There’s Nothing I Want More

1: A Proposal for Pearl

S.R. 1410, Tookland

Peregrin and Pervinca Took were sitting in the boughs of an oak tree outside the Great Smials. It was a huge old tree, and its branches reached passed both Pippin and Pervinca’s bedroom windows, as well as their eldest sister, Pearl’s. It always made for a good escape route when the youngest Took siblings wanted to talk to each other.

From their current perch, they could see the main road to the Great Smials, so it was also a good place for watching the arrival of guests. Their cousin, Meriadoc Brandybuck, was supposed to be visiting very soon, though neither Pippin nor Pervinca knew exactly when he would be arriving. That was why they had been watching to road for the past two days.

“Do we really have to go to Old Ferumbras’ birthday ball?” Pippin asked. Thain Ferumbras was celebrating his ninety-fourth birthday the next week. A huge ball was being held in his honour, as Ferumbras tended to do with all of his birthdays.

Pervinca nodded. “We’ll be expected to be there. After all, Father is Ferumbras’ heir.”

Pippin groaned. “But his birthdays are always so boring.”

“At least Merry will be here for this one. That should keep you somewhat occupied.”

“I suppose one of us will have to be your escort for the evening.” Pippin sighed. Eglantine Took always preferred her daughters to have escorts to important events. She was always pleased when they found a lad that wanted to escort them, but failing that, Pippin or Merry were expected to fill the role.

Pervinca pretended to be hurt. “And what makes you think I won’t be able to find my own escort? There are plenty of lads who would simply love to spend the evening with me.”

“Does that mean you’re going to work up the nerve to speak with Everard?” Pippin teased his sister.

Everard Took was a distant cousin of their’s, who lived at the Great Smials with them. He had caught Pervinca’s eye many years ago, but she had not yet worked up the courage to speak with him, and so had no idea whether he shared in her affections. Blushing, Pervinca managed to reply, “Possibly.”

Still grinning, Pippin returned his attention to the road. There was someone coming. “Oh, look, here comes someone.”

“Really?” Pervinca asked, glad of the distraction.

A lone hobbit on a pony was riding towards their tree. It was not Merry, since he was coming with his parents.

“It looks like Orli,” Pervinca stated.

“Are you sure?” Pippin asked.

“Would you like to know what colour his buttons are?” Pervinca had made her point. Her eyesight was much better than Pippin’s.

Orli was Orlando Burrows, a hobbit from Overhill, whom both the Tooks knew was courting Pearl. Pearl had kept her relationship with Orlando a secret from most of her family, but Pippin had overheard her talking about it with Pimpernel, and had subsequently told Pervinca, Merry and Frodo Baggins. When she had first found out they knew, Pearl had been angry, but had eventually forgiven her youngest siblings, and even enlisted them as lookouts for when Orlando came to visit her.

“Do you think he’s come for the ball?” asked Pippin.

Pervinca shook her head. “I doubt he would have been invited. He probably wouldn’t even know about it.”

“Good afternoon, Peregrin, Pervinca,” Orlando called.

“Hullo, Orli,” Pippin returned. Pervinca smiled.

“Is Pearl about? I need to speak with her.”

“She’s in her room,” Pervinca replied. “I can get her if you’d like.”

“That would be wonderful, Vinca.”

Pervinca skilfully walked back along the branch to the closet window (which was her own) and climbed inside. She knew not to climb all the way to Pearl’s room, since Pearl did not know about the branch outside her window.

Left alone with Orlando, Pippin asked. “Have you come to ask Pearl if you can escort her to the Thain’s ball?”

“Thain’s ball?”

“Ferumbras is having a ball for his birthday next week. It’s going to be ever so boring.”

Orlando chuckled. “No, Peregrin, in fact, I did not even know there was a ball.”

* * * * * *

In her room, Pearl Took was working on a cross-stitch pattern. She was not really paying close attention, and as such, the pattern was starting to look a little strange.

Several years beforehand, Pearl had been a bright and bubbly young hobbit-maid, with a kind heart, though sometimes, she was known to be rather silly. All of that changed after the death of the Thain’s mother, Lalia the Great, for which, Pearl, as Lalia’s attendant, was largely held to blame. Since that incident, Pearl had become quiet and introverted. She did not have many close friends, aside from her sister, Pimpernel, and of course, Orlando Burrows.

Pearl and Orlando had met at the famous party of Bilbo Baggins, when he had shyly asked her for a dance. Their relationship had blossomed from there, but after Lalia’s death, Pearl had started to worry. Though part of a fairly rich family, Orlando himself was not especially rich. His parents had both died when he had been very young, leaving Orlando in the care of his elder cousin, Milo. Milo was a successful lawyer, and had taken Orlando under his wing. Pearl was certain that Orlando would one day be successful in his own right, but she did not know how many of her family would believe that.

As eldest daughter of the future Thain, Pearl knew it would be expected for her to marry a lad from a high-standing family. She knew there had been discussion about her marrying Frodo Baggins. As much as she liked Frodo, he was more of a friend than a potential husband. Pearl had also heard Ferumbras suggest marrying her to Lotho Sackville-Baggins, and that had horrified Pearl.

Pearl sighed, and placed her cross-stitch on her bed. She was not looking forward to Ferumbras’ ball. She had been invited, and she knew many members of her family would be watching to see who she brought as her escort.

“Pearl? It’s Pervinca. Can I come in?” Pervinca’s voice called through the door.

“Oh, yes, of course.” Pearl was thankful for the company. Pimpernel had gone away for the week to visit their Aunt Poppy in Hardbottle. Poppy was one of Paladin’s elder sisters, who had married a Bracegirdle. Eglantine had sent Pimpernel to visit Poppy in the hopes of her finding a potential husband from the Bracegirdle family.

Pervinca stepped into the room. “Orli’s here, Pearl.”

“Orlando!” Pearl cried. Orli was a nickname that only Pippin, Pervinca and Merry used for Orlando. “Where? When?”

“He arrived just a few moments ago, and he’s by the old oak, talking to Pippin, I suppose.”

Pearl smiled happily, something which usually only happened when she was going to see Orlando. “How do I look?”

Pervinca laughed. “Beautiful. Now out you go. You don’t want to keep him waiting.”

Pearl opened her door to leave, but shut it quickly. She looked at her youngest sister with frightened eyes. “Mother is out there, with Aunt Beryl. I told Mother I was not feeling too well, to avoid having tea with them!”

Beryl was the wife of Adelard Took. Pearl had begun to suspect there was also a plan for her to marry Reginard, Adelard’s eldest son, who had not yet shown any signs of settling down. Though Eglantine would never force any of her children into an arranged marriage, she would often try to encourage her daughters into relationships with “proper” lads.

“Go out the window,” Pervinca commanded.

“What?” Pearl hissed.

“A branch of the old oak passes right beneath your window. Climb out and follow it along to the trunk. You’ll see Pippin there. I’ll stay here, and pretend to be asleep. We have the same hair colour. If Mother and Beryl don’t look too closely, they should mistake me for you.”

Pearl almost laughed at her little sister’s crazy plan, but she knew that it was the only way that she would be able to see Orlando. She opened the window, and climbed slowly out onto the large branch that was there. Clinging desperately to the branch, she moved along it.

“Pearl, what in the world are you doing?” Pippin called.

“I could not get out my door. Pervinca said this was the only other way out.” Pearl was terrified. She had never had a head for heights, and hated climbing trees.

Pippin shook his head. He made his way to his sister, and helped her out of the tree.

“Orlando,” she said happily, when her feet were firmly on the ground. Orlando took one look at her and started snickering. Pippin quickly joined in. Pearl glared at them. “What’s so funny?”

Orlando stepped forward. Wrapping one arm around her waist, he used the other to pluck a leaf from her hair. Pearl’s eyes widened in horror, and her hands flew to her hair. Leaves were stuck everywhere in it.

“I like it. You look pretty,” said Orlando.

Pippin realised he was not welcome, so climbed back up the tree and into his bedroom.

“I missed you,” Pearl admitted, placing a kiss on his lips. She had forgotten about the leaves for the moment.

The look on Orlando’s face told her he had missed her just as much. “What’s this I hear about a ball?”

Pearl looked at the ground. “The Thain is holding a ball for his birthday. I was actually invited too.”

Orlando frowned. Though he had never met Ferumbras, he disliked the Thain for his treatment of Pearl. She was often excluded from events that the Thain organised, and those she was invited to, she was expected to wear the string of pearls he had given to her as a reminder of her supposed role in Lalia’s death.

“I suppose it would not be a good idea for me to escort you,” Orlando stated. He was well aware that most of Pearl’s family did not know about their relationship.

“I wish you could,” Pearl sighed onto Orlando’s chest.

Orlando fished something metallic out of his pocket and placed it in Pearl’s hand. She pulled away from him to see what it was. He had given her a silver chain, with a single pearl set in the middle of a silver petunia. Petunia had been Orlando’s mother’s name.

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

“It belonged to my mother,” said Orlando. “Marry me, Pearl.”

Pearl gasped. “Orlando, I…”

“I can take you away from the Smials; away from Ferumbras. Cousin Milo thinks I’m good enough to start up my own firm of lawyers. We could move to the Southfarthing.”

“I…” Pearl could not find her voice to speak. Tears had started to spill from her eyes. This was what she had always wanted, but she knew in her heart that it could not be. “I can’t, Orlando…”

He did not become angry, like she thought he would. He seemed to have expected this reaction from her. He kissed her on the forehead. “At least think about it, please, Pearl. I’m staying in Tuckborough, at The Cock and Bull, if you should change your mind.”

And then he was gone. Pearl was left alone, with tears on her cheeks and Orlando’s betrothal gift in her hand.