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The Tenant from Staddle by Larner	6 Review(s)
Antane	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/11/2007
Is Bracegriddle being to see the light - or should I say Light? - at last? Hmmm... Namarie, God bless, Antane :) Author Reply: Barti's a stubborn one, Antane. No, still not wanting to see the light, much less the Light--not yet, at least.

Kitty	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/11/2007
Ah yes, Bender Cotman! Had already wondered when he would show up again. It was so clear he would try to get to Denra again. But I hadn’t expected him to try to murder Alvric – seems a bit much. But well, what can one expect from these villains – too stupid for their own good. Have to admit Cotman did a creditable job to try and make it look like Safflower did it, but in the end it appears he only managed to get a witness against himself. And the latter could be true of Jape, too evil grin Mac to the rescue! That was wholly unexpected – I had always thought one of the Rangers would be the saviour. But I loved it! It’s a bit surprising Bender didn’t even hear the pony’s hooves, but he was probably too intend on looking for Alvric to watch his surroundings, too. Well, his own fault. How embarassing for him to have been felled by a hobbit! And it was Berenion who taught Mac? Aragorn will be pleased to know it was his kinsman who in the long run taught Frodo his punch :-) I have to admit I begin to feel amused how sour Barti is looking every time someone is mentioning Frodo. But now I understand – when Barti thought all these years Frodo has spied on the lasses, this explains a lot. Though it proves he doesn’t know Frodo at all if he thinks Frodo would do that. Halladan, Hardorn, and I all proved more strongly gifted than many others, Don’t you mean Halbarad here, as it is Halladan speaking? Author Reply: I done it again. Doesn't seem to matter how many times I reread them or others read them--there's always some blooper like this one that needs editing! Thanks for catching it for me, Kitty. Have corrected it here, at least. Those who try things like this tend to be extraordinarily self-centered, and so often miss the obvious, such as the fact that they're being observed. I felt that this time Hobbits ought to get the credit, with a bit of training from a Ranger. Yes, I think Aragorn would feel proud! Heh! And poor Barti is caught in the tangle of his own expectations and lack of appreciation for Frodo's true nature, although part of the real reason he was angry that the return of Bag End still remains to be exposed. Again, thanks for the feedback and the correction.

Bodkin	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/10/2007
Maybe what matters most is that a hobbit does think. After that his mind might begin to take in rather more of the information that has always been available to him! That Cotman is a nasty - and exceptionally dim - piece of work. Bree will be better off without him around. Not only planning violence, and inflicting himself on Denra, but also up to framing someone else for it all. Very unpleasant. Good thing Merimac turned up just when he did. And with his fists trained for action. Author Reply: Barti still has some tangles to work through, unfortunately. He's had to fight years of resentment and misinterpretation of what he saw and thought he saw and a good bit of resentment that Bag End went back to Frodo in the end--after all, as Lobelia's closest living relative (along with Lavinia) he OUGHT to have inherited it from her.... And folk like Cotman do tend to be pretty stupid and self-absorbed. I follow a court case in Arkansas where the two most likely suspects are both pretty sorry specimens--and why the local police department decided to focus on three trailer-trash teens instead of properly working the case has folks stymied all over the world! Heh! As for Mac--I like to see him come into his own now and then. Oh, did you ever look at no. 35 in Moments in Time?

Linda Hoyland	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/9/2007
Good for the Rangers !Cotman is a nasty piece of work. Author Reply: Yes, one more petty soul removed from circulation. Thanks so for the feedback!

Baggins Babe	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/9/2007
Bender Cotman deserves everything I hope he's about to get - fancy kicking poor brave little Holby! No punishment is too bad for him. I was so relieved when I realised Holby was (hopefully) going to be alright. Poor confused Barti - I hope he realises his error of judgement soon and comes to recognise Frodo's special qualities. Another masterful chapter, Larner. Author Reply: Oh, and thank you, Baggins Babe. Bender wasn't expecting to get caught, of course; but then best laid plans of mice and men and all that! Poor Barti indeed--every time he thinks he has Frodo pegged another new wrinkle comes to light and he has to rethink things, and he's not all that flexible to begin with. Thanks so for the feedback.

Dreamflower	Reviewed Chapter: 26 on 8/8/2007
When I began to read the chapter, and saw what Cotman was plotting, I wondered how it would be foiled. At first I thought it would be in the stables, and Alvric's horse would defend him; then I thought of Holby. And even though you had dropped tons of clues and hints all along, it didn't dawn on me till he came through the gate that it would be Merimac. I loved the description of how he felled the Man--lovely, just lovely! So now we know what Bartolo's grudge was. And if his assumptions had been true (and based on his own observation, it would have been a reasonable assumption), it's quite possible he'd have been justified in not liking Frodo. Thing is, I'm not sure Frodo would have set him straight if he'd ever asked--Frodo would have been just as likely to simply ask him if he really believed that of him, and refused to answer. Now, of course, he's got years of misplaced resentment to overcome. Which is all too likely to present its own set of complications. Author Reply: It's always nice to find I've managed to surprise someone. Yes, in this case Mac to the rescue, and we learn a bit more of the connections between the Hobbits of the Shire and the Rangers who guarded their borders. I suspect you're all too right about what Frodo might have said and done when faced with the question of what he'd been doing. And years of resentment are difficult to undo. Thanks so much for the feedback.

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