Gandalf was waiting for them when they returned to the house, and opened the front door even before Frodo and Merry reached it.
"It's all right," Merry said cheerfully as they went inside. "I've been with Frodo every step of the way, and you see I've brought him safely home. We aren't late for dinner, are we? No? Great! I'll go wash up, and Frodo can tell you about all the fun we've had."
"'Fun'," snorted Gandalf after Merry had gone to his room. "He calls your investigations of murders 'fun.'"
In spite of his grumbling, Frodo knew Gandalf wasn't angry. The wizard was often gruff over young hobbits' foolishness, but he enjoyed having them around. He wouldn't have let Merry stay at his house for so long if he wasn't fond of him.
"For him, they are fun," Frodo answered. "He's always been eager for adventures, more than the rest of us. I think he enjoyed his part in the quest. Even if it's dangerous, helping me to catch a murderer gives him something exciting to do."
"He is certainly more lively since you've joined him," Gandalf agreed as they left the front hall and went into the sitting room down the hall. "It's more than the opportunity for adventure--you've given him the company of another hobbit, and I know he's missed that sorely. You are very dear to him, Frodo."
"He's very dear to me too. When I agreed to come here, I was hoping to convince him to come home with me, but now... well, if only we'd thought to bring Pippin with us, Gandalf. I think Merry would be perfectly happy staying in Minas Tirith if Pip were here too. He did ask Pippin to come with him, you know, but Pippin wanted to stay in the Shire."
"No, I didn't know," Gandalf said. "Merry's told me nothing, and neither have you. Perhaps it is no business of mine, but hobbits are usually so forthright, I admit that it piques my curiosity when they keep things back. This is the one point on which his unending, ridiculous prattle falls silent."
"It is rather personal," Frodo said reluctantly. "I don't know if he'd like it if I told you. You might think differently of him." But Frodo hoped it wouldn't be so. Whether or not wizards knew anything about love, Gandalf had seen a great deal of the world and the people in it in a lifetime that spanned centuries. Perhaps he would understand, not only Merry's situation, but his own.
The wizard's bushy white brows rose at this last statement. "What did he do? Frodo, I promise you, unless Merry has taken to waylaying travelers and robbing them, or something equally criminal, it will not alter my opinion of him."
All right then. "He wasn't happy in the Shire," Frodo began. "I've told you that much."
"You said he'd quarreled with his father," Gandalf prompted.
"Yes, that's right. Uncle Saradoc wanted him to marry a girl he'd chosen for him, and Merry refused. He was in love with someone else."
"Someone his father didn't approve of?"
"Well, yes. They couldn't have married, not by any rites that we hobbits have. I don't know if it happens to anyone else on Middle-earth, but it sometimes happens to us hobbit-folk. Maybe it's a peculiarity only our people have." Frodo could see that Gandalf was only perplexed by this explanation that was no explanation. He would have to be clear. "It was Pippin, you see. They've loved each other since they were in their twenties. Even before Pippin, Merry's always been that way: he can only love other boys." He regarded the wizard timidly. "Do you know about such things?"
Gandalf nodded. "It is not a peculiarity exclusive to hobbits, Frodo. There are such Men too, and Elves. Among the Dwarves, it is commonplace--they have so few women-folk."
He wasn't shocked. He didn't even seemed very surprised to hear the truth about Merry, as if he'd already guessed something of the sort. Frodo thought of what had gone on in this same house three years ago, when all four hobbits had lived here with the wizard, and his cousins had shared the room where Merry now slept alone. Had Gandalf seen it then? If it was as common a thing as he claimed, then perhaps he did understand.
Since he'd told Merry's secret, it was only fair he tell his own as well. But this next step required more bravery, and before Frodo could work up his courage, Merry came in.
"Aren't you ready to eat?" he asked them. "The cook's put dinner on the table--roast chicken--and she's waiting to carve it up. Did you tell Gandalf who we saw, Frodo?"
"No," said Frodo. "I haven't had a chance to yet. We've been talking about something else."
Over dinner, the hobbits told Gandalf how they'd seen Cirandil and Tharya together, and repeated the fragment of conversation they'd overheard.
"She might've been betrothed to Cirandil's cousin, but there's something between the two of them," Frodo concluded. "I'm sure they're in love."
"Is this Tharya the woman you suspected?" asked Gandalf.
"She wasn't. I only saw her talking to Cirandil yesterday, and wondered who she was. I thought she must be connected with the family, because of her mourning-dress. But now I wonder if she has a greater part in this. It seems we've discovered a new motive for these murders. Perhaps Cirandil didn't poison his cousin to have his place, but for a more basic reason: love and jealousy."
Frodo saw now that Cirandil had not spoken the entire truth when he'd said he wanted nothing that rightly belonged to Caradan. He desired his cousin's intended bride. He wouldn't even speak her name when Frodo had asked him directly if Caradan was betrothed. Surely, Tharya must have the other bracelet, even if she didn't wear it.
"What about the uncle?" wondered Merry. "Why kill him?"
Frodo thought about this. "Perhaps the uncle didn't approve his nephew marrying. He wanted Tharya for his own son. If it was an arranged match and Tharya had no choice in the matter, she's free to do as she likes now. And Cirandil's come up in the world since his uncle and cousin are dead. He's in a better position to marry. A young guard living in quarters couldn't give a proper home to a wife, but now he'll have his uncle's wealth and that grand house down the street. Nothing stands in their way."
"Except the suspicion of murder," said Gandalf. "Be careful how you accuse them, Frodo. Being young and in love is not proof of guilt."
"I know it," Frodo answered, "and I don't intend to accuse anyone yet. I can't be certain that they're guilty, but I do wonder..."
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