Chapter Twenty-Four - There and Back Again

“I wonder if Mistress Opal will ever see her children other than as a means to gain status or money,” said Merry, then took a bite of his bread.

The small group was once again at Aldigard’s house, now eating elevenses. Iris, Aldigard’s wife, served up sandwiches and fresh vegetables from their garden that Diamond prepared.

“She has to,” said Gelly, “Uncle Pippin gave her Miss Diamond’s petition and I gave her mum’s letter. I’ll wager she’s at home right now crying her eyes out because she misses her daughter.”

“Your mum doesn’t allow you to wager, remember?” Merry said with a wink.

“Gelly set his fork down, looked round the kitchen then winked back at his uncle, “Mum isn’t here, Uncle Merry.”

“I’m here,” said Pippin, pulling a grim face…and then smiled. “Trust me, Gel, your mother has more ways of learning your whereabouts and doings--,” Pip leaned in closer to Gelly, “I think she has spies, if you understand me.” He let his young nephew ponder this thought then turned to reply to his cousin. “I don’t think Mistress Opal will change much, if at all. She’s set in her ways. It’s sad to think that she will probably grow old all alone--that her children, the ones who should be looking after her in her grey years don’t want much of anything to do with her. If Opal is to gain even a smidgen of love from them, she has a lot of work to do.”

“Aye,” Aldigard agreed. “She’s dug herself into pit, I tell you. Going to be hard climbing out.”

“Do you think she has a chance, Diamond?” asked Pippin. “Climbing out of her predicament, I mean.” He felt the young lass had been unusually quiet throughout the meal. Pippin watched as Diamond ate a bite full of fresh cucumber then shrugged. After elevenses, he figured he would take her aside privately to press her for more of how she felt. “Diamond,” he said, “would you care to accompany me on a lovely walk? The air is still fresh from yesterday’s rain, and I think I should like to have a look at the most northern parts of the Shire.”

Pippin always loved the feel of dry, warm earth beneath his feet. He filled his lungs full of the fragrant breeze that blew softly against his face. Summer blossoms dotted the fields that they walked alongside of on their ramble. Diamond carried a growing bundle of wildflowers that Pippin would pick for her.

“Pippin!” she laughed as the smiling young lad handed her another bluebell. “I can’t carry another flower--we still have the walk back to uncle’s house, too.”

“All right,” he said jovially, “I’ll leave them be…for now. However, I firmly believe that these lovely flowers belong to the most beautiful lass in the Shire.”

Diamond smiled, taking the hand he offered in hers. “I think Mr. Merry might argue with that.” The couple had been walking west on the same lane her uncle lived. They came upon a narrow road leading northward. “Let’s turn up this way for a bit.”

“Merry can argue all he wants,” said Pippin, “but he’ll lose!” To Pippin, the northern road looked pleasing with fields full of tall, green corn stalks. Everything seemed quiet, peaceful out here in the country. This is what he missed most about not living in Whitwell.

“Really?” Diamond toyed with Pippin, “I should like to see a contest between two of the Shire’s finest hobbits who have studied the law on both sides of the Brandywine.”

“And south of it, too,” remarked Pippin. “So far, every time Merry and I have performed our duties in Rohan and Gondor, their respective kings assign tutors to teach my cousin and me the basics of their own laws in our spare time. In Minas Tirith, they have a library filled with books and parchments containing instances of the High King’s edicts.”

Diamond couldn’t fathom entire rooms filled with books with just one subject that in the Shire barely filled the four small volumes, as per Pippin’s remark earlier. “I don’t have a mind for that sort of thing,” she said. “I’ll leave it to you two lads. However, I do want to thank you, Pippin, for standing with me in challenging my mother. I couldn’t have done all of that without you, or your learning.”

“I would never have let you face her alone, Diamond,” he spoke tenderly. For as much as this road looked inviting, they had been walking it for a while now. “Should we be turning back?”

“I thought perhaps a little bit more,” said Diamond, her face blushing. “My sister lives yonder among those hills--in a village called Somerset.”

Pippin gazed in the direction where Diamond pointed, seeing a cluster of houses in the hazy distance. They walked beside one another in companionable silence; Pippin trying to gather what wits he had left before encountering the lass who rejected him little more than a month ago. Soon, the group of homes drew nearer…Pippin’s stomach tightened into a knot when he spied the slight figure of a lass walking in their direction…and then running. Beside him, Diamond screamed then set off running.

“Careful, Diamond!” he called out, reminding the lass of her blind side. Pippin looked on as the two lasses closed in on one another with arms open wide. Diamond still clutched her spray of flowers in her left hand as she ran toward Sapphira. They finally met halfway, holding each other tight as they laughed and cried together.

“…let me see what it looks like,” Pippin heard Sapphira tell Diamond as he caught up with the lasses. All three stood in the road while Diamond took off her bandage, revealing jagged stitching going back half an inch from the corner of her left eye. Sapphira gasped, and then embraced her younger sister. “I’m so sorry that happened to you,” she said solemnly.

Diamond pulled away from her sister and smiled through her tears, “I was sorry at first, but it’s grown on me now. I’m somewhat used to it. Pippin says it gives me character.”

Sapphira blushed, looking at Pippin for the first time, “Hullo, Pippin.”

“Hullo, Mrs. Haymaker,” he responded.

Compelled to divert the conversation, Sapphira asked, “Would you both care to come inside the house for a cup of tea?” Sapphira took her sister by the hand, “I could drive you two back to Uncle Aldi’s when we’re done.”

Diamond turned to Pippin as she walked with Sapphira, “Pippin? Shall we take tea with this married lass?”

Pippin only slightly hesitated, but replied with a nod. He loved Diamond dearly, and for her sake, he would muddle through a cup of tea.

“Pippin,” now Sapphira stopped in her own tracks, anguish written all over her features. “I do want to tell you how sorry I am for the way things turned out…I never meant to hurt you.”

For quick moment, Pippin stared down at his toes, recalling the broken shards of his heart. Yet it lasted for only a moment. Pippin looked up, gazing into the eyes of the young wedded lass with renewed courage. He realized that there would always be a smidgen of hurt over their brief romance, however, his love for Diamond far outweighed anything he and Sapphira ever had together. Pippin’s heart truly belonged to Diamond and no other. “Well,” he replied slowly, “it turned out for the best. You see, Diamond and I are now courting--officially. I’m in love with her.”

“And I, him,” Diamond put in. Trying work round the flowers in her hand, she reached out to take Pippin’s hand in her own. Pippin gently removed the flowers out of Diamond’s hand to carry them for her. He took her offered hand then smiled, walking beside her toward Sapphira’s house. At hearing the good news, Sapphira gave a cry of joy, hugging her sister, and then hesitated when she thought to give Pippin a hug, unsure of if the lad had accepted her apology. Pippin gave an affable smile, followed by receiving Sapphira’s friendly hug.

Upon entering the nice-sized house, Pippin imagined Sapphira and Hildebrand chose it so that they could fill the empty spaces with many children. The kitchen was well in order; the dishes stacked neatly in the sideboard, crocks of flour and honey were set beside one another on the tidy shelf, and a warm fire in the hearth with a kettle boiling for tea.

“Val rode in earlier and told me you arrived yesterday,” said Sapphira, reaching up to get three teacups and saucers out of the cupboard. “I’ve been looking for you all morning--if you hadn’t come when you did, I was getting ready to hitch up the pony trap and ride down to uncle’s house myself.”

Warm and friendly conversation overtook the threesome, enjoying their tea and honey cakes. At one point, Sapphira fidgeted with her teaspoon upon the table. “I…well,” she began, “I cannot express enough my regret in not waiting for you to be at my side for my wedding, Diamond. I’ve missed you so much.”

Pippin kept silent about his conjecture of the sudden marriage. He was no one’s fool, but as angry as he was with Sapphira, Pippin did not wish to embarrass her. Sometimes life happens that way, as an old acquaintance of his would like to say, however, Pippin would never choose to go that route himself.

“Hildebrand and I waited five years for him to come of age,” Sapphira explained, “and then two weeks before the first wedding, when all the trouble with the contract came up, I ran off. I was so livid about it all--and I nearly ruined everything. After Hildie and I reunited and returned to Long Cleeve last month, his mum asked us to wait another six months so that she could re-plan a proper wedding. One night while we were alone, I…well, we went a little too far. I suppose we got tired of waiting. It’s not something we’re proud of Diamond, but, well…it happened.” Sapphira looked at Diamond, “We confessed our deed the next day to his parents. Two days later we were married…and we’ve been happy ever since. But I am very sorry that you weren’t here for it.”

Diamond sipped her tea, choosing her words carefully. “Uncle Aldi explained everything to me back at Great Smials, Sapphira. I was angry for a while…but I can never stay vexed with you for long.” She reached over to embrace her big sister, who tearfully returned the gesture. “So are you?” Diamond asked Sapphira.

“Am I what?” Sapphira asked in return. “Oh!” she smiled, “No…not yet, anyway…but we’re hoping soon.”

Pippin became amused while gazing at the North-took lasses, both chattering away as they annexed the conversation. He grinned, knowing he would not have been able to get a word in edgewise. Diamond and Sapphira were just as close as his own sisters were to one another--and whomever they “adopted” into their circle. He imagined sisterhood flourished in the Northfarthing as well as it did south of The Water. Pippin smiled at his own thoughts. Lasses!

After their teacups were long empty and conversation sporadic, Sapphira looked up at the clock on the wall. “I think we’d better get you back to Long Cleeve for luncheon before uncle thinks you two got lost,” she said. “And don’t you two be strangers!” Sapphira laughed as she ushered the couple out the door.

~ ~ ~

Much later in the day, back at Aldigard’s house, Pippin and Merry sat upon the porch swing and rocker having a mug and a pipe. Aldigard had gone inside to refill their mugs when Diamond ambled into their midst, taking a seat beside Pippin on the swing.

“Are we leaving tomorrow?” she asked, nestling up to Pip and watching him blow smoke rings into the air.

“Bright and early, lassie,” he quipped, placing his arm round her. “Merry’s getting homesick,” he whispered into Diamond’s ear in a jest.

“I suppose I am,” Merry admitted, talking round the pipe stem in his mouth. “I miss Kali running up to me when he sees me enter the parlour,” he smiled in thought, “he can’t really run very well, so it’s quite amusing to watch him. And Holly…she loves to jabber with anyone who’ll listen to her, though she can only say ‘mama’ so far.”

“And then there’s Stella,” Pippin said, smiling.

“Ah, yes,” Merry, too, smiled; his blue eyes twinkling with delight. “The most beautiful lass--”

“Ahem!” Pippin cleared his throat loudly.

“What?” Merry said almost innocently. He grinned, “Diamond is your most beautiful lass, and Stella is mine.”

Diamond lay her head against Pippin’s arm. “My auntie and uncle are dear to me as if they were my own parents,” she said, “but I can hardly wait to be home again.” She felt Pippin give her a tender squeeze.

“I think we all shall be glad to be home,” said Pippin.

* * *

“They’re here! They’re here!” shouted Tilby, running heedlessly through the Thain’s tunnel. He and little Hilly had stationed themselves at the Thain’s private entrance to sit on the bench to watch for his uncles’ coming. Upon seeing the tiny black speck in the hazy distance, Tilby knew it just had to be them. A courier from Bywater arrived at elevenses with a message that Pippin and the group had taken a short detour to visit friends, but should arrive at the Smials before supper.

Pimpernel came out of her apartment when she heard her child calling out. “What is it, Till?”

“Uncle Pippin and Miss Diamond are coming up the lane, Mum.”

“Go on, now, children,” she said to the lads, “You know what to do.” The children scampered off to perform their little task.

Viola was putting the final touch on supper for the Thain’s family when young mister Tilby and Hilly ran into the kitchen. Mistress Pervinca had stopped by earlier to tell her that Pippin would be returning about now, but said nothing in regard to whether Diamond was with him. Viola imagined Mistress Pervinca’s purpose was mainly to give a bit of instruction as to a special dessert that Mister Pippin liked. The tween wondered at this, as she’d been a part of the kitchen staff for years. Viola knew what every immediate family member liked and did not like. She looked at the shiny new bracelet on her left wrist; Viola wanted to share the news so badly with her dearest friend….but was she returning? Answering the lads when they called for her, Viola wiped her hands on her apron, asking, “What can I do for ye, mister Tilby?”

“My mum is asking to see you, Miss Viola. She wants to tell you something.”

Perplexed at the lads’ seemingly impulsive visit, Viola’s brow wrinkled, “Has it t’ do about supper?”

“We can’t tell you, Miss Viola,” young Hilly put in, “It’s a secret! Ow!” The wee child felt an elbow from his older brother.

“Honest, Miss Viola, we’re not trying to pinch apples this time. Mum told us to come get you.”

Viola gazed back at the large, simmering pot, “Blossom, could ye please watch my stew? Mrs. Brownfield is ask’n for me. Keep stirrin’ it ev’ry now an’ then,” she called over her shoulder as the children pulled her by the hand.

When Viola arrived in the Thain’s tunnel with Tilby and Hilly still leading her, there was a bit of commotion going on near the entrance. She stood off to the side as Mistress Estella welcomed Mr. Merry with a long, loving embrace, then put their baby daughter into his arms. Viola smiled; the love between the small family could be felt everywhere.

Next, she saw young mister Gelly step through the door, smiling proud at his mother. “Uncle Pippin made her read it right there in front of us, Mum,” Viola heard the lad tell his mother, “but after, she looked as if she didn’t care.” Viola saddened; perhaps Diamond wasn’t allowed to return. “I think it was all an act, though,” she heard Gelly finish, and then playfully shove his little brothers in greeting.

Cheers erupted when Pippin walked through the Thain’s door…accompanied by Diamond. Viola stifled a shout of joy, putting her hand to her mouth in astonishment, but she stood rooted where she was. After all, she wasn’t family; she was a servant.

“Come over here, Viola,” Pimpernel beckoned the tween, “and give a warm welcome to your friend.” Both Pervinca and Pimpernel had been privy to a certain bit of news of late, and knew Viola had been dying to share it with someone dear to her. Viola’s only sister had married last year and moved away from the Smials.

Viola moved cautiously toward the crowd of Tooks and relations patting Pippin on the back. “Viola!” cried Diamond, and then threw her arms round the lass. “Oh, I missed you!”

Viola smiled, then said, “I got worried this mornin’ when ye didn’t come home, an’ I heard some o’ the other servants sayin’ Mr. Pippin was comin’ home without ye. But I paid them no attention; Mr. Pippin has a firm mind when he has a purpose t’.”

Hearing those words, Pippin turned to the lass and grinned, “Are you saying I’m stubborn, Viola?” Everyone laughed, Merry shouted a resounding, “Yes! You’re as pigheaded as any Brandybuck I know.” Viola was thankful Mr. Merry interrupted and so didn’t have to answer the question.

“Are you including yourself, cousin?” Merimas shouted to Merry with a smile. “Remember, I’ve seen you at your finest, too.”

Diamond noticed the gold coloured chain on Viola’s wrist. “Where did that come from? Or should I be asking who?” Diamond grinned.

“Andy asked me t’ marry him yesterday!” Viola squealed. “Mistress Pervinca found me cryin’ in the kitchen b’cause I had no one t’ tell.”

“I’m happy for you!” Diamond also squealed her delight and hugged her friend.

“Oh!” Viola suddenly gasped, “I almost forgot supper!”

“What is for supper, Viola?” asked Pippin, his stomach growling.

“Mushroom and Potato stew,” she answered, then listed every delectable item on the menu.

“Lets all get our little ones cleaned up for supper, shall we?” Pearl announced to her siblings, her own mouth watering. “That is, before Pippin faints on us!” she winked at her brother.

While everyone meandered to their respective quarters, Diamond whispered to Pippin, “Do you mind if I walk Viola back to the kitchen? I think we have a lot to talk about!”

“Of course,” said Pippin, kissing her cheek, “See you at supper?”

“Yes,” Diamond smiled, “see you at supper.”

TBC