Frodo and his companions returned to the Thain's Hall a short time later through the front door and went up to his room to discuss their morning's work. They had just settled down when there was a frantic tap on the window and, when Frodo went to see who it could be, Diantha scrambled in over the sill. The girl was no longer pale, but red-faced.
"It isn't Aunt Althaea or Lady Iris, or Hil or Persi," she hissed. "You think it's my father, don't you?"
"I only wanted to see if he had ready access to the Thain's Hall," Frodo answered.
"We go in and out when we like," Diantha replied defiantly. "Why shouldn't we? Nobody minds. Just because there's a door between our house and this one is no reason for you to think we'd ever harm Granduncle Brabantius. I never would! Why do you think Poppa would? How could you?"
"He's fond of Lady Iris," Merry suggested.
Di glared at him. "what of it?"
"Aside from Florisel, he's the only Took who's supported her ladyship since she married the Thain," said Frodo.
"But he's not in love with her or anything silly like that, if that's what you're saying," the girl responded. "He couldn't possibly be."
"Are you sure of that, Di?" Frodo asked. "He told Merry only yesterday that he's been very lonely since he lost your mother. He's been a close friend of Iris's for years. She's a handsome woman, and quite charming. It wouldn't be so unusual, now that he's a widower, if he'd begin to look on her as more than a friend. It's possible that even a nice, gentlemanly hobbit like your father might fall in love again at his age, even with a married lady, and wish she were free to marry him."
Di looked shocked and horrified. "You can't possibly think so, Frodo. It's too ridiculous!"
"I don't say it's true, but I have considered it."
"You 'considered'-!" Di's already flushed face went scarlet and she slapped him across the face as hard as she could.
Sam quickly grabbed her wrist. When Di kicked at his shins and struggled to get free and fly at Frodo again, Sam yanked her back and lifted her up off the ground with one arm around her waist. "None o' that, Miss," he said firmly. He wasn't about to let anybody strike Frodo, girl or no girl, Took or no Took.
Diantha continued to fight for awhile longer, until she was out of breath and had to give in at last. She stopped struggling, but she wasn't finished. "I think you're horrible, Frodo Baggins!" she spat at him from Sam's unyielding grasp. "I thought you were so clever--but you're stupid if you think such a thing even for an instant. Poppa wouldn't dream of killing anybody! He doesn't love Lady Iris. He loved Mother. You didn't see how sad he was when she died. He's much better now, but he's never going to marry anybody else. Certainly not Lady Iris!"
"I'm sorry, Di. It is horrible to suspect people," Frodo agreed, cupping his cheek that still bore the bright red marks of the girl's fingers. "But it must be done if we're to conduct our investigation properly and honestly."
"Why?"
"We have to consider all the possibilities, even the most outlandish ones, if we're to find the truth. We can't simply ignore something that might be important just because we like the person it points to," Frodo tried to explain.
"And we do like your father, Di," Pippin hastened to assure her. "I do."
"So do I," said Merry, "but we can't let that matter."
"You're all horrible!" Diantha squirmed against Sam's hold on her. "Let me go!"
"You behave yourself, Miss, an' I'll put you down," Sam told her. "But I won't put up with no more tempers from you. Mind now, or out you go."
Diantha reluctantly stopped squirming, and Sam released her just as reluctantly, but continued to watch her warily. Diantha was still outraged and indignant, but she did not try to strike Frodo again.
"It has to be done, but if your father's done nothing wrong, then there's nothing that he or you need fear from us," Frodo told her. "It's in his favor that he was willing to show me that door into the Thain's Hall when I mentioned it."
Regardless of Frodo's reassurances, Diantha remained frightened for her father. "I'm sorry I ever told you about the tunnels," she said to Pippin before she climbed back out the window. "I'm sorry I ever told Granduncle to bring you here--I hate you all!"
"Poor girl," Merry said after she had gone. "This investigation isn't so much fun for her anymore." There was a certain note of satisfaction in his voice.
"I know how she feels," Pippin replied sympathetically. "I didn't like it any better when you and Frodo were talking about my family in the same way after Toby Clover was killed. I just didn't go around screaming about it or hitting Frodo."
"You know better'n that," Sam murmured, "even if she don't."
"Frodo's suspected Brandybucks twice as often, and they never mind it," Merry retorted. "They're used to it by now. How sensitive you Tooks are, North and South!"
"Is that why you asked Mr. Alamaric directly about the door instead o' slipping out to look for it like we planned?" Sam asked Frodo. "You wanted to see what he'd say?"
"Yes. It seemed like a rather dirty trick to play on a hobbit who's been so forthright and helpful to us. He's no fool. I doubt he'd be so easily distracted. He'd soon see through it. I took the chance that he would be honest if I asked. I'm sorry to upset Di, and I really don't think her father is our poisoner any more than she is herself but I had to see if he had the opportunity. And he does."
"You like him too, don't you?" asked Merry.
"Yes, I do," Frodo admitted, "I've never suspected anyone's who's been so generous and understanding about it. He seems perfectly secure that I can't accuse him of anything--whether that's because he's innocent, or because he knows I can never prove otherwise, I can't say. I'm inclined toward the former... but I can't let that guide my judgment, just as you said. I've met murderers I've liked before."
Merry knew exactly who Frodo was thinking of. "So have I."
Sam caught the glance of unspoken understanding between them, and scowled.
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