Chapter 13. Two's Company, Eight's a Crowd* 

 ‘And just how long do you think it’ll take them to fetch a tablecloth?’ Pip-lad asked brightly. ‘They’ve been gone long enough to fetch half a dozen by now.’

 ‘You don’t suppose...’ Bilbo said slowly.

 ‘Well if they were careless enough to let the door close, they’ve got peace and quiet for the first time all day,’ Hamfast said with a mischievous grin.

 ‘Dark, though,’ Pip-lad put in. ‘They didn’t take a candle with them.’

 ‘Do you think they need a rescue?’ Bilbo said.

 ‘A rescue!’ Hamfast said. ‘Just think, if we left them there all night, what a story they’d have to tell their grands!’ The lads all laughed at that idea, and Mother Rose’s lips twitched in spite of herself.

 ‘Now lads,’ she remonstrated, but she picked up a night-candle from the shelf and lighted it. ‘I’ll just go make sure nothing’s amiss.’

She was in time to see Frodo step into the room and Daisy follow him, neglecting, of course, to secure the door, which swung closed behind them before Rose could call a warning reminder. She shook her head and huffed softly to herself, heedless! ...but it was the end of a long day, after all, and they were probably not thinking about mundane things like sticking doors. ‘I had better let them out,’ she said, ‘and get that tablecloth before Thain and Master step in!’

Outside the door she paused, puzzled. There was a babble of voices coming from the little room, more than two hobbits from the sound.

She opened the door, finding Frodo and Daisy standing just inside. The light from the candle in her hand illuminated some of her best blankets lying in an untidy heap on the floor, Merry-lad sitting to one side of the heap and Chancellor Ferdibrand on the other! ‘What in the world is going on here?’ she demanded.

 ‘Just the question I was asking,’ Frodo said.

Merry-lad gave a sleepy grin and said, ‘Surprise!’

 ‘What surprise?’ Rose said, stepping into the room. The door swung to behind her, but with the ease of long practice she stuck one foot back to catch it before it could latch. ‘Merry-lad, what’re you on about? I saw your surprise...’ She caught herself before she could spill the secret. After all, Frodo and Day hadn’t seen their “garden bower” yet.

 ‘Steady, lass; let me help you sit up,’ Ferdi said, fiddling with the blankets, and then Rose was gasping and stepping forward, door forgotten, seeing Elanor emerge with a tiny bundle in her arms.

 ‘Ellie?’ she gasped. No one seemed to mind that the door had shut, for all had eyes only for the little babe. Her rosebud mouth opened in a wide yawn before the large eyes winked to stare in wonder at the light.

 ‘Meet your new granddaughter,’ Elanor said, beaming, pulling the blanket back to show off the head full of curls.

  ‘Oooh, she’s precious!’ Rose exclaimed, thrusting the candle at Daisy and stumbling forward, to kneel by her daughter and take up the bundle. ‘Welcome to the world, dearest,’ she said tremulously. Her first granddaughter! The babe made a soft cooing noise as she stared into Rose’s face.

 ‘Such a lovely surprise,’ Daisy said, passing the candle to Frodo and going to kneel on Elanor’s other side. ‘To gain a husband and a niece in the same day!’

***

 ‘I went all the way to the bottom of the Hill,’ one of the searchers was saying. ‘No sign. The road is empty and quiet as...’ He glanced at Nell’s stricken face and refrained from finishing his sentence.

 ‘No sign that anyone fell into the Water?’ a shirriff said bluntly. Nell gave a sob, and Pippin’s arm tightened around her.

 ‘The Mill is dark and quiet; no one’s there at all,’ the searcher said.

 ‘Miller went up the road with those who were searching towards Overhill,’ the shirriff said. ‘He’s not come back yet.’

Fastred came up, looking sober. ‘We haven’t found anything around the side of the Hill,’ he said, ‘past the Old Orchard and into the meadow, save signs that someone had been cutting flowers there.’

 ‘Would Ferdi...?’ Pippin said, and Nell nodded.

 ‘He might,’ she said. ‘He knows the Hill like the fur on his foot. He’d often cut flowers for the girls when we’d picnic in the orchard. He might have thought to gather some for Daisy after he finished his resting, and that way he’d still avoid the noise of the party.’

 ‘There’s a nasty drop-off just past the meadow,’ the shirriff said. ‘If he stepped too far...’

 ‘I’ll go and get some rope,’ Sam said hastily. ‘Got a coil hanging just inside the kitchen door, as a matter of fact. I’ll be right back.’

***

In the corner of one of the pavilions, quite forgotten (for their children had also fallen asleep and been picked up by the coach hobbit and laid in the coach, ready for departure), Merry and Estella slumbered on.

***

Sam stepped into the kitchen, finding the three lads sipping tea at the table. ‘Why aren’t you out searching?’ he asked sternly.

 ‘Searching?’ Hamfast said, standing up quickly.

Fastred came up behind Sam in the doorway. ‘I’ll just tell Ellie what we’re about,’ he said, ‘and be right with you.’ He walked across the kitchen and started down the hallway.

 ‘Where’s your mother?’ Sam said, picking up the coil of rope from its peg.

 ‘She just went to the linen press,’ Pip-lad said. ‘She ought to have been back by now.’

 ‘She knows better than to forget that door,’ Sam said, ‘though I ought to have fixed it long before now.’

 ‘Well she hasn’t been back,’ Bilbo said. ‘Nor have Frodo and Daisy.’

Sam didn’t hear this part as he was already across the kitchen and in the hallway. Fastred turned back from the door to his and Ellie’s room, a puzzled look on his face. ‘She’s not there,’ he said. ‘Just little Elfstan, fast asleep.’

Samwise yanked open the door to the linen press, to stand blinking in astonishment at the sight that met his eyes.

 ‘What in the world...?’ he said, and all the hobbits in the room finished with him, ‘...is going on here?’

 ‘It’s rather a long story,’ Merry-lad said, getting to his feet.

 ‘There you are, Mayor Sam!’ Ferdi said brightly. ‘I was wondering when you would show up. You’re late!’

 ‘Late?’ Sam said, bemused.

 ‘Late to greet our granddaughter,’ Rose said, rising with a bundle in her arms. ‘Look what Ellie’s been busy about while we’ve been at the party!’

 ‘Ellie?’ Fastred said behind Sam. ‘What...?’ He stepped into the room and pushed past Sam, Daisy, Frodo, and Rose to reach his wife. ‘You had the babe?’ he said incredulously. ‘In the closet?’

 ‘Well it wasn’t my first choice,’ Ellie said, gathering her sheltering blanket more closely around herself.

Silently, the door eased itself closed behind Sam, only to be jerked open by Pippin. ‘Sam?’ he said. ‘I thought you went to get some rope, and were coming right back.’ He blinked at the crowded room. ‘What’s this?’ he said. ‘Did you decide to carry on with the party in here?’

 ‘Hullo, Pip,’ Ferdi said casually. ‘Is it time to go?’

*Title courtesy of FantasyFan. Thanks!