Pimpernel arose to a very strong smell. But it was not a horrible smell. In fact, it was very inviting. A small glance over at the clock showed her the true length of her sleep.
Both of the hands were pointing upwards, near the twelve at the top. This had been the latest that she had ever slept in. The warm duvet was then drawn back.
The candles were still flickering as she slowly sat up. Her head swam for a moment before settling down. She took a deep breath, realising that she was not at her sister's anymore.
Pimpernel yawned as she walked towards the door. Pimpernel felt dirty, she had not had a wash in more then twenty four hours.
The door gave a small click as it opened. Pimpernel looked down the corridor. For a few seconds, she wondered which way to go. But a noise from her left hand side confirmed that she should go that way.
So, she walked towards, what she thought, was the kitchen. Sure enough, the smell of food came ever prominent. A humming sound came from the kitchen, along with a few clunks and bangs. Andwise's wife was busy with a large chicken that had just come out of the stove.
Pimpernel smiled as she entered the room. Her arrival had not been unnoticed. The woman looked around and gave a nice, warm smile.
"Good morning" she said.
"Or should I say, good afternoon?" she asked.
Pimpernel knew that she had over slept. But, for hobbits, it was better to sleep then to feel tired.
"Lunch will be ready soon, so you can get washed and dressed if you want"
Pimpernel nodded.
"And I'll have a nice cup of tea for you when you get here"
Nelly gave a small smile and walked out of the room again.
"I need to wash my hair" she thought.
Meanwhile, Hamson was in the building just across from their house. The water wheel had been started again. This led the machines to spring into life. Hamson smiled as the end of a very long piece of rope came to an end.
Hamson heaved the heavy load over to a spot on the floor. The rope was piled next to many other piles of thick, strong rope.
Each one would be used for many different things. Some would be shipped to the grey havens where ships were built. Others would be shipped to Hobbiton and the surrounding areas. They would mostly be used for wells to get water by.
Without Hamson's knowledge, a cart had pulled up along side the building. Unusually, it was a man that was riding it. He jumped off of the cart and looked around. He had been coming here for many, many years.
He gave a smile as he walked away from the cart. Large prints of his feet were left behind as he walked towards the low door way.
Hamson looked up as the door opened.
"Oh" said a large figure, spotting Hamson.
Hamson took on a confused look.
"Do you know where Andwise is?" the man asked.
Hamson now knew that the man was in fact here for the rope.
"Certainly" Hamson answered, rubbing his dirty hands.
Hamson had already been working for two hours now. Once again, Hamson had to go out in the coldness. The man kept the door open as Hamson walked out.
The two of them made the short journey to the house.
"I'll be back in a moment" Hamson told the man.
The man, who was twice as tall as he was, nodded and gave a small smile. Hamson opened the door. He could feel that the house was incredibly warm. But there were no complains to be had. For warmth was the only reason hobbits stayed in during the winter months.
Lunch was now in the last stages of being prepared. Pimpernel, who had had a wash and a change of clothes, was now helping with lunch.
"And, that's why I left Hobbiton" she told Hamson's aunt.
The woman took a deep breath.
"Well, I feel for you, Pimpernel, I really do"
Just then, Hamson walked into the room.
"Where is Andy?" he asked.
Pimpernel looked around. She felt a warm, fuzzy feeling deep within her. A smile came over her that she could not contain.
"I think he's in the study, dear" his aunt answered.
Hamson gave a smile.
"Thank you" he said.
Without a word to Pimpernel, he walked out again. Pimpernel continued to smile as she got out five plates.
"You're blushing" the woman said.
Pimpernel's eyes darted around.
"No I'm not" she said, blushing even more.
Hamson knocked on the closed study door. Inside, a voice came.
"Come in" it said.
The door clicked as it opened.
"There is some human waiting for you in the front" Hamson said, poking his head around the door.
Andwise, who had a quill in his hand, placed it down.
"Ah, he's here, is he?" he said.
The chair scrapped on the cold tiles that made up the floor.
"I can deal with his requests, my boy, you get yourself cleaned and ready for lunch"
At that, he walked down the corridor. But first, Hamson needed to turn the machines off. So, before he could relax and eat to his fill, he would have to venture out into the coldness one more time.
The coldness outside seemed to have lessened. But, this did not mean he didn't feel it. Hamson sniffed as he opened the closed door to the large building.
Inside, the man and Hamson's uncle were taking.
"Ah yes, here it is" Andy said, spotting a few more bundles of brown rope.
The man was already carrying a large bundle. It was larger then anything that Hamson could lift. The man smiled as he took the weight of the last piece of rope.
He smiled at Hamson as he walked outside. Uncle Andy walked out as well. for there was money in his investment and he wanted to make sure he got it.
Hamson was left alone to make sure that the machines were all off before he could go in for lunch. After pulling a few levers, the machines died down.
Lunch was now ready in Hobbiton too. Pearl took a deep breath as she got out a single plate. The house was very quiet now. Pimpernel had left her home. Worry was still ripe in Pearl's heart.
Pearl's lunch had not shrunk in size. Although she would have a different lunch then normal. Eggs sat in a hot, oily pan. A metal spatula, with a wooden handle, was then picked up.
The egg was quickly cooking, the yoke sat right in the middle. Pearl smiled as she flipped the egg over. The fizzling sound grew louder for a few seconds before dying back down again.
A few minutes later, the eggs were done. Pearl carefully lifted the cooked eggs out of the pan. To the left hand side of her, six slices of bread had been lain on the work top. Two of her three sandwiches had already been made.
Pearl smiled as she placed the two eggs onto of a pile of bacon.
Like the other two, the second slice of buttered bread was placed on top. A clean plate was then taken out of the cupboard. But food would have to wait as the plate slipped out of her hands and shattered onto the floor.
It instantly broke into a million pieces. Pearl took a deep breath and looked up.
"Terrific" she said.
Yet more time before she would eat. Hunger was now becoming both felt and heard as her stomach rumbled. Pearl took a deep breath, knowing that she would have to go to the small cupboard to get the broom out.
Pearl closed the cupboard door, broom in hand. She took a deep breath as she re-entered the kitchen. The sound of scrapping erupted as the hobbit started to clean up.
A pile of shards lay on the floor, waiting to be picked up. Pearl moved the wicker bin over to her and started to remove the shards from the floor. After a few more minutes, she was ready to get a new plate out.
The three sandwiches were placed on a new plate. Finally, Pearl could sit down for lunch. A pint of her best ale had been set on the table too.
A smile came over her as she picked up the large sandwich. Moments later, a large bite was taken out of sandwich. Pearl started to knew, tasting both the bacon and egg at the same time. She was proud with her lunch. For she had never tried it before.
"I should make this more often" she thought.
The first sandwich was finished in good time. But, before she started on second sandwich, she took a large swig of ale. This seemed to make her less hungry, which was a good thing. This meant that she could eat more.
Meanwhile, Hamson had sat down to lunch. It was the first time, since the fire in Hobbiton, that he would share it with Pimpernel.
Pimpernel was sitting opposite him. Her plate was filling up with delicious food. It was when she picked up a bowl full of rashers that she stopped.
Bacon was her puppies favourite thing to eat. She would eat nothing but bacon. The woman sitting beside her saw that Pimpernel's actions. Something was troubling the young girl as she sat there.
"Would you like some help?" said Andy's wife.
Pimpernel took a few seconds to react. Her eyes were looking down at the warm rashers of bacon.
"No" she answered, slowly.
"No, I'm fine"
The bowl of bacon was then past on. Pimpernel did not feel like having any at the moment. A large pile of honeyed chicken had been placed on her plate.
Pimpernel's appetite seemed to vanished. She smiled as she took a bowl of crispy parsnips from Hamson's cousin. She could feel the heat radiating off of the cooked parsnips.
She held the handle of the spoon and started to place a few parsnips at a time. She took a deep breath, seeing that enough had been placed on her plate for her liking.
Sprouts, carrot and turnip, sausages and roasted potatoes were all piled onto her plate. Pimpernel took a deep breath as she picked up a boat of gravy.
The gravy was then poured out of boat. Pimpernel smiled as all of her food. She placed it back and picked up her knife and fork. Pimpernel started on the sausages.
They were cooking to perfection. A little hint on mint could be tasted through the warm sausage. Now, everyone was eating. Pimpernel was the only one who had not put bacon on her plate.
Hamson was cutting the sausages lengthways. Two slices of bread had been buttered. Now, the cut sausages were being placed on one slice of bread. It took three or four of them to cover one side. Hamson smiled as he placed the second piece of bread on the first.
He smiled as he took a large bite. The butter that had been spread on either slice was now melting. But this did not bother Hamson as a small drip of butter fell onto the table.
Meanwhile, little Elanor Gamgee had finished her lunch. She had managed to through two helping of lunch. She was now very full up and ready to go outside and play. The snow had fallen the day before. But, today, the clouds did not threaten the land with more flakes.
Instead, they were floating high in the sky, surveying their work. Footprints of nearly every living creature could be seen in the snow. From foxes to hobbits, all prints crossed each other.
But they were not made at the same time. Hobbits were the first to enjoy the downfall of snow. The foxes had been too scared to come out in the day time. They loved the darkness. For, under the cover of night, the could roam unhindered.
Birds, like the hobbits they lived near, cuddled up and slept. The birds had a much harder time then their fellow nature loving hobbits. For fires could not be lit by birds, a skill that was most needed at this time of year.
The abandoned shell of Pimpernel's home was not left unused. Small birds had made temporary homes in the deep crevasses on her home.
Elanor Gamgee could not wait to get back out in the snow again. Her imagination was already in full swing as she put her coat on. Like the day before, both Samwise and Rosie would be coming out with them.
"Hold your horses, dear" said Rosie, calming a excited Merry.
Merry's sister, Rose, was waiting patently for her mother to help her. the last button was poked through the small slit on the other side of the coat.
"There you go" she said, standing up.
But there was still Rose to button up and make sure that she was warm. This did not take long as Rose could do all but top button up.
"Right" said Samwise, carrying youngest son.
"Are we all ready?"
Frodo and Elanor took a quick glance at each other. This split second glance said a lot to little Elanor. She now knew that Frodo was planning something.
The door opened and the family quickly filed out into the snow. A crispness about the air hit Rosie as she looked around. Once again, the land was carpeted in a whiteness that stretched for mile after mile.
Elanor and Frodo were taken aside. They were told to behave, like always, and not to cross the bridge that lead out of Hobbiton.
The family filed out of the house. Once again, Samwise was the last one out. The party of hobbits made their way through the gate.
Elanor and Frodo had already gone off, being free to do what they wish. But there was limit to what they were allowed to do.
Gloria was sitting in her warm room, she gave a small yawn. She was waiting for her friend to come and knock for her. The lunch that she had eaten, just thirty minutes before, was taking it toll on her.
She was just about to have a little nap when a knock came at the door. Gloria looked up. She knew exactly who this was. So, she slowly slipped off of her bed. Her father had already walked to the door and opened it.
"Do come in, I think she's coming now" he said.
Sure enough, little Gloria was walking towards them. Her father closed the door and walked away, leaving the two girls standing there.
"Are you ready to come out?" Elanor asked, her little nose had taken on a pinkish colour.
Gloria's home was nice and warm. But, in the time it had taken, Elanor now felt a bit warmer.
"Yes, of course" Gloria answered.
She then took her coat off of the hook and proceed to put it on. For the first time, Gloria managed to do the top button on her coat. She gave a smile, her spirits were lifted as she heard her father coming.
"Oh, I see you've done it yourself" her father said, smiling.
Gloria's mother and farther were a lot older looking then Elanor's. Her little brain started to work. And there was only possible answer.
They were not her real parents.
"Should I say anything?" Elanor asked herself as the two of them headed outside.
Elanor thought better of it. She did not want to make her friend angry or upset. The gate gave a small bang as it closed.
"Shush" said Frodo, hiding behind a bush.
The mess of twigs broke up their outline. Each of the boys had two snowballs in each hand. Frodo could see the blonde hair of his sister walking away from them.
"Come on" he said, braking his cover.
The group of young hobbit boys, five in total, followed the two girls. Frodo could see them walking towards a large hill.
"What are they doing?" asked one of his friends.
But he was soon hushed. For another figure came into view. It was Frodo's mother. She had a very good eyes and, unlike Elanor and Gloria, could see the group of boys closing in on the two girls.
Rosie continued to watch her son get closer and closer. A small child, Pippin, was snuggled up in a large blanket. Frodo had yet to see his mother. So, he continued on with his quest to throw snowballs at his older sister.
Gloria and Elanor hopped over a large, by their small standards, stile. Frodo and the boys were right behind them, tracking their foot prints in the snow.
"There they are" Frodo whispered.
A plan was forming in his head. All the while, Rosie was watching them. But she did not intervene just yet. She watched as Frodo talked about something.
"Quickly" he said.
"Go"
So, three of Frodo's four friends ran off. Rosie knew that she should act soon. But, then again, she wanted to see what was happening first.
She stopped where she was, watching the two boys that had just ran away. They were heading around the hill to cut the girls off. Frodo and his friends were now heading the opposite way.
Meanwhile, the two girls had no idea of the impending attack.
"I've found a way out" said Gloria.
A large wall of slimy rock stood before her. Sunlight seeped through a small gap in the vase wall. A whistling sound came from the small gap. For the girls, it was too small, even for them.
"We'll have to leave our packs behind" Elanor told Gloria.
This was defiantly not good news.
"But, all of our food and water is in them" Gloria said, concern now growing.
Elanor took a deep breath. It was then a plan formed in her head.
"Maybe if one of us goes outside first and pass the packs through" she said.
There seemed to be no flaw in her plan. So, the two of them took their packs off.
"I'll go through first, you can pass the packs out to me"
Gloria nodded and waited until her friend had made her way out. After a few seconds, Elanor got through the gap and stood up.
"Alright, you can pass the bags through now!" she shouted, over the wind.
Gloria nodded and picked up the first heavy bag and pasted it through. Elanor grabbed a hold of it and placed it aside. Gloria picked up her bag, it seemed heavier then Elanor's, but she did not complain.
A few minutes past before she was out in the coldness again. She could feel coldness tickle her face. But that's not all that she could feel.
Frodo and his friends had sprung their surprise attack on them. Gloria was the first to get hit. She gasped for air at the coldness. But she had little time to recover as more were thrown.
"Gloria, watch out!" Elanor said, ducking.
Gloria ducked as well. More and more snowballs were being thrown. Laughing could be heard as the four boys ambushed them.
Elanor could see her younger brother throwing snowballs at them.
"Stop!" Elanor shouted, but this just seemed to fuel them more.
There was only one thing that could stop the onslaught. And it was very close by.
"Frodo Gamgee!" said a stern voice through sound of wind.
But Rosie had come one snowball to late. Frodo threw his last snow ball. It twirled through the air and hit his sister right in the eye. Elanor instantly felt pain in her eye.
She placed her hand over her eye. Elanor instantly started to cry. Gloria was very worried indeed.
"Elanor, Elanor?" she asked.
Rosie was climbing up the hill. Frodo and the boys knew of Rosie's bad temper, for they had seen it before. But not like this.
"You have a lot of explaining to do, mister!" Rosie said.
The other boys backed off as she came closer. She could see Elanor holding her left eye.
"We were only playing" he said, stepping back a bit.
His mother loomed over him.
"Playing or not, you're coming home" she said, taking a hold of his hand.
"Owww!" he said, trying to set himself free.
But, his mother's grip was too strong. Rosie marched over to Elanor and took a look at her.
"It's alright, I think we should all go home"
Frodo tried to slip away, but his hand was recaptured. Rosie then marched away. Elanor's fun was now over as she trotted back home. Gloria helped her friend home before heading back home.
"Thank you, dear" Rosie said.
Samwise had rounded up the rest of the children. The matter in hand involved both parents.
"There you go" Rosie said, helping take off Elanor's coat.
"It hurts" Elanor whimpered.
Rosie took a deep breath.
"It will do, for a while" Rosie said.
Elanor gave a small whimper as she held her hand over it. Rosie took a deep breath. She now had talk to her oldest son. Elanor's coat was then hung up.
"Go into the kitchen and we'll get you all cleaned up" Rosie said.
Meanwhile, Samwise was standing with his back to Frodo's door. Frodo was standing before him. Tears were running down his face.
"Let me out!" he said with a raised voice.
But Samwise did not move.
"Let me out!" Frodo repeated.
This time, his voice was louder.
"Shouting isn't going to help you" Samwise said, calmly.
"I don't care!" Frodo said, trying to get to the door handle.
But the large figure of his father blocked any progress that his son could make. But soon, Samwise had to move out of the way as a knock came.
Rosie opened the door as Sam stepped a few paces forward. Frodo wouldn't dare try and escape now. For he was more scared of his mother then of his father.
Rosie closed the door with a gentle click. The echoes of his brothers and sisters met him. Rosie took a deep breath and just looked at her son. Frodo looked right back. His eyes were akin to his father's eyes. There was also a hint of his father's chubbiness within his face.
"Why did you do it?" Rosie asked.
They had gone through this many times before. Rosie hoped that Frodo had learnt his lesson last time, but it seemed that he did not.
"I didn't mean to" he whimpered.
He was very, very intimidated. Samwise shook his head.
"If you're going to keep misbehaving, then we will stop you from going outside" he told his son.
"No!" Frodo said, shocked and worried that he would miss all of the glorious snow outside.
"No, please don't" he begged.
But his pleads fell on deaf ears.
"You'll have to be punished for what you've done" Rosie said.
Elanor was walking down the hallway when she heard voices coming from her younger brother's room. Curiosity took her again. She wanted to find out what punishment her brother was getting.
So, as quiet as a mouse, Elanor stood outside his room. The muffled voices of her parents could be heard through the wood. But the laughing from her younger siblings seemed to drown out the sound of her parents.
Inside the room, the two adults were coming to a conclusion. Samwise took a deep breath.
"You're grounded"
But, before he finish, Frodo started to shout again.
"No, no, no, no, no!" he said, anger in his voice.
He quickly jumped onto his bed and started to mumble things under his voice.
"You will stay in for the rest of today and for tomorrow as well" Sam told him.
Rosie took a deep breath. She had something to add as well.
"And you will apologize to your sister as well"
Once again, Frodo went a fit of rage.
"I am not apologizing to her, I hate her!" he screamed.
Elanor took a deep breath. She had heard enough. The young girl made her way back to the kitchen. As she sat down, the door to Frodo's room opened.
Rosie and Samwise walked out. Frodo was now standing again, noticeably fuming.
"Stay in your room, I will call you for dinner" Sam told him.
Frodo watched as the door closed. He now felt very trapped. The young lad was going though a variety of emotions.
Anger rose in him.
"It wasn't even my fault!" he said through gritted teeth,
He was now laying on his bed. Every little thing seemed to be against him. Eyes seemed to watch his every movement. His room felt more like a prison then a place to relax.
Anger slowly, but surely, changed to sadness.
"I didn't even throw one" he whimpered, tears now running down his face.
Deep down, he knew that he had hurt not only Elanor, but his relationship with his mother and father as well. Time seemed to tick slower then normal.
Frodo started to think about all the fun he could be having. Elanor was thinking the same.
"We were in the middle of an adventure" said a sad sounding Elanor.
"What kid of adventure?" her mother asked.
Elanor took a deep breath.
"Well, me and Gloria were on our way to Mordor to find my horsey" Elanor told her.
Rosie now knew that her daughter's imagination was rich and clear.
"Oh" she answered, wanting to find out more.
"And why did he get taken?" she asked.
Elanor thought for a moment.
"Well, its complicated" she answered.
Rosie smiled.
"Well, maybe you could write a little story for me, like your father did" Rosie told her.
Elanor had never thought about writing a story about her adventures. But, now that it had been mentioned, it was a very good idea indeed.
"But, I haven't got a book to write it in" Elanor said, sounding a bit disappointed.
Rosie gave a smile. She knew exactly what to do.
"Well, I'm sure your father has a spare book laying about" she explained.
"If you ask nicely, I'm sure he'll give you one"
Elanor smiled. The pain in her face was now turning into numbness. There was a noticeable difference to the redness.
"Should I ask daddy now?" the little girl asked.
Rosie smiled.
"If you want, I'm sure he's not busy"
Elanor smiled and hopped off of the wooden chair. Rosie watched as her daughter scurried out of the room.
Meanwhile, Hamson had gone back into the freezing cold again. Yet another large log had come into contact with the waterwheel. And now, the machines were all sleeping again.
"Fantastic" Hamson said, knowing exactly what he needed to do.
So, walking the length of the building, at either end was a door. One led onto road that ran parallel to the building, the other door led to the perpendicular flowing river. And it was this freezing cold river that fed the machines.
Hamson picked up an old piece of rope, one that he had used for a nearly a dozen days now. It was stained with the muddy water of the near by river.
Hamson picked it up. The rope seemed to have freezing water soaked into it. This did not help with grip. Hamson took a deep breath as he opened the door to a freezing world.
The river was the same height as it was since the last time he had to pluck a log from the waterwheel. Hamson shivered as he made a knot in the wet rope.
"It'll have to do" he told himself.
Pimpernel was sitting in her new room. Ever since she had arrived here, she had felt a strange vibe from Hamson. One that she could only describe as a lack of connection.
Pimpernel took a deep breath as she sat at the table.
"Well" said Hamson's aunt, sitting opposite her.
"Why don't you bring it up?" she asked.
"There's no harm in asking"
Pimpernel did not see it being as easy as she said. A large mug of honeyed tea stood before her.
"I came here because of him" Pimpernel said, staring into an unknown spot.
The woman was surprised.
"Why?" she asked.
Pimpernel knew that it would take a while to explain. But she had to do it.
"Because I love him" Pimpernel answered.
There was a moment of silence before Pimpernel continued on with her story.
"Many years ago, me and Hamson met for the first time. It was a time that will stick with me 'til the day I pass"
Pimpernel could remember the exact day and events that happened when she first talked to him. It was a bright summer's day and the market was in full swing.
She had been wearing her straw hat that she had made herself during the cold wither months. A wicker basket was held in her left hand, waiting to be filled with delicious food.
Pimpernel smiled as she reached the first stall. Small wicker bowls full of fruit and vegetable had been set out. Peppers, oranges, apples, pears, cobs of yellow corn and mushrooms could all be seen within the first few seconds. Pimpernel smiled as she looked at them.
"Good afternoon, dear" said an elderly hobbit.
Pimpernel returned the greetings.
"Is there anything you would like?" the woman asked.
"The apples were picked just this morning, very ripe they are"
Pimpernel thought that they did look very tempting.
"Well, I think you've convinced me" she said.
After a few minutes, Pimpernel had brought nearly a bag of everything that she could see on the stall. She placed the packs in her baskets and carried on.
A stall with meat, hanging from hooks, was next. Pimpernel smiled as she ordered some stakes and some rashers of bacon. But that was not meat ordered. Turkey and chicken were put into small paper packets and placed into her basket. It was then, as she made her way towards another stall, that she bumped into someone.
"Oh, sorry" she said.
As she turned her head, her blue eyes fell upon a very hansom hobbit.
"Oh" Pimpernel said, quite lost for words.
Hamson smiled, making Pimpernel feel a bit funny inside.
"It's alright, lass" he said.
For some reason, Pimpernel started to blush. So, she averted her gaze. Just when she thought the meeting was over, Hamson started to talk.
"Beautiful day, don't you think?" he asked.
Pimpernel's smile widened.
"Yes, It's wonderful" she answered.
Hamson's face changed.
"You sound familiar" he said, wondering who she sounded like.
Pimpernel knew exactly what family this hobbit was from.
"You must be a Took" he said.
Pimpernel nodded.
"And you must be a Gamgee" she answered.
Hamson gave a single nod.
"Indeed I am" he agreed.
"I'm Hamson Gamgee" he said, holding out his hand.
Pimpernel was becoming more and more shy. Birds were singing, colourful insects were fluttering through the air and hobbits were talking, laughing or playing all around them.
"And I'm Pimpernel Took" she answered, taking his large hand.
There was something about this hobbit that Pimpernel felt comfort in. She didn't know what, but she knew it was there.
An awkward moment of silence past before they talked.
"Well, I best be off, Samwise needs some help in his garden" he said.
Pimpernel nodded.
"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you" Nelly told him.
"Like whys" Hamson said, giving a small wink.
"I'll see you around" Pimpernel said as they parted.
A moment of regret came over her as she walked away.
"Oh, Pimpernel, why did you say that?" she asked herself.
For the rest of the small shopping trip, she was very distracted. A few things had been forgotten as she walked back to her home. This was the same home that, a few years into the future, would be lost to a fiery accident.
"And that's why I came here" Pimpernel told her.
Her tea was now stone cold. It had been untouched.
"Well, that is tragic!" the woman said.
Meanwhile, Hamson had fished out the log and was now back to work. He gently pulled the finished rope as it came to end.
A large pile had been made by his feet. It took another few minutes to reached the end. Hamson left the rope in a pile as he walked the entire length of the building.
There, he hooked up smaller, thinner bits to the machine. After a few seconds, the whole posses began again. So, after making sure that the rope would not snag, he walked back to the fresh pile of rope.
He picked it up and moved the bundle to the side. Many more bundles were waiting to be shipped all over Middle-earth.
But, Hamson and his uncle were not the only rope makers. There was plenty of competition, but none in the Shire. This is where Andy got most of his orders from. It was very rare that he had an order further then Bree.
The distance the rope had to travel did not bother him much. But, there were a few times, Andy had not been able to meet his orders.
But, now that Hamson had come, his business was running smoother then ever. Hamson took a deep breath as he left the rope sitting on the floor.
"A bite to eat, I reckon" he told himself.
So, leaving the machines running, he walked out of the building. Pimpernel and the woman were still talking.
"I just, don't know what to do" she said.
Just them, the front door opened. Pimpernel looked over at the kitchen door. A click echoed down the hallway. This confirmed that the door had now been shut.
Hamson yawned as he walked down the warm corridor, to the kitchen. Hamson was met by the site of Pimpernel and his aunt sitting there.
"Talking about me?" he joked.
In fact, they were.
"We were just catching up. Pimpernel here has had quite a hard time, it seems" his aunt answered.
Hamson was quick to put two and two together. He knew exactly what they had been talking about. He noticed that Pimpernel had not been looking at him as much as she had been in the past.
"There's some stew left in the pot, dear" he was told.
This was what Hamson needed more then anything. Food and warmth. Even though he would just be in for a few minutes, it would make all the difference.
So, getting up from her seat, the woman walked over to the cupboard.