A Slip Twixt Cup and Lip by Kathryn Ramage

Story notes: July 2008

Notes: This story takes place in the summer of 1424 (S.R.).

This story is a sort of sequel to "The North-Thain's Murder." If you haven't read it, or would like to refresh your memory of that mystery and its ending before reading this, you can find it on the Library of Moria site at The North-Thain's Murder.

The Frodo Investigates! series
Just after Lithetide, Frodo went to Buckland to attend the wedding of his cousin Celie Brandybuck to a more distant cousin, Marleduc. He spent several pleasant days before and after the ceremony with his relatives, hearing all their news and family gossip, and when he was ready to return home, he accompanied his Aunt Asphodel as far as Budgeford.

"The young couple looked quite pleased with each other," Asphodel observed to her nephew after they'd left Brandy Hall. They sat together in her carriage, Frodo's pony trotting riderless behind. "It's a very good match. I understand that Celie had a number of suitors for her hand after her first husband's tragic death, but I believe she made the most sensible choice."

"You mean that she chose another Brandybuck?" said Frodo, smiling.

"Of course. Think of it--she's married twice, and never had to change her name once!" Asphodel, married and long ago widowed, still felt some regret at having to give up her prestigious family name for the more ordinary one of Burrows. She was a Brandybuck through and through, the last surviving daughter of Old Master Gorbaduc, and made every effort to sure all the Shire was aware of this fact. "Young Marleduc's from the cadet branch of the family--Uncle Orgulas's great, great grandson, you know--but so was poor Merimas. I hope the dear girl will be happier this time. They aren't planning to live in that tiny cottage on the Hall grounds where she and Merimas set up house, are they?"

"Oh no," Frodo assured her. "Celie told me herself that she never wants to set foot inside it again."

"I'm quite sympathetic with the child's feelings. Such memories she must have! But his parents' smial in Bucklebury isn't much larger. Surely they don't mean to live there? They'll be quite cramped up with the children."

"No, Auntie. No one's told me so particularly, but I'm certain that when they return from their honeymoon, they mean to stay at Brandy Hall." That had been a small piece of detective work on Frodo's part. Merry had written him shortly before the betrothal had been announced to say that he'd engaged Marly to act as his agent with the local Brandybuck-owned farms ("Since Dodi and Ilbie have no better head for figures than I do," was how Merry had explained his decision); that meant that Marly must come to the Hall daily to discuss business. Why shouldn't he come to live there after his marriage to Celie? It would certainly be more convenient, and there was plenty of room. Also, after Merimas's death had brought Celie and her two little boys back to Brandy Hall, Frodo knew that she had no desire to uproot herself and her children again.

Celie's boys, Mungo and Madoc, were being well looked after in the Hall nursery by Milli Pibble, along with their cousins, Aderic Took, and Ilbie's and Estella's infant daughter Estarla, as well as Milli's own son Jem (who was half-brother to Celie's sons, a fact unknown to the children, but known to the rest of the Brandybuck family). With five small children in residence, Frodo thought that the nursery was almost the way it had been in his own childhood, when another generation of young Brandybucks had grown up there. While at the Hall, he'd spent an afternoon or two up in the nursery chatting with Milli, for she'd been his housemaid while he'd lived in the cottage at Crickhollow and he took an interest in her welfare. Milli was still somewhat bewildered by the Brandybuck family's kindnesses to her and Jem since their relationship to the late Merimas had been discovered, but she told him she was happy with her place at the Hall.

"Your girl-cousins look as if they'd rather not leave Brandy Hall," said Asphodel. "Not that I blame them, for it is the finest and grandest house in the whole of the Shire, but it is usual for a bride to go to her husband's home when she marries."

Frodo understood that she wasn't referring to Celie alone, but also to Melilot, who had returned from Tuckborough last year. Her marriage to Everard Took had not turned out well, and her stay at Brandy Hall had become permanent since Everard had run away with Tibby Clover. This fresh scandal had been talked about a great deal at the wedding, and he and Asphodel discussed it now.

"The Tooks blame Melly for that husband of hers behaving so disgracefully--as if he never would have done such a thing if she'd stayed," said Asphodel. "But I say the poor girl saw her mistake and did the sensible thing by going back to her own family. I understand from Esmeralda that Eglantine also blames Merry for it."

"Merry?" echoed Frodo. "Whatever for?"

"Setting a bad example, I presume." This made Frodo laugh, and his aunt added, "Well, you know how upset Eglantine's been over Merry making a show of himself and young Peregrin. Perhaps she feels that they encourage other boys to behave the same way. There seem to be such a lot of you boys about these days."

Frodo was momentarily shocked to hear his aunt include him along with Merry, Pippin, and Everard as "you boys," but then he reflected that, when he'd lived in Buckland last year, his relationship with Merry had been an open secret among the family there. Was it so surprising that the ladies at Brandy Hall should convey the news to her?

"We Brandybucks have always been considered an odd family--not like the commonplace hobbits--but I must say this last generation has turned out very odd indeed!" Aunt Asphodel went on, "It's a pity that it's happened to some of the most eligible young bachelors in the Shire, but if you're not suited to be proper husbands, that's that. I suppose that whether Merry's example is a good or bad one depends on one's point-of-view. Don't you agree, my dear? I wouldn't have said so once, but I see now it's preferable that a boy like that doesn't wed at all rather than put a girl in such an unhappy position as Everard did poor Melly. I've quite given up on the idea of Merry taking a wife." She gave her nephew a mischievous look. "Is there any hope for you, Frodo? No girl who could change your mind?"

"No, Auntie, I'm sorry," Frodo responded lightly but honestly. "All the ones I'm most fond of are married now anyway."

"Ah," Asphodel said with a note of sympathetic understanding, which confused Frodo until she added, "Poor Melly. What a shame that such a handsome and personable young hobbit should go to waste."

Frodo didn't inform his aged aunt that he was certainly not intending to let himself be wasted. He knew exactly how he meant to spend the time he had--more time than he would've anticipated only a few years ago. When he'd returned from his quest, his health and strength had been so undermined by the Ring's influence that he'd had no hope of living to see forty. But now that birthday lay just a few months away in September and he looked forward to celebrating.

They'd left Brandy Hall at midmorning, and arrived in Budgeford by late afternoon. "You're not going on to Hobbiton tonight, are you? Why don't you stop with your old auntie, Frodo dear?" Asphodel offered as they stopped in front her small but elegant bungalow. "There isn't much room, but I can give you a good dinner and a place to sleep."

"Nothing would please me more, Aunt Del," Frodo answered diplomatically, "but I've reserved a room at the Three Badgers. I'm expecting my friend Sam to come and meet me here, to ride back the rest of the way with me." But he agreed to come to his aunt's for tea and dinner, and to bring Sam along if he'd already arrived.
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