Chapter 14. After the Ball Was Over

It was not long before Elanor was tucked up in bed, Fastred curled beside her, both exploring their new daughter’s charms as Mother Rose softly closed the door to their room after promising a tray with tea and sustenance.

 ‘Look at her fingers! The tiny fingernails!’ Elanor said in wonder.

 ‘And the eyelashes,’ Fastred murmured, hoping the little eyes would open, but no, it was not to be for the nonce. The babe slept, her brow furrowed in her intense concentration.

Daisy and Frodo shared a cup of tea with the family before retiring to their garden bower. They were not to be heard from again until the morning light peeped through the windows of the smial.

The Thain sat at the kitchen table with his chancellor, who seemed none the worse for his ordeal. Indeed, Ferdibrand was talking and laughing and eating at the same time while Pimpernel was up and down, fetching him things before he even thought to ask for them.

Primrose Gamgee was packing up a hamper of good things.

 ‘No chicken, now,’ Pippin said.

 ‘Not a trace of feather or egg,’ Prim said, settling a cloth over all and tucking it in all around.

The Thain toasted her with his teacup and a wink. ‘Good lass,’ he said. ‘Very thoughtful.’

Primrose laughed. ‘The healer at Undertowers had Ellie eating fowl and eggs until she complained she was beginning to cluck like a chicken! I wonder if she’ll even look at eggs the same way ever again!’

 ‘Well she’s still got to eat them,’ Rose said firmly, taking a golden custard out of the oven.

 ‘That looks fit to eat,’ Pippin said approvingly, and Rose immediately plopped a goodly portion into a bowl, poured over rich cream and set all before him.

 ‘There you are,’ she said, ‘and you’re to eat every bite before you get into that coach!’

 ‘Yes’m,’ Pippin said obediently, as he might’ve in the days when he’d visited as a tween, eating up newlywed Rose’s good cooking and making her complain that he’d empty all the pantries in Bag End. He dug his spoon into the custard, filled his mouth, closed his eyes and sighed. ‘Sam,’ he said, ‘if you don’t go for Mayor again, you could always remove to the Smials.’ He opened one eye in a raffish manner. ‘Be sure to bring Rose with you.’

 ‘Hah!’ Rose said, swiftly completing Ellie’s tray. ‘Less talking, more eating, Master Took!’ She picked up the tray and swept out of the kitchen, followed by Samwise with the teapot and the intention of holding the babe one more time before her proud parents blew out the light.

 ‘Mmm,’ Ellie said as the tray was settled in her lap. ‘I’m so ravenous, even eggs look good right now.’

 ‘This is custard,’ Rose said, ‘your grandmother’s recipe, and none better in the whole of the Shire!’

Sam poured out tea and offered to hold the baby whilst Ellie and Fastred ate and drank. The little one did not wake, but slumbered peacefully in her grandfather’s arms.

 ‘We have a name picked out already,’ Elanor said after the first hunger was satisfied.

 ‘Already?’ Rose said in surprise.

 ‘Oh, yes, we had names picked out, whether boy or girl,’ Fastred said, his arm stealing around Elanor’s shoulders. They shared a fond look, then looked back to Samwise. ‘We knew just whom we wanted to remember, you see?’

 ‘And who would that be?’ Sam asked, stepping forward with teapot in one hand, babe securely and comfortably crooked in the other arm, to refresh their mugs of tea.

Ellie waited until her father was finished, sipped at her tea, and said, ‘Her name is Primula.’ She smiled shyly into her father’s eyes. ‘Had she been a boy the name would have been Drogo.’

 ‘Mr. Frodo’s parents,’ Rose breathed. She took the teapot from Sam and put it on the tray, turning back to give her husband a hug.

Sam took out his handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes, cleared his throat, and said, ‘Well now, that’s just fine.’ He met his daughter’s smile with one of his own and added, ‘I remember Mr. Bilbo telling Mr. Frodo that he could honour his parents when he came to naming his own little ones, when he was all grown up and had a family of his own.’ His eyes clouded and showers threatened once again. He blinked hard, staring down into his granddaughter’s sweet face until the Sun came out again.

At last, he managed to say, ‘Mr. Frodo would be right pleased to know there’s a little one named for his mum.’

 ‘It’s a lovely name,’ Rose agreed, releasing her husband and stepping forward to take the tray. ‘Now all of you get some sleep! Elfstan will be up early, and once he discovers the fairies have left a little sister in the night, there’ll be no rest for anyone!’

Sam reluctantly surrendered the bundle to her parents and went back to the kitchen, finding Pippin ready to leave. ‘A fine party, Sam!’ the Thain said. ‘Just enough mishaps to ensure a long and happy marriage for Fro and Day!’

 ‘But not enough to mar the joy of the day,’ Pimpernel put in, taking Ferdi’s arm. He smiled in the direction of her voice, and she laid a kiss upon his cheek.

 ‘All’s well that ends well,’ he said cheerily. ‘And I did not miss the entire party, seeing as how you saved me the best of the food! All I missed was the noise.’

 ‘And my brother’s speeches,’ Pimpernel put in.

 ‘Exactly,’ Ferdi said with satisfaction, and all in the kitchen laughed.

 ‘And we have a nice long ride back, with a coach full of sleeping children,’ Pimpernel said.

 ‘Mmm,’ Ferdi said, waggling his eyebrows as his smile grew wider. ‘Just think of the possibilities. Alone, for all practical purposes, with the prettiest lass in the Shire.’

 ‘Go on with you,’ Pimpernel said with a smile. Ferdi could do no wrong in her eyes, so relieved was she to have him safe and sound and by her side once more.

The Brandybucks’ coachhobbit appeared in the doorway as the Tooks were saying their farewells.

 ‘Beg pardon, sirs,’ he said, bowing to Mayor and Thain.

 ‘Yes?’ Pippin said. ‘Is there some sort of problem?’

The driver cleared his throat. ‘It’s just that... my master gave orders that we were to depart at midnight and drive straight through, so as to be on time for Mister Berilac’s birthday celebration,’ he said apologetically. ‘But it’s an hour past that, and more, and I’ve not found either Master or Mistress.’

 ‘Not another search,’ Pimpernel said, but Pippin laughed.

 ‘I’ll tell you where they are,’ he said. ‘Better yet, I’ll show you!’ He turned to Mistress Rose. ‘If you wouldn’t mind packing another hamper or two for the travellers,’ he said, ‘I think they’ll bless you when hunger wakens them partway to Buckland.’

Merry scarcely roused as Pippin urged him up from his chair. The younger cousin pulled the older one’s arm round his shoulders as Samwise gently lifted Estella in his arms. She did not waken. The driver led the way to the waiting coach, and Pippin helped Merry in.

 ‘You oughtn’t be so free with the punch, next wedding, cousin,’ he said kindly. ‘You’ll have a big head in the morning.’

 ‘Lovely wedding,’ Merry said vaguely to Pippin. ‘Very nice indeed, Samwise.’

Sam reached into the coach to settle Estella on the seat next to Merry. She slid down until her head was resting in her husband’s lap, then sighed. ‘Well,’ Sam said doubtfully. ‘They look comfortable enough.’ To Merry he said, ‘You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed the celebration.’

 ‘Very nice indeed,’ Merry repeated, and then his head fell back and he began to snore softly.

 ‘Well, then, all loaded up and ready to go,’ Pippin said to the driver. ‘Safe journey, and give my regards and best wishes to Mister Berilac.’

 ‘Yes, Sir, thank you, Sir,’ the driver said with a bow for the Thain, and with another for the Mayor he added, ‘Congratulations, sir, on the wedding and all.’

Sam thanked him. They watched him climb up on the box and take up the reins. He clucked to the ponies and they moved out smoothly, hardly jarring the occupants of the coach, Merry's pony tied on behind.

 ‘Well then,’ Sam said. ‘I’ll see you to your coach.’

 ‘And then see yourself to your bed, I hope,’ Pippin said. He cocked his ear to hear the music that had resumed when the search ended. ‘They’ll dance the night through, it sounds like.’

 ‘Or as long as the musicians hold out,’ Sam agreed. ‘And we’ll trundle them home in wheelbarrows in the morning.’

 ‘Better get a good night’s sleep then,’ Pippin chuckled. Arm in arm, Thain and Mayor walked slowly to the Thain’s coach at the head of the long line of Tookish vehicles, all loaded and ready for the return journey.

 ‘Thank you, Sam,’ Pippin said, stepping lightly into the coach. ‘I hope we can do this again sometime soon.’

 ‘Give me some time to recover from this wedding before we plan another,’ Sam said. Looking into the coach, he added, ‘It appears you’re missing someone.’

Pippin’s good humour evaporated. ‘Faramir,’ he said grimly. ‘The lad knew we were leaving. I only hope he isn’t getting himself into trouble. He was exchanging insults with the miller’s boy earlier.’

 ‘Hodge?’ Sam said. ‘He’s got too much sense to brawl. Good head on his shoulders, that one. He just might end up running the Mill one day. I’ve got my eye on him.’

 ‘Oh?’ Pippin said, raising an eyebrow. ‘Another wedding in the offing?’

 ‘Too early to tell,’ Sam said cryptically. ‘Here now!’ he called, raising his voice when he saw one of his sons talking to the inhabitants waiting in another coach. ‘Robin! Run off and see if you can find Faramir Took, will you?’

 ‘Yes, Dad!’ Robin said smartly, and with a quick “good-bye” to his friends he was off.