20 A Knight in Smallclothes

Paladin and Pippin sat Eglantine in one of the easy chairs and helped her to calm down enough to talk.

"I went to her room and . . ." Eglantine was still crying and her breath was coming in little gasps, "and I knocked and knocked, but she didn't answer. So I tri . . . tried the latch and it was not locked, so I went in and, oh, Pippin, she's gone!" His mother buried her face in her hands and sobbed loudly.

Pippin quickly took charge. "Father, get Mother calmed down, I'll have Vinca, Pimpernel and Pearl start searching the Smials. Have Merry and Estella returned?"

"Yes." Eglantine said from behind her hands. "An . . . hour ago."

"I'll send Estella to stay with Mother. Father, you and Merry can start searching the grounds. I'm getting a pony and riding to Tuckborough. She may have gone into town." And with that Pippin ran from the library to enlist everyone to help in the search.

Pippin carried a lantern as he rode into the darkening evening heading toward Tuckborough. He did not want to chance missing Diamond along the way because of a lack of light. The rain had slowed but remained steady and the road was quite muddy with puddles scattered about it's surface. Pippin had put a couple of blankets and a full water skin into a backpack, in case she was out in the rain he could wrap her up until they got back to Great Smials.

He arrived in town and went straight to the Lesser Smials Inn. Pippin strode up to the innkeeper who was behind the bar.

"Hal!" Pippin said, "Hal, have you seen Miss Diamond today?"

Hal looked the heir to Great Smials up and down. The young hobbit was dripping wet and stood taught as a bowstring with his hands in fists at his side. His jaw was clenched, his lips set in a thin line, and his eyes were filled with a haunted anxiousness. Hal could tell the lad was working hard to keep himself reined in.

"Aye, Mister Pippin. She were in at luncheon. That's to say my Daisy saw much of her, waited on her and all. Said the poor lass looked downhearted and barely ate her meal."

"Did she leave right away then? How long is it since she left?"

"Well," the innkeeper's brows furrowed in thought, "As we knew who she was and were curious about her, beggin' your pardon and all, Mister Pippin, I did note her leavin'. She were here for luncheon, as I said, sat for a bit and had some more tea, ginger I think 'twas, but left before afternoon tea. Most likely she left near to two o'clock or half past it. Just a bit before it poured buckets, I remember bein' sorry that she was most likely out in the weather."

Pippin's face went paler than it had been. "Out in the storm? Did anyone see where she headed?"

"I did." Daisy said shyly, looking up from washing a glass in the sink behind the bar. "I was feelin' sad for her, sir, so I watched from the front window as she took herself off down the street. Headed back toward the Great Smials she did, sir, lookin' all huddled up and cold."

Pippin spoke his thanks to them over his shoulder as he ran back out into the rainy dark.

The search of the inside of Great Smials had proven fruitless except for one thing; they knew for certain Diamond had left the dwelling. After helping with the search and no one finding a trace of Diamond, Pimpernel had thought to look once more into Diamond's room. She noticed the missing cloak, the one her Mother had bought for Diamond, and she noticed a draft in the room.

"It's up to the fellows to find her." Pimpernel said as she entered her Mother's sitting room where her Mother, sisters and Estella were seated together. "I was just in her room, one of her cloaks is gone and the window was open a crack. She's left the smial. Let's hope she is all right, with it being so dreadfully wet out today."

Eglantine gripped Estella's hand tightly and managed to hold off another bout of crying. She had already grown to love Diamond as one of her own daughters, and hated to think of the dear lass alone in the dark and the cold and the rain.

Pippin rode his pony as hard as the muddy road allowed. It would not help matters if his mount slipped and they took a tumble. As he neared the lane that led to Great Smials he reined the pony into a quick sliding stop. He hadn't passed the lane because he knew where it was but now, as though he had never noticed it before, he saw how easy it would be to miss it, especially in the gloomy light and pouring rain of a stormy day.

"She went past it, lad." He said to the pony. "She went past and got lost. Come on then Smokey, on ahead."

They went forward at a walk with Pippin holding the lamp high and looking carefully to each side of the road. The glow of distant lightening lit the sky to his right and drew his eyes in that direction. Towering clouds shone in white, blues and greys as the lightening flickered in and out among them and the barn was silhouetted dull black against the display of light. Pippin headed straight for the it. Diamond was a farm lass. She would think to run to a barn for shelter. He grinned as he tapped the pony into an extended trot for he knew this barn well; it was a good, sturdy, and dry barn.

It wasn't a very large building, it was used for storing a couple of the hay wains so they were close to the field when the mowing was done. There were also a few box stalls for ponies to be bedded in during the haying. Pippin opened the door and called out Diamond's name but he received no answer. He put his pony into one of the stalls and started looking carefully around. He was just about to think his guess had been wrong when he opened the door to the only stall he hadn't yet checked and found Diamond curled up on the straw, fast asleep. He stood and looked at her a few moments and then left. He hung the lantern up on a hook next to the door into the stall his pony was in, went into the stall to take the bridle and saddle off the pony.

“Well, we found her, Smokey,” Pippin softly told the pony as he removed his tack. “She’s safe and out of the rain.” Pippin sighed away some of the tenseness in his shoulders and chest. “You did well, very well. You didn’t shy, nor lose your footing. You’re a good solid old lad.”

He found some hay , some old sacks and a bucket; put the hay in the manger, and took the bucket he found in the stall and went outside to fill it from the rain barrel.

“There you go, m’lad. Good hay. Fresh water. I’m only sorry I’ve no oats to give you.” Pippin gave Smokey a good rubdown with the sacks to dry him as best he could. “Get a good night’s rest, old lad,” he said as he gave the dapple grey’s rump a firm pat before shutting him in the stall. With the pony taken care of, he could now give his full attention to Diamond.

Pippin had hung the lantern so that it gave light to the stall Diamond was in but left her in the shadow, for he didn't want the light to disturb her. He knelt beside her and brushed the damp hair away from her face. Her skin was cool to his touch, and when he took one of her hands in his and it felt quite icy. Pippin knew what he needed to do but hesitated a few moments before he slowly and carefully started to remove her wet clothes. Her camisole was nearly dry, as was her innermost petticoat. If they had been wet through instead of just damp, Pippin wasn't at all sure what he would have done and he was relieved that it had not come to that. He wrapped her in one of the blankets he had brought and draped the other one over that.

But what about himself? He was no drier than she had been and he was starting to feel chilled. He looked around the barn and found a few more sacks and a horse blanket. After ripping the sacks to open them out flat, he grabbed the lantern and went back into the stall. He stripped down to his shortclothes and lay down next to Diamond, covered himself up as best he could with the sacks then pulled the horse blanket over both of them, blew out the lantern, and eventually drifted off to sleep.

Diamond could not figure out why her bed was so scratchy, it had been fine the whole time she had been at Great Smials. She stirred a little to try to get comfortable. No, not Great Smials. She had left. She was . . . where was she?

Diamond slowly opened her eyes to find herself looking very closely at a wall made out of unpainted boards. She closed her eyes as she remembered the rain, the road and the barn in the field. Her brows pulled together as she could not figure out why she felt so warm and cozy. She had been nearly wet to the skin and cold when she had laid down in the straw the night before. Her mouth felt dry and her nose was somewhat stuffed up so she started to reach for the handkerchief she kept in the pocket in her skirt.

Her hand moved against the fabric of her camisole and she realized she was no longer fully dressed. Diamond opened her eyes and saw that she was wrapped up in couple of blankets, with . . . she blinked a few times to be sure she was seeing properly, yes, there was a horse blanket covering her as well. But how?

She tried to roll onto her back but couldn't as something was tucked up behind her. As a chill traveled through her she realized that someone was lying with her and had their arm around her middle. She slowly worked at loosening the blankets around her so she could move away quickly, then she reached her right arm up, took a deep breath and punched behind her head and downwards. The arm around her stomach was gone as a cry of pain came from the body behind her. Diamond got to her feet and quickly ran out of the stall.

"Diamond!"

She was almost to the barn door when she pulled to a stop.

"Diamond, wait!"

Even muffled, she recognized that voice. She slowly walked back to the stall and peeked around the door. Pippin sat with both hands to his face, his fingers cradling the bridge of his nose. Diamond ran to him and knelt beside him in the straw.

"Peregrin! Are you all right? Is it broken?"

"I don'd thingk so." He said,sounding like he had a cold.

"Move your hands." Diamond told him as she reached up and started to pull his hands away from his face. "Oh dear, you're bleeding! I'll be right back." She said and got up to look for some water and, finding the bucket in the pony's stall, she ripped the ruffle off of her petticoat, soaked it in the cold water, and then ran back to Pippin.

"I'm so sorry." She said as she wiped the blood from his face and then rearranged the cloth and put a clean part of it against his nose.

"Ouch! You're pushin' too hard." Pippin pulled away from her.

"I'm sorry." She said again and gave him the cloth to hold for himself. "I'm so sorry."

Diamond bowed her head and cried.

Pippin grabbed one of the sacks he had used for a blanket and blew his nose several times to get the blood out of it and then put the cold wet petticoat ruffle back onto his nose to ease the pain. He reached over and put his left arm around Diamond's shoulders and pulled her to his chest.

"It's all right. No real harm done." He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back. "It probably won't even swell too badly. Although you have a stronger punch than I thought you would." Pippin chuckled as he gave her an affectionate squeeze.

"I thought you were . . . that you . . ." Diamond looked up into Pippin's eyes. "I was frightened. I didn't know it was you and I was in my underclothes and I was afraid." She started crying even harder.

Pippin put the wet cloth down and held Diamond tightly with both arms. He rocked her and softly rubbed the back of her head.

"You did just what you should have. I had meant to wake up first and I didn't. Of course you were frightened. It's all right, Diamond love. My nose will be fine."

For awhile they just sat there. Diamond had moved her arms from between them and was holding Pippin tightly, feeling as though she never wanted to let go of him again. Pippin had been resting his cheek on her head but now he moved a little to kiss her forehead and then pulled away enough to look at her face. He looked lovingly at every feature and gently touched her tear dampened cheek.

"I'm sorry I got so angry with you over something as stupid as cutting my hair." He said softly. "I was tired and a bit hung over and," he looked into her eyes, “Can you forgive me?"

Diamond pulled herself snugly against his chest and cuddled into his shoulder.

"Can you forgive me? You were right, I was treating you like I used to treat Isengrim and Adde and Bandy. As though you were someone who can not make his own plans and decisions."

She looked up at him. "You are to be my husband, not a sibling or a child. I wasn't treating you properly and you were right to not like it."

They kissed and as the kiss grew more passionate, Diamond felt herself getting carried away by feelings stronger than any she had ever had before. She wanted Peregrin. She wanted to give herself to him and she was barely able to resist the flood of emotions that filled her. She sighed and pulled herself away from him. No wonder she had heard the matrons say it was worth the arguing to get to the making up.

"I think we are being missed at the Smials, Mr. Took." Diamond whispered and reached out to caress Pippin's cheek. "And as I am not yet Mrs. Took, I think we need to get dressed and go back before they come searching for us and find us like this."

"I suppose you are right, Miss North-took of Long Cleeve." Pippin returned her caress. " There isn't any way we could have the wedding sooner, is there?"

"Peregrin!" She exclaimed and slapped him on the shoulder. "Trying to plan it all in eight weeks is nearly killing me and you dare suggest sooner!" Laughing lightly she added, "I only wish we could."

Pippin leaned over to kiss her forehead and then stood up. He went over to where he had draped his clothes over the wall of the stall, gathered them up and turned to Diamond.

"Well, my lady, I shall go and tend to my needs and the pony's. You may tend to yours and we shall return to Great Smials. But I have something I want you to give consideration to and let me know your answer on the ride back."

"And what would that be, good sir?"

"That we return to Great Smials, have an excellent breakfast, and then pack our belongings and go back to Bag End. I think we've had more than enough teas and evenings at the tavern. I'm ready to spend more time with you than with other people. Think it over, Diamond and let me know what you decide."

Diamond ran over to Pippin and hugged him tightly. "That sounds wonderful! Now get out of this stall and get busy getting yourself and that pony ready so we can go!" She let go of him and shoved him out of the stall as both of them filled the barn with their laughter.

They rode back to Great Smials on Smokey, who didn’t seem to mind carrying two riders. Diamond was not at all sure that she wouldn’t prefer to climb the hillside, slip into her bedroom window and make her appearance at first breakfast looking more her usual self. But Pippin said he doubted there was a hobbit in the whole smial who didn’t know what had happened and they may as well just avail themselves of the Thain’s private entrance. He guided Smokey to the side of Great Smials where the private entrance stood at the end of the Thain’s private garden. He tied the pony to the fence, helped Diamond dismount, took her arm and began to walk her to the door.

“It will only be my family that will see us this way. Well, and Merry and Estella. And then any of the servants who happen to wander in.” Pippin’s grin was a sly one. “Not more than thirty or so hobbits.”

Diamond stopped. “No! No, I can’t face all those hobbits like this, Peregrin.”

But her betrothed merely took her by the arm and led her through the door.

Though he said nothing to Diamond, Pippin was rather surprised at how quiet his parent’s apartments were. He and Diamond had both ended up missing, yet there were no sounds of people rushing about, nor of relations weeping. As they approached the dining room, only a gentle murmur of conversation and the sounds of utensils on plates could be heard.

“You’re late for first breakfast, Son,” Paladin said as the door opened to reveal the rather bedraggled couple standing on the threshold.

“Yes, do sit down and fill your plates before there isn’t any thing left, dears,” Eglantine calmly said, gesturing toward their empty seats at the table.

In a daze Pippin escorted Diamond to her place, held out her chair for her, then tucked her up to the table. He then went to the other side of the table and took his own place to the right of his father. Heaping plates of food were quickly set before them as the conversation around the table began once more. If Pippin had been in less of a haze he would have noticed that only adults were at the table. His sisters and their husbands were in their usual places but none of the children were there. Children have trouble with saying things they’ve been told not to say.

Diamond’s eyes met Peregrin’s. After a few moments they both began to slowly put food on their forks and to bring the food to their mouths, all the while staring at each other or absently sneaking glances at the family members as they, more enthusiastically, ate their meal.

Merry was sitting at Pippin’s right. Pippin eventually ended up staring at his cousin. Merry calmly took another bite of his toast, a sip of his tea, chewed thoroughly then swallowed.

“Have a good night’s sleep, Pip?” Merry’s knowing grin was reflected in his voice, which he kept quiet so only Pippin could hear him. He did not look over at his astonished cousin, instead keeping his eyes on his plate of food.

“I . . . eh . . . ah . . .” Pippin was uncharacteristically speechless, blushing deeply to the roots of his uncombed hair.

“Uncle Paladin and I performed a very thorough search of the grounds last night. Well, as thorough as we could in the dark and the miserable weather,” Merry’s voice was calm and low, but still carried a hint of suppressed glee. He ate some of his scrambled eggs, another bite of toast and took another sip of tea. He spoke again before his mouth was completely empty.

“We did confer (swallow) with each other on what would be the (sip of tea) best places to look. These are excellent eggs, Pip. You should eat up, lad, before yours are stone cold. Where was I? Oh, yes! Best places to look for lost Tooks. (pause while more eggs and toast were consumed) Uncle Paladin, wise man that he is, suggested we check all the outbuildings.”

If Merry had been looking at his younger cousin, he would have seen the blush slowly drain from the lad’s face, but Merry was still keeping his eyes on his eating.

“There are a good many outbuildings to check, I’ll have you know, Pip. Did you know . . . well, of course you do . . . (bite of eggs, chew and swallow, sip of tea) There’s a rather snug old barn, small barn really, almost a large shed, not far off the main road. Uncle Paladin said it’s used at haying times. You know the one, don’t you, Pip?”

Merry finally looked at Pippin’s pale, shocked face. The lad’s mouth hung open as he slowly nodded his head. A look of horror was growing in his eyes.

“Amazing the things that one can find in a barn.”

Little choking noises escaped from Pippin’s open mouth. If he had been more awake, if he had been less in shock, Pippin would have noticed that Merry looked rather tired himself. He would have noticed that his Father didn’t look much better. But he didn’t notice.

“We found Uncle Paladin’s Smokey in one of the stalls. Well bedded down, mind you. Very well cared for and bedded down for the night.”

More odd noises came from Pippin.

“Of course,” Merry paused while he ate a few more mouthfuls of his breakfast. He really was enjoying himself immensely. “Of course,” he finally continued, “we found a couple of other things bedded down for the night.”

It really was a good thing for Pip that he was in such a state of shock and dismay or he may have burst out loudly and the whole room full of hobbits would have had their attention drawn to him. As it was, his voice was still not responding properly to its owner.

“I . . . We . . . Nothing happ . . . happened,” Pippin squeaked out in a strangled whisper. But his voice and his mind were starting to recover from their shock. “We . . . I . . . Nothing happened. Honestly. Merry, you have to believe me. Truly. I know it is most likely impossible to (he swallowed at the dryness in his mouth) . . . to believe, but you must. You truly must, Merry. Nothing . . . nothing at all . . .” Pippin’s voice wavered and faded away as he realized that Merry was grinning from ear to ear and soothingly patting his hand.

“Your nose doesn’t look as though nothing happened, dearest cousin of mine.”

“My nose? Oh! No. No, that’s . . .”

“It’s all right, Pippin.” Merry cut his cousin’s response short. “Your dear father rode back to the Smials to let everyone know that all was well, that the two of you had been found. Then he came back to the barn with coffee, dry clothes and blankets for the two of us and we kept watch over the two of you. Of course . . .” Merry paused to give his words full effect, “that doesn’t mean you two hadn’t quite literally had a roll in the hay before we got there, or after we left in the morning, but . . .”

“No! No, we didn’t, really we didn’t, Merry.” Pippin was remembering to keep his voice quiet, unaware that everyone at the table knew what was going on between the cousins, even if they didn’t know precisely what was being said. The situation had been well discussed by Paladin and the family the night before and a bit of a report had been given that morning just before the young couple had appeared at the dining room door. Everyone knew Merry would have to tease Pippin about it all.

“We figured as much, Pip. We had a look under the horse blanket that was over the two of you.” Merry grinned. “You were each in your smallclothes, wrapped up separately, snug as sung could be. You even had your arms tucked down inside your sacking. Though, one was untucked this morning before we left, which I’ve the feeling accounts for your nicely bruised nose.”

“You . . . You uncovered us!”

The table erupted in laughter as this time Pippin forgot to keep his voice low. Even Diamond, though she was vividly blushing, was laughing. Lanti had told her of Paladin and Merry’s night watch, assuring her that all was well in the family’s eyes and they were just glad all was well again between her and Pippin.

Paladin reached over to pat his son’s shoulder. “We had to uncover you, Pippin. I had to know if I needed to get one of the driving whips that are in that barn and give my heir a thrashing.” He tried to look stern but failed miserably.

Pippin’s face fell into his hands as he slowly shook his head. “I don’t believe this,” he muttered into his palms.

Merry grinned evilly. “Then I suppose we don’t need to believe you that nothing ha . . .”

“I believe you all! I believe you!”

The whole family roared with laughter as Pippin’s head flew up out of his hands, his eyebrows halfway up his forehead and his eyes as wide as they could go.

“Now, my two darlings,” Eglantine said as the laughter finally began to die down. “Something needs to be done. It simply will not do for you two to remain so busy and befuddled.”

Pippin looked at Diamond who gave him a slight nod in return. “Actually, Mum, we have already made a decision about that. We decided that we would go back to Hobbiton, to Bag End, for the rest of the time until the wedding.”

The dining room went silent as everyone waited for Lanti’s response. Her face reflected the thoughts and emotions running through her. She blanched a bit, looking surprised. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as some of her color returned. She frowned a bit. She raised her eyebrows a bit. Finally, she smiled and opened her eyes.

“Yes. I think that is the best choice. With the new road between Tuckborough and Hobbiton it doesn’t take nearly as long to get back and forth as it used to. A Quick Messenger can do the ride in a morning’s time, or a bit less. If we need your opinions or approval for any of the plans, it should be no real problem to send word. Sam and Rosie will be just the hobbits to keep you two from overdoing things and getting yourselves all tired out again.”

Diamond embraced her future mother-in-law. “Thank you so much, Mother Took. We were afraid our decision might hurt your feelings, and we don’t wish to do that.”

“I have enjoyed having you both here, but Tuckborough is a more persnickety town than Hobbiton. It will be easier for you to not accept every invitation you receive if you are at Bag End. And, dear,” Lanti said with a warm smile and a twinkle in her eyes, “I should have said something sooner but, please, call me Mum. I might be the Mistress of Great Smials, but I’m not that priggish.”

“Thank you, Mum,” Diamond said as she happily hugged Eglantine again.