The Newbury folk did not know Sam, but they were amiable to strangers passing through their town and not only willing, but eager, to talk about the recent tragedy among the "high folk at the Hall." With very little encouragement, they also told him whatever older tales they could recall about the Brandybucks, their peculiarities, and their differences with the townsfolk and other neighboring gentry:
"Now, peculiar they've always been, but this last bunch is oddest. Young Master Merry takes after his lady-mother, and she's a Took, born and bred..."
"There was old Miss Amaranth, who flirted with every lad for miles around. She was worse'n even this Missus Celandine that's causing all the fuss with her husband and brother hit over the head just the same as Mr. Berilac before. Promised to wed six different lads, Miss Amaranth did, and never married a one!"
"...and when her husband heard tell of it, he went to Brandy Hall and said he'd thrash Mr. Berry..."
"Some say 'twas an accident, and t'River do be dangerous indeed in t'deeps, 'tis true. But there's some as says she pushed 'm out t'boat and he pulled her down after 'm..."
"...and Mr. Orgulas, he never spoke to his brother again..."
"Tight-fisted Master Saradoc was with his money, not like Old Master Rory afore 'm. He'd press his farm tenants for every last penny of the rents as if he had more need of the copper coins 'n they did and wouldn't wait a week or two if times was hard. Him, and all the Brandybucks rich as kings! And cold too, Master Saradoc was. Unfeeling. Locked up his own son, who is Master now, and who's as fine a lad as any, though a famous bugger he may be. The old Master's brother, Mr. Merimac, is just the same. Cold."
"...hunting in t'Old Forest, beyond t'Hay, they went. Whether one of 'em shot t'other or they both was got by sommat else in woods, they never come out and weren't seen no more in Buckland..."
"...took t'poor lass out t'River down t'marshes at Withywindle..."
Sam went from the High Hay tavern to the Newbury Inn to the one or two smaller pubs in the town as he'd been directed, buying rounds of ales, listening to this gossip, but his mind wasn't on his work. His thoughts remained on what Frodo had told him about Merry before they'd parted this afternoon, that teasing little flicker of tongue across the roof of his mouth, and the way Frodo had laughed about it. The fact that that kiss was so enticing only made it more disturbing. As Sam turned it all over in his mind, he liked it less and less, and his thoughts grew darker and angrier. He only gave half an ear to the stories the Newbury folk were telling him, and so he nearly missed the important one.
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