After they had all washed up and refreshed their wardrobe, or not, as necessary, the four hobbits went together to the parlor, where afternoon tea had been laid out.
"For a house where there's been a poisoning, they don't stint on their meals," Merry murmured to Frodo as just before they went into the room. "Remember another tea party in Minas Tirith? And how all the ladies of the court and I wound up being violently sick in the Houses of Healing?"
Frodo shushed his cousin and nudged him to be quiet. "Of course I remember," he whispered back. "But there's no fear of it here. Laburnum is far too bitter to be put into tea. Isn't that right, Sam?"
For Sam was close behind them and had been following the entire exchange; as always, he kept a wary eye on any confidences between Frodo and Merry. In answer to the question, he nodded. "You'd taste it right away."
They went into the parlor. The rest of the group, except for Brabantius himself, had already assembled. As Frodo had observed that morning, the household was divided into two distinct and opposing camps: the Thain's children and their families on one side, and Iris and Isigo on the other. The seating arrangements in the parlor reflected this, for Lady Iris sat with her son, while the others in the party were gathered into small groups pointedly apart from the two. Aspid and her sons cast frequent, hostile glances at the pair. Althaea and her brothers were in another whispered conference. Alamaric and Diantha, sympathetic allies to Iris and her son, sat nearby and observed the two groups, but did not join either. Only Vidalia and Diamond, who were discussing the elder girl's upcoming wedding plans, seemed indifferent to the tension around them.
While Florisel was also Iris's ally, it appeared he was enough of a Took to be accepted by the Thain's family; his easy charm carried him through any question of divided loyalties. He was chatting amiably with Diamanta when Frodo and his friends arrived, but at their entrance, excused himself and rose to greet them.
"Ah, Mr. Baggins, I've been hoping to talk to you, but I haven't had a chance since I arrived. Everyone else was so eager to tell me about you and your associates-" Florisel took the other three hobbits in at a glance, "I had to listen to their side of the story first. I must say, you sound like a remarkable bunch of lads. The things you've done! The adventures you've had. You don't mind if I ask you a few questions, do you?"
Since Frodo had been hoping for the same thing, he said that he didn't mind at all. After he'd been offered a cup of tea by Lady Iris, he and Florisel took seats in an alcove.
"Now," said Florisel confidentially, "everyone's told me what they can about your investigation, but none of them seems to know very much of what's truly going on. Even your friend, young Peregrin Took, could only tell me that Thain Brabantius's recent illness wasn't natural after all, and laburnum poisoning seems to be the cause of it. Someone put it in his special wine. Is that correct?"
Frodo admitted that it was.
"I didn't want to ask young Mr. Took more behind your back. I thought it best to come directly to you. According to the Tooks, you've all been going around, asking a lot of questions of everyone, even the Thain's servants."
"Yes, that's so," said Frodo. "It's the only way to conduct an investigation. We have to pry into matters that wouldn't be our business in normal circumstances. A great deal of what we find out has nothing to do with whatever it is we're investigating, and we do our best to forget it afterwards."
"That's a relief to hear!" Florisel said with a broad smile. "But I only wanted to ask if you'd found your way to the truth. Who could be doing this?"
"I'm afraid I haven't found that out yet," Frodo answered, and smiled at the older hobbit in return.
"I wish I could help you with your investigation, Mr. Baggins," said Florisel. "I'm quite fond of Brabantius. He's always been generous to me, like an uncle, although we are barely related. If there's anything I can do to help you, any questions I can answer, you must consider me at your service. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much I can say. I haven't been here since Brabantius first fell ill. I don't visit the Thain's Hall as often as I'd like. My business keeps me in the north."
"What is it you do, Mr. Pumble-Took?"
"I'm Thain Brabantius's land-agent. He offered me the job after Rosaldo died. I come to call at the quarter-year, to bring the rents from the farms in the north-Cleeve."
"And you were here last at Lithetide?" That had barely been two months ago.
"I brought the rents at Lithetide, yes," replied Florisel, "I was about to return to the north when Brabantius was suddenly so very ill and everyone was afraid he might die. The death of the Thain would mean great changes for us all. I stayed on for a week or so, until he began to recover." He flashed a smile. "If you wonder why I'm here now, when the autumn rents aren't due for more than a month, it's because I heard such alarming stories about the Thain falling ill again. I had to come dashing down to see if it was true. Also, I came in aid of a friend."
"Her ladyship?" asked Frodo.
"Quite right," said Florisel. "The prospect of losing a second husband, so soon after the first, was very distressing to her, as you can imagine." He glanced in Iris's direction; the lady must have been observing them obliquely, for when he turned her way, she lifted her eyes briefly to meet his.
Florisel chatted amiably with Frodo for a few minutes more, then excused himself; as long as he was here and Brabantius was well, there was business they ought to discuss.
After Florisel had gone to seek out the Thain, Frodo looked around the parlor. While they'd been talking, his friends had scattered around the room to have conversations of their own. After Isigo had left his mother to join Diantha and Alamaric, Sam had again been taken up by Lady Iris, who was asking him how he had become involved with Mr. Baggins. Merry was being charming to Persifilla, who didn't seem to mind. Pippin was sitting with Diamond. While the girl's mother and Aunt Diamanta watched with approbation from a discreet distance, Frodo was close enough to hear the name of Isigo being spoken. But even if he hadn't overheard, he would have guessed that Pippin was working on the other partner in his proposed match, and that any courting being done was on Isigo's behalf.
Mrs. Istra Goodwood sat alone. Aspid had been seated with her earlier, but had moved to join Diamanta once Pippin had begun to talk to Diamond. Frodo had barely noticed her since he'd been introduced to all the residents of the Thain's Hall yesterday; she had in fact been present at most of the family meals and gatherings, but always quietly in the background. Not noticed by anyone. Easily overlooked. As she sipped her tea, her eyes darted from one group to another around the parlor with keen interest, and a small smile flickered on her lips. Frodo wondered what she thought of them all.
He moved toward the chair Aspid had vacated. "Do you mind if I join you, Mrs. Goodwood?"
That smile appeared again. "Not in the least, Mr. Baggins. Do you wish to question me? I'm afraid there's little I can tell you about these terrible happenings."
"I'm certain that's not so," he answered diplomatically as he took a seat. "My friends and I are strangers here, and must work to solve this problem without knowing the circumstances that led to it. We're rather lost, you see. But you know the North-Tooks much better than we do. You've had opportunities to observe them."
"As an outsider, within the house?"
"Something of the sort, yes. You've lived here quite some time."
"Ten years," she answered, and was no longer smiling. "Since my husband died and left me with so little that I couldn't keep up my own house. Aspid invited me to join her here, and the Tooks made me as welcome as they could. I almost consider the Hall my home."
Almost. The word was not lost on Frodo. He guessed how it must have been for Istra, living here these last ten years, a poor relation-by-marriage, at the mercy of the Tooks' generosity. They would not stint on material comforts for Aspid's widowed sister, but he had seen how they treated people they considered outside their family circle.
"So you have no thoughts about who might be responsible for tampering with the Thain's wine?" he asked.
"Well, I've wondered, of course, as everyone has, Mr. Baggins. But I can't imagine who it might possibly be. It seems so hard to believe that anyone in this house could do such a thing, when Brabantius has been so kind to us all. He has such great care for his family. It's touching to see how he looks over his children as if they were still little hobbits under his care. All the Tooks are wonderful, warm-hearted folk. Not a cupful of cruelty between them."
Frodo tried not to smile at this description of the Thain and his family. The words were fulsome, but there was an undertone that gave them a double meaning. Istra might as well be saying exactly the opposite. "You hold your sister's husband and his siblings in the same high regard?"
"Oh, yes," replied Istra. "Indeed, Mr. Baggins, I find it simply impossible to speak an ill word against any of the Thain's children and their charming children. They are like my own family to me, and I wish them all well. Do you see Ulfidius there?" She nodded her head to indicate Alhasrus's son, sitting nearby, his eyes fixed on his wife, who was laughing at something Merry had just said. "He's married a lovely girl. What a delightful sense of humor--and how she appreciates your handsome friend's blandishments! I hope all the children will make matches just as successful, especially Hilbarus."
"Why Hilbarus especially, Mrs. Goodwood?" Frodo glanced at Alamargo's elder son. Like Ulfidius, Hilbarus was regarding Merry's playful banter with Persifilla with disapproval. Frodo wondered if this was because they were afraid she was being questioned by one of his associates, or because she was so pleased at the attentions of a socially prominent visitor. Unless the gossip about Merry had traveled so far north, none of them could know that he was famous for his lack of interest in women.
"He's a favorite of mine among my nephews and nieces by marriage," Istra answered. "He has my sympathies, you see. He's been disappointed in love once."
Frodo recalled that Alamaric had told Merry something similar, and he began to form an idea about Hilbarus's disappointment. "What about Lady Iris?" he asked.
"A sweet lady," said Istra. "She's brightened the Thain's Hall with her presence, and made an elderly hobbit's final years most pleasant for him. Oh, I know my sister and sister-in-law don't approve of Brabantius's remarriage, but goodness knows I am in no place to criticize, even if I had anything bad to say! The Thain seems happy with his choice, 'til recently, and I'm certain that's no doing of Iris's."
At that moment, Hilbarus leapt up. His brother, sitting on the same sofa, tried to hold him, but he easily threw off the hand on his arm and went over to where Merry and Persifilla were seated. He hissed something at the girl; Frodo only heard the word "enough!"
Persifilla stared back at him with wide, doe-like eyes. "I don't know what you mean," she responded. "I've a right to amuse myself in any harmless way I like. Master Brandybuck and I are only being sociable. If my husband doesn't like me speaking with a gentleman, a guest in our home, then he can tell me so, and I can tell him to mind his own business." At this, Ulfidius's ears turned red, but he did not respond. "It's nothing to do with you, Hil."
"No, it isn't," Hilbarus agreed bitterly, and he left the room.
There followed an awkward silence. Although many of the party were too far away to hear what had been said between Hilbarus and Persifilla, they had all seen what had happened. Alamargo looked embarrassed and Diamond's eyes glittered with sympathetic tears. Helimarcus went out after his brother. Merry looked astonished and a little abashed at the unexpected reaction his efforts to draw out Persifilla had provoked.
Only Persifilla remained composed and unconcerned. "You mustn't mind Hilbarus," she said to Merry. "He has these odd fancies and tempers from time to time, but I never take any notice of them. You mustn't either. It only encourages him to think his opinions matter, and they don't. Not in the least."
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