As they walked away from the Old Place, Frodo turned to find Merry and Pippin on the hill above the house and waved to let them know that he and Sam were leaving. Since the two were busy playing with the children and seemed to be having a good time themselves, he did not expect them to come along, but Merry set down the little girl he was giving a pig-a-back ride, and he and Pippin came down amid disappointed cries from the children and pleas for promises to return. Frodo stood just outside the gate to wait for them.
"What do you think?" he asked once his cousins had joined him and Sam, and the four of them were walking together in the lane toward Bag End.
"I think that if it was Lobelia that'd disappeared, we'd all know who was responsible," Pippin joked. "Dotty Aunt Dora's been in the mood to do away with her for years! But I can't see her getting rid of Lotho, even if she was up to it."
"Did you know about Lad and Angelica?" asked Frodo.
"That they were planning to marry, no," said Merry. "But I thought he might be sweet on her. Milo was teasing Lad about Angelica last night."
"Sam said that Lotho was at the Dragon last Trewsday night, shouting at Lad. They almost came to blows. Lad didn't say anything about it, did he?" His cousins both shook their heads. "Could they have been fighting over her?" Frodo asked.
"If he thought he had a rival in Pimple, I could see Lad fighting for Jelly's sake," Merry replied.
"But from what I heard, Mr. Lotho was the one who wanted to fight," said Sam, "not Mr. Lad."
"And as far as we know, he's not interested in marrying Jelly anyway," Merry continued. "She might be his mother's choice, but he's got that farmer's daughter of his tucked away in the north. It's a pity--if Lotho were after Angelica, I could see her getting rid of him quite nicely. She's not going to let anybody get in her way of marrying Lad." He grinned at Frodo. "I thought she was going to throw the teapot at your head today if you'd shown any inclination to accept Aunt Dora's offer."
Frodo smiled in return. "She'd have to wait behind Milo and Peony to do it. They're the ones who want the house most desperately. Milo even asked me about it. I think he was afraid I'd accepted." Then he added, more seriously, "I suspect that Lad's not the only one who's been in a fight recently. Milo's knuckles are scraped--did you notice?"
"Yes, last night," said Merry, "but I never considered..." His eyes grew larger as he stared at Frodo. "Do you think-?"
"I don't know, but I can see that he's worried. Maybe it's only money troubles. Milo told me that he and Peony are short of funds right now, which seems odd now I think of it. I've never seen any sign that they lived extravagantly beyond their means. But I have a feeling that something more than money is troubling Milo, something to do with Pimple. He became very nervous when he found out I knew about Daisy Puddlesby."
"But that's ridiculous," Pippin objected. "Milo and Peony may have wanted to be rid of Pimple, but they wouldn't, not really-"
"Maybe not, but we have to think of it," Frodo informed him. "Sam gave me a good scolding about that the last time. If we're going to investigate this properly, we can't simply say that someone or other wouldn't ever commit murder--even if they are family--we have to consider everyone who has a reason or the opportunity, like it or not. And you have to assume that people will keep things back. He suspected everyone, didn't you, Sam?"
Merry eyed Sam. "Even me?"
Sam did not answer this, but Frodo said, "Well, you did have your reasons, even better ones than I realized at first, and you certainly didn't tell us everything you could have."
"And what about me?" Pippin pursued teasingly.
"Not suspected, exactly," Sam said, "but I thought you might lie for Mr. Merry's sake--and, begging your pardon, you would, wouldn't you?"
"Well, yes, of course," Pip admitted, "but I didn't."
"But you see how you can't take folk at their word. If they've got something to hide, Mr. Milo and Missus Peony'd lie for each other just the same, and so would Miss Angelica for Mr. Lad Whitfoot. And you know Mrs. Sackville-Baggins would lie fit to move heaven 'n' earth for her son."
No one could argue with that.
Once they rounded the curve of the hill, they were in sight of Bag End. "What do we do next?" asked Pippin. "Do we go on asking questions?"
"There are a few more things I'd like to know. Is Lad staying in Hobbiton?" Frodo wondered. "It seems likely to me that he is, if he wants to be near Angelica, but he isn't a guest at the Old Place. We would've seen him there, or they would've said something if he were. Besides, I don't think Aunt Dora would welcome him in the house if she wants Angelica to marry- ah- elsewhere. You don't know where he is?"
Merry shrugged. "He might be with other friends in the town."
"Maybe he's lodged at the Dragon," said Pippin. "They keep a room or two to let in the back."
"Can you find out?" Frodo requested. "Find him and ask what Lotho said to him, what their fight was about. And Sam-" he turned to his friend, "you said you know where the Puddlesbys live? It might be worth a trip to go and talk to this Daisy. It wouldn't surprise me if she knows where Lotho's been all along, and it will save us a lot of trouble if she does." They were now on the road that led up to Bag End; Frodo leaned slightly against Sam.
"I'll go 'n' see the Puddlesbys, but you've got to keep your promises too," Sam replied. As they reached the front gate, he held it open for Frodo. "There's been enough investigating for one day. You're to rest 'til dinner-time, and go right to bed afterwards."
"But I feel fine," said Frodo. "I'm hardly tired at all."
"I don't want you getting tireder," Sam told him firmly. "You aren't to sit up tonight talking about Mr. Lotho, and that's that."
"All right, Sam," Frodo surrendered, but his eyes were twinkling in amusement as he took Sam's arm and they went up the steps together. "I'll rest."
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