Sam resumed his pursuit of Mrs. Scrubbs, just as Frodo had asked. The cook left her maids do to the after-lunch washing-up and was willing to chat with Sam as long as she wasn't occupied with the business of her kitchen, but she refused on all points to speak of Lady Iris. When the girls were done with their work, they came into the servants' dining hall and, for awhile, the conversation turned to more general topics; everyone was eager to hear more about the adventures of the famous investigator and his good friend, Mr. Gamgee. Sam was happy to oblige, for he enjoyed singing Frodo's praises, and modestly included his own small part in each tale. He helped the kitchen staff cut sandwiches for tea, but as the dinner hour drew near, Sam began to despair of getting Mrs. Scrubbs alone long enough to get her to talk. He couldn't come away empty handed after Frodo had sent him here so particularly!
At last, a moment arrived when the three maids were sent out of the kitchen to bear the tea-trays to the Tooks' parlor, and Mrs. Scrubbs put a fresh kettle on the fire to make a pot of tea for herself. Sam followed her into the kitchen and began again to talk of Lady Iris. Before he got very far, Mrs. Scrubbs turned to him and said, "Enough! We've work to do here, Shirriff Gamgee, and you're getting to be a nuisance. You're trying to make me say sommat that's against her ladyship, and I won't--not in a thousand years! She's a fine lady, my lady, and she'd never do naught that was wrong. That's all I have to say to you! You'd best be off now."
Sam's heart sank. How could he go back to Frodo and say he'd failed? He was about to make one last effort before he retreated, when another voice spoke behind him.
"Mr. Gamgee?"
Lady Iris had come into the servants' dining hall and was standing at the door to the kitchens, regarding Sam and Mrs. Scrubbs with an expression that was both puzzled and alarmed. "Have you been questioning my cook about me?"
"Yes, m'lady," Sam answered diffidently, since he'd been caught at it. "It's what Frodo's sent me to do."
"But why? Surely he doesn't suspect me of doing anything to harm my husband?"
"Oh, no, m'lady," Sam replied, although he knew very well that she was high on the list of suspects he had written out for Frodo only yesterday. "But he can see as how Mrs. Scrubbs is keeping things back about knowing you afore she came to work here, and it only makes him want to know all the more what it is she an't telling, and why. And his Thainship did say as everybody was to cooperate and answer whatever questions we asked 'em."
"I don't think he meant to include me when he said that," Lady Iris replied.
"No, m'lady, but he'd mean it for Mrs. Scrubbs and the rest o' the servants."
Sam saw he had scored a point, for Lady Iris stared at him, nonplussed for a moment, then said, "I understand you have your duty to Mr. Baggins and my husband to ask such questions, but all the same I'd rather you not trouble Mrs. Scrubbs."
"I didn't tell 'm nothing, Iris m'love," said Mrs. Scrubbs. "I swore I'd never breath a word, and I haven't. I wouldn't--not ever!"
"I know." The lady placed a hand affectionately on the cook's arm. "I rely on you for that. But it seems I will have to, if we are to be left in peace." Mrs. Scrubbs sputtered in protest, but Lady Iris only said firmly. "It's all right--I'll take care of it. She turned to Sam. "Can I trust your discretion, Mr. Gamgee? What I tell you will go no further than Mr. Baggins--for I know you must tell him all. But it must never reach the ears of my husband or his family."
"O' course, m'lady," said Sam. "That is, if it don't have naught to do with what we're investigating."
"I assure you it doesn't. Will you come with me, please?" They left the kitchen and went into the upper-servants' private sitting room, which was off the dining hall. This room was the exclusive province of the cook and butler; the pantry boy and maids would not venture in without an invitation.
Lady Iris shut the door. "I hoped no one would learn the truth, but I knew there was a danger from the moment I hired her and brought her to live at this house. I'm glad, at least, that it's you who's found me out, and not one of my husband's family or someone who would carry tales to them. You see, Mr. Gamgee, my maiden name was Scrubbs. Mrs. Scrubbs is my mother."
After leaving Persifilla, Frodo went to his room to lie down for awhile. He wanted to think things over. There was so much to think about--so many suspects!--and he felt no closer to finding out who had put the poison in Brabantius's wine than he'd been when Brabantius had first told him about it. If Persifilla's tearful confessions were true, then Ulfidius and Hilbarus were cleared... but was she telling the truth? Althaea would surely lie for her husband's sake if necessary. Had it been necessary? Her need for money was more desperate than her brothers'. And could he believe Florisel's story about his long-standing, unrequited love for Lady Iris?
At four in the afternoon, he rose and went to the parlor. The Tooks were assembling for tea, although the tea had not been brought in yet. Pippin and Sam were absent, but Merry was seated among the younger lads of the family. Lady Iris and Florisel weren't there, and the other ladies sat in a group. Persifilla had bathed her eyes and looked as pretty as ever, if a little more sullen. The Thain's sons were together, and Frodo went to them first.
"I wanted to speak to you about your sister and her family," he said softly.
"Yes," answered Alhasrus. "Your friend, Master Meriadoc, has already told us about your visit to Low-wood."
Merry, who had overheard this reply, as had everyone else in the room, looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, Frodo. I didn't know you didn't want them to know."
"I didn't," said Frodo. "I mean, I don't care that they do or not. Did you also talk about Mrs. Lowfoot's stay here the night before the Thain fell ill?"
"Oh, everyone knew about that," said Istra Goodwood, who was sitting nearby, knitting and observing the scene with interest. "It was no news."
"It was to me," Frodo replied. To Alamargo and Alhasrus, he added, "This is the second time you've kept things back about your sister's and her husband's comings-and-goings."
"Why shouldn't we wish to protect our sister from scandal?" said Alamargo.
"The poor thing has enough to bear with that husband of hers," said Aspid.
Frodo asked them all: "Do you think she did it?"
The Tooks responded unanimously with a single, aghast, "No!"
"Or her husband, Valumus, and she is protecting and aiding him?"
The family wasn't so sure of Valumus's innocence, but they all agreed that, whatever had been done, Althaea had no part in it.
"You know full well who is responsible, Frodo Baggins," Diamanta told him.
"But it does look so bad for the poor dears," Istra murmured.
"Yes, it does," said Frodo. "But you haven't helped them at all, none of you." He looked at the various Tooks seated around the room. "You must see that this lying and concealing the fact that they were both here for part of that evening--and Mrs. Lowfoot for the entire night--only makes it look worse for them than it otherwise might."
"Very well," said Alhasrus. "Althaea spent the night here the last time she came to dinner. We sat up very late, and in the end she decided to accept our invitation to stay and sleep here rather than go home by herself. Isn't that right, dear?" he appealed to his wife for support.
"Perfectly right," said Diamanta.
"What was it you were talking about?" asked Frodo.
"Family matters," Alhasrus answered cryptically, then clarified this statement with, "Vida's upcoming wedding, and how Althaea would manage it. She'd asked Father for aid."
"Brabantius was so kind," said Istra. "He offered to give the young couple that empty cottage where Iris keeps her things for the first weeks of their marriage."
Frodo could see that the other members of the family didn't consider this offer so generous. "I believe you were once interested in that cottage yourself, Mrs. Goodwood," he said.
"Oh, ages ago," she replied pleasantly. "Perhaps when the young couple has ended their honeymoon, I might prevail upon Brabantius again... or perhaps upon Alhasrus, if Brabantius is no longer with us."
"Don't you want to stay with us here, Istra?" asked her sister.
"I've stayed on so long--I don't wish to impose on the Thain's generosity in this way for the rest of my life. With all the young folk coming of age and getting married, this house will be crowded with children soon and I'd only be underfoot."
"Nonsense, my dear," said Aspid. "You're always welcome in our home."
"Besides," Diamanta added, "you must't worry about the young folk. Alhasrus has just asked Father to give Ulfidius and Persifilla the cottage for a year or two, after Vida and Odonto have left it. They're no longer newlyweds, but we've all agreed that their marriage might benefit if they spend some time in a home of their own." Neither Persifilla nor Ulfidius looked pleased with this arrangement, but they had no choice in the matter.
The look in Istra's eyes was scalding, but she only said, "How wonderful for them. Just what a young couple needs. We'll have to find a nice girl for dear Hilbarus next."
"Was that all you and Mrs. Lowfoot talked about?" Frodo asked, not wishing to be drawn too far off the point.
"There also was some question of whether or not Father would provide a marriage settlement for Vida," said Alamargo, "but I expect you know all about that already, Mr. Baggins."
"We saw her to bed when we went to bed ourselves," said Aspid. "She had her old bedroom, which is next to ours, and I'll swear that she never stirred from it all night 'til breakfast-time."
Frodo saw that, whether it was true or not, this was the line they would all take. "What about Mr. Lowfoot?" he asked. "He left here before dinner was served, I believe. Did he return later that evening? Did you see him at all?"
He could see that Althaea's brothers would be relieved if they could find some sign that Valumus had returned to the Thain's Hall, but they had to concede that they hadn't seen him again before the Thain fell ill.
"You must believe that we're always careful about letting Valumus near our wines," said Alhasrus. "He could never have been near that decanter of Father's when he was here last."
"But your sister went into the study that evening, to talk to your father about her daughter's dowry?"
"She did--but Father was right there all the time," countered Alamargo. "Do you think she poured the poison into his wine while he sat there and watched, then drank it? Or that he turned his back long enough to allow her time to do it?"
Frodo had no good answer for that yet.
Alamaric came in. When he saw Frodo among the company, he smiled. "Ah, Frodo, I wanted to say that I'm sorry about my daughter's behavior toward you after lunch today. My Di is very young and impetuous, and doesn't understand these things."
"It's quite all right, sir," Frodo assured him. "No hard feelings?"
"None at all. I sent her to apologize, but she doesn't seem to have gotten so far as the Hall front door. At least, she's made it up with young Pippin."
"Pippin?" echoed Merry, suddenly alert at the mention of his friend's name.
"Yes. I just saw the two of them sitting out in the garden," said Alamaric. "They looked to be entirely caught up in whatever it is they were talking about and never noticed as I went past. I didn't like to interrupt them."
"How very sweet! You might find a match for that spirited daughter of yours one day yet," said Istra.
Alamaric himself seemed rather pleased at the idea, but Frodo observed that, for once, Aunt Diamanta and Merry were in full agreement: neither liked the sound of it. Little Diamond, on the other hand, who had sat quietly since Frodo's entrance, appeared to be perfectly composed and unaffected.
"Apologize for what, Uncle?" asked Helimarcus. "What's that girl done now?"
"Oh, she had a little tiff with Frodo over his investigation," Alamaric explained lightly, as if it were nothing of importance. "He took an interest in the door between our two houses, and Di was upset over it."
"So he suspects you too!" cried Alamargo.
"Is there anyone you haven't suspected, Mr. Baggins?" Hilbarus asked him.
"I've considered nearly everyone I've met since we arrived," Frodo answered, "some more seriously than others."
Many of the Tooks looked disturbed at the idea that, like Alamaric, they had been "considered," but Diamanta exploded impatiently, "All of this is nonsense, Frodo! You're wasting time with suspecting people who have nothing to do with it, when all along-"
She stopped suddenly as the parlor door opened and Florisel came in.
"Your mother?" Sam echoed in astonishment. "And she works for you?"
"It was the only way I could bring her here to live near me," Lady Iris explained quickly. "She's been a cook all her life, since my father died when I was young and she had to earn a living for us. I hope you can understand, Mr. Gamgee." She lay a hand on his arm. "My first husband Rosaldo and I did what we could, but our bungalow was too small for her to live with us. When I married Brabantius, I could finally give my mother a comfortable home. She doesn't mind cooking. It's what she knows and likes to do best. I couldn't send her money in the north or try to settle her in a nice little cottage somewhere nearby. People would notice and want to know who she was to me. It would reach Brabantius's ears."
"Couldn't you tell him yourself, m'lady?"
Iris shook her head. "Brabantius might not mind. He is kind and generous. But you see what his children are like," she appealed to Sam confidentially. "They place such importance on rank and social position. If they were to know that my mother was in service, or guess that I'd been in service myself-!"
"That's naught to be ashamed of," said Sam. All the same, he sympathized with Lady Iris's position; he'd formed no good opinion of the North-Tooks and their snobbish ways.
"I'm not ashamed of it," Lady Iris answered, "but you see how difficult things are for me here. Imagine how much worse it would be if they knew!"
"They won't hear it from me, m'lady," Sam promised her.
Lady Iris smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Gamgee. I knew that I could trust you."
"Where is dear Lady Iris?" Istra asked Florisel as he entered the parlor.
"Iris will be joining us shortly," Florisel announced. "She begs you accept her apologizes for being late, but she had to go to the kitchens--something to do with dinner."
"Seeing the soup isn't poisoned," said Ulfidius dryly, "or seeing that it is?"
No one found this joke amusing.
The maids arrived with their trays full of teacups and pots and plates of cakes and sandwiches. In Iris's absence, Diamanta took the duties of hostess upon herself and began to pour out the tea. The group gathered around take their tea-cups and serve themselves from the plates of dainties, then dispersed to separate parts of the room to whisper amongst themselves in light of the interesting and distressing scene that had been interrupted. Frodo was hoping to have a quick word with Merry, for he saw how his friend still looked somewhat upset after hearing Alamaric's news about Pippin and Di, but this personal conversation would have to wait. As soon as he had gathered up his eatables, Florisel approached Frodo and indicated that he was eager to talk.
"I do have something helpful to tell you after all, Mr. Baggins," the older hobbit announced confidentially as soon as he had draw Frodo away from Merry. "I didn't realize it when we spoke yesterday, but I've told Iris about our- ah- meeting earlier. I thought it best that she know."
"Yes, I thought you might," said Frodo.
"I told her that we might be suspected, and she pointed out something to me that will help us, and help you. It concerns when this poisoning was supposed to have happened. You think that someone went into the Thain's study the day before he fell ill or over the night and tampered with his wine? Is that correct?" When Frodo nodded, Florisel said, "Then I can tell you that that couldn't have happened."
"What do you mean?" asked Frodo.
"It isn't possible," answered Florisel. "No one--not me nor Iris nor anybody else--could have gone into the Thain's study during the day just before his illness. I brought the north-Cleeve rents to Brabantius just after Lithetide, at the beginning of June, you remember? He and I went over every penny of it. There was a lot of loose money about while we were adding it all up for the accounts, and Brabantius locked his study door whenever he wasn't in. I was never in there unless he was there too, and nobody else could have gone in without Brabantius being there to see what they were up to. He keeps the only key."
Florisel's voice had been rising during this last speech, and those nearest them, Alamargo and his elder son, heard the end of it.
"Yes, that's so," Alamargo confirmed. "Flori and Father are always shut up in the study all day when he brings the northern rents. None of us could've gone in while they were there--and no one could've gotten in later at night. Since Father was ill the next day, it stayed locked until he was well enough to return to it."
Frodo stared at him, astounded.
"Why didn't anybody say so before?" asked Merry, as amazed as Frodo at this remarkable omission.
"I didn't think of it. We always take it so for granted," Alamargo said apologetically.
"I never knew it at all," said Persifilla. "I don't think I've been in Granduncle Brabantius's study more than twice in my whole life!"
"I've heard it spoken of from time to time," said Istra, "but I've never tried to enter Brabantius's study when he wasn't in to see whether or not it was locked. Why would I?"
"It didn't occur to me that that one day and place was so important," Alhasrus explained. "I thought that Father's wine could've been tampered with at any time before his illness."
"No," said Frodo. "There may have been wine poisoned before, but Tulipant opened that particular bottle, decanted it, and brought it to the Thain's study on the day before the Thain fell ill. That day and night seemed to me the most opportune time for anyone to have touched it."
"And none of us could have. There, you see!" Aspid was beaming with relief. "It couldn't have been one of the family."
"Not even Iris." Florisel said triumphantly, and turned back to Frodo. "Ask Brabantius himself if you don't believe it's so."
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