Notes to Readers:
The co-author on this story, of course, is Jodancingtree.
Thank you for the comments! Reviews are very motivating and give me insights
into the stories that make me dig deeper in writing, which I probably wouldn't
do were I the only one reading these stories... This story is actually
finished! Hoorah! Will be posting chapters as my editor finishes with them.
HippyHobbit, the story is not quite over. There are 35 chapters in all.
Bookworm, I cannot take credit for the "aunt or uncle" joke, neither can I tell
you where I first heard it. But it is a fun joke!
Xena, thanks for the kind words on the last chapter. I must admit that
reviewers had something to do with all being revealed. They kept reminding Jo
and me of loose ends we were forgetting to tie up.
If you cannot access ff.net, try www.storiesofarda.com.
You can leave reviews there, as well (thanks SoA reviewers! See replies at SoA
as well), and there is a "reply" feature where an author can reply to
a review right there rather than within the text of the story. I have also
discovered the "author alert" feature. Amazing place, that SoA.
The next chapter of "A Small and Passing Thing" will be posted in a day or two,
if all goes well, after a chapter of "Shire". I would have been posting more,
but ff.net kind of hiccupped last week and locked me out.
Enough admin notes. Let's get to the story.
***
Chapter 32. Conversations at Table
'What do you mean, you're going to the
great room?' Meadowsweet demanded, not trying to conceal her outrage. Rusty did
have the table laid already, as a matter of fact, and savoury smells wafted
from their suite when Tolly opened the door.
'My beloved, you know the escort always
dine together,' Tolly said. 'Think how the tongues will wag if I am not in the
great room this evening.'
'I hardly see how it matters, as we
will not be much longer in the Great Smials,' Meadowsweet snapped.
'Not much...' Tolly echoed, at a loss.
'You cannot plan to go on as if nothing
has happened!' Meadowsweet said in shock. 'After what the Thain nearly did...'
'After what the Thain nearly
did,' Tolly said calmly. 'Do you know, my love, that he offered us half his
holdings in restitution?'
'As if gold could pay for the
damageā¦' Sweetie muttered resentfully, then her eyes widened. 'Did you say half
his holdings?'
'I did,' Tolly said, 'though neither
Ferdi nor I would take such.'
'More fool you,' Sweetie flared, 'after
what he did! You could buy your own piece of land and we could...'
'My dear, I am head of escort,' Tolly
replied. 'Having my own piece of land would not be convenient. How could I keep
watch over the Thain were I not on the spot?'
'Head of escort!' Meadowsweet
spluttered.
'Yes,' Tolly said, and when he used
that tone there was no moving him, Sweetie knew from years of marriage to the
hobbit. 'Now my dear,' he added, holding out his arm to her, 'would you care to
accompany me to eventides in the great room?'
'I...' Sweetie floundered, filled with
fury at her husband's calm acceptance of the situation, and despair that she
could not move him.
'Please?' he added softly. He said
naught else, but his eyes pleaded for him. This is my choice, my love. I
want no other life. With you by my side, I have all I desire.
'Well,' she whispered, and suddenly all
the fight went out of her. She put a hand to his cheek, which might well have
sported a brand... but didn't. 'When you put it that way...'
Tolly put his hand over hers, pressing it to his face, closing his eyes the
better to feel the reality of her touch. They stood thus for an eternity before
Rusty cleared his throat from the doorway.
'Supper's going cold,' he said apologetically. 'Will you be dining in, or going
to the great room, if you please?'
Meadowsweet drew herself up to her full diminutive height. Lifting her chin,
she answered with great dignity, 'We'll be taking eventides in the great room
tonight, Rusty. I'll be back in time to tuck the little ones into bed and tell
them their story.'
'We'll be back in time to tell them their story,' Tolly corrected.
Renewing his hold on Meadowsweet's hand, he walked her to the great room.
The room was busy with chatter but the talk quickly died at their entrance.
Tolly smiled and squeezed Sweetie's hand, leading her to the escort's table.
The hobbits of the escort rose as one out of deference to their head and
remained standing until Tolly seated his wife and then himself. The buzz of
talk resumed.
Knowing that all eyes were upon them Meadowsweet tried to smile and laugh as
usual, taking part in the conversations at the table, eating heartily, pretending
for her Tolly's sake that all was as it had ever been.
The talk died once more and Sweetie looked up to see Ferdibrand pausing in the
entryway. He walked over to the escort's table. 'May I join you?' he said
cheerily, though all could see the lines of pain about his eyes.
'Why aren't you with Nell?' Sweetie demanded. What was he doing here when he
ought to be in bed, or at the very least by the side of his wife?
'She's asleep, and the Thain asked me to take eventides in the great room,'
Ferdi said. 'It seems he wants to reassure the Tooks that all is well.'
'He's got a nerve,' Sweetie muttered,
but Tolly stepped on her foot and indicated an empty place, shooting her a look
that said Don't keep the hobbit standing there!
'Join us, and welcome,' he said, waving
to the servers to bring another plate.
Ferdi sat down with a sigh, but immediately pasted on a smile and began
chatting animatedly, interspersing low-voiced comments that only the escort
heard, putting them all in stitches.
'Quite the lovely weather we're
having,' he said aloud for the benefit of ears straining to hear their
conversation, adding in a whisper, Perfect for warming your hands over a
crackling fire, don't you think?
Bite your tongue! Hilly hissed, but Tolly laughed.
'Very lovely,' he answered, cutting a
piece of ham and stuffing it in his mouth. Not to mention a cup of hot cider
before heading out to parts unknown.
'Do you really think so?' Ferdi said,
affecting great interest as a server placed a laden plate before him. 'Are you
saying that we'll have a good growing year?'
'Undoubtedly,' Haldi said. The talk continued much in this manner for several
minutes, with Ferdi inquiring solicitously after Meadowsweet and the children,
all the while interspersing whispered comments. The members of the escort had
to suppress grins at seeing Tooks at nearby tables nearly falling out of their
chairs to hear the talk.
'Aren't you going to eat?' Meadowsweet
asked Ferdibrand acerbically. She'd had quite enough of the joke.
Ferdi dove into his plateful, closing his eyes as he chewed and swallowed.
'Ah,' he said in satisfaction. 'Nothing like a good bit of meat and potato.' He
took a swig of tea. Do you suppose they have such food in Gondor?
'A bit fancier, but just as tasty,'
Pippin said behind him, slapping him on the back as he choked on his tea. 'The
portions leave a bit to be desired. For such Big folk, Men hardly eat enough in
a day to make a single meal for a hobbit.' Diamond smiled, and Farry stood
between his parents.
The escort rose hastily to acknowledge the Thain, but he waved them all to
their chairs. 'May we join you?' he asked.
'Certainly, certainly Sir,' Tolly said,
rising again to offer his own chair, but Pippin told him to sit down and
gestured to a server to set places for himself, Diamond and Farry.
Once the places were set he saw Diamond into her chair and Faramir to his and
then took his own place. 'Lovely weather we're having,' he said, aware that all
eyes in the room were now glued to the escort's table.
'Quite right, my dear,' Diamond said in
confirmation.
Stay seated, the Thain whispered next, and the hobbits of the escort
eyed one another. What was he up to? Pippin gave a nod and rose again, standing
a moment, stretching to his full height. He then bowed with a flourish to the
escort at large, rising to say, 'I thank you for your hospitality.'
Gathering his wits Tolly nodded. 'You're most welcome, Sir,' he said faintly.
Pippin bowed even more deeply, this time to Tolly, holding the bow an eternity
(as it seemed to the head of escort), rose, and bowed again to Ferdi for a long
moment, until his cousin was moved to hiss, Get up you idiot!
'Not at all,' Pippin said rising again.
'Just showing the Tooks where you stand in my esteem.'
'We're sitting, rather,' Ferdi said
crossly, 'and you ought to follow suit!'
'I beg your pardon,' Pippin said, not
at all contrite, and took his chair beside Diamond once more. 'Shall we have a
bonfire this evening, my dear? Roast bacon and mushrooms on sticks, and bake
apples and taters in the ashes?'
'Not to mention the head of escort and
your special assistant,' Diamond murmured behind her serviette.
'O yes, we ought to invite them to join
us,' Pippin said blithely, 'and all their families as well. I'm sure the
children would enjoy the treat.'
'Why not the whole Smials?' Ferdi said
acidly.
Pippin took a large bite of his dinner and eyed his special assistant with
appreciation. 'That's what I like about you, cousin,' he beamed. 'You're
chock-full of good ideas!'
