"Mrs. Persifilla Took seems to have taken a liking to our Merry," said Pippin. Even after he and Merry had found Frodo and gone up to Frodo's room so that Merry could repeat his conversations with both the lady and her husband, Pippin remained amused by the incident.
"I'm not surprised," said Frodo. "It's only natural that she would turn to Merry, since he was kind enough to pay attention to her earlier."
"And she thought she could him twist 'round her fingers!" Pippin added gleefully. "She isn't afraid of Merry like she is of you, Frodo."
"She must sense that Frodo is even less susceptible to a girl's charms than I am," said Merry. "A pretty girl like that, she's most likely always had her own way with the lads before, and she can't get around Frodo by batting her eyelashes. That's what she meant by all that talk of intensity and not being gallant, Frodo. You wouldn't put up with her tricks."
"I hope I'm always courteous to ladies," Frodo responded, "even when they're lying their heads off."
"What do you think she wanted, Frodo?" Merry asked him. "To draw suspicion to her husband, or away from herself?"
"It might be both. Even if she hasn't done anything wrong, she might be eager to rid herself of a husband who doesn't care for her in the least."
"She doesn't care for him, either. They're both very frank about it. They told me so."
"Yes, but I think a girl like that would prefer a husband who adores her, even if his adoration isn't returned," said Frodo. "Ulfidius sounds completely indifferent to her charms. Is he like us, Merry?"
"I've no idea. He seems a cold-hearted brute in any case."
Pippin laughed. "Merry could go flirt with him if you like, Frodo. You wouldn't mind it, would you, Merry, for the sake of the investigation? It's much more in your line than married ladies!"
"You'd like that, would you, Pip?" Merry flashed back at him. "If I went after someone else?"
"It wouldn't be the first time," Pippin observed.
"And it mightn't be the last!"
Frodo looked from one cousin to the other, bewildered and disturbed. This was not playful banter; there was a sharp tone to their supposed teasing that wasn't kind or friendly at all, and sounded like the beginnings of a real argument. As far as he knew, the two had been happy since they'd reunited in the spring, and this trouble had only begun during their journey to the north. "Or perhaps I'm wrong," he said. "Ulfidius might care for Persifilla very much, and has done his best to hide it since his wife doesn't love him. If he knows she married him out of ambition to become a Thain's Lady, then he might have tried to put her closer to what she wants most by getting rid of his grandfather."
Merry's attention turned from Pippin to Frodo. "But if that's so, why would she want to make us suspicious of him?" he replied. "It'd be in her best interests to keep her mouth shut, and let him try again."
"Maybe she doesn't know he did it," answered Frodo. "Or maybe she's being very clever and knows that if we find out he is the one, she can claim she had no idea of it because she came to you. Do you think she's clever, Merry?"
"I think she's clever enough in getting her own way," said Merry.
"We'll have to add Ulfidius to our list. You haven't had a chance to talk with Alamaric again yet, have you?"
"Not more than a word or two at tea-time."
"What about you and Isigo, Pippin?"
Pippin shook his head. "We only talked about this thing with Hilbarus and Persifilla--Merry was there. He and Di don't like Hilbarus much, and I don't blame them. Why don't I go find him now?"
"Yes," said Merry, "why don't you?"
After Pippin had left the room a few minutes later, Frodo asked, "Merry, what's wrong between the two of you? I can't believe you're really quarreling over Persifilla and Ulfidius. Pip doesn't mean a word of what he's saying--he's only making stupid jokes to poke at you, and if I may say so, you're being much too touchy about it. There's something else." Frodo thought of how snappish Merry had been when Pippin had disappeared with Isigo and Diantha this morning. "You're not jealous of Isigo, are you? That's ridiculous. He's in love with Diamond, and Pippin's doing all he can to bring them together. Is it the other Di?" He saw that this second guess had struck true.
Merry huffed. "He does like her, Frodo. You can't deny it. You heard him going on about her all the time we were riding up here, and they've spent a lot of time together, running about the Cleeve, since we arrived. I wasn't worried about the other Di--Diamond. I could see that he wasn't interested in her and besides, her family doesn't think he's at all suitable as a husband, except that he's a Thain's son and very rich. There's no danger there. I didn't want to take this Di seriously either, before I met her, but now I've seen him with her, it worries me. I've never seen him like this over any girl before. If there's anybody he could marry, she's the one."
"He does like her," Frodo agreed, "but as a friend. They get on like brother and sister. They're kindred spirits, Merry--adventuresome and mischief-loving young Tooks."
"And I'm not a wild young mischief-maker anymore," said Merry. "I'm Master of the Hall, and I have to behave myself like a respectable and grown-up hobbit. I must be terribly dull to be around these days."
"Nonsense! Pippin doesn't feel that at all. I'm sure that his feelings for Di are the same as yours or mine for Melly."
Merry didn't find this comforting. "You proposed to Melly," he reminded Frodo. "And since she's left Everard, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she's sorry now she turned you down." He glanced at Frodo. "Sometimes I think the same."
"That Melly was wrong to refuse my proposal?"
"No, that I did. You said you would marry me once if I asked nicely, remember? I shouldn't have let you go, Frodo." Merry smiled. "If Pip does marry this Di, maybe I'll steal you back from Sam."
At this moment, Frodo became suddenly aware that Pippin had left his bedroom door slightly ajar, and he had the feeling that someone was standing outside. He held up a hand to silence Merry, and called out, "Hello? Who's there? Pippin, is it you?" Then he went to open the door.
Sam was standing in the corridor between their two bedrooms, and the look on his face told Frodo that he had overheard the last part of their conversation.
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