5: A Brother’s Love

The next day, Pippin and Merry were searching for Pervinca. The tailors had arrived with their party clothes, and Eglantine wanted her children to try them on at once. The cousins finally found Pervinca in the place they should have looked first – her bedroom. One look at her told them that she had been crying.

“Pervinca, what’s wrong?” Pippin asked, rushing to his favourite sister’s side.

Sensing that he would not really be wanted, Merry excused himself. “I shall tell Aunt Eglantine that you will be a moment.”

Pippin nodded in thanks, and placed a small arm around Pervinca. “I am here, Pervinca. You can tell me what is wrong.”

She managed a laugh. “Do not be silly, Pippin! You are my younger brother, remember!”

He smiled, but remained serious aside from this. “I may be younger, but I still care for you. I will do anything that I can to stop you from feeling upset. But please, tell me what is wrong!”

Pervinca shook her head. “You would not understand. Not only are you too young, but you are a boy.”

“Who is he? I shall tear his eyes out!”

“No, Peregrin!” Pervinca had to smile at her brother’s reaction. “There is no need to do that. No one has done anything to me.”

“Then why have you been crying?”

Pervinca looked at her feet. “Well…do you promise not to tell anyone?” Pippin nodded solemnly. “That means Meriadoc, too.” The young hobbit rolled his eyes, but nodded again. Pervinca took a deep breath. “You probably did not notice yesterday, but I showed…how did Pearl put it…an interest in Bilbo’s gardener.”

“Sam? He’s a fine fellow,” Pippin stated, not understanding his sister’s meaning. He snickered. “Why, old Sam used to help Frodo and Merry look after me when I was much younger.”

Pervinca sighed angrily. “I knew you would not understand. I showed an interest in him! Did you not see me blush?”

“You have taken a fancy to Sam?” Pippin grinned broadly. “Oh, jolly good! I was afraid that you were turning into Pearl or Pimpernel! The hobbits they seem to fancy are always frightfully dull. But Sam…he’s a bundle of fun!”

“It is not good at all, Pippin,” Pervinca said, sadly. “I am a Took, and he is a Gamgee…a common gardener.”

“Why does that matter?” Pippin asked, confused.

“When you are older, you will understand. Rich families do not marry with poorer families. I know that it seems awfully stupid, but if Sam and I were to marry – which, mind you, I am not saying that we are. Why, I only met him yesterday! But if we were to marry, Mother at least would never speak to me again. And she would make it difficult for you and Father to.”

“I think that you should be able to marry whoever you want. But since you already said that you are not yet thinking about marriage, I do not see what the problem is! Mother and Father do not mind me being friends with Sam at all – it should be no different for you. And do not worry about what Pearl and Pimpernel say.” Grinning at her shocked face, he added: “Of course I guessed that they had something to do with you being upset. Would you like me to put something nasty in their beds again?”

Pervinca smiled broadly and laughed. She threw her arms around Pippin. “Oh, Peregrin, what would I ever do without you? I am the luckiest hobbitess in the whole Shire to have a brother like you, no matter what anyone else says! Don’t ever change.”

“Don’t you change either, Pervinca. You are my favourite sister, after all.”

*   *   *   *   *   *

The clothes that the tailors had made fit the Took children beautifully. Esmeralda even made Merry put his party clothes on too, so that they could admire the children as a group.

“Oh, Pearl, Pimpernel – you look beautiful,” Eglantine complimented her two eldest daughters. “And there will be so many handsome hobbits at the party. We may have a wedding or two within the next year!”

“Pervinca, you are looking lovely too,” Paladin added. He would never actually admit it, but Pervinca was his favourite daughter. She was much more Tookish than her sisters; and not as silly. “You might get a little attention at the party, too.”

“Oh, Pervinca has already started to get attention…yesterday,” said Pimpernel, cruelly.

“No, Pimpernel,” Pearl corrected, just as cruelly. “Remember, it was Pervinca who was giving attention.” She smirked at the now blushing Pervinca.

Eglantine turned to Pippin. “Is this true, Peregrin? Has my dear little Pervinca found potential husband without any help at all?”

Pippin just shook his head. Lying to his mother was one of the easiest things for him to do. “No, Mother. I do not know what Pearl and Pimpernel are talking about at all. We stayed at Bag End all day, while they went shopping…”

“Oh, then the girls must be talking about Frodo Baggins! He is such a lovely young fellow. Do you have a fancy for Frodo, Pervinca?”

Pervinca hoped that she would sound as convincing as Pippin. “No, Mother. Pearl and Pimpernel must have been mistaken. Frodo is simply a good friend.”

“Why, you rotten little liar!” Pearl screeched. “Mother, we did not mean Frodo at all…”

“Enough, Pearl,” Paladin interrupted. “I will not have such name-calling. To your room at once!”

“But, Father…!”

“Now!”

Pearl stormed off in a huff towards her bedroom. Pimpernel glanced around the room, glared at Pervinca, then followed Pearl.

“I am sorry,” Paladin apologised to Saradoc and Esmeralda. “I do not know what has gotten into them.”

“They’re girls!” Pippin concluded. He noticed Pervinca glaring at him, so added: “I am glad that Pervinca does not act like them!”

“So am I, Peregrin.”

“And aren’t you glad, Father, that you only have me?” Merry piped.

Saradoc grinned. “As always, Meriadoc, you have come to the point immediately.”