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Eleventy-one Years: Too Short a Time   by Dreamflower

Author's Note: The letter to Mirabella in this chapter originally appeared in my 2005 hobbit_ficathon story, "An Appeal to Family", though I've made a few edits so it would fit better into the story.

Chapter 44: Lobelia, part 2

22 Halimath, S.R. 1340

His fiftieth birthday was going quite well, Bilbo thought. Bag End was filled with family connexions, all of whom were enjoying his hospitality. He'd been very busy playing host, and now was enjoying an ale and conversation with Drogo and Dora before it was time to pass out his birthday gifts and see to the supper. He cast an eye over the room, and then blinked in surprise.

Bilbo's mug stopped halfway to his mouth. "What is she doing here? Moreover, what is he doing here?" This was, after all, a family gathering, by invitation only. "He" was Otho, and had declined the invitation (or, at least, his father had declined on his family's behalf) and "she" was Lobelia Bracegirdle, who had not been invited at all.

Drogo, who had been congratulating his cousin on his fiftieth birthday party, blanched as he looked in their direction. Then he flushed as Lobelia raised a hand and wiggled her fingers at him, smiling across the room. Next to her, Otho Sackville-Baggins scowled at him, and now Drogo flushed with anger. Dora moved to block her brother from their line of sight.

"How rude!" said Dora indignantly. "The sheer nerve of her!"

"I'm afraid it's my fault, Bilbo," said Drogo. "She's been following me about for days. I can't seem to get her to go away and leave me alone!"

Bilbo scowled. "I can't ask them to leave. It would cause a dreadful scandal."

"I'm not sure she'd leave if you did, cousin," Drogo shook his head in resignation.

Bilbo gave a huff. "Well, they will have to make do when I pass out the gifts. Excuse me, please." He made his way to the mathom room. If he did not have gifts for all the guests, invited or not, it would be an even worse scandal than asking them to leave. Bilbo liked to give new gifts most of the time, but they'd have to be satisfied with what he could find, though of course it had to be of value equal to the other gifts he bestowed. He poked around, some of the things bringing back memories that he'd rather not part with. There had to be something...ah! Just the thing for Otho: a silver-plated inkwell. It was rather unattractive, being boxy in shape, rather than pleasingly round, and the base was uneven so that it would rock when used. But it would do. Now about Miss Lobelia Bracegirdle...he looked around some more, and his eye lit upon a large silver serving spoon. It had been relegated to the mathom room because it did not match any of the other spoons his mother had. Just the thing for Miss Lobelia!

x0x0x0x

21 Afteryule, S.R. 1341

"Well, Drogo, you are of age today! It seems hard to realise you are thirty-three!" Bilbo clapped his cousin on the back.

"It's hard for me to realise!" He sighed. "I'm going to miss having an excuse to spend mornings up at Bag End and reading in your study."

"You can always simply come to visit me, cousin."

The Party Field was alight with lanterns and torches and a bonfire to keep the party-goers warm. The celebration was nearly over save for the dancing, and musicians had struck up the music for "Exchanges"*.

"Well, lad, you need to lead off the dance!"

"Will you be dancing, Bilbo?"

"Perhaps I will wait and do some poaching! Go along with you now and find a partner." Bilbo watched as Drogo went off to find their cousin Prisca. Her betrothed, Wil Bolger, had been unable to attend the party. Bilbo watched wistfully; he seldom saw dancing without a pang for the day he'd danced with Pomona. But he tried not to let that keep him from dancing himself. His mother would have urged him on. So he went to lurk near the line of dancers who were forming, to await his turn to "poach" a partner.

The music started as the couples all made their bows to one another. There would be no poaching for at least four measures of music. Bilbo watched as the first couple broke, circled around and took the place of the next couple in the line as everyone moved up a place. The next time the couples broke, the poachers would make their move. But Bilbo would wait another measure. He watched as Falco cut in on Herry Bolger to dance off with Tulip Goodbody, and then he took his own chance to take his Aunt Linda away from Uncle Bodo. But he was soon out again when young Odo came and took away his mother. He found himself on the outside laughing, next to Dora. But his attention was arrested as he saw a dark-haired lass move in to cut Prisca away from Drogo.

"What is she doing here? She wasn't invited!" exclaimed Dora indignantly.

It was most definitely Lobelia Bracegirdle. She had once more crashed a family party. Drogo looked extremely annoyed, his face tight and pale save for his cheeks, red with anger. Dora pursed her lips and moved quickly to rescue her brother at the next measure.

Now it was Lobelia who looked angry. As soon as Drogo and Dora had to move apart to move up a place, Lobelia rushed in, claiming Drogo's arm and rudely bumping Dora as she did so. Dora stepped back, fuming. Bilbo moved up and gave her a look, and then he quickly moved to cut Drogo out, doing it so deftly that it was not until Lobelia took her partner's arm again that she realised he was not Drogo. She glared at him, but he pretended not to notice. Since Drogo stood back and did not rejoin the dance she was forced to finish it with Bilbo.

The music ended with a last bow from all the dancers. "Thank you for the dance, Miss Bracegirdle," Bilbo said politely enough, though he allowed his face to show some triumph.

The music started for another dance, and Lobelia moved to try and intercept Drogo. But others had noticed her attempts, and Dudo intercepted her to dance with him. She watched as Drogo partnered with his Aunt Sapphire Bolger for the stately pavane; there was no "poaching" in that dance, no cutting in allowed.

The rest of the evening, Drogo's cousins and uncles kept Lobelia occupied, while Drogo himself danced away with a procession of aunts and cousins. She was politely penned in by conversation whenever she attempted to move in his direction.

Finally she gave up and slipped away, her back stiff with anger.

x0x0x0x

9 Solmath, S.R. 1341

"What am I going to do, Bilbo? Every time I turn around, there she is. I can't call on friends, I can't go to market! She seems to have decided on me and does not care a whit that I have not decided on her."

Bilbo had gone down to Greenbriars to find out why he had seen nothing of Drogo for several days, and found his cousin skulking in the smial, afraid to put his nose out of the door.

"To make things even worse, I had an encounter with Otho at the mill yesterday when I went to pick up some flour. He backed me up against a wall and told me to stop trying to 'come between' him and Lobelia! I tried to tell him I wasn't interested, but he wouldn't listen and even if he had, he wouldn't believe me!"

"Come up and stay with me at Bag End for a few days, Drogo. It will only give you temporary relief, but perhaps I can come up with an idea that will help."

Drogo had spent a peaceful four days with Bilbo, when there came a knocking on the door. Bilbo got up and looked out the study window.

"Good heavens! It's her!"

Drogo looked thoroughly alarmed. "Bilbo, I don't want to see her."

"Go to your room and I will deal with her."

Drogo nodded and took himself off, and Bilbo rose and went to the front door. He waited a moment to see if she would leave. But the insistent rapping began once more. He opened the door to catch her with her hand upraised in preparation to knock again. "May I help you, Miss Bracegirdle?"

"I wished to speak with Drogo," she said. "I know he's here."

"I am sorry, Miss Bracegirdle, but Drogo is indisposed and not seeing anyone. I will tell him you called. Good day!" He stood back slightly and closed the door firmly in her face. Then he waited a moment and glanced out the window. He saw her stomping down the garden path. Well, he could bear her anger.

x0x0x0x

14 Solmath, S.R. 1341

Bag End

Hobbiton

My Dear Aunt Mirabella,

I am wondering if I can prevail upon you to give me a bit of assistance in the matter of one of my cousins. I know that you have often heard me speak fondly of my cousin Drogo and have met him a few times. He is a very thoughtful and intelligent young hobbit and was one of the first of my Baggins cousins to come to me for tutoring. He was a bright student and his cheerful and jovial personality soon endeared him to me. We have remained close over the years, in spite of the eighteen year difference in our ages.

You may know that his mother was a Bolger, Ruby, a first cousin once removed of old Gundabold Bolger who was wed to Salvia Brandybuck. Sadly, she passed on last year of a wasting illness, and her husband, my cousin Fosco, has been in a decline ever since. He has no longer the heart to pay much mind to his family. They are still young, the youngest has five years yet to his majority, and Drogo himself only came of age right after Yule. They still need the guidance of someone older, but their father is lost in his grief.

The problem that Drogo has is that a lass by the name of Lobelia Bracegirdle has set her cap for him. You know how the Bracegirdles are; they are single-minded when it comes to something they think should be theirs. She has taken to pursuing poor Drogo wherever he goes.

On at least two occasions she has actually barged in on family gatherings, to which, being not even a connection, she was not invited. The lass wields rudeness like a weapon, and I think that in an argument with a dragon she might well come off the better.

Poor Drogo has got to the point where he has been afraid to stick his nose out of his own smial. I invited him to stay with me here at Bag End for a few days, but Hobbiton is a small place, and the Bracegirdle minx soon had word of him, and has come barging up to my door, if you please, with every expectation of welcome.

To complicate matters even further, one of my other cousins, a rather loathsome fellow by the name of Sackville-Baggins ( and that connection should certainly tell you enough about him! ) has an interest of his own in Miss Lobelia. She is comely enough, in spite of a voice that could peel paint, so I suppose it is understandable. And he has had the nerve to threaten poor Drogo for "coming between them".

Alas, a bachelor like myself is simply not equipped to deal with all these youthful antics. I find myself hoping, Aunt Mirabella, that you could kindly do me the favour of inviting Drogo to come visit at Brandy Hall. I am quite sure that Buckland will be far enough away to discourage the Bracegirdle lass, and perhaps once he is out of her sight, she can once again take notice of Otho's attempts to pay court. I think the two of them are admirably suited to one another. Please consider it.

Do answer me soon whether or no you can accommodate young Drogo, for if not, I fear I shall have to appeal to our Tookish connections, and Tookland is not nearly so far away from Miss Lobelia as Buckland.

Please give my best to Gorbadoc and your lovely children. It has only just occurred to me that your youngest, Miss Primula, is now a tweenager. How time does fly!

My fond regards,

Your nephew,

Bilbo

x0x0x0x

2 Rethe, S.R. 1341

The Sun was barely showing her face as Drogo loaded his travelling case into the pony trap they had hired from The Ivy Bush and prepared to set off for Buckland. At least there was no chance of Lobelia being awake so early. He turned to say farewell to Bilbo and Dora, who were there to farewell him.

Dora reached over to pat her brother's arm. "Do be careful, Drogo, especially crossing that River! And do not allow yourself to be taken up by all those wild Brandybucks! With you gone I do not doubt that Miss Lobelia will find someone else to latch onto—I believe she saw you as a challenge. But I think in your absence Otho will find it easier to get her to accept his suit."

Bilbo shook Drogo's hand, and his cousin climbed up on to the seat. "Have a nice long visit, Drogo! Go fishing and check out the library in Brandy Hall and avail yourself of Uncle Gorbadoc's fine table. I shall be there at the end of Astron, and we can journey back together."

Bilbo and Dora stood and watched as the trap drove off. Then Dora smiled. "I believe I shall call upon Ludo and Mignonette today. I should quite like to see Lobelia's face when she learns her prey has escaped!"

They caught one another's eyes and laughed at the thought.

x0x0x0x

*"Exchanges" is my Shire-name for a real English Country Dance called "Hole-in-the-Wall"; it is popular in the Society for Creative Anachronism, where the practice of poaching during this particular dance is customary.





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