Chapter 4, Change is in the Air

The rest of Trewsday was uneventful, with the children quietly revising everything they’d learnt in their studies from the very beginning through to the end. Eglantine aided her husband with planning where their special guests would stay, while Pearl and Pimpernel visited their cousins Donnabelle, Primabelle, and Sadabelle in the winter garden.

Hensday morning, Paladin woke up with much to do on his plate; he had an important errand in town, then shadowing Ferumbras at a Name Blessing in the afternoon, and then the first of the many invited guests would arrive around teatime. Paladin’s first task was to find Ferumbras and tell him of his errand--the rest would fall into place, especially as his Tina had shown a flair for arranging guest accommodations.

Paladin smiled to himself. Tina had no notion of becoming the wife of the Took and Thain, yet every day it was she who helped him host cousins from afar, or friends of the Smials residents, performing duties of the Thain’s Mistress--although without the official title. Ferumbras often made a five minute appearance and then retreated behind the double wooden doors of his Palace (that is name Paladin’s children called Cousin Ferumbras’ quarters, as they considered the vast apartment a waste of space for only one hobbit). Either way, it was within the purview of the wife of the Took and Thain to help her husband perform his duties, and the more responsibilities Ferumbras handed down to him, Paladin felt himself very lucky indeed to have a wife who gladly gave a helping hand to her budding Thain-to-be husband.

All in all, it had been nice ride into Tuckborough though; a lovely break from work, yet Paladin had the feeling that leaving his study this morning had been a grave mistake. Ferumbras had been putting his nose into every little detail of planning his private Yule Party, yet he made sure Paladin knew it was the job of the Assistant to do the task--as if he was doing Paladin's job for him. Thus far, Paladin’s only responsibilities were the food and guest accommodations, nevertheless Paladin was sure he’d go mad between Ferumbras’ party, the Graduation, Yule, and a host of other things going on as well. It was only a matter of time before Ferumbras gave over his invitations and R.S.V.P.s for Paladin to handle, too.

Paladin dismounted from his pony in front of the Smials’ stables, pausing to catch his breath, then looked up into the low, billowing grey clouds of Foreyule. His shoulders felt heavy. Indeed, when he woke up this morning and kissed his wife and children...the world was all right. Paladin fumbled for a moment inside his saddle bag for something, then stopped. Still standing there he rested his head on his arm, cast his green eyes to the fur on his feet, letting his mind go back to Mr. Tooter’s shop in Tuckborough where everything changed. Now that he’d returned to Great Smials, suddenly his stomach gave a lurch; somebody’s life would be drastically changed forever. For good or for ill, Paladin did not know.

“G’mornin’, sir!”

Paladin flinched at the sound of the young stable-lad’s voice. He fully removed the sack from his saddle bag to cover up his mindless gazing.

“Sorry, sir--didn’t mean t’ startle ye. Just thought I’d take Barley off yer hands, if ye’re willin’.”

“Of course,” said Paladin, giving the pony’s reins over to the tween. He silently wondered just how long had he been standing there witlessly thinking about events to come. His thoughts began racing anew inside his head as he walked toward the Great Door of the Smials. There was only one person he knew of that could help him solve this mystery.

* * *

Pippin’s eyes travelled around the children’s study following Miss Hemlock’s every step. He saw her stop near Degger and whisper something to his friend. Degger nodded and said something in response to which Miss Hemlock smiled and walked back to her own desk to await the examinees. Pervinca finished her exam and left twenty minutes ago, leaving Degger and Pippin to finish theirs. Pippin would have been finished long before his sister (as usual) except that he felt it was more important to keep Degger company. Pippin looked at the last question on his paper; it looked the same as it did five minutes ago. He had the answer swimming in his head for over half an hour, yet he would wait until Degger rose from his seat to write it out. This way, he could truthfully say he wasn’t finished with his exam.

“Mr. Peregrin, are you still pondering that last question?” Miss Hemlock spoke softly, startling the teen. “You have been mulling over that answer for quite a long time and that is unlike you. Your mother told me about your wee adventure yesterday--are you feeling well?”

“I’m feeling fine, thank you,” Pippin replied in a low voice so as not to disturb Degger.

“Very well, then,” she said, although Pippin’s answer did not dispel the doubt in her eyes. “Just remember you both have fifteen minutes left.”

The constant drone of tick-tock from the pendulum clock on the wall let Pippin know that time dragged on. Finally, with five minutes left to go, Degger relaxed in his chair, yet he perused the two other pages of his exam before getting up. As soon as Pippin saw Degger sit back in his seat, he quickly scribbled the last answer of his exam onto the paper. He stood to his feet, handed Miss Hemlock his exam then left the room.

After Pippin left, Degger, too, rose from his desk and handed the tutor his exam. But before he could walk away, she called to him.

“Yes, Miss Hemlock?” he asked, thinking perhaps he missed a question, or got one horribly wrong.

“I just want to say that it has been a delight to watch you learn and grow these past several months.”

Degger stammered his reply, “I...I...Mr. Merry helped me a lot, Ma’am.”

“Well, I’m very proud of you.”

Degger blushed. “Thank ye, Miss Hemlock.” The teen-ager became tongue-tied after that, so he took his leave.

“What took you so long in there?” asked Pippin, leaning against the wall outside in the hallway.

“I was goin’ t’ ask ye the same thin’,” replied Degger, a twinkle in his eye.

“I was waiting on you, you slowcoach!” Pippin retorted, playfully nudging his friend. “I know you knew all the answers to the questions on the exam--we all revised together last night.”

“But sometimes the answers go on holiday when mornin’ comes,” replied Degger.

“I think you doubt yourself, Degger.”

“I know my bounds, Mr. Pippin,”

Pippin smiled, “You mean you know your limitations.”

“I said that!”

As the pair walked beside one another, Pippin’s stomach helped spur an idea. “I’m hungry, Degger, and I think we’re due for a reward for our labours. Do you think Mistress May would let us have a taste of her biscuits again?”

Degger grinned. “I b’lieve she can be persuaded.”

* * *

It was just after elevenses when Eglantine sat in the family’s parlour with her daughters enjoying a bit of cross stitching. Pearl and Pimpernel, well familiar with needlepoint, were able to stitch while talking about their cousins’ upcoming Yule Tea. Pervinca was still learning the rudiments of the artful needlework, so Eglantine observed her youngest daughter more closely while lending half and ear to her older daughters’ conversation.

“Donnabelle asked her father if she and her sisters could have a Yule party, fully expecting him to say no--but he said yes!” Pearl spoke with excitement; something rarely heard from the young lass of late. It was no secret among her family that she was unhappy living at Great Smials.

“How did it come to be a Yule Tea, then?” Pimpernel asked her older sister.

“Because Donna, Prima, and Sada only wanted a Tea from the beginning,” Pearl answered, then winced when she pricked her finger with the needle. “They made all of Uncle Addie’s favourite foods at tea yesterday, although little did they know he’d be like butter in their hands.”

“Pearl-lass,” Eglantine reproved her eldest daughter, “we don’t speak of our loved ones as if they’re prey at a hunt.”

“Well, it worked, Mother,” said Pearl earnestly, “Uncle Addie approved of them having a Yule party, then Donna told him all they were after was a Tea party.”

“Are we invited?” Pervinca ventured to ask.

“You mean, are you invited? Of course not!” Pimpernel teased her. “You’re far too young.”

“I’m eighteen now!”

“Stop it!” Pearl put in, stopping the argument then and there. “You’re both behaving like a couple of faunts. Yes, you are invited, Vinca. You ought to know Donna better than that.”

“Mistress?” The voice of Lilly came from the doorway in the front of the room.

“Yes?”

Lilly stood just inside the parlour as she introduced the guest still behind the door. “Beggin’ yer pardon, Mistress--’tis Mister Frodo Baggins of Hobbiton t’ see ye.”

“Let him inside please, Lilly.”

Lilly gave a small curtsy before opening the door wider. Into the parlour stepped a young hobbit just out of his tweens with longish dark curls and bright blue eyes, wearing sable breeches, grey waistcoat, crisp white shirt, black cravat and a sable dress jacket to match. Frodo gave a bow to the ladies in the parlour.

Eglantine and her daughters laid aside their needlework to stand to their feet, promptly responding with a curtsy to their male guest. Eglantine smiled broadly, “Welcome to Great Smials, Cousin Frodo!”

Frodo walked up to his elder cousin, kissing her on the cheek. “Thank you, Cousin Tina. Hullo Pearl...Pimpernel...Pervinca.”

“Have you been shown to your room yet?” asked Eglantine.

“I have, and it’s quite splendid! My luggage is already there, but I shall leave unpacking for later.”

“Well, I do hope you find it to your liking throughout your stay. How have you been, Frodo? I’m afraid we’ve already had elevenses.” Eglantine gestured to the chair easy across the low tea table. “Please, do sit down. Lilly, please bring a tray with food and refreshment for our guest.”

“Aye, Ma’am,” said Lilly, then left the room.

“Thank you,” said Frodo, taking the seat offered. “I’m getting on rather well at Bag End. I miss dear old Bilbo...but otherwise, I am fine. Sam Gamgee looks after the garden--and me, from time to time.”

“You know that you are welcome here at any time, Frodo.”

“I do, and thank you, Tina.” Frodo gazed nervously about the room...full of young lasses. “I sought for Paladin but was told he wasn’t in.”

Eglantine answered, “Yes, he went to Tuckborough after second breakfast on errand. He should be returning soon, and I know he is eager to greet you!”

* * *

Still in his cloak and topcoat, Paladin made his way through the labyrinth of tunnels to his cousin Addie’s apartments in the west wing with a brown sack under his arm. How should he approach this matter? All Paladin knew was that nothing would be the same as it was this morning when he woke up. Many things were about to change in the course of the day.

Before he knew it, Paladin was pounding on the door of his life-long friend. “Addie! It’s me--Paladin.”

However, the person who opened the door wasn’t who he wanted. “Hullo, Uncle Paladin!” said Everard.

“Hullo--where’s your father, lad?”

“He went down to the common room after elevenses to have a smoke with Uncle Ferdinand.”

“Of all places,” Paladin muttered.

“Sorry?”

“Never mind, Ev,” said Paladin, “I’ll go find him where he you said, but should I miss him, please tell him to look for me in my study--at once!”

After another five minutes of twisting and turning in the tunnels of Great Smials toward the north wing, Paladin was finally rewarded with the sight of the open double doors of the common room; a place where residents gathered to be social, have a mug or a smoke. Sometimes ladies would bring their knitting along and sit with each other, but this didn’t happen very often when the room was filled with acrid pipe smoke.

And today happened to be one of those times. There were only five persons inside the room--one of which was in the midst of hearty laughter that Paladin recognised right away. Paladin was growing quite warm by now, so as soon as he stepped into the warm, ambient room lit with a toasty fire and winter sunlight, he set down his sack then took off his cloak and topcoat, gathering them neatly to place over the arm of an empty chair.

“Hullo, Addie,” he said to his friend, “...and hullo, Ferdie.”

Paladin was on amiable terms with his cousin Ferdinand, however, in the past, neither Paladin or Adelard knew which side of the fence their cousin stood on with regard to friendship...or Ferumbras. Thus, for the most part, Paladin and Addie kept anything important or deviant between themselves.

“Where have you been all morning?” asked Addie, eyeing the sack in Paladin’s hand.

“Picking up gifts for the graduate ceremony on Highday,” Paladin replied, though his eyes said volumes. We need to talk privately--and soon!

Addie nodded, tendrils of pipe-smoke streaming upward from his lips. He knew his best friend like the back of his hand. “Ah, yes! My Everard is almost finished with the certificates--perhaps you could come up to my quarters after lunch and give your approval?”

“Aye, I would,” Paladin nodded with much satisfaction.

“Don’t look now,” Addie murmured to Paladin, “but guess who just walked in.”

“Ferumbras!” Ferdinand greeted their cousin warmly. “Are we still on for a game of skittles tomorrow morning?”

“As long as I wake up refreshed and without this nagging headache,” Ferumbras replied, rubbing at one of his eyes.

“Oh, I am sorry to hear that,” said Addie, his voice dripping with feigned sympathy and doing his utmost to hide his glee. Ferumbras merely responded with an icy glare.

“Paladin,” Ferumbras spoke condescendingly, “I do hope you greet my guests at Yule far better than you greet your own. A young Mr. Baggins asked for you a half hour ago and is still waiting for you somewhere I suppose.

“I don’t suppose you offered him anything to ease the hours he spent travelling on the road, did you?” asked Addie, his green eyes throwing daggers in return to Ferumbras.

“He is not my concern--nor my guest,” Ferumbras replied haughtily. He turned to face Paladin. “I came in search of you to tell you I am retiring to my bedchamber, as I am experiencing another one of my headaches. I want you to take over my duties for the rest of the day.”

“Why did you have to search for me?” asked Paladin. “I explained to you this morning where I would be and that I would return in time for my duties this afternoon.”

“Had I known your errand was sharing jests in the common room, I would have denied your request.”

Now Paladin was getting a bit angry. “Denied my request? Don’t be ridiculous! I have rarely asked for time off to tend to personal matters--and there were many times that I should have. If there is a problem with my work-habits then stand tall like a hobbit and tell me.”

“Don’t tempt me!” Ferumbras locked eyes with Paladin, who did not flinch. With that said, Ferumbras walked out of the room.

“Well!” said Ferdinand, nervously getting up from his chair. “I think I hear my wife calling me. See you lads later!”

Paladin had his eye on the fellow just ahead of Ferdinand exiting the room. Adelard had to grab one of Paladin’s arms to pull him back into his seat. “Let the silly buffoon go!”

“Did you hear what he said?” Paladin asked his cousin in dismay. “I’d like to bloody his nose for that!”

“So would I, but he isn’t worth it, Cousin! They’d make us both lower than the least of the servants of Great Smials until the day we die for striking the Thain. I believe his day is coming, and no mistake.” Addie emptied his pipe in the ash bowl provided on the tea table. “Go and see to Frodo, then after luncheon come to my place and we shall talk more, eh? I shall stop by Ferumbras’ study to take a look at his engagement tablet for today and let you know what was on his schedule--which was probably nothing, besides the Name Blessing. Oh, by the by, when you see him please extend an invitation to Frodo to have luncheon tomorrow in my apartment. Your lads are always welcome, too.”

“Thank you,” said Paladin amiably, though still seething over Ferumbras. “I shall do that.”