After they saw Ponto off at the lane that led to his home, Frodo and Angelica walked on toward the Old Place.
"It didn't come out exactly as planned, but I think we made a good start," said Frodo. "I was very glad of your help, Angelica. Will you be staying on in Hobbiton for awhile?"
"Another day or two. I promised Mama I'd bring the baby over tomorrow. I can manage to remain longer if you need me to, Frodo, but I mustn't stay away too long, or Lad will miss us." A hint of a smile curved at the corners of her mouth. "He might even become jealous."
"Jealous?" Frodo echoed. "Of me?"
"He knew I was coming here to see you," Angelica explained coolly. "I told him so. Lad doesn't know about Cammie's stolen letters--that remains a matter of the strictest confidence--but of course he remembers that day you called at our house while he was out at the races. Perhaps it's on his mind now."
Frodo knew she was joking, but he blushed. "Surely he realizes he has nothing to worry about. We're distant cousins, hardly even on friendly terms until recently and besides- well- I mean- He's heard the gossip about me."
"The gossip about you and Sam Gamgee?" Angelica replied. "Yes, he's heard it. Remember, he was the one who told it to me when he was so afraid I might do as Aunt Dora wanted and marry you instead of him. Even if he truly believed it then, your Sam is married now." Then she said more sincerely, "I was sorry for you when I heard about that, Frodo. It's remarkably sweet of you to have him and Rosie at Bag End. I could never be so generous under such circumstances."
"They married with my blessings," Frodo told her. He would not, however, explain the arrangement that he, Sam and Rosie had made between them.
"You are sweet," Angelica repeated. Then, as if she regretted her teasing, confessed, "I didn't tell Lad about Cammie's letters, but I did tell him that I was coming here to help you, for Cammie's sake."
"You care very much for her, don't you?"
"She's been my friend since we were small."
Frodo found himself repeating what Aunt Asphodel had observed. "She's so unlike you--such a shy, plain girl."
"Yes," replied Angelica, "and I was the roly-poly one that the boys called 'Jelly'."
Frodo understood; Merry and Pippin still teased her by calling her by that name. Angelica had not always been one of the prettiest girls in the Shire. It was to her credit that she remained loyal to the friend of her pudgy childhood years after she had blossomed, and Camellia had not.
"When Camellia last wrote you, did she say what she wanted?" he asked. "Could she have meant to tell you she was planning to go away with Rolo?"
"She didn't say anything of the sort. She's only mentioned his name to me once since she married, on the day she told me about those letters of his. She should better have burned them! Oh, I brought her letter with me--I meant to give it to you yesterday. I knew you'd want to see it."
Once they were back at the Old Place, Angelica took Camellia's last letter out of her baggage to show it to him. Frodo read it while his cousin saw to her baby, and promised Peony that they would tell her all that had happened over lunch.
As Angelica had said, the first paragraph of Camellia's letter simply stated that she would be visiting her aunt and uncle, and asked Angelica to meet her in Hobbiton. The second paragraph was more interesting:
"'I would also like to see your cousin, Mr. Baggins, again. Do you think he'd mind if we called? I still wish to have my letters returned, but fear I have made a dreadful mistake."
"What does she mean: 'I still wish to have my letters returned'?" Frodo asked Angelica when she came back to the parlor.
"Just as she says. I expect she wanted to know how you were coming along in your efforts, but was too shy to ask her yourself."
"But-" Frodo stopped and stared at her. "Angelica, I recovered those letters weeks ago. It was her maidservant who took them. I sent them on to her right away. She never-" They regarded each other with wide eyes. "She never received them."
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