They called on the Gaffer that evening. It was the first time Frodo had visited the old gardener since his return to Hobbiton, and the Gaffer welcomed him warmly and showed him into the kitchen, where Marigold was washing up after dinner. Sam helped her, and listened quietly while Frodo talked with his father.
"I didn't mean to burden you with my troubles, Mr. Frodo," said the Gaffer, "but my Sam talks so much 'bout you finding lost jewels and umbrellas and missing ladies and such, and how he's helped you so the Mayor himself made him Chief Shirriff. That's higher'n I ever thought I'd see a son of mine come to, particularly not Sam." The old hobbit shook his head. "Well, if my lad's got to a place above himself, I know you meant well by putting him there and hope it'll come to good."
"That's what I've always wanted for Sam myself," Frodo agreed, and turned his head to cast a quick smile in his friend's direction. "His good."
"I have a bit o' money put by for my old age. Now, I can't pay much for your services, Mr. Frodo, but as Sam's helping you with finding our Lula, I hope you'll take that into account-"
"Never mind about that, Mr. Gamgee," Frodo hastened to assure him. "I'll do my best to locate your sister-in-law for you without any question of payment. Consider it my favor to you, and to Sam, for all you've done for me over the years. I hope you don't mind if I ask you a few questions?"
"Not at all, Mr. Frodo. Ask whatever you like."
"Will you tell me about Mrs. Gamgee, please? How did you meet her?"
"'Twas in Gamwich, up in the Northfarthing," the Gaffer answered. "Bell and her sister came to live with kin o' theirs after their mum and dad died."
"Where did they live before? Do you know?"
"Greenholm."
"I've never been there," said Frodo. "That's on the westward Bounds, isn't it?"
"That's right, Mr. Frodo. Twenty mile or so from Gamwich, and as far west as the Shire goes. I han't been to it myself, but that's where they came from, Bell and her sister. They wasn't no older'n Marigold here--Bell was the older, 'n Lu five year or so younger. 'Twas at a harvest dance I first saw the two of 'em. I danced with Bell around the bonfire." The Gaffer's gaze grew misty and distant as he recalled that day, seeing it more clearly than the walls of the little kitchen around him. It was a mood his children had seen often before. "She was the prettiest lass you'd think to see. Fair and pink-cheeked, and eyes green as the spring leaves with flecks o' gold. After I made myself known to her family, I courted her a time but never spoke my intentions. I could see as they didn't think it proper for a lad without a job nor home to himself to talk of marrying a girl like their Bell. No, it warn't 'til Cousin Hol over in Bywater asked me to come work for 'm. He was gardener for the gentlefolk hereabouts and saved enough to buy a farm, but he wanted somebody to give a hand and take the work o' the gardens he tended in town. Didn't want to leave them as was counting on him in want of a gardener. Now, I had a fancy for growing things, but no mind to go a-farming myself, nor to join my brother Andy at his rope-walking business, so I said I'd come. But afore I went off, I promised Bell I'd send for her as soon as I'd settled myself, and she said she'd come to me as soon as she had word. 'Twas your uncle, Mr. Bilbo, who put me in the way of taking this here bungalow when he hired me to look after Bag End's garden and heard about Bell. Well, I moved in when it came empty and sent for Bell so we could be wed."
"Did Aunt Lula come with Mum?" Sam asked.
His father, jolted from his reverie by the unexpected question, blinked up at him before answering, "She came to stand by Bell at our wedding, but didn't stay on with us. We'd've given her a home with us if she wanted, as she warn't happy with her folk at Gamwich, but she went back to 'em so as not to be underfoot while we was newlyweds. We didn't see her again 'til after Ham and Halfred was born. She was married herself then."
"Do you know where she and her husband lived?" asked Frodo.
"Here and abouts," the Gaffer answered. "Bell'd get letters from Lula from different parts of the Shire, north and south. We never knew where'd she'd be next."
"When did they come here to Hobbiton?"
"Years later, that was, Mr. Frodo. 'Twas just afore Marigold here was born. This bungalow of ours was too crowded with all the little ones for Lu to stop with us, so she took a cottage down the Grange Lane for herself. Her husband--Fen, his name was--came to join her later."
"Why did they leave?" Frodo asked. "Mrs. Rumble next door seems to think there was some sort of quarrel between you."
The Gaffer snorted. "That's all she knows about it! There was never a quarrel, Mr. Frodo, not between Lula and me. She went away, that's all." He sounded rather glum. "She would've stayed on to look after Sam and my girls as long as it suited us both, only her husband moved on and she was bound to go after him."
"Did she look like our mum, Dad?" asked Marigold. "Was she pretty?"
"Near as pretty, but not quite so," said the Gaffer. "She was fair, like your mother, and had the same way o' smiling. But her eyes were blue."
Sam tried to remember his aunt's face, but when he thought of those months after his mother had died, he could only recall some vague memories of a large and comforting figure who had scrubbed his face and tucked him into bed. That might be anybody. But the way the Gaffer spoke of Lula only increased his worries about why his father wanted her to return. It wasn't unheard-of for a widow or widower to marry their late spouse's brother or sister, but it disturbed Sam to think that the Gaffer had had those sort of feelings for his mother's sister when she'd been here last, so soon after Mum's death. Could that be part of the reason why Aunt Lula had gone away from Hobbiton, never to return nor barely to send word to them since? Would she agree to come and take care of the Gaffer now if they found her?
He was so lost in these thoughts as he and Frodo left Number 3 and went up the Hill that he barely heard what Frodo was saying. It wasn't until they were in Bag End, hanging up their coats in the front hall, that he was drawn back abruptly when Frodo asked, "What do you think, Sam?"
"Think about what?"
Frodo laughed. "My plan. I'm certain that Gamwich is the place to begin. Old Mrs. Rumble said your aunt had gone 'back where she came from,' and I believe she's right in this instance. If the relatives in Gamwich are still alive, she might have gone to them. The sentimental associates may be quite strong--It'd be perfectly natural for a widowed lady to return to the place where she'd lived as a girl." Then he reconsidered. "Or perhaps I'm wrong. Gamwich is quite near Tighfield, isn't it?"
"Not more'n four or five miles off," Sam agreed.
"Then surely your eldest brother or uncle would have news of her if she were so near them. Well, there's Greenholm to consider as well, but let's try Gamwich first. It's closer, and her family there might have news of her recent whereabouts."
"We're going to Gamwich?" Sam asked.
"Haven't you been listening at all, Sam?" Frodo smiled. "I intend to go. I thought you'd like to accompany me."
"'Course I do!"
"Then we'll leave tomorrow. You'd better go and tell Rose." He gave Sam a quick kiss, then took him by the shoulders to turn him toward the kitchen and sent him off with a gentle shove.
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