At Frodo's reply, his cousins' faces fell in disappointment. "How did you find out?" asked Pippin.
"Hilbarus's father told me all about it." They went into Pippin's room, which was nearest, and Frodo repeated all Alamargo had said. "He says that Persifilla refused his son in favor of Ulfidius out of ambition. He also admits that he was angry with his father and brother at the time, but is glad now that Persifilla isn't his daughter-in-law."
"But Hilbarus obviously doesn't feel the same way," said Merry. "He's eaten up with jealousy. You saw how he spoke to her."
"Yes. What did he say, by the way?" Frodo asked. "You were the only one, besides Persifilla, who was close enough to hear."
"He said, 'How much of this teasing must I put up with? Enough is enough!'" Merry reported. "He seemed to think that her laughing at my jokes was meant for him to hear... and if you ask me, he was probably right. At least, it was meant to rile him as much as her husband, although Ulfidius didn't seem to mind it so much."
"But you didn't stop it either way, Merry," Pippin said with a broad grin. "It made me wonder who else all that laughing and joking was meant for."
"I was only trying to draw her out," Merry retorted. "Just as I told Frodo I would. He said wanted to find out more about her, and I that's what I did. That's why we came all this way, isn't it? To help out."
Pippin was still grinning. "I'm glad that's all it was. I'd hate to think you were doing something silly, like trying to make me jealous by flirting with a married woman! Even if you were going to like some girl, she's not your type at all."
"And what type of girl would you like?"
Sensing another row boiling up between the two, Frodo quickly asked Merry, "What impression do you have of Persifilla, now that you've spoken with her?"
"She's a shallow, self-centered girl," Merry replied, keeping his eyes on Pippin. "She was happy as long as we were talking about her and she had her admirers looking on, but every time I tried to lead the conversation to something else, she kept dragging it back to herself. I don't believe she has a thought in her head for anything else. If you want to know, she reminds me of Jelly."
"Angelica's not so bad as that," Frodo defended his Baggins cousin.
This made Merry and Pippin both laugh in surprise. "Frodo, you could never stand Angelica! You used to say she was the vainest, spoiledest girl in the whole Shire!
"Yes, well, since Aunt Dora's stopped trying to push us at each other, I've come to appreciate her good points," Frodo conceded. "And Angelica's improved greatly since her marriage. She might bully Lad a bit over his pony-racing, but he adores her and she wouldn't play him false."
"You can't say the same about Persifilla Took," said Pippin. "I bet she makes life a misery for Ulfidius. But all the same, does she have any reason to poison the old Thain?"
"I can see her doing such a thing if it gained her something she wanted, and not turning a hair," Merry answered.
"If she doesn't, Hilbarus has good reasons for resenting his grandfather, as well as his aunt and uncle," said Frodo. "They arranged the match. Alamargo might say his son's had a lucky escape, but as far as Hilbarus is concerned, they've stolen away his intended bride."
"But the bride was willing to be stolen," said Pippin.
"True. Maybe he can't bring himself to hate her for it, but he can certainly blame them--and I imagine he does."
They went to the room next door. Frodo tapped on the closed door, and Helimarcus answered it.
Frodo's first thought was that Pippin had directed him to the wrong room, when Helimarcus said, "I suppose you're here to interrogate my brother. Well, you can't! Haven't you and your friends caused enough mischief?"
He was about to shut the door in Frodo's face, when Hilbarus spoke from within, "No. Let him in." Helimarcus scowled and looked as if he would still prefer to slam the door, but he grudgingly opened it wider to reveal his brother, who sat in a window at the far end of the bedroom. At the sight of Frodo, Hilbarus said, "Mother told us that Father told you about me and Persi. Now you've found out, you ought to hear my side of it too, Mr. Baggins."
"I would be happy to hear your side," Frodo answered.
"I'll bet you would," said Helimarcus dryly.
Hilbarus ignored this. "Then come in, please--you alone." He glanced meaningfully at Merry and Pippin, who stood in the hallway. "Helly, you can go too."
Frodo went into the room, and Helimarcus went out, shutting the door behind him.
"I suppose you've heard my story, as Father tells it," Hilbarus said once he and Frodo were alone. "How I've been in love with Persi since we were children, but she never cared a jot for me. And when the family pushed our cousin Ulfie, who is older and richer than I am, and will be Thain one day, to court her, she snapped him up like a greedy, grasping wretch."
Frodo acknowledged that this was what Alamargo had told him.
"But it wasn't like that, Mr. Baggins."
"Are you saying that she was forced into this marriage?"
"Oh, she consented. Of course she did. What choice did she have, set up against Aunt Di, Uncle Alhasrus, Grandfather, and her own parents, who just as were delighted at the match? They generally get what they want. I don't blame her, or Ulfie, for that matter, for giving in and doing as they were bid. It is a good match, from a practical point-of-view, but I pity them both. I can see how miserable it is for them to be married without love. I might feel differently if I thought Ulfie loved her as I do."
Frodo thought that whether or not Persifilla was miserable, Merry was probably right in that she made her husband so. "You still love her yourself?" he asked, although the answer was obvious.
"I know it's wrong of me, now that she's married, but I can't help it," admitted Hilbarus. "She does care for me. Why else would she tease me so cruelly?" When Frodo looked perplexed at this line of reasoning, the young hobbit explained, "Oh, she has to make a show of not caring what I say or do, but if she were truly as indifferent as she claims, she wouldn't try so hard to provoke me into saying and doing things. Father says she's a heartless flirt who likes to have the lads all gathered around her, but she never plays up so to my brother, nor to that Isigo Pumble, nor even Ulfie when I'm not there the way she did with your friend at tea today. I know she only does it to make me show that I still feel the same as I always did."
The next was a delicate question, but it had to be asked. "Is there-ah- anything between you and Persifilla?"
"Not in the disgraceful way that you're insinuating," Hilbarus shot back. "She wouldn't dream of it. She's made her bargain, and you can be sure she'll keep it. She'll even provide the North-Took family with a future Thain, and you can be sure he'll have the father he ought to."
Frodo noted that Hilbarus had attributed all the virtue, such as it was, to his lady-love and none to himself. "You said that your aunt and uncle, and your grandfather, are strong-willed hobbits who get what they want. They are responsible for Persifilla marrying Ulfidius. You must resent them for it."
"Yes, I do. There was an enormous quarrel between the lot of them, and Mother and Father and I when Ulfie first went courting. We didn't speak to them for days. Mother and Father have come around since the wedding, but I can't forgive them. I don't believe I ever will." Hilbarus glanced up at him suddenly. "But if you're suggesting that I would poison Grandfather over it, you're quite mad. Do you think that once he's dead, I'll go after Aunt Di and Uncle Alhasrus? What would it get me?"
"Revenge is seldom reasonable, Mr. Took," Frodo answered. "It would put them out of the way. And-" he added in a burst of inspiration, "if Persifilla married to become a Thain's Lady, it would put her closer to that goal."
Hilbarus laughed in astonishment at the suggestion. "I told your friend Peregrin that you saw murderers everywhere, and now I'm certain it's so. I expect you'll say that we're in it together, and once the rest of the family is dead, we'll get rid of Ulfie too, so I can marry her at last."
"I don't say it."
"No, but you're thinking it!"
"It's part of any investigation to imagine all the possibilities, then try to find out which of them might be true," Frodo answered.
"Well stop imagining that one! It simply isn't so. Pry as you like, Mr. Baggins, you won't find a poisoner in me, nor in Persi. You'll have to look elsewhere. And don't go to Persi with these awful accusations, or you'll hear more from me!"
Site Info
We are the home of 1292 authors from among our 2552 members. There have been 2904 reviews written about our 3820 stories consisting of 10734 chapters and 29400445 words. A special welcome to our newest member, Rosamundeb.Categories
Skin Change
Donate
Help us keep one of the oldest running LotR archives available to all. Even the smallest donation helps!
Many thanks to our previous donors!
Many thanks to our previous donors!
