sitting room. Belladonna poured the tea into each teacup when Bilbo entered the room. He greeted their guests and he sat down next to Lobelia because it was the only spot left that was not taken.
Lobelia noticed the spoons that Bilbo spoke about a week past, he was right her spoons were much more elegant than the masculine 'B' standing for Baggins.
After a polite conversation, Belladonna asked her son if he would take Lobelia to the garden for a walk so they could talk over business matters.
Bilbo stood and offered his arm to escort her. Logo smiled as he watched his daughter graciously except his offer.
Logo cast warning glance at his daughter when she looked at him as she passed him. Lobelia nodded eloquently with a cheerful smile on her face.
Both Belladonna and Bungo stared at each other and commented. "Why, Logo, your daughter has certainly grown into a fine young lass. You must be so very pleased!"
"Yes that she has, she is more mature than anyone really knows!" commented Logo a bit sarcastically.
After the young couple left the room, Belladonna turned to Logo and asked him. "So now tell us, what is this meeting all about?"
Logo cleared his throat and took another sip from his tea and took out a parchment from his pocket. Handing it to Belladonna he began to explain. "I am very fond of your son, Bilbo. I know that you have started looking for a match for your son and I thought when I have seen my daughter with your son this past week, that perhaps we could consider my daughter matched with your son. Lobelia has a wonderful inheritance and our family is very well excepted by the good folk of Hobbiton. You can see by my figures I have giving you, that my daughter has a sizable dowry if she marries. And I could not ask for a better son-in-law than Bilbo!"
Belladonna looked at the amounts that Logo placed on the parchment and her eyes rounded. "This is very impressive, Logo!" She handed the parchment to her husband as he too looked over the figures.
Bungo looked up at his very best friend and commented. "This arrangement is more than just money, Logo. They must be compatible for each other. Lobelia is ten years younger than our Bilbo."
"Yes, I am aware of that, but I am willing to forego her coming of age and willing for her to marry when she reaches her twenty-eighth birthday. That way they would have five years to get to know each better before they would marry."
Belladonna and Bungo smiled at each other as they both nodded at the same time. "We will still have to see if they have common interest and enjoy being with each other before we agree!"
"Yes, I most certainly agree! Lobelia is still young and tends to forget herself at times, but five years will give her the maturity she will need to become a wife. If anyone can handle Lobelia, it is your son! Let's consider them tonight at the evening meal!"
~*~
Bilbo smiled as he walked Lobelia down the long hallway of Bag End. When they passed the study area, Lobelia could see a large bookshelf filled with books. She stopped and commented to him. "Are those all your books?"
Bilbo looked into the study and nodded. "Do you likes books, Miss Lobelia?"
"Yes, I do! Might I have a look at which books that you have on your shelves?"
Bilbo nodded and was very proud to show her his most favorite books. Lobelia marveled at the folklore books with its many poems and songs. Thinking of a silly song to make her smile, Bilbo began to sing a verse for her.
"To my feet I say beware,
Upon your brown and curly hair,
For the songs and the dance,
Will make you prance.
And a twilling on your tip-toe,
Long into the late night,
Until the Shire cock would crow!"
Lobelia giggled and found being nice to Bilbo had been easier than she had imagined. She was truly enjoying herself which had surprised her.
Lobelia remembered a poem and quoted it to Bilbo.
Changes will never come-not,
Nor time will ever stop;
In the hills that we so love,
Forever-blue the skies above;
And the greenest of our grass;
The Shire will forever last."
Bilbo smiled as he looked at Lobelia and thought for once it was a pleasure to be in company of a lass whose head was not filled with silly ideas, but demonstrated a keen wit and good sense. After all she did enjoy similar things that Bilbo held dear in his own heart, his love of his books.
The other lasses that his mother had paraded in front of him possessed none of these things, but tea-parties and silly little games.
"You love the Shire, don't you, Lobelia?" said Bilbo as he stared at her.
Feeling uncomfortable standing so close to Bilbo and the way he had looked at her as she quoted her poem. Putting the book back in its case, she moved about the room. "Bag End is certainly lovely, Bilbo. I think this is my favorite room, you could get lost in your thoughts just sitting in here."
Bilbo smiled and nodded, "Yes, you can! I have many times been so lost just sitting here in my favorite chair surrounded by all my books!"
Lobelia walked around the room and lightly touched wonderful cabinets and chests that adorn this room. "I remember each room that your father had built and all the wonderful furnishings in them. I would admire them, as my father would carve them in his shop. I love this large and wonderful home!"
Belladonna smiled as she watched the young couple as they spoke to each other and she knew in her heart that Lobelia was perfect for her son. "Our dinner is ready, if you will follow me to the dinning room."
Belladonna took Lobelia's arm and then Bilbo's, when she walked them into the dinning room. Belladonna smiled at Lobelia, while considering her a daughter-in-law.
~*~*~*~*~
Thank you, Mlynnbloom: Even though this story does not appear to be very popular, I'm still enjoying writing this. The next chapters are going to start getting more exciting as Lobelia begins to show her true colors once she realizes her father had set her up in an arranged married and feels like he sold her off. Only Bilbo will be able think of something to stop her wrath and mayhem.