Day Seven: Luncheon to bedtime

Shortly after noon, Pippin decided that he’d done enough for that day and cleared all the items from his desk and headed to the dining room in search of sustenance.  He found that his mother and Diamond had planned a very nice noon meal for the residence of the Great Smials.  Since neither his wife or mother was present at the meal, Pippin chose to find a seat among is cousins instead of sitting alone at the head table.  His cousins Hildigrim, Aldebrand and Evanard were quite happy to welcome him to their table.  Good food and good conversation, once most of the food was gone, made the time pass quickly.  Shortly after swallowing his last bite, Pippin excused himself.  He had a lot to get done this afternoon.

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His first stop was in the kitchens.  He asked to speak to the head cook.  “Mistress Blossom, I need a favor from you.”

“Anything for you, sir,” she said.

“Would it be possible for you to put together two trays of nibbles for me for tomorrow?  I need a mixture of sweet and savory finger foods, especially things that you know Mistress Diamond likes.  Cucumber sandwiches and walnut biscuits come to mind.”

“We can do that,” Blossom answered.  “When do you need them?”

“Just after luncheon tomorrow.”

“I’ll have to put one of my best cooks on it, but we’ll have it ready.  Is there anything else?”

“Actually, can you recommend either a good sweet, light wine that we would have here or tell me where I can go get one?”

“I think there’s a few bottles of the sparkling wine we served at Yule.  I’ll include it with the trays for tomorrow.”

“Excellent,” said Pippin.  “You have just done half my work for me.”

“Always happy to serve,” said the cook with a curtsey.

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Once he had accomplished his mission in the kitchens, Pippin went next the head gardener for the Smials.  He found him tending some of the early blooming flowers.  Pippin looked first at the brightly colored blooms and the turned his attention to the hobbit working among them.

“Good afternoon, Rob,” said the Thain.

The gardener stood and bowed.  “What may I do for you this glorious day, sir?” he asked.

“I have a question and a possible favor to ask of you.”

“I’ll be glad to help as I may, sir.”

Pippin looked around again at the garden.  He looked back at the gardener and cleared his throat before continuing.

“Well, despite the fact that the best gardener in the Shire is one of my dearest friends,” Pippin admitted, “I need advice about what flowers are blooming now and might be made into arrangements for display.”

“This time of year’s a bit tricky,” Rob answered.  “Some of the brightest flowers won’t bloom for another month or more but a nice arrangement of daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and well as some early lilac and iris might be done.  If you wanted to consider some of the flowers from the glass house, you might be able to add a few roses to the mix.”

“Do we have enough of these to spare to make up three large arrangements?” 

“I think we could do that, sir, without depleting the garden for everyone else,” Rob said.  “When and where would you be wantin’ them?”

“Tomorrow afternoon, just after luncheon, and have them delivered to my quarters, please.”

“Very good, sir.  Will you be needin’ anything else?”

“Thanks,” said Pippin.  You’ve been a tremendous help, Rob.”

The gardener gave a quick bow and returned to his work.

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Pippin was feeling a real sense of accomplishment.  He knew that all the things that had happened the past were important and would have long-term consequences, but there was something so fulfilling in doing something, that while only lasting a short time, would make the person he loved most feel so special that made these preparations as important as any he had made yet.

His last stop was back in his and Diamond’s quarters.  He wanted to make sure that they were well supplied with the scented soap that Diamond liked as well as a few other things that he thought might be needed and appreciated when the time arrived.  He also checked on the supply of candles that they had.  He wanted to use only candles but he knew that wasn’t practical for what he was planning.  He didn’t want to leave any of them lit and unattended for any length of time.  It would not be a good beginning to his tenure as Thain if, in trying to romance his wife, he burnt the Great Smials to the ground.  His solution was to use candles in the bathing room and a small oil lamp in their bedroom.

He made a mental note to himself to check with the maid in the morning to make sure clean linens were put on the bed for the occasion and that there was a good supply of towels also handy.

Feeling fairly secure in his planning, Pippin went in search now of his son in order that he and Faramir might have tea with Diamond.

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Pippin let Faramir knock on the door to his grandma’s quarters.  The child waited patiently to hear her say enter and then looked to his father to make sure he had his approval to open the door.  At his father’s nod, Faramir turned the knob and pushed on the door.

“Oh look!” exclaimed Egantine when she saw her visitors.  “It’s my big lad.”  She held out her arm to grandson.  She then looked at his father.  “And my giant lad too,” she laughed.

Faramir gave her an enthusiastic hug while Pippin planted a kiss on her cheek.

Diamond looked on the scene with fondness.

“We came to see if you wanted to go to tea with us,” said Faramir.

“I think I’ll have to decline your invitation for today,” said his grandmother.  “I’ve got things to finish here and I really don’t feel like the hustle and bustle of the great room today.  I am sure your mum would love to have two handsome escorts to tea though.”

“Are you sure you can spare me?” asked Diamond. 

“Oh, yes,” Tina assured her.  “These accounts will be here tomorrow.  And since your husband has told me he’ll be tied up till mid afternoon, even on a Highday, we’ll have time to work on them then.  Now, go spend some time with these two.  After all, they’re the two most important Tooks in the world to you and I.”

Diamond smiled as she tidied the area where they’d been working.  “Yes they are.”

Once she had everything in it’s place, she stood and linked arms with her husband.  She held out her free hand to her son.  “Do you want Mum’s hand or Da’s today.”

“Mum’s” he said, taking her hand and beginning to pull both parents toward the door.  “I’m hungry!  Let’s go eat.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Diamond called over her shoulder as she was hastened from the room.

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Once the serious eating was done at tea, Pippin looked at Diamond.  “I sent a letter to Pim the other day to see of her children might want a visit from their cousin and she answered that they would.  If it’s all right with you, I’d like to take Faramir in to Tuckborough tomorrow after I’m done with my public hearings.”

“Are you sure he’s ready to be away overnight?” Diamond asked.

“He’s four now and able to take care of himself.  He’s not one of those children who cling to their parents when other children his age are around.  I think he’ll do fine.  Pimmi’s good at distracting a child who might be homesick and he’ll have her lads to play with.”

Diamond sighed.  “I guess I have to let go sometime.  If he ends up anything like his father, he’ll be wanting to go all the way to Buckland in only a few years.”

Pippin smiled.  “Yes, he probably will,” he admitted.  He was thinking that, if things went the way he hope tomorrow, Diamond would be so distracted herself that she wouldn’t be worrying about her son.

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That night, when Pippin was telling his son his bedtime story, he let the lad know that he was going to go visit his cousins overnight the next day.  That might not have been the best time to say anything because that made it all that much harder to get him to sleep.