CHAPTER 47

When Saradoc entered the ballroom, all eyes turned in his direction. Maybe some answers would be forthcoming now. He scanned the room for Eglantine.

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They had placed Danulf in Éothain’s cot in the captains’ tent, and his commander sat by him. Poppy watched her patient drift off to sleep.

“It does not appear that there are any complications. I think that it is a simple blow to the head. However, we will not take any chances. Wake him up every two hours. Ask him some simple questions: who is he; where is he; hold up some fingers and ask how many he sees. If he is thirsty, let him have small sips of water. If there is any sort of change in his condition, or if you are unable to awaken him, send for me at once.”

Éothain nodded. All this sounded very familiar. He had seen such head injuries before.

“I thank you for your care of him, Mistress Poppy.” He smiled at her; good healers were much the same everywhere, he had found, whether they be Man, Elf or Hobbit, male or female, King or commoner. This one seemed to be quite good, and he was grateful for that.

“I will not say it is a pleasure, for such a thing should not have happened. I find it hard to understand how a hobbit could have come to do such a dreadful thing. We are not generally a violent people. But I am very glad that I was here and able to help.”

Just then, they heard the sounds of footsteps approaching the encampment. Éothain tensed briefly, placing his hand to his sword, but he soon recognized that it was some of the Men returning.

Leodwald entered the tent. “Milord, we’ve found the missing one. She has been grievously injured by flying hooves. They are taking her up to the Smials; the other healer has asked that Mistress Poppy attend if she is able to leave Danulf.”

Poppy nodded, and left swiftly.

“You look troubled, Leodwald.” said his commander.

“I once saw a young child that had been kicked by a horse in Edoras. He was larger and sturdier than this little holbyltla, and less badly hurt. Yet he did not live.”

“Ah,” Éothain nodded. “Yet I would not despair, Leodwald. You know well that the holbyltla are a great deal tougher than they look, and much harder to kill than anyone would suspect.”

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Hyacinth jerked open the door, irritated. It could not be one of the family, since they would not knock.

It was Pearl. She had Amethyst and Garnet with her. They all looked troubled, and it appeared that Garnet, at least, had been weeping. She looked at her daughters angrily.

“Well, what have you done now?”

Her daughters burst into tears, and Pearl grew angry. “They have not ‘done’ anything, Cousin Hyacinth. We came to tell you that Opal has been found. She is seriously hurt, and they are bringing her here now. Mother thought that you might like a bit of warning.”

Hyacinth blanched. One trouble after another. And she would be saddled with a hurt child. What else could go wrong?

Just then, they heard the sounds of a heavy tread in the corridor, and turned to see the searchers approaching with their sad burden.

Targon and Borondir were moving very carefully, their heads very nearly brushing the ceiling. They had to duck very carefully to enter the low doorway; Anwynd reached out and placed a steadying hand on the sling they had made of the Gondorian captain’s surcoat.

They entered, and looked questioningly. Hyacinth said nothing, but grew even paler at the sight of her daughter’s battered form. Pearl directed them to Opal’s room. Lavender and Viola followed.

Paladin came in, still supporting Reggie, who looked as if he had never even seen his own home before. Hyacinth rounded on them, ready to scold her husband for anything she could think of to relieve her tension. The look on the Thain’s face stopped her cold.

Legolas, Gimli and Sam had remained in the passageway. “I think I’m going to find Mr. Frodo,” said Sam.

“We will come with you,” said Gimli. They did not need to be intruding on this family crisis.

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Saradoc’s arrival had marked the end of the Ball. He gave only brief information, and promised that more would be forthcoming on the morrow, at the assembly. Gradually the clusters of guests began to take their leave.

The Bolgers were among the first to go. Freddy embraced his parents, and then his sister. Estella had been uncommonly quiet.

He knew what was troubling her. “My dear, don’t doubt him. I know he must have had a good reason for what he did.”

She did not speak, but clung to her brother, trembling. He patted her on the back, and kissed the top of her head.

As he watched her leave with his parents, he murmured “Merry, my friend, I do hope you had a very good reason indeed.”

Across the room, he saw Angelica and her father making their way out. She seemed to be berating old Ponto over something. So she has a temper? He would try to stay on her good side, if he could. He turned to tell Marigold and Rose that he would escort them back to their room, when the look on Rose’s face told him that Sam, at least, had returned. Sam, Legolas and Gimli came over.

“Hullo, Rosie.” She stepped into the circle of his arms, yet even as he gently held her close, his eyes scanned the room. “Where’s Mr. Frodo? And Mr. Merry and Mr. Pippin?”

“They came in a short while ago. There was a bit of a confrontation with the Banks brothers, and then Eglantine sent them all off to the Thain’s study. What was that all about?”

Briefly they described the attack on the Men’s camp, and the injuries to Danulf and to Opal, and the finding of the buttons. “Thain Paladin sent them back here to see if they could discover the culprit,” said Legolas.

“Banks?” asked Sam, “Mr. Pippin’s cousins?”

Freddy nodded.

“What did Mr. Merry do to them?”

Freddy described the incident. Sam grinned. “Sam, how did you know it was Merry? I didn’t say so at first.”

Legolas and Gimli chuckled. Sam shook his head. “Now, Mr. Freddy, don’t you remember what they did to Mr. Pippin?”

“But that was ten years ago!”

“Wouldn’t make no never mind to Mr. Merry if he thought they did that business tonight as well, which it sounds to me like they must’ve. Well, we can’t interrupt them right now.” He looked down at Rose, who was leaning silently against him, and glanced at his sister, who was stifling a yawn. “That being the case, I’m going to see the lasses to their room, and then go on to my own room. It’s not good to be underfoot when important folk have to see to things; and it sounds like it might be Took family business as well, which they won’t need no one else sticking their noses in.”

Clodio found himself in a dilemma. He wanted nothing better than to take his leave, but with his sons being taken off like that, he didn’t dare. It had not escaped his notice that Bracegirdle had made himself scarce.

But he did not dare leave without knowing what his sons had done. He kept wondering how much of his business he had talked about in front of them.

Just then one of the servants came up and spoke softly to Eglantine. She nodded and spoke to Saradoc. They both looked in Clodio’s direction. His heart sank. Eglantine crooked a finger at Pervinca. Then the three of them came over.

“Clodio, you need to accompany Saradoc to the Thain’s study. Pervinca, will you please look after your Aunt Beryl? I have to stay here till all the guests have gone.”

And Clodio found himself going off with the Master of Buckland, whose son had assaulted his sons, and who did not seem at all disposed to answer his questions. They entered Paladin’s study. Clovis and Cado were seated on a long settee, looking dejected. Frodo, Merry and Pippin looked grim.

Frodo looked at Saradoc as he came in. “Uncle Sara, I think that we will need Paladin here. This is definitely going to be Thain’s business; even if he did say we could deal with it, I would feel better if he were here. It’s far more serious than we thought.”

Clodio had thought he could not get much more frightened. He discovered he was wrong.

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Poppy joined Lavender and Viola in Opal’s room. After a brief consultation, she examined Opal herself.

“I think you are right, Lavender. We can set the left leg. But I am afraid the right leg is damaged beyond our skill. It will probably have to come off.”

Viola blanched. She had never yet had to deal with such a procedure.

Lavender sighed. “I was afraid of that. You will talk to the parents?”

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