Marda Burbage drank her tea, but she had little appetite for the dainties served with it. The other guests ate more heartily, but gloated over their victory silently. The chief conversation was further discussion of what was to be done with the children.
"What about the little uns?" Mrs. Odlum spoke up after the tea was brought in. "I said I wanted to go home, Mr. Baggins, but I can't 'til I know they're going to be proper looked after."
"They will be," Frodo promised her.
"We'll look after them," Peony added impulsively.
"There's plenty of room at the Red Doors," Golda offered. "We've missed having a child about the house since Angelica left us, haven't we, Ponto?"
Frodo also spoke of his plans for Marda and Mrs. Odlum's journey back to Burridge. The coach he had hired to bring Mrs. Odlum and children from Green Hill was still at the Ivy Bush inn; he would place it at the two women's disposal and engage the coachman to convey them home, and provide enough pocket money for their meals and lodging along the way. When Milo suggested that it might be more convenient for them to stay at the inn tonight, and that he would be happy to pay for their room, Marda did not object. Mrs. Odlum, who hadn't yet unpacked her bags, was ready to leave with her friend once they'd made their farewells to Eudora and Eudo.
"Can I say goodbye to my own brother's children?" Marda asked stiffly.
"Yes, of course," said Frodo.
"And what about Miss Baggins? She's been very kind to me."
"More kind than you deserve," Angelica murmured.
"You can say goodbye to my aunt," Frodo granted this request. "But I hope you won't say anything to upset her. Simply tell her you're sorry, and you must go."
Marda accepted this. "Will you let me see my niece and nephew sometime?" Her tone implied that she considered herself the person being wronged.
"Certainly, if you wish," Frodo told her, meaning to put a stop to these injured airs. "I wouldn't like to separate the children from their aunt. Eudora especially seems fond of you. Write to me when you want to visit them, and I'll bring them to you." He privately wondered if he would ever hear from her.
Marda set down her empty teacup and rose to cross the hall to the other parlor. Mrs. Odlum followed her.
As soon as they'd gone, Angelica clapped her hands. "Frodo, that was wonderful! You put that awful liar and cheat in her place."
"It was impressive," Milo agreed.
"I always thought you were peculiar and flighty, like old Uncle Bilbo," Porto admitted grudgingly, "but you've got some good Baggins common sense about you after all, my lad. You might make a fine head to the family one day."
Frodo was taken aback by these compliments; he'd only done what he thought was right.
"Do you truly think it was wise to pay that woman?" asked Ponto.
"Of course it was, Papa," Angelica responded. "Otherwise, how can we be sure once Frodo sends her off that she won't come back again next year and disturb poor Aunt Dora again? She'll have to behave herself as long as she's paid. She knows it's the only money she'll see from us."
"I'm afraid Auntie will need closer care and attention after this," Peony said sadly. "Golda, are you certain it won't be a trouble to you taking in those children?"
"Not at all!" her sister-in-law insisted. "It's the best solution. You have your own children and poor Auntie to think of, Frodo has his gardener's children, and Angelica will have her hands full once the baby is born. Who do I have to look after? Only a husband! Angelica's old bedroom is already furnished for a young girl's tastes. It only wants a dusting and fresh linens. We can put the boy in that guest room we hardly ever have guests in."
Her husband Ponto had been less enthusiastic about the idea, but once he saw that Golda was eager to bring a child or two into their home, he agreed that they would be welcome.
"What if Aunt Dora wants to leave the Old Place to one of them one day?" Milo asked, half-joking.
"Well, it isn't as if they're outsiders, my dear. They our family--Bagginses if all but name, and now that they're here in Hobbiton, they'll only become closer to us as they grow up," said Peony, matching her husband's tone. "Who knows? Twenty years from now, one of our boys might end up marrying that sweet little girl, or else Myrtle-"
The conversation stopped suddenly when Marda emerged from the room across the hall. Milo offered to escort her back to the Old Place to gather her belongings, and then see her and Mrs. Odlum to the inn. The rest of the party also prepared to disperse; the afternoon was closing in to dusk. Golda asked Frodo if she might stay to dinner so that she and the children could get to know each other better before she invited them to live at Red Doors.
Dora came out of the second parlor on Sam's arm. She seemed agitated, and Frodo was worried that Doriella had said something to upset her after all.
But Dora soon explained what was distressing her. "Oh, my dear--Dorie says she's going away!"
"Yes, Auntie," Frodo answered. "But she isn't Doriella, you know."
"She said goodbye to the children. She means to leave them here! I don't understand--how can she think of going from the Old Place after I've told her to call it her home, and leave her dear little children behind?"
"They aren't her children, Aunt Dora," said Peony gently.
"But Frodo said they were. Doriella's own children."
"She isn't Doriella," Frodo tried again. "Doriella-" then he gave it up. Peony was quite right about Dora needing more care in future. She would always think of Marda Burbage as her niece; to force the truth upon her, with the additional fact that her real niece was dead, would only confuse and upset her. That was something he wasn't willing to do. The danger was removed; that was the most important thing. "Doriella had to go, Auntie. She won't be back again."
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