Chapter 54. A New Day

The following Spring found the Thain immersed in business; there was much to do before riding to the Brandywine Bridge, to meet the King, coming North to dwell awhile by Lake Evendim. With any luck, Pippin might be able to get away and take his family to the Lake for a holiday.

He threw down his quill with a satisfied grunt. ‘That’s the last,’ he said, and stretched. ‘What say you, Regi? Shall we ride out to the new diggings?’

 ‘I’ll have the ponies saddled,’ the steward said with a smile of his own, ‘just as soon as you finish your elevenses, cousin.’

 ‘Ah, elevenses already!’ Pippin said, and as if on cue, there was a tap at the door and his personal hobbitservant Sandy bustled in with a tray.

 ‘Here you are, Sir!’ that hobbit said briskly, laying his tray down. ‘Lovely cold chicken and spring greens, and the bread still steaming hot out of the oven.’

 ‘Marvellous,’ Pippin said, diving into his portion with gusto. Regi arose from his desk, went to the door, and finding Tolly standing outside, he ordered ponies saddled for the Thain to ride out. He returned to his desk and the plate Sandy had laid thereon, noticing Pippin half-way through his portion already.

Pippin had lost the ill and weary look of the previous year; his frame had filled out somewhat, and while he was not as portly as many hobbits his age, he no longer appeared gaunt and unwell. There was colour in his face and a sparkle in the eye he raised to meet the steward’s look. ‘Well, Regi,’ he said. ‘Eat! We haven’t all day!’

 ‘Indeed we haven’t,’ Regi said, and hastened to do his duty.

Elevenses done, they left the Great Smials to find Ferdi waiting in the courtyard with four saddled ponies.

 ‘Socks, old lad!’ Pippin cried, meeting the outthrust nose with a pat and a piece of apple. ‘You’re in luck—another chance to stretch those legs of yours!’

Socks was looking quite as recovered as his master, though Old Tom warned that he’d never be fit for racing again. Short excursions, such as to the New Diggings were about all Pippin asked of him these days. For the two-day journey to the Bridge, and the week-long ride to the Lake, he’d ride a younger, stronger beast and leave Socks in Old Tom’s competent care.

Pippin stepped up lightly into the saddle and turned Socks’ face towards the West, towards the great hill where new dwellings were being excavated, nearly as ambitious in scope as the Great Smials. Regi fell in beside him, and Ferdi and Tolly took up the rear, seeming relaxed, but their bows were strung and ready. The hobbits of the Thain's escort took their duties duties ever more seriously. Men had intruded into the Shire twice since the New Year, evidently drawn by rumours of the Thain’s gold.

Reaching the New Diggings, Pippin dismounted and fed Socks a few more pieces of apple while Regi went off in search of the hobbit they’d come to see. He used the time to quiz Ferdi on the progress of planting in the fields belonging to the Great Smials.

Ferdi broke off his detailed report and Regi approached, two filthy hobbits in tow. They’d evidently taken time to wash face and hands, which stood out against the dirty remainder in shining cleanliness.

 ‘Sir,’ Garabard Took-Grubb said with a bow, and then gestured to the hobbit behind him. ‘You remember Hildibard, one of my younger brothers.’

Hildibard bowed and received the Thain’s greeting. ‘Sir,’ he said.

 ‘Regi told me you were working at the diggings,’ Pippin said, ‘instead of on the land.’

Garabard shrugged. ‘Dirt’s dirt,’ he said. ‘I move it with a shovel, I get more pay than moving it with a plough, for some reason.’

 ‘It’s a deal more dangerous, digging in the dark,’ Pippin said quietly, ‘and there’s no sky above you, no sun to warm your bones, no birds to sing.’

 ‘I’ll be on the land again,’ the farmer said stubbornly. ‘One of these days.’ His brother nodded assent.

 ‘You told me, when your father was dying, that your family had saved up little more than half the price of the lease,’ Pippin said.

 ‘Aye,’ Garabard said. ‘That I did.’

 ‘And you’ve been saving, still, the last two years,’ Pippin said.

 ‘Aye,’ Garabard repeated, ‘but it’s a slow business. I figure my eldest son, or Hildi’s here, will buy the new lease, when we’ve saved enough.’

 ‘How about today?’ Pippin said, and the two farmers straightened, exchanging glances and then looking back to the Thain.

 ‘I beg your pardon, Sir,’ Garabard said respectfully.

 ‘There’s a lease that just came open,’ Pippin said. ‘The hobbit lost his sons at the Battle of Bywater, and the land’s been dreadfully neglected. At the moment it’s worth only about half of what your family’s farm was worth, but with hard work it could be as good a farm as the one you left. The lease is yours, if you want it.’

 ‘Half...?’ Garabard said, after his brother nudged him to release him from his frozen surprise.

Regi quietly named the amount of the lease, and both farmers broke into wide grins, Hildibard smiting his older brother heartily on the shoulder.

 ‘Our own farm,’ Garabard whispered.

 ‘There is only one request I would make of you,’ Pippin said, and the brothers grew sober and wary once more.

 ‘And that is...?’ Garabard said.

 ‘The hobbit’s widow,’ Pippin said. ‘She has no other family; her sons are gone and her daughter died in the fever a few years back. She has no home to go to. We could take her in at the Great Smials, but it would be kinder if she could stay in the home she’s always known. She’s a quiet little thing, very shy, but her neighbours all say she’s pleasant and sweet-tempered.’

 ‘Of course we’ll take her in,’ Hildibard said impulsively.

Garabard added, ‘If she’ll have us.’ He turned to his brother. ‘Hildi,’ he said, ‘if you’d go and tell Everard that we’ll work to the end of this day but not be back in the morning...’

 ‘Tomorrow’s a new day,’ Hildibard said with a great grin.

 ‘Indeed it is,’ the Thain agreed with a grin of his own. ‘Indeed it is.’