Love Letters: A Frodo Investigates! Mystery by Kathryn Ramage

They arrived in Budgeford that afternoon. While Sam reclaimed the same rooms at the Inn, which they had kept in reserve for their return, Frodo went out to make inquiries at the little post office next door.

The postmistress couldn't be certain whether or not she had seen the package, not after so many days, but she thought that the courier who routinely took the mail north on the road to Scary and Quarry might remember stopping at the Hall. Since he usually returned from his rounds in time to have tea with her, Frodo decided to wait.

The courier arrived within the hour and was not adverse to the tip Frodo offered to help jog his memory. Yes, he did recall leaving a parcel at Stillwater Hall several weeks ago, and thought it might have come from Hobbiton.

"But I can tell you for sure, Mr. Baggins, that it wasn't mislaid," he defended himself from any hint of neglect in his duties. "It got where it was meant to go. I put that package right into the hands of Missus Stillwaters herself."

"Which Mrs. Stillwaters?" Frodo asked eagerly. "The elder or the younger?"

"Old Missus, it was."




Frodo next went to Aunt Asphodel's. The maid who admitted him said that "her ladyship's not receiving company," but he found that she was not alone; Estella and Ilberic Brandybuck were with her today, seated together on the sofa and looking rather anxious.

"I beg your pardon. I didn't mean to interrupt." Frodo took a step backwards at the parlor door to excuse himself from what appeared to be a private conversation, but Estella waved for him to stay.

"It's all right, Frodo--you know all about it anyway. Ilbie and I thought Great-Aunt Del might help us with Uncle Saradoc." Estella reached out to take Ilbie's hand, and turned eagerly to Asphodel. "Can you, Auntie? Aunt Beryl's come around. She sees now that Merry doesn't care a straw for me and never will."

"And I told Mother before I came here that I meant to propose to Estella," said Ilbie. "She was thrilled. She'd guessed my plans already, since I've been so much in Budgeford lately, and gave me her permission without hesitation. That only leaves Uncle Saradoc to give his consent. He's head of the family, and my father made him my guardian and trustee of the money he left to me, Celie and Dodi. If I marry without his permission before I'm of age, he can hold back my inheritance. I couldn't marry Estella as a pauper--I won't have it said I'm living off her money."

"I have little influence over my nephew," Asphodel told the young couple, "but of course I'll do my best to point out the advantages of your match to him."

"Thank you, Auntie," said Estella. "That's all we ask."

"We want as many people on our side as we can get!" added Ilbie.

After the two had gone, Asphodel turned to Frodo with a soft smile. "They're so sweet, and so terribly young, but it does my heart good to see children so much in love. It makes an old lady feel quite young again herself! So you knew all about it?"

"Estella told me that Ilbie was calling on her when I was last here," Frodo said as he sat on the sofa his cousins had recently vacated. "I hadn't realized that they were actually betrothed."

"I understand that they became so yesterday, when Ilberic arrived. It is a good match for them both. I can't think of a girl more deserving to become a Brandybuck, and Ilberic will make a decent husband for her, if only Saradoc can be made to see it. It's no good to push Merry at girls like Estella. Even if he agrees to marry one day, he'll never be the sort of husband to make a girl happy. I don't mean to speak slightingly of Merry, Frodo--I know he's your friend, and I'm very fond of him myself--but all the Shire knows it's true. Such things do happen, even in the best families. It's sad that it should happen to the heir to the Hall, but we must face it. You're old enough to know, my boy, that a wife will put up with a great deal from a husband if there's love between them." This was as close as Asphodel would come to criticizing the late Rufus Burrows. "Without that... Well, in spite of the enormous prestige that comes with being Mistress of the Hall, I wouldn't want a loveless marriage for dear little Estella."

"Neither does Merry," said Frodo.

"I'm pleased to hear it. Perhaps he ought to speak to his father as well." Asphodel's smile returned. "I shall do my best for those children to see them wed. Now, what can I do for you, Frodo dear?"

"I came to ask a favor of you, Auntie," Frodo explained. "Do you call often on Mrs. Stillwaters? If you do, I'd like to accompany you on your next visit. I believe she has social occasions, as you do?"

"Yes, she has. As a matter of fact, I've been invited to tea tomorrow afternoon. It's Verbena's first tea party since before poor Camellia's disappearance. Verbena's making every attempt to keep up a brave face, although of course everyone knows about it now." The old lady's eyes twinkled as she regarded her nephew. "I'll be pleased and quite proud to be escorted by a handsome young lad like yourself, Frodo, and I'm certain that Verbena would have no objection to your presence... but can't you simply go to Stillwater Hall if you wish to speak to her?"

Frodo shook his head. "Not for this. There's something I need to find without her knowing about it."
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