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The Party's Over  by Lindelea

Chapter 2. Guess Who's Coming to Tea?

The teacart positively groaned with good things: tiny tea sandwiches with the crusts cut off, and cut into fancy shapes, cream scones, strawberry tarts, and even a grand cake lushly iced with pink flowers and scrolls gracing the top. Merry set the steaming teapot in its place and tenderly tucked the cosy in place.

'Ye'll make someone a fine wife someday, Merry,' Pippin observed gloomily.

His older cousin drew himself up to his full height, which was considerable for a hobbit, and said with great dignity, 'It was the least I could do for your blushing bride.'

At that moment there was a vigorous pull at the bell. 'You've done practically all else, while insisting I bathe and make myself presentable,' Pippin said. He ran a nervous hand over his freshly-trimmed head, also courtesy of Meriadoc. 'Why don't you answer the door as well?'

'I wouldn't dream of it,' Merry said. 'This is your moment to shine, Peregrin Took, and I am going to retire to the kitchen just as any proper hobbitservant and sip my tea in blessed silence.' He'd peek out, of course, to see the bride-to-be, and watch the proceedings. He wondered, not for the first time, how Pippin would manage to talk himself out of this one.

A knock sounded, and Pippin raised his voice. 'Coming!' he called, infusing cheeriness into his tone while casting a glance of utter despair over his shoulder at the retreating Merry. He moved to the door and laid his hand on the knob, pasting on a smile. If he offended this lass, whoever she might be, he might never find a proper lass when the time came to settle down... Jerking the door open, his eyes widened with surprise.

'Freddy!' he said. 'How nice to see you...'

'I do hope we're on time,' Fredegar Bolger said, drawing his sister from behind him. Estella's face was hidden in the shadow of a broad-brimmed bonnet, her hands and forearms were covered with long gloves, and she wore a rather voluminous cloak over her burgeoning skirts.

Pippin wracked his brains for a memory of Estella... Freddy had brought her to last night's party, but she'd stayed in the shadows at the edge of the crowd most of the time. Shy little thing, most likely. He'd seen very little of her since moving to Crickhollow. Her parents kept her close at home.

If there were ribbons in her hair, they were hidden under the hat.

'Umm, come in, come in,' Pippin said, trying for smoothness and managing to stumble over the simplest of welcomes. 'Please,' he added, waving his hand towards the easy chairs on the kitchen side of the parlour. Serve Merry right, to look at their backs for the duration of the visit.

'May I take your cloak?' he stammered, but Freddy shouldered him aside to do the honours. Very protective of his little sister, Freddy was. And so Estella was divested of her cloak, and then she reached up to remove her hat, and a cascade of ribbons broke free, shining against her raven locks in a riot of colour.

Pippin's heart sank. But then the lass turned toward him, her eyes cast down, to bob a courtesy and thank him in a whisper for having her to tea, and he gulped and stammered something, he didn't know quite what. He remembered Merry's estimation of Estella in a recent conversation, 'All elbows and scratched knees,' and he nearly blurted out that she'd certainly grown into her elbows, but restrained himself just in time. 'Please,' he said, indicating one of the chairs. 'Have a seat.'

Freddy pointedly escorted Estella to the chair and seated her. 'How do you take your tea?' Pippin said, as if he hadn't the faintest idea of what he was about.

'Sweet and creamy,' Freddy said, 'for the both of us, of course.'

'Doesn't she have a tongue of her own?' Pippin said, and kicked himself.

Estella was staring down at her intertwined hands, but he thought he saw a dimple at the corner of her mouth, and then her glance lifted to meet his, a quicksilver flash, and he dropped the teacup.

'Stupid of me,' Pippin said, hastening to rectify his clumsiness. Although he spilt the next cup he poured, and forgot to put the milk in Freddy's cup and had to be reminded, and he actually added milk and sugar to his own tea, and sipped it without noticing... he rather congratulated himself on how well he was carrying all this off.

All elbows and scratched knees, he thought to himself in wonder. And lively wit, and jest, as I remember, though Merry never would admit that she bested him at... The thought was interrupted as Freddy made small talk, but Pippin continued to stare, nibbling absently at a biscuit, until he became aware he was staring, and then of course he got up to cut pieces of cake for his guests.

He saw Merry peeping from the kitchen and gave him a broad grin. She's a looker, she is! he telegraphed. The message was intercepted by the young lady in another shining glance, and Pippin was caught in her regard much as a deer might be stunned by a directed lantern beam. He tried to take a breath, but found no air in the vicinity.

Her restraint was explained by Freddy's proximity. It was said he kept his sister on a tight rein, or else that she was subdued in her brother's presence for fear of upsetting him and taxing his damaged heart, reminder of his time in the Lockholes.

Thinking of the mischievous Estella he'd known in the past, he rather thought it was the latter. He couldn't imagine anyone keeping Estella on a tight rein. Though as her lips parted to reveal white and even teeth, he rather thought he wouldn't mind giving it a try...

He blushed at the thought, and missed Freddy's next words. '...parents could not come, of course, for you know they went back to Budge Hall this morning. Estella and I will stay at the Gatehouse Inn tonight and go on in the morning. But you were so earnest in your desire for us to hear your proposition that they agreed I might accompany her to tea...'

Just as Pippin opened his mouth, formulating his thoughts (Really, he could do worse than Estella. She had a lively wit, a loving heart--she'd nursed Freddy devotedly back to health--a tendency to think up all sorts of diverting mischief, and who would've thought she'd turn out so lovely? She was almost elflike in her grace, the tilt of her chin, the depth of her eyes reminding him somehow of Frodo, "fairer than most"...) he was interrupted.

There was a ring at the doorbell, wiping out all the grand-sounding words he wanted to say.

'If--if you'll just excuse me for the moment,' Pippin said.

'Certainly,' Freddy said, taking a sip of his tea, and Estella smiled again, dazzling him for the moment so that he stumbled over his feet as he got up to go to the door.





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