After he had finished questioning Tulipant, Frodo returned to the parlor, where his friends were still sitting with the North-Took family. Tea and a large platter of cakes had been brought in for the refreshment of the three visitors, and their hosts were still trying to pump them for information--information that Sam, Pippin, and Merry simply did not have.
Everyone looked up with curiosity when Frodo came back into the room. "Where have you been all this time?" Pippin asked between mouthfuls of cake. "We were beginning to wonder."
"I've had a look at the wine cellar." Frodo's answer only perplexed the group; his friends might be used to this sort of cryptic remark, but the North-Tooks didn't know what to make of it.
"Wine cellar?" repeated Alhasrus. "Why should Father want you to see that?"
Frodo replied cautiously, unsure of how much he could reveal before the Thain himself had told his family. To gain information from them, he would have to take a different tack than he had Tulipant and be more subtle. "Thain Brabantius believes the wine has been tainted." He was careful not to say the word 'poisoned.'
"Nonsense," said Alamargo. "There's nothing wrong with the wine. We've all drunk it."
"We had some with our dinner only last night," his wife added.
"There is a special vintage," said Frodo, "reserved for the Thain's private use."
"Yes, that's right," said Alhasrus. "The Thain's Own."
"When did you last drink that?"
"A decanter was brought to the table at my birthday." Alhasrus looked to the others for confirmation.
"Before your father was taken ill?"
"Yes," said Alhasrus, and seemed more perplexed by these questions. "In April, but Father's drunk of it since."
"Your father is convinced that his recent illness has been caused by the wine," Frodo informed him.
Isigo gave a sharp whistle. "So that's what all this mystery has been about!"
"But that's absurd!" Lady Iris cried.
"Nevertheless, my lady, it is what Thain Brabantius is afraid of. He's asked me to look into the matter." Frodo watched them all for their reactions to this announcement: the North-Tooks were surprised and incredulous, but if any one among them had a guilty conscience, they did not betray it in their expressions.
"But we're his family," protested Hilbarus. "Surely you don't suggest he suspects one of us?"
"It can't have anything to do with us," Persifilla said confidently.
"Grandfather must be in his dotage, if he can believe such a thing," said Ulfidius.
Frodo didn't know exactly who the Thain suspected, but he noticed that Diamanta and Aspid met each other's eyes, then both glanced surreptitiously at Iris from under lowered lashes.
"Do you believe it, Mr. Baggins?" asked Alhasrus. "An old hobbit can have strange fancies, especially if he's been ill. You aren't just encouraging these odd ideas of his?"
"No," Frodo replied, "I believe him."
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