Camellia's funeral was held at Stillwater Hall the next day; it was attended by her mother-in-law, her uncle Turlo and aunt Rue, who had traveled from Overhill as quickly as possible, Asphodel Burrows and the Bolgers, Frodo and his companions, Rolo, and a small number of neighbors and acquaintances who had known Camellia well enough to mourn her. There were a few short speeches over the covered bier, for the funeral attendees all felt the circumstances to be very awkward. The most anyone could say was that Camellia had been a sweet and gentle girl, and it was all a great pity. Rolo, who might have said more, hung back from the rest of mourners and was silent.
Val would be placed in the Stillwaters family vault that evening, but that was to be a quiet funeral with none of the usual ceremonies.
After Camellia's bier had been carried into the vault and the door shut, the funeral-goers began to disperse. Asphodel took her nephew's arm. "Will you see me to my carriage, Frodo dear?" she requested. "This ordeal has been exhausting. Such a terrible tragedy, and the worst of it is that every one of us seems to feel that it's somehow our fault. We ought to have seen what was happening between Val and Camellia, and done something to prevent it."
"That's just what I feel, Auntie." Frodo thought of that timid, nervous girl who had sat in his parlor one day and asked for his help. "I wish I could have done more--seen what Val was really like, not let her come back here to him. Something."
"There are others, I imagine, who feel that even more strongly than you do..." Asphodel turned her gaze to the Bilburys, who were talking quietly with Rolo. The older couple seemed humble and apologetic; Frodo could only imagine the guilt they must feel at their part in Camellia's death. They had been wrong about Rolo and about Val, and they had lost their niece because of it.
"At least, Camellia's aunt and uncle have each other to turn to in their grief," Asphodel continued. "And that boy will most likely return to his own family for whatever comfort they can give him. Poor Verbena has no one to sustain her during this wretched time. She's the only one of the Stillwaters left to face the disgrace--I think she regrets summoning you. You can understand why, Frodo: If she hadn't asked you to find Camellia, her Val would still be alive."
"But Camellia wouldn't be," said Frodo. "She'd be lying buried in the garden, while everyone thought that she'd run away. That wouldn't have changed."
"You're quite right," Asphodel murmured. "I do hope Verbena will realize that. Right now, I'm afraid she may only see that her family has come to scandal and ruin. What can be worse for a respectable hobbit? I've asked her to stay with me for a time. She must see that her friends have not abandoned her." As they drew closer to Mrs. Stillwaters, who was standing before the closed vault door with her head down and eyes shut, Asphodel spoke to her. "Verbena dear, are you ready to leave?"
Mrs. Stillwaters opened her eyes. "Yes, Asphodel, I'm ready. I've left my bags in front of the Hall to be picked up. Everything's locked up. I've shut Stillwater Hall," she explained to Frodo. "I shall have to sell it, you know. There's so little money left, only Camellia's--and I wouldn't dream of touching a penny of it! The horror of it is that I wanted Val to find a wealthy wife to save us from this. I encouraged him to marry her. A mother's first wish is to look after her child's best interests, no matter what..."
"Do you know where you'll go?" asked Asphodel.
"I've been thinking of retiring to some other part of the Shire where they haven't heard of our tragedy. I may even take another name."
"I'm sorry for how this has turned out for you," Frodo said softly. "I know you must blame me."
Mrs. Stillwaters stared at him, then said, "Blame you, Mr. Baggins? No, I don't. I asked you to find Camellia, and you have. Only, you see, I didn't know."
When Asphodel placed a hand on her arm, Mrs. Stillwaters leaned on her friend, grateful to accept the support.
"What an unbearable thing it would be to have such knowledge constantly in one's mind," she said after a moment. "How could Val have borne it? No, he couldn't have. That must be why he took... the recourse that he finally sought. His remorse must have overwhelmed him at the end."
Frodo thought that Val had only felt remorse at being caught, and had hung himself rather than face further humiliations, but he did not say so to Val's mother. If it comforted the lady to believe that her son regretted what he'd done, he would not disillusion her.
He escorted the two elderly ladies to Asphodel's carriage, and saw them off. Before he joined his friends to return to the inn, Frodo stopped to speak to Rolo; his pony was tethered at the gate outside the burial grounds with his pack strapped on behind the saddle.
"You're going home to the Wood?" Frodo asked.
"Straight away," said Rolo. "There's no reason for me to stop here another minute. I should never've come out o' the Wood." He began to untie the pony's reins.
"Rolo, before you go, I'd like to apologize," Frodo told him. "I was very harsh with you that day when I questioned you, more harsh than I needed to be. I'm sorry I suspected you."
"You thought it was me who killed Cammie," Rolo said bluntly. "I'd be hard on anybody if I thought that of 'em. I'd've been harder on Cammie's husband if you'd let me get my hands on him."
"I also have something I'd like to give you." Frodo took Camellia's letters from his pocket and offered them to Rolo. "I think she would want you to have these."
Rolo took the packet and, as he looked at the handwriting on the topmost envelope, a letter addressed to him, tears glimmered in his eyes. He tucked the letters quickly away inside his waistcoat, close to his heart. "Thank you, Mr. Baggins," he said, and he blotted the corners of his eyes on his sleeve. "Since it's over now and you don't suspect me anymore, I can tell you: I did lie about one thing."
Frodo blinked in surprise. "About what?"
"Cammie did see me, once. She knew I was here. I didn't mean for her to, just as I said. I did my best to keep out of her sight, but one day, she came out into the garden where I was working. I looked up, and there she was, looking straight at me. I couldn't think to say aught but her name."
"And did she say anything to you?"
Rolo nodded. "She said, 'Rolo, please go away. You can do no good here.' I did go soon after, to follow that maid who took Cammie's letters, but I think she was right. I did her no good. I can't help wondering, Mr. Baggins--Did we bring it about? Me being here, us finding those letters for her, and sending 'em back? She would never've come to this end if it weren't for me!"
"I don't know," Frodo said thoughtfully. "It was her money Val was after. If Camellia had never loved you, he might've found another way to hide his crime. If it's any comfort to you, I think that those stolen letters worked against him--they brought me in to investigate when she disappeared, and gave us Betula's story. We obtained justice for Camellia. He didn't get away with it."
"I'm glad of that, Mr. Baggins, but it's precious little comfort."
"I know," said Frodo, "but it's all there is."
When they returned to the Inn, the remaining young hobbits prepared to go their separate ways. The last few days had been exhausting for Frodo; at Sam's insistence, he lay down on the bed in their room to rest before the journey home while Sam packed their bags. He could hear his cousins in their own rooms, opening and closing doors and dragging baggage into the hallway.
Merry appeared in the door to Frodo's room. "We're just about to leave," he announced, "but I wanted to say goodbye."
"You're going back to Tuckborough?" asked Frodo.
"No, not me. I'm going to Brandy Hall." Merry sat on the foot of the bed and gestured to Ilberic, who had come to Frodo's doorway after him. "I promised Ilbie I'd speak to Father on his and Stella's behalf."
"Great-Aunt Del was going to come too, but she has to stay here in Budgeford to look after Mrs. Stillwaters. She says she'll to write Uncle Saradoc instead," Ilbie added.
"Would you like me to come along, Ilb?" Frodo offered. "I don't know if Uncle Saradoc will listen to me, but I'll be happy to do whatever I can."
"Would you, Frodo? Thanks awfully!" Ilbie responded, and joined Merry and Frodo on the bed. "I didn't like to ask you when you were in the middle of your investigation and had more than enough to trouble you without considering my problems. I can see how wearying this business with the Stillwaters has been for you. Are you sure it won't put you out? If you'd rather go home, I won't mind."
"It's no trouble." Frodo assured him, and turned to Sam, who had finished the packing and was tossing their bags out into the hall. "You don't have to come with me, Sam. Rosie's waiting for you."
Sam frowned at him sternly. "You're not going anywhere without me, Frodo. You're not well yet. Who'll look after you if you have another bad turn? I'll write Rosie and explain we'll be another day or two. She'll understand."
"What about you, Pip?" Merry asked, who had Pippin joined them. "I know you want to go home."
"No, I'll come too," said Pippin. "I don't have to be back in Tuckborough for a few days. If you aren't coming there with me, Merry, I'd rather spend a little more time with you anywhere else while I can."
Merry smiled at him gratefully. "That's settled then! To Brandy Hall, we'll all go!"
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