Chapter 6

Ribbons and Ringlets

Between the choking coughs, sneezing and rubbing of her eyes, the dark form that stood in the middle of the small room tried in vain to find her wash tub to sooth the burning pain from her eyes so she could see.

"My I help you, Miss?" Merry offered going up to the lass.

"Yes, please, the soot is in my eyes and I can not see. Hurry and take me over to my wash tub," she pleaded with the stranger.

Merry took her arm and walked her passed the stack of lumber, tools and a bucket of nails. He guided her around the buckets, broom and mop and then straight forward to the old broke stone countertop where a small wooden barrel was filled full of water. There was a drinking ladle inside the barrel and a stack of fresh laundered towels sitting beside it. Merry took a towel and dipped it into the water and rung it out and carefully began to wash the lasses face. First he washed her eye lids and then the corners of each eye. He noticed the long dark lashes and soft delicate skin under all that black soot. Next he wiped down the bridge of her small rounded nose and around each nostril and then across her soft pink lips. Taking in each feature of her face, Merry took delight in watching this beautiful lass unfold before his eyes.

Slowly her eyes fluttered open and it took his breath away seeing the clearest, soft blue eyes that he had ever seen on a lass and it made his heart skip a beat. When he removed the soot from her cheeks that framed such a beautiful lovely face, he stepped back to view her.

"Merry, is that you?" asked Estella so socked to see someone that she knew from her childhood.

Surprise registered across his face and he tried hard to place a name to the face that he saw, but nothing came to his mind.

"Yes, it is, but I am not sure who you are?" he questioned.

"Estella Bolger, Freddy's sister," she reminded him.

Merry took a step back, again being so surprised. "Why it can't be!" he insisted and held his hand up waist high and added. "Estella Bolger is a small little thing with those big ringlets and ribbons tied in her hair."

"Merry, stop teasing me," she chuckled at his little joke. "I've grown up since then and those ringlets are long gone as with those ribbons, mum tied in my hair. She did enjoy dressing me up when I was little….. sometimes a little too much."

Both Merry and Estella laughed at the same time remembering their childhood when Merry would visit Frodo at Bag End. Each summer, Merry would travel with is uncle or Da to Hobbiton and stayed with Frodo and Bilbo Baggins. Frodo was the one who introduced Fredeger Bolger to Merry. Samwise Gamgee and even Pippin would join them and the five of them together shared wonderful times growing up in the Shire. On a few occasions Fredeger's little sister would follow after them when her mother was busy making jellies in the summer months to store for the winter. Merry remembered her fondly as she was fearless in trying to keep up with them. But most of all, Merry remembered those curls and ribbons tied in her soft light brown hair.

Estella looked down at her filthy clothes and soot that clung everywhere on her. "I must look a fright to you standing here covered in soot. I've been trying to clean out that old hearth and repair the broken stones that have come loose. I never realized that it was plugged so full of soot."

"You shouldn't be doing such a hard job as that, Estella. Couldn't you find a lad to help you with that sort of thing?" Merry asked.

"I tried many times, but it seems the lads around here would rather race their ponies than to earn their keep," she added.

Merry cringed knowing he was to blame for the pony races and getting everyone stirred up about it. "Yes, I know all about that. I passed some riders on my way through here."

Estella turned and gazed at the old hearth with its broken stones. "I fear that old hearth is going to take more than cleaning until it usable again. It took everything I had to remove the iron grids only to find more broken stones behind it."

She rubbed her hands together and sighed thinking about it, but remained determined to repair it.

Merry admired her willingness to tackle a hard job that most hobbit men would have given up upon. Looking at all the lumber, supplies and tools that sat upon the old wooden floor boards, he wondered why Estella would want to live in a place like this when he knew that the Bolgers' could more than take care of themselves. They had one of the finest stores in Hobbiton.

Estella shook the soot from her hair and it sprinkled like snow on a winter's day. Merry chuckled at the sight of her trying to rid the soot and filth from her clothing.

"Why don't you go to the creek and wash up, while I'll take a look at that hearth. Maybe there is something I can do to fix it."

"Are you sure, Merry, I would not want to impose upon you," said Estella.

"I've got nothing planned for today, and I am not in no hurry to return back to Brandy Hall," he told her while he went over to the hearth and noticed the brass ring in the center of the stones hearth. Smiling, he went over and got a bucket and placed it inside the hearth and pulled the ring. Soon a big dump of black soot poured into the bucket almost filling it full while Merry stay cleaner that what Estella did trying to clean it with a broom.

She looked at Merry with surprise and commented. "I thought that brass ring was a decoration."

They both burst out laughing at the same time.

Merry shooed Estella out the door with a bucket, soap and towels so she could bath in the creek washing the soot from herself, while he began work on her hearth.

After emptying the bucket of soot and sweeping the remains of soot in and all around the hearth, Merry examined the loose stones and broken clay that held them together. He counted the stones he would need to replace and then set out to make the repairs.

He took off his tailored vest and placed it upon the stack of lumber he stood next to. Rolling up his sleeves he grabbed the stack of buckets to get the stones from the creek bed and the clay he would need. Finding a good length of rope, he put his arm throw it and hoisted it upon his shoulder. Taking the stack of buckets, he went to find his pony.

Taking Snowclad with him to help carry all the stones and clay that he would have to collect, he also headed down by the creek.

Merry left Snowclad to wonder by the creek and munch on the tall green grass that grew there. Lining up his buckets by the bank of the creek, he began to collect the right size of stones. After filling a couple of buckets, Estella walked into the clearing and Merry turned around and stood up taking in the sight of her.

Even though Estella's hair was wet, it hung in thick, long ringlet all about her shoulders and cascaded down her back. Her face was washed clean and by looking at her, she had grown into a beautiful young lass. Her eyes had captured the heart of him and it was impossible for him not to look into them. Even though her clothes were wrinkled, being folded into a bag that she had brought with her, she looked ever so lovely standing there.

She placed the bucket she carried with her washed dress that she cleaned by the side of the creek that was rolled up within the bucket and put it by her side upon the ground and went over to help Merry with collecting the stones.

She noticed Snowclad a few yards away eating the tall grass and commented, "Merry, your pony is the loveliest that I have ever seen."

Merry smiled and looked over his shoulder at his pony, "Yes, she is. She's a foreign pony from outside the Shire and given to me as a gift by a very close friend of mine. Her name is Snowclad, named from the mountain tops that surround and protect our Shire. She's as white as the purest snow and well suited by her name."

"May I go over to pet her?" Estella asked.

"I would not if I were you," he warned her. "Snowclad is a free spirit, still wild and not excepting of strangers."

"Are you not fearful that she would wonder away?" she asked him.

"No, she'll come to my whistle when I need her," Merry commented and smiled.

Standing up, Merry gave a loud whistle and Snowclad immediately trotted over to him. Holding her bridle securely, he took Estella's hand and gently placed it upon his pony's nose.

To Merry's surprise and for all his warning, Snowclad did not move and seemed gentled by Estella's soft touch to the velvety texture of the pony's nose. It was not long until Estella was petting and stroking the pony's neck and long white mane. Something that only Merry was able to do.

"Well, since you and Snowclad here are friends," he said. "How about going for a little ride with me upon her back?"

Merry got on first to gentle Snowclad so she would not rear upwards when he placed Estella next to him.

Again to Merry's surprise, Snowclad did not move when he helped Estella up to him.

Putting his arms around her thin waist and taking the reins, he gently nudged his pony forward. First she walked, then trotted and bolted into a full gallop. Estella rested her head against Merry's shoulder and giggled with excitement running through the country side of her new home.

The wind blew through her hair and she felt like she was flying with Merry up and over the green hills.

When Merry slowed his pony to a walk, Estella was still reeling with excitement and laughter and so was he. Most lasses would never think of getting on such a wild pony, let alone go racing through the country side with him. Merry smiled thinking about Estella and was glad that she had never lost her fearlessness in trying something new. She was just how he remembered her from his childhood.

By the time they reached the old cottage and to Merry's surprise was a young lad about Estella's age carrying the buckets of stones from the creek.

Estella smiled and waved to the lad and when Merry helped her down from his pony, she ran over to hug him.

A tinge of pain struck Merry's heart and in his mind he put it all together. She was married to his fellow and this was there home in which they would live.

"Merry this is Tobias Brownlocks from Stock, his family lives just over the other side of the field." She began.

Merry nodded to the lad and not wanting to hear any more and feeling like such a fool for not asking her if she was married when they had first spoken. He decided that he better leave them both alone. "I better get back to Brandy Hall. It was nice seeing you again, Estella."

"But Merry, wouldn't you like to stay for supper?" she pleaded not wanting Merry to leave in such a rush.

"No, Estella. I really have to get back. Perhaps another time," said Merry and waved to them while he urged his pony forwards and then turned her towards the dirt road.

Not looking back, Merry kicked his pony to increase her speed once he got around the small dirt road and into the open fields. He cursed himself for being such a ninny hammer for not finding out more about Estella and allowing his feelings to run wild.

Approaching the Brandywine Bridge, Merry tried to prepare him for yet another disappointing event. Going home to Brandy Hall, he knew his mother would have a list of parties to attend and Myrtle to escort. Merry barely noticed the loud thudding for Snowclad's hooves that trotted upon the bridge, nor the scenery around him, he allowed himself to think of Estella Bolger or was it Brownlocks now….

They were in Buckland now and soon their travels would take them home again to Brandy Hall.

xxx

Myrtle Broadbelt tied the last ribbon to her long ringlets of curls in her hair and stood up to admire herself in the mirror. She had spent the entire afternoon sitting in front of the mirror making sure every curl was in place.

This evening was going to be her first social party in the company of Merry Brandybuck and she wanted everything perfect. All of her friends were so envious when they heard of Myrtle's new courtship.

Her invitations to parties began to triple in size and it seemed that everyone wanted the young couple attending their social events.

Sitting at her dressing table, she paged through her many invitations and smiled.

Her younger sister tipped-toed into her room and began watching her while she fussed over herself.

"Merril, what are you finding so interesting just standing there watching me?" Myrtle questioned glaring at the younger lass.

"Nothing," Merril commented. "I just wanted to see what you were doing and why it was taking you so long?"

Myrtle turned around sharply and walked over to the door to show her sister out of her room. "You may leave at once!" she snapped at her.

"Fine, I'll go!" she said rolling her eyes, "but for all your fussing it's not going to make Merry Brandybuck like you any better. He'll soon catch on to your nasty meanness and he will send you packing!"

"You little sister, are just plain jealous!" she snidely commented back to her.

"What do you know?" she remarked to Myrtle. "You are just mean and nasty! Why you are not even a true Broadbelt! Da just felt sorry for you and adopted you from the Burrows because they did not want you either!"

Myrtle slapped Merril so hard across the face, it sent the lass running and crying from her bedroom.

The words of her younger sister caused her eyes to tear-up remembering her abandonment by her mother. Myrtle saw herself in her mind as a very young child, while her mother placed her at the door step of the Broadbelts'. She remembered her mother's words, "I can no longer take care of you, little one, The Broadbelts' are your new Mum and Da. Go to them now and forget about me." She could still hear, in her mind, her cries and screams for her mother while she watched her turn her back on her and left her standing there.

Myrtle wiped her tears from her eyes and forced those memories deep within her. Returning to her dressing table, she went back to fussing over herself and promised herself that she was going to be the new mistress of Brandy Hall.