Chapter 52. No Time Like the Present

When visitors were expected at the Great Smials, it was customary for the Steward to place a messenger – usually a stable lad, but for more important guests it might be a Pony Post rider – on the on the outskirts of Tuckborough, to watch for the approach of the coach or rider and to gallop back to the Great Smials to set the Thain’s hospitality in motion. The return of the Thain and Mistress was no exception; Regi had a Pony Post rider watching for the Thain’s second-best coach, beginning two days after the scheduled departure of the royal party for the Southlands.

It seemed as if the Thain and Mistress must have stopped over at the Home Away From Home, and as the Master of the inn had warning this time, he must have made things so very comfortable, and been so very obliging, that the Thain and his family took an extra day there. Or so Regi surmised, for if there had been any kind of accident, they’d have had a message.

At the fall of darkness, the Pony Post rider returned, without news, and Regi told him to go out again mid-morning, next day, and sit his post until dark – and to do so each day until he brought news of the Thain’s approach. The rider was philosophical about it all – yes, it was uncomfortable, sitting in the shelter of an outlying barn, wrapped up against the chilly temperatures while his pony munched on hay provided by the obliging farmer. However, he was being paid well for the privilege of waiting, and he could sleep at home in his own bed at night, which he might not be able to do, say, if he were to carry a message to Buckland as was his usual duty on ponyback.

Another day passed to its close, with no message, and no Thain, but Regi was not worried. That morning, he had sent one of the escort to the Home Away inn to see if there was any news, and the hobbit had returned with the word that he’d met Hilly in the stable there, sitting upon an upturned bucket and swapping stories with the ostler, and that Thain and family were within the inn proper, being waited on hand and foot by the proprietor and his family, and recovering from their exertions at the Farewell.  

‘That must have been some celebration at the Bridge,’ Ferdi said to Regi that afternoon, when Regi apprised him of the situation. Ferdi was still recovering rapidly, so much so that he’d made his slow way to the Thain’s study after the noontide meal and sat at his desk until teatime, catching up more on gossip than paperwork. He was keenly interested in all that had happened since the ruffians had left him for dead. (The full story, mind, and none of this pap of pre-digested bits and pieces that are all the healers have allowed me up until this point in time...)

‘…and they blew up Hoard Hill?’ he said incredulously, when Regi reached that point in his narrative. He leaned back in his chair and stretched, still a bit cautious in his movements, but revelling in the full response from every limb. ‘Blew it up?’

‘Yes, well,’ Regi said, and cleared his throat. ‘Apparently they were working from some old information, from when Ferumbras was still Thain, before the treasury of the Tooks was removed from Hoard Hill for safekeeping,’ he directed a stern look at Ferdi from under his eyebrows, ‘as you might remember…’ For it had been Ferdi, along with young Faramir, who had rediscovered the treasure after it had been “lost” after the death of Ferumbras, hidden behind a secret dwarf-made door.

‘But… blew up the entire hill?’ Ferdi said.

‘Blew the entire crown off the hill,’ Regi said. He spread his hands and shrugged. ‘The Tookland's entire supply of black powder was stored there, after all.’ He cocked his head, considering. ‘I suppose that the barrels and barrels of powder might resemble treasure, up until the moment the torch-bearing ruffian removed the top of a barrel and bent to look more closely at the contents.’

Ferdi shuddered, closed his eyes, and held out a staying hand.

Regi was immediately apologetic. ‘I’m that sorry, Ferdi, I oughtn’t…’

‘No,’ the other said, drawing a deep breath and swallowing hard. ‘It was just the image of it, in my head, the momentary imagination, and the horror of it, had they had young Farry with them at the time they broached the barrels…’

For Faramir, though in the possession of the ruffians, and threatened with a terrible fate at their hands, had been secreted in a cavern at the base of the great hill while the ruffian leader and his blood-thirsty brother went up to scout out the treasure cave at the top.

‘I’m just glad the whole hill didn’t come down on Farry, for it might’ve, you know.’

‘I know,’ Regi said, with a shudder of his own.

And then Ferdi's hobbitservant Rusty was at the study door, bowing and saying, ‘The Chancellor’s wife is expecting him to tea…’

‘And you’ve come to fetch him?’ Regi said, though “escort” was the more likely word. Nell wasn’t taking any chances with her healing husband. ‘Very good, Rusty.’ And to Ferdi, he said, ‘Very well, you may be excused, Ferdibrand.’

Ferdi blinked a little at this formal dismissal, but had no time to protest, as Rusty had quickly crossed the room to his side, ready to help him up from his chair and saying, ‘If you please, Master, I would not want to keep the Missus waiting…’

‘Never!’ Ferdi said, and suffered himself to be assisted, though Rusty knew to let him be just so soon as he’d gained his balance. ‘Well, then, Regi, I’ll see you in the morning.’

‘I’ll be here,’ Reginard said, with a nod of dismissal.

‘Good,’ Ferdi said, refraining from asking the hobbit if he intended to spend the night, indeed, sleep upon the hearthrug. ‘For there is still much to be told… all that happened after Hoard Hill had its crown blown away, up until I awakened – I mean, fully awakened – only a few days ago. So much seems like a dream, and at that, a distorted dream, in my memory. I’m not sure what I know, and what I only surmise…’

‘We cannot have that,’ Regi said, and then made a shooing motion. ‘But go! You’re in danger of keeping the fair Nell waiting!’

Ferdi smiled suddenly, and to Regi’s surprise, laughed as he crossed the room to the door, Rusty by his side. He did not explain to the Steward why he found it so comical, to keep his wife waiting, but he was thinking within himself that his beloved Nell had told him that he could do nothing to cause her disgruntlement, not ever again, not since he’d had the grace to rise from the grave (though he’d never been quite dead) and return to her once more.

Though he did not doubt her sincerity, neither did he want to test her resolve. All he said, just before he exited the study, was, ‘I would not want to keep my fair Nell waiting…’

Next day, two hours or so before teatime, the Pony Post rider galloped to the Smials, flung himself from the saddle, and ran through the corridors to the Thain’s study. Because he had a wide grin on his face, the inhabitants took no alarm from his haste, but the word spread rapidly that the Thain’s arrival was imminent, and so everyone left off what they were doing (or hurried to complete some preparation or other) and hastened to the courtyard.

Thus nearly the entire population of the Great Smials were on hand to cheer the arrival of the Thain’s second-best coach. (Ferdi was napping after his morning in the Thain's study, and so he was not there, but just about everyone else was, saving those who were bedridden and their attendants.)

Regi opened the door of the coach while a stable worker placed the step just so. Pippin hopped down and turned, but Regi was already handing Diamond out of the coach, leaving it to the Thain to catch up his young son, lifting him high, to “fly” him to the ground. All the while the Tooks and servants made a great hullaballoo of welcome and celebration.

Still holding his young son’s hand, Pippin waved his other arm exuberantly at the crowd. He shouted to Regi, ‘Ah, but it’s good to be home!’

‘Indeed, and good to have you here,’ Regi returned, extending his arm to Diamond. At his nod, the crowd parted to allow them to proceed to the Great Stairs that led to the official entrance. In triumph they mounted the stair, to near-deafening cheers. At the top, Pippin turned, and the crowd subsided, for it was evident that he had something to say.

‘Thank you!’ His voice rang clear on the winter air. ‘Thank you very much! And now, please, do come inside before you all catch your deaths! We shall see you in the Great Room at teatime!’

And with a final wave, he turned and entered the Great Smials with Farry, and Regi and Diamond close behind, and the Great Door shut behind them, diminishing the murmur and noise of the crowd considerably.

‘Teatime in the Great Room?’ Regi said, as Pippin stopped to transfer Diamond’s hand to his own arm. ‘I thought – after all the recent endeavours that you might prefer to restore yourselves with a quiet tea in your apartments, and perhaps a grand welcoming tea on the morrow or the day after…’

‘Hard knocks on the kitchen staff, I know,’ Pippin said, starting to walk again, setting his course for the Thain’s apartments, and the others following as a matter of course, ‘but I’m sure they’re able. I pay them well enough, anyhow, to be ready for any contingency. And so, yes, I’m ordering a grand welcoming tea, to be ready at four o’ the clock, punctually, mind, and everyone in the Smials is to attend.’

‘Everyone?’ Regi said.

Pippin laughed. ‘The more, the merrier!’ he said. Suddenly sobering, he added, ‘Even Ferdi, I hope…? Is he any better?’

Regi shook his head. ‘It’s not to be believed,’ he said. ‘Little more than a week ago we took him up from the grave, mind you, unwrapped him from his shroud – though Mardi said it was premature, he gave me to understand it was not premature by much and he did not expect the hobbit to survive his injuries, even so…’

‘Even so,’ Pippin said, the brightness dimming in his eyes.

Farry clung tighter to his father’s hand, his young face distressed, and Diamond gave a little sob and said, ‘So he’s… gone?’

The Steward hastened to reassure them. ‘No, no! Not at all! He’s well!’

‘Well?’ Pippin said, beginning to brighten again. ‘Better?’

‘Better than “better”!’ Regi said, and grimaced a little at the wording. Had it come from Pippin or Ferdi, he’d have felt the need to chide, None of your nonsense, now! ‘He’s well, or very nearly so: on his feet, thinking clearly, talking…’

‘Talking!’ Pippin said. ‘On his feet!’ He broke into a wide grin. ‘I’d say that’s much better than “better”!’ (And Regi couldn’t chide him for nonsense, as he was merely quoting the Steward himself, after all.)

Regi could not know of the influence of the Healing Hands on Ferdi’s recovery, not yet, at least, and not until Pippin told him a slightly embroidered version (as they walked slowly through the corridors, nodding in response to greetings), where the King gave Merry the athelas leaves he’d blessed, to ride at all speed to the Great Smials to apply their benefit to Ferdibrand. He left out of the narrative exactly where the King had been when he’d given the leaves to Merry, and so Regi assumed (just as Pippin intended) that the transfer must have happened just outside the Gate of Buckland, and went right to what he considered the pertinent point. ‘So the Master himself was here, bearing the magical cure?’ he said. ‘But none of us saw him!’

‘He was in a hurry to return to the Bridge, seeing how the King and royal party were already there, and he didn’t want to keep the celebration waiting, for he knew we’d not start without him,’ Pippin said, at his most reasonable.

‘But he ought to have made himself known,’ Regi countered, still somewhat aggrieved at this breach of manners. ‘We might have offered him a mug of hot tea, at the least…’

‘He left you a message on your desk, to tell of Tolly’s healing,’ Pippin said. ‘Did you not see it?’

‘Of course,’ Regi said. ‘It was in his handwriting, and signed by himself – but I thought perhaps a messenger had brought it. When I inquired in the stables, I was told that a Pony Post rider had come and gone again.’ He shook his head and repeated, ‘He ought to have made himself known.’

‘He made himself known to Ferdi, at least, and helped himself to tea in Ferdi’s quarters,’ Pippin said. ‘He told me someone had left the kettle on the hob…’

‘Probably the healer on duty,’ Regi said, suddenly grim. ‘And if I received no report of the Master’s arrival at Ferdi’s quarters, then Woodruff – or one of her assistants – has some explaining to do…’

‘See to it,’ Pippin agreed, his own smile momentarily gone. ‘If Ferdi was neglected in any way… and in such a precarious state, as you say…’

‘I will certainly get to the bottom of it,’ Regi said, and his tone boded no good for the errant healer, whoever it might be, even Woodruff herself, though he could not imagine her neglecting her duties, nor Fennel. No, it must have been one of her assistants.

‘Good,’ Pippin said, and his smile was back, as if he had dismissed the matter from his mind.

And he most likely had, for when Regi said he’d get to the bottom of a matter, Regi did. In any event, Pippin went on to the next matter of business. ‘I want to see Rusty Stubbletoes in my quarters, just so soon as you can send the hobbit to me. If he’s attending to the needs of Ferdi’s or Tolly’s families, of course, he may finish his task and then come to me.’

Regi nodded. He didn’t stop to wonder what Pippin might want of the hobbitservant. It was enough that Pippin had issued the order. ‘I’ll see to it,’ he said.

‘Tell Ferdi and Tolly that I’ll greet them at the grand tea,’ Pippin said. ‘I think we’ll take the next hour or two to freshen up from our journey,’ (though it really was not that far from the Home Away to the Great Smials, it was still a journey, in a coach, for more than an hour, and so could qualify for freshening up), ‘and so there’s no need for either of them to attend us in our quarters. Rusty, however, I do want to see before teatime, just so soon as he’s able.’

‘I’ll send him to you,’ Regi said, and lifted a hand before Pippin could speak, ‘just so soon as he’s able. I won’t interrupt him in the middle of his duties.’

‘Good,’ Pippin said. ‘I want the hobbit able to give me his full attention, after all, and not be thinking about what he’s left undone, and what he feels he needs to accomplish before joining the rest of the crowd at the great tea.’

At Regi’s look of astonishment, he laughed and nodded. ‘Yes, Regi, that’s right! Tooks, Tooklanders, and servants, all! I want the great room crammed just as full as it can be – everyone who is not confined to a bed – and their watchers, of course – and do arrange for heaping plates of good things to be sent to all who cannot attend…’

‘I’ll see to it,’ Regi said, adding another item to his mental list. He turned away as they reached the Thain’s apartments, to see to the first item on his list: Rusty, who was likely to be found in either Ferdi or Tolly’s rooms – at this time of day, no doubt dusting or polishing one family’s sitting room and then the other, preparatory to laying tea for the two families, if he hadn't gone out to join the welcoming throng in the courtyard. Knowing that hobbit, and his devotion to his duty, Regi rather doubted that he had. He might not even know, yet, about the grand celebratory tea the Thain had ordered.

Adelard, of the escort, was on duty at the door to the Thain’s apartments. He smiled to greet the arrivals and opened the door with a sweeping bow. ‘Good to have you back, Sir, Mistress, young Master,’ he said. ‘I hope you’ll find everything to your satisfaction. Sandy’s been polishing everything that can take a polish, and brushing all the rest.’

‘Barely escaped polishing yourself, I dare say,’ Pippin said, looking the escort up and down and noting Adelard was wearing his finest clothes, as if prepared for a celebration. The hobbit went up a notch in his estimation – he had imagination, something not always found in Shirefolk, or even Tooks for that matter. ‘I do hope being brushed wasn’t too much of a trial.’

The escort allowed himself a chuckle – it was a joyous occasion, and somehow he could not maintain the dignity he usually showed when on duty – and gestured to the entryway. ‘Tea’s just on,’ he said, ‘and Sandy awaits your least request.’

‘I’m sure that he does,’ Pippin said, waving wife and son through the doorway. He stopped and turned to the escort. ‘That will be all, Adel,’ he said. ‘We’ll be accepting no visitors nor messages until teatime – which we’ll be taking in the great room, by the way, and I expect yourself to be there, with all your family. You may wish to let them know yourself, and then return here to turn away visitors until teatime, though I’m sure the Talk will have reached them sooner than you may, yourself, though you run like the wind.’

‘Yes, Sir,’ Adelard said. Since there was an unspoken Rule against running in the corridors, with only the most urgent messenger excepted, he left his post at a walk, brisk though it might have been, and he’d return at a walk.

Knowing Rusty, Pippin figured the hobbitservant would leave off whatever he was doing (regardless of the wording of Regi’s message) to attend the Thain’s wishes, and so would arrive before the hobbit of escort came to take up his station once more. He gladly took the cup Sandy poured for him, strong and steaming hot, just off the boil, as he preferred it, and nodded in response to the hobbitservant's quiet word of welcome. Then, ‘Diamond, love,’ he said with a smile and a meaning look, ‘Do take yourself and Farry off for a little rest before teatime... I have a small matter of business, and then I'll join you.’

‘Of course, my dear,’ Diamond said, taking up her own cup and saucer and standing to her feet, with a nod for her little son. ‘Come, Farry,’ she said.

‘But I'm not tired!’ Farry protested.

‘This is one of those times we've talked about,’ Pippin said to his son with a fond smile. ‘Remember? If Mum feels a chill, you must...’

‘Put on a jacket,’ Faramir said with a sigh.

‘And if Mum is a little weary...’ Pippin prompted.

‘I know, I know,’ Farry said, in a tone beyond his years. ‘You don't have to tell me.’

And so Pippin didn't. He merely watched his wife and son walk into the more private rooms of the Thain's apartments, smiled, and sipped his tea.