Stories of Arda Home Page
About Us News Resources Login Become a member Help Search
swiss replica watches replica watches uk Replica Rolex DateJust Watches

Jewels  by Lindelea

Chapter 36. Lamp in the Window

The two convalescents sat in front of the farmhouse in the comfortable chairs that found their usual place by the hearth. These had been moved outside, to allow the springtide Sun to shine upon their occupants' faces and a fresh and gentle breeze to reach them, laden with the fragrance of the roses and other blooms surrounding the smial. Their feet were comfortably propped up, and light lap robes covered their legs, just in case they might take a chill in the fresh air, or if they might care to nap. A nap seemed unlikely at the moment, for Elanor and Frodo were tumbling in the grass nearby with the roly-poly puppies. Rose laughed as one fat puppy tried to chase after the toddler, only to be attacked from the side by a fatter brother, both rolling over and over to jump up and lick Frodo's face. The giggling of the toddler was music on the breeze.

Diamond came out of the farmhouse with a blanketed bundle in her arms, which she transferred to Rose. 'Here she is, all fresh and dry and ready for her tea,' she said with a smile.

Pippin politely averted his eyes while Diamond settled the babe in Rose's arms and fixed a discrete shawl in place.

She moved over to stand behind Pippin, placed a hand on either shoulder and bent to kiss the top of his head. 'And what can I get for you, my love?'

Pippin surprised her by musing, 'Warmed milk sounds rather inviting... put some honey in it?'

She squeezed his shoulders gently. 'And nutmeg... I'll fix it just the way you like it.' With another kiss, she was gone.

He closed his eyes to let the warm sun bathe his face. He had nearly fallen asleep when Rose's voice broke into this thoughts. 'It's peaceful here.'

'Yes, hard to believe all that mob were here a mere week ago.' He took a deep breath of the afternoon air and watched the little ones playing in the sunshine, letting himself drift in the peace of the moment.

It did not seem long before Diamond came up behind him and handed him a fragrant, steaming mug. He sipped and let the warmth spread through him. 'Hard to believe the handfasting was just a week ago,' he said again. 'Everyone's gone, everyone but ourselves, and the Gamgees, and all's quiet again.' He sipped again. 'I like the quiet. A fellow can think.'

'Yes, even the grass has sprung up again where the pavillions were. You might think nothing of import happened here, at all,' Diamond said, rubbing his shoulders, albeit carefully, lest she make him spill the milk, 'though of course it did!'

Pippin smiled, seized one of her hands and turned his head to lay a kiss there.

She laughed and gently pulled her hand away, resuming the interrupted shoulder rub, and added, 'It's so quiet since the Bolgers left.' 

Rose smiled and Pippin laughed.

'Oh, aye, it is quiet with Estella gone; the farm hardly seemed to contain her,' he answered.

'There'll be a lot of visiting between Budgeford and the Hall the next two years,' Diamond said. 'Just the thought of all that travel makes me dizzy!'

'Yes. The Master will see to that. Merry needs her.' Seeing her questioning look, he added, 'She's a lamp in the window for him.'

'You mean the one in the old story, that leads the lost traveller home?'

'Oh, aye.' Setting down his empty mug, he grasped the hand that lay on his shoulder, pulling it down to nestle his cheek against it. Diamond did not pull away again this time, but leaned over to rest her head on his curly top, and the two communed silently, listening to the laughter of the tots, the sweet song of a lark high above the field, the sleepy sound of bees droning in the blossoms nearby.

Little Rose had finished her "tea" and lay in sweet sleep, cuddled against her mother, who had closed her own eyes to drink in the sunshine.

Pippin chuckled. Diamond asked, 'What's the joke?'

'Poor Jewel. He only gets an hour or two of riding these days.'

'And Estella chattering away beside him...'

'Yes, poor lad, hardly has a quiet moment to think his own thoughts.'

'Are you talking about the pony, or Merry?' Diamond asked, and Rose joined in their laughter.

'Two years is a long time to wait,' Diamond sighed. 'I suppose there will have to be a lot of visiting between the Smials and Long Cleeve.' She smiled mischievously. 'Do you suppose they'll let me in the door?'

He didn't smile or answer her question, saying instead, 'Can your father pay a living wage to someone he hires, enough to keep a wife and family?'

She supposed he was asking for a relative who wanted to get out of Tuckborough, out from under the Thain's thumb as it were.

'Yes, he could use the extra help, but any hobbit working for him will have to work hard.'

'I can do that.'

Startled, she met his gaze. 'But...'

'I never wanted to be Thain, not really. It was all my father's idea. Well, I suppose I could blame the Tooks, anyhow. He never wanted to be Thain, either, but the Tooks made the bed and he had to lie in it.' He sighed. 'Still, it's not as if they're going to come and bear me back again whether I will or no! He disowned me on more than one occasion. I think, this time, if he tries to own me again, I'll tell him, Thank you very much for my part, but no.'

She swung around to kneel by his side, looking up at him in shock. 'Oh, Pippin...'

He shook his head. 'I'm weary, Diamond. I don't want to fight any more. He wins; I give over.' He met her eyes again. 'I'm not going back to Tuckborough.'

***

Rose told Samwise about the conversation when they were alone.

His eyes were troubled. 'I cannot see Mr Pippin as a farmer.'

She laughed. 'No, somehow the mail, sword and shield would look a bit out of place behind a plough.'

Sam did not share his wife's laughter. 'He cannot, Rose.' He saw that she didn't understand and tried again. 'The plough kicks up too much dust; his lungs won't stand it.'

'He's on the mend... by the time they are married...'

Samwise shook his head. 'First his lungs were battered and pierced by his shattered ribs when that troll fell on him, then the Old Gaffer's Friend nearly drowned him...' She winced, but he drove home the brutal truth. 'He will be well again if he lets those who love him take care of him, but he'll never be completely whole again. He'll have to be careful all the rest of his life.'

***

'Not going back to Tuckborough?' Merry put down the letter his father had given him to read.

'Aye. Dinny's--pardon me, Thain Paladin's a fool. He tried to bend his son to his will, but he broke him instead.'

'Broke him? Those are strong words...'

'Peregrin's stopped fighting, Son. Something's gone out of him, some spark. Perhaps that fine lass of his can coax it back to life, but be that as it may, the Thain has lost his son.'

Estella chimed in softly. 'Yes. He was always calling Peregrin the fool, but to my thinking he was the river calling the fish "wet".'

'I can't imagine Pippin not fighting his father. It's so much a part of him.'

Esmeralda sighed. 'Perhaps now he can find some peace.'

Saradoc looked sober. 'I wish I could say I thought so.'

Seeing Merry sinking into deep thoughts, Estella pulled at his hand. 'Come, beloved...'

He looked up and smiled. 'What is it?'

'Cannot you hear your poor sad-and-lonely, neglected pony calling? He wants us to go on a picnic this day!'

'He does?'

'Oh, yes! He told me he wanted me to paint a watercolour of the wildflowers, the ones by the little waterfall, today. We'll have to depart soon for the lighting to be the way he wants it.'

'He sounds very particular.'

'Oh, he is! And not afraid to say what he wants!'

Merry chuckled and returned the squeeze of her hand. 'Let us go and see if Merimas and Pansy are free for a picnic,' he said.

As the two left the study, hand in hand, Esmeralda gave her husband a joyful embrace. 'Oh, Saradoc...!' she murmured.

He looked down into her shining eyes, his own eyes filled with matching joy. 'I know,' was all he needed to say.





<< Back

Next >>

Leave Review
Home     Search     Chapter List