S.R. 1420-1421 Crickhollow, Buckland

‘A very happy new year to you, cousin!’ Berilac Brandybuck said at the door to the little house at Crickhollow.

‘And many happy returns to you,’ Merry said, steadying his slightly tipsy cousin. ‘Are you sure you won’t stay over?’

‘Splendid party!’ Berilac said, waving his arms vaguely, enough to make Merry duck. ‘Snowing food and drink, dancing, singing, laughing... and Pip! Who’d have thought our baby cousin could tell so many, erm, interesting jokes!’ He laughed again in remembrance of a particular story Pippin had told, that he’d said he’d got off a soldier in Gondor. Who'd have thought that Men could be as fond of a jest as a Hobbit? ‘Why, you keep this up, you’ll be famous!’

‘Infamous, more likely,’ Merry rejoined, but then he slapped his cousin on the back with a laugh. ‘I’ll try to keep our young cousin a little further from the punch bowl, next time.’

‘Sure beats roasting mushrooms over the bonfire with the teens and tweens at the Hall,’ Berilac said. ‘Any other time you want to sing in the New Year with me, be sure to let me know.’

‘I’ll be sure to let you know,’ Merry said. ‘I haven’t quite got started with my planning for next Last Day, if you want to know the truth.’

‘Well, especially as we’ve just said goodbye and good riddance to the last Last Day, I’ll forgive you,’ Berilac said. ‘This time.’

‘Good riddance!’ Merry said in astonishment. ‘I shouldn’t think this past year all that grim!’

‘Well, seeing as how I spent last First Day sick in bed with a fever,’ Berilac said, ‘the year didn’t start off all that well. I mean to do better this year.’

‘Then you’d better be on your way,’ Merry said, taking his cousin’s arm and giving him a not-so-subtle push to turn him away from the door. ‘Wouldn’t want you to catch your death this night, lingering in the cold night air, splendid party or no.’

‘I could stop over,’ Berilac said slowly, halting. Then he threw up his hands, chuckling. ’No, no, I insist, Merry. I told you I was going back to the Hall for breakfast, and I’m a hobbit of my word.’

‘We’ll have as good a breakfast here,’ Merry said, but his cousin shook his head.

‘Mum and Dad are expecting me at second breakfast, if not early breakfast,’ Berilac said. ‘Perhaps next year.’

‘It is next year,’ Merry said.

‘So it is,’ said Berilac. ‘And a very happy new year to you, cousin!’

‘Isn’t that where we started just now?’

‘P’rhaps,’ Berilac said, straightening, but his attempt at dignity was interrupted by a hiccough. ‘And many happy returns!’

‘Exactly,’ Merry said.

Berilac slapped him on the back. ‘That’s what I like about you, cousin,’ he said. ‘Always have just the right word.’

‘If I stand out here much longer, Pip will have finished all the washing up without me,’ Merry said.

‘I thought that was your aim,’ Berilac replied. ‘Exactly.’