Chapter 11
Riches of the Heart
Bilbo stood on the bank of the Brandywine River and watched the rushing of the water. He knew just on the other side of this river was Buckland and it had been many years since he had lasted visited there.
The summer sun was hot, but when the wind blew from over the river it gave this weary travelers some comfort. Bilbo opened his bag and took out a breaded wafer to snack upon. While he ate and drank from his water skin, Bilbo thought that it would only take him another two more days to reach the South Farthing and Short Cleeve was not too much further from its borders. He was glad that he took the old path, since he believed it was a much shorter distance to travel upon rather than going directly into Michel Delving.
Finding Short Cleeve would not be too difficult, but he worried how he was going to find the Sackville-Baggins's home or whether Otho was still using that last name. But Bilbo knew that he must try to find them. He felt he owned Logo at least this much. Bring his daughter home if only to say good- bye would be enough to repay Logo for all of his kindness that he had shown Bilbo and his family most all of his life.
Bilbo packed away his wafers and hung the strap of his water skin upon his shoulder. Taking his walking stick, Bilbo continued on his path to Short Cleeve.
~*~
There was a new spring in the step of the hobbit that walked over the land that he had just purchased. These fields would bring Otho a good first harvest of Long Bottom leaf and profits. This would finally give them a rich and pleasant life. Otho stood staring at his new land while thoughts and dreams different through his mind.
Being so proud of himself for out bidding his opponent, he took out his deed and looked at it one more time. Thinking about his new wife, he knew that Lobelia was going to be very proud of him. For once he was glad that he had listened to her when she talked him into going to this auction.
When they first arrived in Short Cleeve and Otho visited his distant cousin. He had helped Otho by renting out an older hobbit hole that was vacant on his land. Otho had to lied to his cousin in telling him that Lobelia was already his wife when in fact she was just a friend helping her get away from those that had hurt her.
Living in the same hobbit hole together for a time and pretending to be husband and wife, they had decided to make it official. They traveled to the next town over and had a very quiet ceremony.
Otho took out his letter that he had just received from his father the day before yesterday and thanked his lucky stars that he had put a good chunk of money as a wedding present for the new couple. It was that money that Otho had used to purchase the land.
Placing the deed and the letter into his pocket Otho thought about Lobelia. He could not wait any longer to tell her about his good news.
Otho running his fastest soon reached his front door and he did not have to open it as it was already done. He raced into their small home calling out her name.
"Lobelia! Lobelia, come quickly! I've done it! I've gotten the land!" When he got no response he raced over to the sitting room, but she was not there. Continuing his search of the rooms, Otho could not find a trace of his wife.
Going into the kitchen he stepped upon a broken plate with pieces laying all about the floor. Otho became frantic in his worry of what could have happened to her.
~*~
A wagon rolled down the dusty old path that was barely used by travelers going to or from the South Farthing. It took these travels well pass Michel Delving. In fact it followed the path by the Branywine River. The wheels kicked up the dirt on the path and a cloud of dust from behind them. Lobelia watched the trail of dust and the scenery of Short Cleeve as it disappeared behind a well-rounded hill.
Her heart sunk trying to figure out how she was going to get away from the one who captured her. Her wrists ached from the ropes that tied her to the wagon and the delicate scarf that was tied tightly around her mouth to keep her quiet.
Lobelia cursed herself for letting herself being taken so easily. However, once this wagon stopped and her binds were loosen, she planned on taking every advantage to free herself.
On and on the wagon rolled down the path following the Brandywine River and Lobelia found herself weaving back and forth from the pitch of the wagon that met many unfortunate potholes in the dirt.
Her stomach growled and she wondered when this wagon would ever stop. Then as if the captor read her thoughts, the wagon pulled over and stopped. Lobelia glared and narrowed her eyes when the rope she was tied too, was pulled forcing her down from the back of the wagon. She let out a loud groan of agony as the rope cut further into her wrist.
Falling to knees she sat there in the dirt. Tears began to fill her eyes, but she refused to let them fall and not allow her captor to see her cry. Her gag was pulled roughly from her mouth and her hands unbound. She was handed a water skin to drink from and Lobelia's mouth was so dry she drank greedily.
Lobelia suddenly heard a distant voice singing just over the hill in front of them. Her eyes darted towards that direction and before she could open her mouth to scream for help, her captor grabbed her from behind and cupped a hand over her mouth. Dragging her to the riverbank and forced her to dunk down behind it.
The singing became louder and then suddenly stopped. She could hear a hobbit mumbling when he stopped in front of their wagon. Calling out to see if anyone was about, the traveler began to search around for them. The captor held Lobelia's mouth shut so she would not make a sound. But thinking quickly, Lobelia decided to bite the hand that locked tightly over her mouth.
The second the captor released her, Lobelia screamed out for help.
Her captor pulled Lobelia's hair back and slapped her soundly on the face. Lobelia knowing this was her time to fight. Pulling back her elbow she let her captor have it across her jaw. Once she was free of her firm grip on her, Lobelia spun around and shoved her into the river.
Camellia screamed, "Help me!"
Bilbo approached the riverbank and was stunned to see both Lobelia shouting back at Camellia who had begun to drown in the water of the river. "Drown you old Hag!"
"Lobelia! What have you done?" shouted Bilbo and raced to the river's edge and watched in horror as Camellia fought the rushing water around her. Bilbo looked frantically searched around the river's bank for a stick or anything that he could use to save Camellia. Lobelia only stood there watching and seemed to enjoy seeing Camellia sink in the water.
Bilbo noticed an old root lying near the water's edge and he waded in to get it. Tossing it out to Camellia she caught it with easy. Bilbo tugged and tugged on the old root, pulling Camellia to the shore.
She coughed and coughed trying to catch her breath when Bilbo turned around to face Lobelia.
"How could you do such a terrible thing!" shouted Bilbo.
Lobelia shouted and pointed her finger at Camellia. "She kidnapped me out of my own home! She knocked me down upon my own floor, sat upon me and tied my hands. Then she had the gall to put a gag around my mouth. She's the monster, Bilbo and not I!" shrieked Lobelia.
Camellia weakly pulled herself up from the riverbank dripping wet with her hair pasted to the side of her face. "Monster! You dare to call me a monster! You're the one who tossed me into the river and tried to kill me!"
"Just want you deserved you evil wicked hag!" shouted Lobelia.
Bilbo held his hands up trying to stop the two hobbitesses from fighting. Their shrieking loud voices began to throb in his ears.
Camellia wiped her drenched hair from her face and came closer to Lobelia. "Hag? If there's a hag about, that hag is you!" shouted Camellia ignoring Bilbo's protest for them to stop fighting.
"You two should be ashamed of yourselves! This is no way for two grown Hobbitesses to behave!" snapped Bilbo being so overwhelmed by they angry words.
Camellia pointed her finger into Lobelia's face. "You stolen my son from me and convinced him to marry you! You're a pathetic creature is what you are!"
Lobelia brought her hand up to slap Camellia across the face while Camellia grabbed Lobelia's hair and locked her fingers into the tresses. Lobelia screamed out in pain and she too grabbed Camellia's hair while tossing her down upon the ground. The two hobbitesses rolled on the ground fighting each other.
Bilbo's eye rounded being so dumfound as to what to do to get them to stop fighting. Reaching down he grabbed a hold of Lobelia's arm and tried to pull her apart from Camellia.
Then with a loud thud and a thump Camellia's elbow hit Bilbo's right eye, while Lobelia's foot kicked him from behind and sent Bilbo flying in the air. Landing face first into the riverbank's muddy water!
Bilbo pulled himself from the thick mud spitting it from his open mouth. Both mumbling and moaning Bilbo tried to stand. He could hear the high pitched shrills of the two hobbitesses while clumps of hair went flying and teeth marks bit into an arm that had gotten too close. He could hear rips of clothing being torn and curse words by the dozen being screamed at each other.
Bilbo remembered how a mother had separated her children during in a brawl and his anger was at it boiling point. He decided to do the same thing. Reaching down and grabbed both Camellia and Lobellia by their ear and tugged them up to stand next to him. "This has gone too far, you must stop this at once!" shouted Bilbo in his loudest voice all the while still holding onto each ear. They wined and whinnied with the pressure on each ear. Biblo again shouted at them. "I don't care who did want to the other or who's the biggest hag between either one of you! You will stop this fighting now!"
Letting go of each ear, Bilbo wiped the mud from his angry face taking out his handkerchief from his pocket. He winced when he touched his eye and moaned loudly.
Both hobbitesses stood before Bilbo pulling up a torn sleeve and smoothing back their messy hair. They were both covered in mud from head to toe and looking a fright when Bilbo glared at them. Without giving them a minute to think, Bilbo firmly pointed to the wagon and barked out his orders. "Get yourselves into the wagon this minute!"
Acting like obedient children they followed Bilbo's orders and climbed out of the riverbank. When Camellia began to climb in the back of the wagon, she gave Lobelia a quick kick with her foot. Within moments the fight was on again. Lobelia grabbed Camellia by the back of her hair and pulled her from the wagon. Hitting the ground firmly Lobellia straddled Camellia sitting on top of her and tried to hold her down. However, Camellia was quick as can be and flipped Lobelia off of her. In a rush, Camellia clapped down with her fingers back into Lobelia's hair and pulled her to stand upon her knees. "You little witch! I'll teach you a thing or two!" shouted Camellia giving her hair a firm tug.
"You wicked old Hag! I wish you would have drown!" retorted Lobelia.
Bilbo saw a long rope in the back of the wagon and rushed to get it.
The two hobbitesses barely noticed when Bilbo slipped the rope around them and pulled it tight, trapping them together. He quickly took the end of the rope and slipped it around Lobelia's wrist and then Camellia. Now both hobbitesses were tided together.
In amongst their caterwauling, screams and name calling, this time directing their anger at Bilbo. He had no choice but to gag them as well.
Bilbo wiped the sweat from his brow and scowled at both of them and their appalling behavior. Gentling his voice and speaking in a proper manner to restore order once again. Straightening his waistcoat that was saturated with mud, he began to tell them. "Well, now that I have your attention! I am taking you both to Hardbottle to see Logo. Once there ,Camellia, you can certainly find your way home. As for you, Lobelia, your father is in his deathbed waiting for me to take you to him. I have given my word to him and that is what I am going to do. Whether you see him tied up in ropes and a gag, that is your choice. Your father deserves to die in peace and being his daughter you should honor his wishes for him to see you one last time. As far as your marriage to Otho, Well........you both deserve each other! Now that being said, I will have peace and quiet on the rest if our travels there!"
Camellia smiled wickedly because this is where she was going to take Lobelia, back to her father and away from her son. She had planned to get the marriage annulled.
After letting them sit there tied up in the hot sun for a spell and opening his bag he began to make lunch. Bilbo made sure he took his time until they both have gotten tired of the ropes that bound their hands.
Once lunch was made, Bilbo untied them and gave them each a tin plate to eat from. Seating in the middle of the two hobbitesses, Bilbo smiled while he ate in peace and quiet.
However, once their stomachs were full and Bilbo announced it was time to climb into the wagon for their journey back to Hardbottle, came the first protest.
After Camellia climbed into the wagon and sat down, Lobelia's face set and grim, then announced, "I'm not going back, Bilbo! I've left my past behind me and never to look back again. If my father dies without seeing me that is his own doing! Let his new son tend his deathbed. I have a new husband now and that is where I belong!"
"Is that your thinking, is it?" stated Bilbo inclined to point out. "Well you're wrong, in all accounts! Your father loves you, why he does are beyond my measure! You don't deserve a father like Logo! If he feels a liking towards me as a son, then I welcome it! If you ever took the time to get to know your father and see the kindness of his heart, you would know of what I speak of. But Lobelia, all you can see is yourself and how it profits you!"
"The only profit I see is when he is dead and the Bracegirdle's inheritance will be mine!" harshly spoke Lobelia.
Her words stung Bilbo's heart and he thought to himself. 'Dear me, what a fool that I have been............that I still am!'
Bilbo looked upon the ground about his feet and stared moodily at it. Seeing Lobelia had brought his feelings of her to surface, but were quickly dashed by her last words. His eyes were opened to her and it pained him greatly to see her in this new light.
If he was going to get her back to Hardbottle and keep his promise to Logo, then he had to quickly think of something. Bilbo was not much for telling an untruth, even when faced before a snake and their wily ways. He knew that Lobelia was not going to get her inheritance, they had already agreed upon it. His father's old saying echoed in his mind, 'every worm has a weak spot!' and that thought gave him an idea..........
"If by death of a father causes one to be rich, then shouldn't it be profitable to you to see it to its end?"
It was not the riches of inheritance that Bilbo spoke of, but the riches of the heart in which she had yet to learn in her life.
Lobelia looked at Bilbo and he could see the greed sparkling in her eyes. She turned away from him and climbed into the wagon.
Bilbo closed his eyes for a moment and a quiet sadness spread through him. Then quietly he turned and climbed upon the wagon seat. Taking the reins into his hands and gave them a quick snap while the ponies pulled the wagon onto Hardbottle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*`
MLynnBloom "300 reviews!" said Loveofthering, "That's not bad for a pointed ear, elf prince! Well, I'm sitting rather pretty on 301!" LOL! (from a famous quote of Gimli's) . You and I have so much fun with those quotes going from Gollum to Gimli! Wow! Has it really been that many? I'm just overwhelmed! That just goes to show what a sweetie you truly are! I bet your hoping that the bad muse will come and give me a bad case of writer's block so you can have a long break from my long-winded stories! LOL! I know I really need to get a life and stop writing so much! What can I say, not much to do living on a farm in the middle of no where. Too many cornfields, cows and nothing to do but stare at an available computer to keep the boredom away. (smile).
But really, I am trying to find a smoother writing style that I really like, so I guess I need the practice to improve and the wonderful suggestions from good writers such as yourself!
Aemilia Rose : Things did get a little dark for Bilbo, but you him, he'll think of something! After all he can be rather tricky and that wonderful luck of his never fails him! I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. I had some fun writing this....... Also I am looking so forward to your new chapter on your Merry and Estella story. It is just awesome!
Riches of the Heart
Bilbo stood on the bank of the Brandywine River and watched the rushing of the water. He knew just on the other side of this river was Buckland and it had been many years since he had lasted visited there.
The summer sun was hot, but when the wind blew from over the river it gave this weary travelers some comfort. Bilbo opened his bag and took out a breaded wafer to snack upon. While he ate and drank from his water skin, Bilbo thought that it would only take him another two more days to reach the South Farthing and Short Cleeve was not too much further from its borders. He was glad that he took the old path, since he believed it was a much shorter distance to travel upon rather than going directly into Michel Delving.
Finding Short Cleeve would not be too difficult, but he worried how he was going to find the Sackville-Baggins's home or whether Otho was still using that last name. But Bilbo knew that he must try to find them. He felt he owned Logo at least this much. Bring his daughter home if only to say good- bye would be enough to repay Logo for all of his kindness that he had shown Bilbo and his family most all of his life.
Bilbo packed away his wafers and hung the strap of his water skin upon his shoulder. Taking his walking stick, Bilbo continued on his path to Short Cleeve.
~*~
There was a new spring in the step of the hobbit that walked over the land that he had just purchased. These fields would bring Otho a good first harvest of Long Bottom leaf and profits. This would finally give them a rich and pleasant life. Otho stood staring at his new land while thoughts and dreams different through his mind.
Being so proud of himself for out bidding his opponent, he took out his deed and looked at it one more time. Thinking about his new wife, he knew that Lobelia was going to be very proud of him. For once he was glad that he had listened to her when she talked him into going to this auction.
When they first arrived in Short Cleeve and Otho visited his distant cousin. He had helped Otho by renting out an older hobbit hole that was vacant on his land. Otho had to lied to his cousin in telling him that Lobelia was already his wife when in fact she was just a friend helping her get away from those that had hurt her.
Living in the same hobbit hole together for a time and pretending to be husband and wife, they had decided to make it official. They traveled to the next town over and had a very quiet ceremony.
Otho took out his letter that he had just received from his father the day before yesterday and thanked his lucky stars that he had put a good chunk of money as a wedding present for the new couple. It was that money that Otho had used to purchase the land.
Placing the deed and the letter into his pocket Otho thought about Lobelia. He could not wait any longer to tell her about his good news.
Otho running his fastest soon reached his front door and he did not have to open it as it was already done. He raced into their small home calling out her name.
"Lobelia! Lobelia, come quickly! I've done it! I've gotten the land!" When he got no response he raced over to the sitting room, but she was not there. Continuing his search of the rooms, Otho could not find a trace of his wife.
Going into the kitchen he stepped upon a broken plate with pieces laying all about the floor. Otho became frantic in his worry of what could have happened to her.
~*~
A wagon rolled down the dusty old path that was barely used by travelers going to or from the South Farthing. It took these travels well pass Michel Delving. In fact it followed the path by the Branywine River. The wheels kicked up the dirt on the path and a cloud of dust from behind them. Lobelia watched the trail of dust and the scenery of Short Cleeve as it disappeared behind a well-rounded hill.
Her heart sunk trying to figure out how she was going to get away from the one who captured her. Her wrists ached from the ropes that tied her to the wagon and the delicate scarf that was tied tightly around her mouth to keep her quiet.
Lobelia cursed herself for letting herself being taken so easily. However, once this wagon stopped and her binds were loosen, she planned on taking every advantage to free herself.
On and on the wagon rolled down the path following the Brandywine River and Lobelia found herself weaving back and forth from the pitch of the wagon that met many unfortunate potholes in the dirt.
Her stomach growled and she wondered when this wagon would ever stop. Then as if the captor read her thoughts, the wagon pulled over and stopped. Lobelia glared and narrowed her eyes when the rope she was tied too, was pulled forcing her down from the back of the wagon. She let out a loud groan of agony as the rope cut further into her wrist.
Falling to knees she sat there in the dirt. Tears began to fill her eyes, but she refused to let them fall and not allow her captor to see her cry. Her gag was pulled roughly from her mouth and her hands unbound. She was handed a water skin to drink from and Lobelia's mouth was so dry she drank greedily.
Lobelia suddenly heard a distant voice singing just over the hill in front of them. Her eyes darted towards that direction and before she could open her mouth to scream for help, her captor grabbed her from behind and cupped a hand over her mouth. Dragging her to the riverbank and forced her to dunk down behind it.
The singing became louder and then suddenly stopped. She could hear a hobbit mumbling when he stopped in front of their wagon. Calling out to see if anyone was about, the traveler began to search around for them. The captor held Lobelia's mouth shut so she would not make a sound. But thinking quickly, Lobelia decided to bite the hand that locked tightly over her mouth.
The second the captor released her, Lobelia screamed out for help.
Her captor pulled Lobelia's hair back and slapped her soundly on the face. Lobelia knowing this was her time to fight. Pulling back her elbow she let her captor have it across her jaw. Once she was free of her firm grip on her, Lobelia spun around and shoved her into the river.
Camellia screamed, "Help me!"
Bilbo approached the riverbank and was stunned to see both Lobelia shouting back at Camellia who had begun to drown in the water of the river. "Drown you old Hag!"
"Lobelia! What have you done?" shouted Bilbo and raced to the river's edge and watched in horror as Camellia fought the rushing water around her. Bilbo looked frantically searched around the river's bank for a stick or anything that he could use to save Camellia. Lobelia only stood there watching and seemed to enjoy seeing Camellia sink in the water.
Bilbo noticed an old root lying near the water's edge and he waded in to get it. Tossing it out to Camellia she caught it with easy. Bilbo tugged and tugged on the old root, pulling Camellia to the shore.
She coughed and coughed trying to catch her breath when Bilbo turned around to face Lobelia.
"How could you do such a terrible thing!" shouted Bilbo.
Lobelia shouted and pointed her finger at Camellia. "She kidnapped me out of my own home! She knocked me down upon my own floor, sat upon me and tied my hands. Then she had the gall to put a gag around my mouth. She's the monster, Bilbo and not I!" shrieked Lobelia.
Camellia weakly pulled herself up from the riverbank dripping wet with her hair pasted to the side of her face. "Monster! You dare to call me a monster! You're the one who tossed me into the river and tried to kill me!"
"Just want you deserved you evil wicked hag!" shouted Lobelia.
Bilbo held his hands up trying to stop the two hobbitesses from fighting. Their shrieking loud voices began to throb in his ears.
Camellia wiped her drenched hair from her face and came closer to Lobelia. "Hag? If there's a hag about, that hag is you!" shouted Camellia ignoring Bilbo's protest for them to stop fighting.
"You two should be ashamed of yourselves! This is no way for two grown Hobbitesses to behave!" snapped Bilbo being so overwhelmed by they angry words.
Camellia pointed her finger into Lobelia's face. "You stolen my son from me and convinced him to marry you! You're a pathetic creature is what you are!"
Lobelia brought her hand up to slap Camellia across the face while Camellia grabbed Lobelia's hair and locked her fingers into the tresses. Lobelia screamed out in pain and she too grabbed Camellia's hair while tossing her down upon the ground. The two hobbitesses rolled on the ground fighting each other.
Bilbo's eye rounded being so dumfound as to what to do to get them to stop fighting. Reaching down he grabbed a hold of Lobelia's arm and tried to pull her apart from Camellia.
Then with a loud thud and a thump Camellia's elbow hit Bilbo's right eye, while Lobelia's foot kicked him from behind and sent Bilbo flying in the air. Landing face first into the riverbank's muddy water!
Bilbo pulled himself from the thick mud spitting it from his open mouth. Both mumbling and moaning Bilbo tried to stand. He could hear the high pitched shrills of the two hobbitesses while clumps of hair went flying and teeth marks bit into an arm that had gotten too close. He could hear rips of clothing being torn and curse words by the dozen being screamed at each other.
Bilbo remembered how a mother had separated her children during in a brawl and his anger was at it boiling point. He decided to do the same thing. Reaching down and grabbed both Camellia and Lobellia by their ear and tugged them up to stand next to him. "This has gone too far, you must stop this at once!" shouted Bilbo in his loudest voice all the while still holding onto each ear. They wined and whinnied with the pressure on each ear. Biblo again shouted at them. "I don't care who did want to the other or who's the biggest hag between either one of you! You will stop this fighting now!"
Letting go of each ear, Bilbo wiped the mud from his angry face taking out his handkerchief from his pocket. He winced when he touched his eye and moaned loudly.
Both hobbitesses stood before Bilbo pulling up a torn sleeve and smoothing back their messy hair. They were both covered in mud from head to toe and looking a fright when Bilbo glared at them. Without giving them a minute to think, Bilbo firmly pointed to the wagon and barked out his orders. "Get yourselves into the wagon this minute!"
Acting like obedient children they followed Bilbo's orders and climbed out of the riverbank. When Camellia began to climb in the back of the wagon, she gave Lobelia a quick kick with her foot. Within moments the fight was on again. Lobelia grabbed Camellia by the back of her hair and pulled her from the wagon. Hitting the ground firmly Lobellia straddled Camellia sitting on top of her and tried to hold her down. However, Camellia was quick as can be and flipped Lobelia off of her. In a rush, Camellia clapped down with her fingers back into Lobelia's hair and pulled her to stand upon her knees. "You little witch! I'll teach you a thing or two!" shouted Camellia giving her hair a firm tug.
"You wicked old Hag! I wish you would have drown!" retorted Lobelia.
Bilbo saw a long rope in the back of the wagon and rushed to get it.
The two hobbitesses barely noticed when Bilbo slipped the rope around them and pulled it tight, trapping them together. He quickly took the end of the rope and slipped it around Lobelia's wrist and then Camellia. Now both hobbitesses were tided together.
In amongst their caterwauling, screams and name calling, this time directing their anger at Bilbo. He had no choice but to gag them as well.
Bilbo wiped the sweat from his brow and scowled at both of them and their appalling behavior. Gentling his voice and speaking in a proper manner to restore order once again. Straightening his waistcoat that was saturated with mud, he began to tell them. "Well, now that I have your attention! I am taking you both to Hardbottle to see Logo. Once there ,Camellia, you can certainly find your way home. As for you, Lobelia, your father is in his deathbed waiting for me to take you to him. I have given my word to him and that is what I am going to do. Whether you see him tied up in ropes and a gag, that is your choice. Your father deserves to die in peace and being his daughter you should honor his wishes for him to see you one last time. As far as your marriage to Otho, Well........you both deserve each other! Now that being said, I will have peace and quiet on the rest if our travels there!"
Camellia smiled wickedly because this is where she was going to take Lobelia, back to her father and away from her son. She had planned to get the marriage annulled.
After letting them sit there tied up in the hot sun for a spell and opening his bag he began to make lunch. Bilbo made sure he took his time until they both have gotten tired of the ropes that bound their hands.
Once lunch was made, Bilbo untied them and gave them each a tin plate to eat from. Seating in the middle of the two hobbitesses, Bilbo smiled while he ate in peace and quiet.
However, once their stomachs were full and Bilbo announced it was time to climb into the wagon for their journey back to Hardbottle, came the first protest.
After Camellia climbed into the wagon and sat down, Lobelia's face set and grim, then announced, "I'm not going back, Bilbo! I've left my past behind me and never to look back again. If my father dies without seeing me that is his own doing! Let his new son tend his deathbed. I have a new husband now and that is where I belong!"
"Is that your thinking, is it?" stated Bilbo inclined to point out. "Well you're wrong, in all accounts! Your father loves you, why he does are beyond my measure! You don't deserve a father like Logo! If he feels a liking towards me as a son, then I welcome it! If you ever took the time to get to know your father and see the kindness of his heart, you would know of what I speak of. But Lobelia, all you can see is yourself and how it profits you!"
"The only profit I see is when he is dead and the Bracegirdle's inheritance will be mine!" harshly spoke Lobelia.
Her words stung Bilbo's heart and he thought to himself. 'Dear me, what a fool that I have been............that I still am!'
Bilbo looked upon the ground about his feet and stared moodily at it. Seeing Lobelia had brought his feelings of her to surface, but were quickly dashed by her last words. His eyes were opened to her and it pained him greatly to see her in this new light.
If he was going to get her back to Hardbottle and keep his promise to Logo, then he had to quickly think of something. Bilbo was not much for telling an untruth, even when faced before a snake and their wily ways. He knew that Lobelia was not going to get her inheritance, they had already agreed upon it. His father's old saying echoed in his mind, 'every worm has a weak spot!' and that thought gave him an idea..........
"If by death of a father causes one to be rich, then shouldn't it be profitable to you to see it to its end?"
It was not the riches of inheritance that Bilbo spoke of, but the riches of the heart in which she had yet to learn in her life.
Lobelia looked at Bilbo and he could see the greed sparkling in her eyes. She turned away from him and climbed into the wagon.
Bilbo closed his eyes for a moment and a quiet sadness spread through him. Then quietly he turned and climbed upon the wagon seat. Taking the reins into his hands and gave them a quick snap while the ponies pulled the wagon onto Hardbottle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*`
MLynnBloom "300 reviews!" said Loveofthering, "That's not bad for a pointed ear, elf prince! Well, I'm sitting rather pretty on 301!" LOL! (from a famous quote of Gimli's) . You and I have so much fun with those quotes going from Gollum to Gimli! Wow! Has it really been that many? I'm just overwhelmed! That just goes to show what a sweetie you truly are! I bet your hoping that the bad muse will come and give me a bad case of writer's block so you can have a long break from my long-winded stories! LOL! I know I really need to get a life and stop writing so much! What can I say, not much to do living on a farm in the middle of no where. Too many cornfields, cows and nothing to do but stare at an available computer to keep the boredom away. (smile).
But really, I am trying to find a smoother writing style that I really like, so I guess I need the practice to improve and the wonderful suggestions from good writers such as yourself!
Aemilia Rose : Things did get a little dark for Bilbo, but you him, he'll think of something! After all he can be rather tricky and that wonderful luck of his never fails him! I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. I had some fun writing this....... Also I am looking so forward to your new chapter on your Merry and Estella story. It is just awesome!