Pearl Beyond Price 9: The Search
The Great Smials 1402
Pearl hope they could find the object the key fitted before the rain stopped. They would have to move quickly because the downpour certainly could not keep up this level of intensity for very long. If it did, Brandy Hall would be in danger of flooding. Also, she thought that Pippin would certainly explode if they did not solve this mystery. He was squirming and ready to dash out the door.
"We need to be careful about this," Frodo said, "It would be poor repayment of Ferumbras' kindness to be caught sneaking around and snooping into his things so soon after his mother's death." He cast a mild but admonishing glance at the youngest Took, whose curiosity was clearly torturing him.
Pippin sounded a note of complaint, "But, Frodo..."
Pearl shook her head a the younger Took and said," Hush, Pippin. Frodo is right but do not fret, we will look but we will be cautious." She looked at her cousin and continued, "Should we enlist Merry into our effort, Frodo? Having another pair of eyes would be useful but it would mean we run a greater risk of being discovered."
Frodo thought for a moment and said, "I think so. We will not have much time, so the importance of having the additional help outweighs the risks. We should go collect him."
The three hobbits went to Merry and Esmeralda's room and retrieved Merry. It took both Pearl and Frodo to convince Esmeralda to release her son when he was under punishment for running off. They did not tell her what they had found or what they were doing but appealed to her to let the boys have some time together with Frodo because they was nothing else to do on such a dreary day.
In fact, Merry and Pippin were not together during the search. The two Tooks broke up into one team and Frodo and Merry went in the other direction. They knew they were probably looking for a small, ornate jewelry box and decided to search Lalia's room first. It would be the most dangerous and the most likely place to find what they were after. Lalia would certainly have appropriated such a treasure for herself.
Pearl and Pippin searched Lalia's room carefully. They did not what to mess anything up and betray they presence. Pearl rifled through the drawers and Pippin looked under the bed and in the closet. It was dark in the room and rain continued to sheet against the windows. They only illumination was the occasional flash of lightening.
Pippin was small for his age and was struggling to reach something on the top shelf of the closet. Pear was about to go help him when his long, nimble fingers reached around a blue and gold box and he gave a little cry of victory.
"Pearl," he exclaimed, "I think this is it!"
"We will see," she said calmly.
Pearl removed the key from her pocket and inserted it into the keyhole. It fit and the lid opened with an audible click.
The Great Smials 1402
Pearl hope they could find the object the key fitted before the rain stopped. They would have to move quickly because the downpour certainly could not keep up this level of intensity for very long. If it did, Brandy Hall would be in danger of flooding. Also, she thought that Pippin would certainly explode if they did not solve this mystery. He was squirming and ready to dash out the door.
"We need to be careful about this," Frodo said, "It would be poor repayment of Ferumbras' kindness to be caught sneaking around and snooping into his things so soon after his mother's death." He cast a mild but admonishing glance at the youngest Took, whose curiosity was clearly torturing him.
Pippin sounded a note of complaint, "But, Frodo..."
Pearl shook her head a the younger Took and said," Hush, Pippin. Frodo is right but do not fret, we will look but we will be cautious." She looked at her cousin and continued, "Should we enlist Merry into our effort, Frodo? Having another pair of eyes would be useful but it would mean we run a greater risk of being discovered."
Frodo thought for a moment and said, "I think so. We will not have much time, so the importance of having the additional help outweighs the risks. We should go collect him."
The three hobbits went to Merry and Esmeralda's room and retrieved Merry. It took both Pearl and Frodo to convince Esmeralda to release her son when he was under punishment for running off. They did not tell her what they had found or what they were doing but appealed to her to let the boys have some time together with Frodo because they was nothing else to do on such a dreary day.
In fact, Merry and Pippin were not together during the search. The two Tooks broke up into one team and Frodo and Merry went in the other direction. They knew they were probably looking for a small, ornate jewelry box and decided to search Lalia's room first. It would be the most dangerous and the most likely place to find what they were after. Lalia would certainly have appropriated such a treasure for herself.
Pearl and Pippin searched Lalia's room carefully. They did not what to mess anything up and betray they presence. Pearl rifled through the drawers and Pippin looked under the bed and in the closet. It was dark in the room and rain continued to sheet against the windows. They only illumination was the occasional flash of lightening.
Pippin was small for his age and was struggling to reach something on the top shelf of the closet. Pear was about to go help him when his long, nimble fingers reached around a blue and gold box and he gave a little cry of victory.
"Pearl," he exclaimed, "I think this is it!"
"We will see," she said calmly.
Pearl removed the key from her pocket and inserted it into the keyhole. It fit and the lid opened with an audible click.