Two mornings later Merry rode up the hill and stopped at the gate of Bag End. He slipped his leg over the saddle and dropped lightly to the ground. It was mid morning and he was surprised to see no signs of life; the curtains were drawn, the door closed and there was no washing on the line.  He looked around at the garden sadly, dismayed by the obvious air of neglect. He shook his head and knocked loudly on the door. He could hear faint stirrings inside but his knock went unanswered. He tried again, more loudly and receiving no answer he turned the handle and slowly pushed the door open. He called out but his words were drowned out by the wailing that seemed to be coming from the kitchen. He stood at the kitchen doorway unobserved and took in the scene before him.

Sam was standing at the stove, still dressed in a crumpled nightshirt, his hair dishevelled. He was attempting to prepare breakfast with one hand while holding Ellie perched on his hip. The child was crying loudly and wriggling so hard that she was in danger of falling. One look at the state of the kitchen convinced Merry that all was not well. The sink was full of dirty crockery, the table strewn with plates of unfinished food and the floor covered with abandoned baby toys.

Merry coughed to announce his presence. Sam turned, hoping against hope that he would see Rosie; his face fell when he recognised his visitor.

“I’m not really up to visitors today” said Sam his shoulders drooping.

“Morning to you too, Sam, it looks like you could do with a bit of a hand?” Merry came forward and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Elanor’s cries stopped abruptly when she spied one of her favourite uncles, she raised her hands to him and squealed in delight as he plucked her from her Dada’s arms. After a quick cuddle Merry swung her into the air and dropped her lightly into her highchair. He stifled her emerging protest by handing her a cookie in one hand and a toy in the other. He guided Sam firmly to the table and sat him down.

“Right, Lad, first things first! You sit there while I make a brew and rescue the breakfast.”  Five minutes later the table was cleared and the floor tidied. Merry sat opposite Sam and handed him a mug of tea. Sam sipped his in silence, watching as Merry fed Ellie her oatmeal porridge.

“Sam, where’s Rosie?” Merry posed the question that had been puzzling him since he first arrived. “Is she ill?”

“She’s not here….she’s gone!”

“Gone where?” queried Merry, his concern growing.

“I don’t know… we had words...and she left!” Merry struggled not to allow his shock to show on his face. This was worse than he had imagined. He had come over to see if Sam was alright after he had heard whispers about the upset in the Green Dragon but he had not anticipated this turn of events. It was obvious that Sam was in a hole and needed help.  Merry took charge.

“Right,” he commanded “you go and get yourself washed and dressed: a hot bath will perk you up. I will sort out this little one and then we will have a proper breakfast.” Sam continued to sit with his head in his hand. “Come on Lad, get yourself moving, I haven’t got all day.” He watched Sam shuffle off down the hall and turned his attention to the baby.

“Now then, Princess, what are we going to do about this mess…heh? The dirty pots are easy; it’s your Da that needs help…any ideas for your uncle... I’m a bit out of my depth here!” Elanor smiled and continued with her game.

“Well, Merry, it looks like you’re on your own?” he muttered to himself.

Merry started on setting the kitchen to rights. He washed the pots and examined the contents of the pantry. Rosie’s absence was obvious by the absence of provisions; the bread was stale and the mushroom crock empty. He found some bacon and two smoked sausages, he went outside and collected the eggs and a few nearly ripe tomatos from the vine and assembled his hoard to cook them when Sam was ready.

“Now then, Princess Dirty Face, lets get you sorted.” He lifted Elanor from her chair and wrinkled his nose. “One of us needs a bath and I don’t think it’s me!. I think you’d better join your Da in the bath.” He undressed her and cleaned her off as best he could. “It’s a good job it’s me here today, your uncle Pippin doesn’t know one end of a baby from the other.” He blew a raspberry on her tummy and smiled as she giggled.

“Let’s go find your Dada.”

***

“Sam, I have to go over to Bindbale to check on some timber for my Father, will you to come with me?” Merry and Sam sat in the shade of a tree smoking their pipes, Elanor asleep on a blanket between them. Sam gently brushed a stray curl from her face.

“I don’t think so…how can I?. I’m not good company right now”

“Sam, there’s nothing that can’t be sorted…if you have the courage… lets face it anything from here has got to be an improvement, hasn’t it?” he said gently.

“What about Elanor…What about Rosie?”

“One thing at a time, Sam! Now I won’t take no for an answer, so you need to get sorted. I’ll take Elanor over to her Grandma while you get organised and get us some provisions.  It will take me an hour or two. I’ll leave my pony here while we’re away… can you get one of the lads to tend them for a day or two?”

“Don’t you want to ride to Bindbale?” queried Sam.

“No, I rather fancy a ramble, besides the exercise and fresh air will do you good!”

Sam helped Merry to collect together sufficient clothes and toys for Elanor and packed them into a saddlebag. Merry secured the infant in a papoose at his chest and set of for Cotton Farm. “I’ll be back by lunchtime Sam, make sure you’re ready!”

***

Mrs Cotton came to the kitchen door when she heard the pony’s hoofs clattering on the cobbled yard. She clutched at the doorpost, her face draining of colour when she saw Merry carrying her grand-daughter, her fear evident on her face.

“What is it…what has happened… is he alright?”

Merry, seeing her fear, raised his hand and smiled in reassurance. “It’s alright; Sam is fine or as fine as he can be given the circumstances. But I do need your help!” he continued, getting down carefully from the pony. Elanor’s eyes lit up with delight to see her Grandma and she wriggled to be free from the restraint of the papoose. Once free she went to her Grandma with delight.

“Is Rosie here?” asked Merry.

“Yes, she’s here, but she’s in a terrible state! I can’t get much out of her…she just sits and cries…I’ve never seen her like this…It’s like the pair of them are determined to break each others hearts…I don’t know how to help them, short of banging their heads together!”  

“I know, that’s why I want to get Sam away for a day or two. I thought that with a change of scenery I could maybe get through to him and help him to face up to things. This situation has gone on long enough…it’s hurting them both!” said Merry. “May I see Rosie?”

“Of course, she’s in the kitchen.  I’ll take this little one to see the animals and give you a chance to talk.”

Rosie was sitting by the fire, a shawl draped around her shoulders, a wet handkerchief twisted in her hand. When she saw Merry fresh tears flowed down her swollen, puffy face.

“Hush now…don’t cry any more. It will be alright” Merry hoped his voice sounded more convincing than he felt. “Tell me what happened?”

It was a while before she had calmed enough to speak. When she did finally begin it was as though a dam had burst and her words came out in a torrent. Merry held her hand and listened in silence as she unburdened herself of all her fears and concerns. She explained about Sams’ silence, about the locked study, the broken inkwell and about the unopened letter, about the sleepless nights and night terrors and Sams’ refusal to enter Frodo’s room, about his reluctance to talk about Frodo or the quest. When she had finished Merry gave her a hug and handed her a clean handkerchief.

“Rosie, I love you all dearly and I will do my best to help you all.  I want to take Sam away for a day or two. When we get back will you come and talk to him?”

“Will he want to talk to me? I’m the one who walked out…he may not want me back”

“Do you love him, Rosie?”

“Of course I do, but I’m not sure he has enough love left for me…too much was lost when Frodo left…I think he wishes he had gone with him!” This caused more tears to fall.

“Rosie, Sam loves you… I was there on the day you were wed, I saw the joy on his face, and he fair glowed with it. That love hasn’t gone; he’s just too full of unhappiness at the moment to see it. Don’t lose faith in him…we’ll get him back!”

Rosie smiled sadly. “I hope you’re right”.

*****