Flowers, Gems And Estella – Chapter XXVIII
<><><><><>
Celandine didn’t mind at all not being invited to Brandy Hall – “I’ve already met his parents, seeing as how they’re my relatives and all – but you, Estella, you need to meet them, as they could very well become your in-laws some day,” – and agreed to help her prepare for the intimate gathering. Following Merry’s advice – he had mentioned that it was to be a simple gathering, not too casual, but not too fancy, as there was no need to impress his parents – Estella chose one of her own dresses, rather than borrow one of Celandine’s.
“Perhaps it’s for the best – you seem to enjoy simple dresses, ones that would be perfect for this – you’re just down to earth like that, I guess,” she said, looking over the dress herself. It was a light, spring green, with flowery print on it, and was much like the simple peasant dresses of farm girls.
“You needn’t impress them with your outfit – just be yourself and I know they’ll love you. They’re not on completely unfamiliar terms with you, as they are aware that you exist – so I’m sure it will go great.” Celandine’s words eased Estella’s nervousness, and she brushed her hair before the fancy vanity mirror. Upon finishing, she laid the brush down on the counter and gazed at her reflection – she was not as pretty as she’d thought herself at Merry’s birthday party, but flashing a kind smile she found herself nonetheless pleased with her appearance. Donning her midnight blue cloak, she made her way downstairs to where Celandine was waiting.
“You look very nice,” she said, her arms held behind her back.
“Why, thank you – I suppose I’m just down to earth like that,” she relied, copying Celandine’s previous words, “You know, a simple country girl.”
Celandine grinned sheepishly. “I didn’t mean it like that – I only meant that you’re impressed more by affection and honesty, rather than a show of wealth and tenure – you’re not so much concerned with your outward beauty, as you are with what’s inside.”
“Well, I really have nothing to be concerned about on the outside,” she said, looking down at her form.
“Do you still think you’re too plain? You’re a perfectly lovely lass, Estella – your beauty is simple instead of ornate, which I think Merry appreciates more – and don’t think that you’re too tall, for I would love that have more height myself. Your stature accentuates you – it is a noble feature, and one would need to be tall around dear Meriadoc – who I believe as arriving as we speak.”
Indeed there was a drawn carriage making its way towards the hole, stopping before the entrance as Merry jumped from it and made his way to knock on the door. Estella, however, met him halfway, and opened the circular door just as his fist was about to make contact.
“Hello,” she said, a bright smile upon her face, “I didn’t want to be late.”
“Quite all right, my dear,” he said, planting a kiss upon her cheek, “Good evening Celandine – frightfully sorry I can’t stay long.”
“Oh, that’s quite all right, Merry, I know you and Estella must be on your way,” she said, and closed the door behind them as they made their way outside.
“If you’ve heard rumors about my parents,” Merry said once they were one their way, his arm wrapped comfortably around Estella’s shoulders, “I can assure you they are not overbearing and pompous.”
“I heard nothing of the sort, and I imagine that they are quite kind – for if they weren’t, they would never have put up with an imp such as yourself.”
Merry grinned as he held the pony’s reins. “I suppose you have a point – my father, it was said, was just like me in his youth, mischievous and cunning – and my mother, I suppose, is kind and sweet herself, for she has had to put up with both my father and myself, who are alike in many ways.”
“Just as I put up with you, perhaps? I can see how she and I may be something alike,” she said, and snuggled closer to his warmth.
They arrived at Brandy Hall a little before sunset, and were greeted in the foyer by Mr. and Mrs. Brandybuck, who had just returned home themselves. Estella immediately noticed much of Merry in Saradoc’s features – the cleft in the chin and the impish light in his eyes that told of his still youthfulness – as well as his mother, Esmeralda, for she had an aura of kindness and honesty about her, just as she’d often sensed in Merry – when he wasn’t being his usual mischievous self. None of them could match Merry’s height, though, but Estella knew that was no inherited trait, and was instead a side effect of the Ent draft he’d described to her.
Saradoc extended a slightly aged hand out to her, saying, “Welcome, my dear – you must be Estella.” His voice was sturdy and full of laughter, and his handshake was strong despite its withered exterior. He released her hand, smiling as she spoke.
“Thank you very much for inviting me – I, uh, I know we have met before, somewhat, but – well, I guess Merry’s told you some about me –”
“Now, don’t be thinking we’ve got something against you just because you’re taking our son away from us – believe me, you can have him!” he said, and laughed harder than anyone else in the room.
Mrs. Brandybuck sighed, and made the apologies for her husband. “Pay no attention to him, my dear,” she said, grinning despite her words, “I’m very glad you were able to make it – I hope you found the journey pleasant.”
“Oh, it was only from Newbury –”
“Estella’s staying over at Seredic’s, with Celandine and her brothers – I told you that, didn’t I?” Merry said, making up for her confusion.
“Well, perhaps you did, Meriadoc – I just can’t seem to remember things as well as I used to,” she said, putting a hand to her forehead, “Shall we adjourn to the sitting room?” she said, and hooked her arm into that of her husband’s as they made their way into the hole.
“So far so good,” Merry said as Estella did the same with her own arm. He patted her hand reassuringly. “They’re getting on in years, I suppose, but they’re a jolly old pair really.”
“Jolly is right,” Estella said, remembering Mr. Brandybuck’s words, “But they have an eternal youthfulness about them – they’re like one of those old married couples, who are only really old in years. Unlike my parents,” she ended.
“Oh? And what are they like? For I will need to meet them sooner or later.”
“Well, they’re nothing like these two – my mother, it always seems, is reprimanding me to be more ladylike, to spend more time inside the hole. She wants me to be a good housewife – she’s kind enough, but she’s accepted her age, and accepted that she’s no longer young.”
“And your father?”
“Quite opposite, though nothing like yours. He never found anything wrong with me playing outside, or helping him in the fields – he had no sisters growing up, and his mother died when he was still young, so I suppose he really didn’t have much of an idea as to what behaviors were proper for young lasses. He always used to say that anything I did was ladylike enough for him,” she said, and a reminiscent smile came over her face.
“You miss them, don’t you?” he said.
“Yes, very much so, now that I’ve been here for so long – but Buckland is pleasant, and I suppose I shall have to enjoy being here, or else ask you to move to Bywater, which I wouldn’t want you to do for my sake.”
They relaxed in the sitting room before adjourning once dinner was called. The dining room in which they ate was not the large one she had been in for Merry’s birthday party – it was a smaller, more intimate room, probably used by the family when there was not a great amount of guests present at the Hall. As intimate as it was, Estella had not often been to such fancy feasts as this, and was greatly confused by the amount of silverware by her plate. The only times she’d had this much silverware to choose from were at the big social gatherings, where no one was watching her specifically. Of course, her family was not the Masters of Buckland, and had no need for such extravagance.
Dinner was a pleasant occasion and went well at first for Estella – she made sure not to slurp her soup, and made no outlandish mistakes when it came to choosing which fork to eat with. Her folly, however, came when a great goose was served as the main entrée – there were many knives to choose from, as well as forks, and the accident probably resulted from the effect this overwhelming decision had on her nerves. She was cutting a slice of meat for herself, but it was being particularly slippery – she tried in vain to cut it without alerting the others to her frustration, when suddenly it slipped from underneath her knife with a scratch of silverware against the china plate, flew through the air – and she watched fearfully as it landed in Mr. Brandybuck’s lap with a frightfully soggy, squishy sound.
Estella nearly burst into tears right then and there – she wanted nothing more than for a hole to open up in the floor that she could disappear into. No one said much of anything – all three of them stared at the meat that lay in Saradoc’s lap, dark juices flowing onto his trousers. All seemed silent for a while – an eternity, it seemed to Estella – before a strange sound escaped from Saradoc’s mouth. At first she thought he was choking – perhaps the shock had caused a piece of food to become lodged in his throat as he swallowed it – but no, it sounded more like he was crying. Yes, that was it, he was crying, just as Estella felt she would do soon – but no, there were no tears on his face. He was, it seemed, laughing.
Merry soon joined in his father’s mirth, and before long Mrs. Brandybuck was also chuckling to herself – Estella looked up at them, for her head had been lowered down at her plate in shame, and a smile slowly made its way onto her face as well.
“Wonderful!” Mr. Brandybuck said jovially, “Dinners here are so stuffy and boring anyway – a delightful prank is just the thing to break the ice!” And he went on eating his meal, not bothering to remove the meat from his lap.
Merry, still clutching his sides in laughter, smiled from the across the table at Estella – it seemed she had gone over well with the Brandybucks after all.