lord of the ringsI had only been back home from the Great Smials a few days, when my peaceful afternoon was broken by raucous barking ...no... barking would not do justice to the infernal noise that passed through the closed parlour window and interrupted my tea. The sound would better be described as a loud, repetitious, annoying baying. I drew the curtains aside and glanced out. Through the snow encrusted window I recognised the cause of the disturbance almost immediately. It was one of Bennie’s bothersome hounds. I even knew exactly which one, Rascal. The oversized dog was jumping up and down, frantically running circles around a small shrub, and generally raising quite a din.
Without stopping to grab my cloak, I headed for the door. But as soon my hand touched the knob, I hesitated for a moment. I was in no hurry to come face to face with those flashing teeth. However, I couldn’t very well let the animal pillage my property. I was not entirely unfamiliar with the damage that Bennie’s hounds were capable of.
I looked quickly around for something to protect myself should the need arise. But there was nothing immediately at hand. I suppose it was just as well, for I don’t imagine it would have sat well with Bennie had I been forced to wallop one of her hounds. So, I drew a deep breath, steeled myself and threw open the door, hollering in as fierce a voice as I could muster, "Go on! Off! Get out of here!"
Rascal looked utterly surprised and backed off. I must admit that I was suprised as well, and frankly, pretty satisfied with myself, but my satisfaction was short lived. Rascal hadn’t turned tail and run home as I had rather foolishly hoped. He only backed off a few paces, then stopped, bared his teeth at me and growled.
I stood my ground and yelled again. He didn’t even have the decency to back up this time, but at least he didn’t come any closer. It was then that I heard the mewing. At first, I thought perhaps Fredegar’s cat had escaped again. But this meow, though plaintive, was thin, belonging to a kitten, not a cat.
Without thinking, I turned my back on the dog, and sought out the source of the mewing. Fortunately, I must have done a sufficient enough job in convincing Rascal that I was a force to be reckoned with, because thankfully, he made no move for the seat of my pants.
And, there wedged in the center of the shrub was a tiny grey and white kitten. The shrub’s branches were bare, but dense, and they served as a fortress, protecting him from the dog’s unwelcome company. Ignoring the chill temperature, I kneeled in the snow, now trampled and dirty with the dog’s footprint’s.
"Hullo there, little fellow..." I’m not sure why I chose those words, having no idea whether the kitten was a "fellow" or a female. But no matter, the choice of words counted for nothing, it was my tone of voice that took effect, and as I continued talking, the kitten began inching towards me. That is, until Rascal came bounding up. The Kitten hissed and backed away.
"Rascal! Go on! Go home!" I scolded. But the dog paid me no heed. Indeed, he had finally realized that I posed no threat. In fact, he was even willing to go so far as to make friends with me, for his brown and white body wiggled all over with excitement as he wagged his tail. Then he tired to stick his muzzle in the midst of the shrub, still trembling with delight. It occurred to me that maybe he hadn’t "treed" his quarry in order to maim and mutilate it, perhaps he only considered the kitten a potential playmate. Whatever the case, at the moment, the little cat wasn’t receptive to Rascal’s overtures.
I shoved at the dog and attempted once more to convince him to go home, but to no avail. I was getting quite cold in shirt and waistcoat, and the snow was starting to melt through the knees of my trousers. I put my hand into the shrub’s bare branches and tried to maneuver my arm into position to reach the kitten. I’m sure I must have winced at the sound of my shirt sleeve tearing on the point of a branch. I only hoped the kitten wouldn’t decide to employ those sharp little claws. Fortunately, he was a good natured little fellow. He made no move to lash out as I touched his downy fur. Still, it was hard to get a purchase on him as I could only get one hand into the bush. Not to mention the fact that the whole time I was working to free the kitten, Rascal was dancing and whining in excitement while he cleaned the inside and outside of my ears with his big, wet, tongue.
"Mr. Frodo? What are you doin?"
I nearly jumped into the bush with the cat. "Sam! Am I glad to see you! Can you do something with this dog?"
"Sure, Mr. Frodo. Isn’t that one o’ Miss Bennie’s ‘ounds?" Without a second’s hesitation, Sam strode up, took hold of the dog’s collar, and softly scolding him, lead him out of the way. Rascal went like a lamb.
"Yes...yes it is." I answered, still preoccupied with trying to capture the kitten. "I’m glad you happened by, Sam."
"I came t’ see if you happened o be goin’ to The Green Dragon later this afternoon." Sam explained, still holding onto Rascal’s collar. "Um...Mr. Frodo, what are doin’ out "ere in this cold, in only yor’ shirtsleeves?"
"I just didn’t bother to grab a wrap...I didn’t think I’d be out here this long. I’ve been trying to rescue this kitten. It seems the dog chased him into the bush."
"Well, if you don’t want to catch you’ death, you’d best get inside."
"I will, as soon as I free this kitten."
"I didn’t know you were so fond of cats, Mr Frodo." Sam’s voice had taken on a slightly mischievous tone. I knew he was referring to the recent episode involving Fatty’s cat. "Anyway, he continued, "I reckon ‘e’ll come out when ‘e’s good and ready."
As if to emphasise Sam’s words, the kitten suddenly extracted himself from the inner confines of the shrub and came limping out.
"Poor litt’le guy’s leg’s 'urt." Sam noted.
"Do you suppose the dog did it?" I eyed Rascal suspiciously.
Sam looked doubtful. "If ‘e did I don’t reckon it was intentional, ‘e’s used to cats. Miss Bennie’s got as many cat’s as dogs around her place."
I nodded in agreement, wondering if the kitten was one of hers. A sudden gust of cold air whipped around me causing me to shiver involuntarily. I picked up the kitten, who snuggled in my arms and instantly began to purr.
"Mr. Frodo, we need to get you inside." Sam advised. "This little guy, too...an' take a look at ‘is leg." He added, with a nod to indicate the tiny ball of grey and white fur in my arms.
"What about Bennie’s hound?"
Sam thought a moment and suggested, "I’ll put ‘im in the garden shed and take ‘im back to Miss Bennie later."
"All right." I agreed somewhat hesitantly as I started inside with the kitten. Knowing Rascal, I had a feeling if left to his own devices for too long , he might very well take down the garden shed.
By the time Sam returned from settling Rascal into his temporary quarters, I had the kitten in the kitchen where he was happily lapping up a dish of cream. And I was thawing my myself out by the kitchen fire.
Sam kneeled to examine our tiny patient, very gently running his hands over the kitten, who didn’t seem to mind at all, he seemed as starved for the attention as he had been for the cream.
"Mr. Frodo, I’m no authority on nursing sick animals." Sam announced. "Maybe you’d better get someone who knows a bit more ‘bout that sort of thing. Like Miss Mundee."
"Or Bennie...it might be one of her kittens."
Sam’s eyes held an unconvinced light, as if he doubted Bennie’s healing abilities. "Umm...better try Miss Mundee, first. Besides, Miss Bennie's got so many kittens underfoot, I doubt she ‘as time to play nursemaid to this one."
In the end, I conceded to his wisdom. I agreed to take the Kitten over to Mundee’s hole and throw myself and it on her mercy. Sam had the pleasure of escorting Rascal back to his mistress.
I didn’t wait for Sam to return from Bennie’s. I wrapped my cloak about me, scooped up the kitten and made my way to
Mundee’s hole.
I stood on her front porch, the kitten snuggling in my arms and purring loudly, as Sally answered the door. She gave me a surprised look when she saw the furry little passenger in my arms. But, she bade me come in and wait in the parlour, then without a single question she vanished to fetch her mistress.
Mundee appeared in the parlour doorway and I received another look of surprise when her eyes lit on the kitten.
"Oh, another Yule present for me? But Frodo, I already have a cat." her voice contained a teasing quality.
I filled her in on all the details of how I happened to become the kitten's benefactor. "And, Sam suggested perhaps you might be able to do something for his leg." I finished.
"
Of course, I'll do what I can." she promised. "But if the kitten happens to belong to Bennie, she might not want me tending it."
"Nonsense!" I countered. "I'm sure she'll be grateful. She has so many animals at her place, her hands are full already. She probably has little time to be bothered with a lame kitten."
Suddenly, I heard voices coming from the library. "I didn't realize you had company. Did I come at an inopportune time?" I asked.
"Oh no! It's only Mother and Father, they were visiting for Yule and stayed over. They've been splitting their time between Bennie and I."
I supposed in this case, it was fortunate that both girls had their own holes. Mundee was used to being self sufficient, having been orphaned at a fairly early age. Besides her foster parents visited often and I knew that she would never want for anything. As for Bennie, Bodo had given in to her desire, (as he had so many other times), to have a farm of her own, away from Woodhall. Although having two holes made Bodo and Lavender’s visits somewhat hectic, it kept the girls from engaging in all out cat fights...most of the time.
But, we had Yule dinner together, all four of us." Mundee was saying.
"Um...How did that go?" As soon as the question left my lips, I silently berated myself for asking something that was really none of my business.
However, Mundee didn't seem to mind. " Actually it went rather well. I did my best to be friendly and gracious to Bennie and she....well, she behaved in a civil enough manner. So you see, Frodo, there is hope after all." she added with small smile.
As she finished speaking, the voices in the library grew just a touch louder. Or perhaps I should say, one of the voices; loud enough that now, I could recognise it, although, I couldn't make out her words. It was Lavender, and it was obvious that she was not pleased about something.
"Father stayed too long at The Green Dragon." Mundee explained, with a roll of her eyes.
"Ah..."
Changing the subject, she nodded towards the kitten and said, "Why don't we take the patient into the kitchen and have a look at that leg."
In the kitchen, Mundee cleared a spot on the cabinet and taking the kitten from me gently, she sat it down and using her fingertips, explored all along the tiny leg with a delicate touch, cooing soothingly to the little cat, all the while. At last she finished her examination and announced, "I almost sure the leg is not broken, And it doesn’t feel like the hip is dislocated, either."
"Then, what’s wrong with him...or..her?"
With a smile, Mundee raised the kitten’s tail, glancing under it. "Him." she confirmed, then continued, " I think his leg is only sprained. With a little rest, it should be all right. I would just confine his activity, if I were you."
"And, just exactly how do I do that?"
"
Put him in a crate, deep enough that he can’t jump out."
"Is he likely to do much jumping with that leg?" I asked.
"Not as much." she answered. "But you don’t want him to hurt the leg any more than it already is."
"Well, if he can jump, what’s to keep him from climbing out. I can’t watch him every single minute." A dozen scenarios flashed through my mind, each one of them ending in potential disaster.
The worry must have shown on my face, for Mundee laughed and said, "All right, Frodo, I’ll nurse your kitten back to health for you."
"
My kitten?"
"Well,I can’t keep him, either." She quickly informed me. "I already have a cat, and a female one, at that. I have no wish to emulate Bennie and eventually surround myself with an endless supply of kittens. So, if you can’t find who the kitten belongs to...well... I’ll even go so far as to help you find him a home, if you like." She said as she set the kitten on the floor. He promptly began to execute a limping weaving pattern in and out, between her ankles.
"Thank you!" I said, with a sigh of relief. "I really do appreciate this."
"Oh? Really?" She said, a strange light in her eyes, then suddenly, she leaned in close to me, and touched her lips to my cheek . When she pulled away, her eyes still held that same intense light. It suddenly brought to mind her kiss in the snow, the afternoon of my Yule dinner party. Before I knew it my arms were around her, and she was offering her lips to me. Our lips had just touched, when we were startled by an unexpected, "Ahem!"
Lavender stood in the kitchen doorway with hands on hips. " Am I interrupting something? I didn’t know you had a caller, Mundee. How nice of you to come, Frodo."
The tone of Lavender’s voice didn’t match the welcome of her words.
"Cousin Lavender..." I began, trying to think of what to say next.
"Mother," Mundee broke in, choosing to totally ignore the situation. "Frodo came to ask me to look at the kitten he found, it has a sprained leg."
That explanation didn’t quite turn Lavender’s attention in the direction that Mundee had hoped. She glanced down at the kitten, and replied, "Oh? It didn’t look as if you were too concerned with the kitten."
"I’ve already finished with checking him over." Mundee answered, not the least taken aback by her mother’s implication.
"And, were you about to examine Frodo, as well?"
"Mother!"
I interrupted with, "Cousin Lavender, I can explain..." but my intended explanation went no further.
"No need, Frodo." Lavender protested. "I’ve tired to teach my girls to behave like respectable, young Hobbit lasses should. If they insist on ignoring propriety, then that is their choice. Albeit, not a wise choice."
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Mundee preparing to give her temper free rein. I took that as my signal to beat a hasty retreat home. I made a hurried apology to both ladies, remembered to thank Mundee, once again, for looking after the kitten and promised that I would check on his progress the following day. Then, I showed myself the door, glad to escape the irrefutable fireworks.
I hadn’t been back in my hole for long when someone knocked on my door. Much to my surprise it was Bennie. Now that I think of it, I don’t know why I should have been surprised, the way my day was going. I noticed that she had tethered her pony to the front gate, and he was now busy applying his large, yellow teeth to the top panel of my gate.
Without waiting for an invitation, Bennie swept inside, bringing a cold blast of wind with her. "I want to thank you, Frodo for returning Rascal to me." She said.
"Well actually, I didn’t return him. Sam did." I answered.
Despite her upbringing, Bennie had never worried about decorum or what anyone else might think. However, I was not often in the habit of entertaining young, single, unescorted ladies, alone in my home. And, after the incident in Mundee’s kitchen, I was not in a hurry to set Hobbiton tongues to wagging.
Bennie replied with an amused, little laugh, adding, "Silly, of course I know that you didn’t return him personally, but you knew what I meant." She then whisked off her cloak in a flourish and handed it to me.
I just stood there for a second or two, holding her wrap, while she stood there, smiling sweetly at me, waiting for me to do or say something. There were many things I could have said. For example, I could have gently suggested that in the future she might try to do a better job of keeping her animals confined to her own property. But the only words that came out of my mouth were, "Oh...well...you’re welcome ..I suppose. Um...would you like a cup of tea, to warm you?"
Another gust of cold air abruptly reminded me that the door still stood open, so I gave it a hasty, shove.
"No, thank you. But, I will take a little brandy, if you have any."
"All...right...brandy it is, then."
I hung up her cape and escorted her to the parlour, then poured us both a brandy. Bennie arranged herself on the settee. In her woolen trousers and oversized boy’s shirt, she looked a little like an endearing waif. She made an inviting picture settled there against the cushions. However, I thought it in my best interest to choose another seat for myself.
I watched in something akin to amazement as she neatly downed her brandy, then said. "I hear you have one of my kittens, Frodo. A little grey and white one?"
"Oh, yes-I mean-no." I said, then took the first sip of my own brandy. "Actually, Mundee has him."
"Why?"
"Because, his leg was injured and-"
"So Sam told me." She remarked, cutting me off. "But, why didn’t you bring the kitten back to my farm, if you thought he belonged there?"
How like Bennie, to quibble over a kitten, just because Mundee was involved.
"Because, Mundee seems to have some ability when it comes to healing." I answered, hopeful that explanation would appease. Apparently, it did not.
"And, I don’t?"
"Well..." I began.
"I’m very good with my ponies when they strain muscles or tendons." She interuppted. "I know exactly how to work the soreness out."
She stood up and crossed over to where I sat. Steeped in curiosity, I watched as she worked her way behind my chair. Fool that I was, I just sat there.
"You have to know how much pressure to apply and where to rub." As she spoke, she put her hands lightly on my shoulders. At her touch, I experienced a flutter of pleasure but as she began to gently massage my neck and shoulders, the flutter turned to all out bliss.
Fortunately, some shred of good sense within me spoke out, causing me to remove Bennie’s ever-so-talented hands from my person, and in a heartbeat I was out of my chair.
"What’s the matter, Frodo?" She laughed. "Didn’t you like it? The ponies do."
"Well, I’m not a pony. And ‘liking’ isn’t the issue here."
"And, what is the issue? Oh!...." She gave a mock gasp, and continued in a teasing voice. "You can’t be thinking about my honour?"
"Yes, I am."
She laughed again. "Well, kind sir, I’m a grown Hobbit and I can look out for myself. But, I suppose I should be touched and grateful for your concern."
I smiled, relieved, that is, until she caught me by surprise again, by wrapping her arms around my neck and rewarding me with a big kiss.
"Bennie..." I began, as soon as I was able to speak.
"
Sshhh...." She put a finger to my lips, effectively cutting me off.
"As I said, I’m a grown girl and I can do as I like. And I like kissing...I especially like kissing you, Frodo." She looked up at me expectantly. I do believe I might have given her what she wanted, if I hadn’t been implicated for the second time that day.
"What’s going on here?"
Framed in the parlour doorway, a covered basket on his arm, and glaring at us, was Bennie’s father, Bodo.
I let go of Bennie immediately, and put as much distance between her and myself as was possible in the small room. At the same time, I underwent a vivid, sudden recall of a day long ago, when Bennie and I were only tweens and Bodo had caught us in a moment of youthful exhilaration. Right now, I felt a little like that impressionable tween-aged boy.
However, Bennie was as fearless as Mundee when it came to standing up to her parents.
"Father! What are you doing here?" She asked in an accusatory tone, making it seem as if Bodo was the one caught in a questionable act.
"Mundee wanted to send Frodo home with some of Sally’s seed cakes. She said she forgot, so I volunteered to bring them...apparently there was some confusion this afternoon, when Frodo left."
He gave me a peculiar look as he spoke and I quickly busied myself with studying the design in the hearth rug.
"But how did you get in?" Bennie wondered.
"Oh...well, the door was open. I don’t mean unlocked, I mean it was wide open!" Bodo exclaimed.
I realised that I must have been more distracted than I’d thought, when I’d let Bennie in earlier. I’d shoved the door to in such haste that I hadn’t realised that it hadn’t closed properly.
"I’m not in the habit of walking into people’s holes unannounced or uninvited." Bodo went on. "Well, Imagine my surprise, the door standing open, not to mention the fact that Bennie’s pony was tethered outside. I was worried there had been an accident."
"There was no accident. We’re just fine." Bennie assured him.
"Hmmm...so I see...." Bodo concluded.
"Cousin Bodo....Sir..." I began my second attempted extrication for the day.
Bodo raised a hand. "Never mind, Frodo. I am quite aware that I am..." he hesitated, searching for the right word, "fortunate that I have girls of a strong willed and independent nature. Most fathers are not nearly so lucky as I. Now, if you don’t mind, I shall leave you with your seed cakes, collect my daughter, and be off."
"Father!" Bennie protested. "I will not be treated like a child!"
"Humour me, my dear." Bodo replied, as he gave her a gentle, but firm push towards the door. Then, he suddenly turned back to me, put an arm around my shoulder and said in a quiet voice, "Oh, and...I’ll be having a little talk with you later, my lad." With that he applied a friendly slap on my back and headed towards the door, giving Bennie another insistent, fatherly shove.
As soon as they were gone, I sank into the nearest chair with the whole basket of seed cakes in my lap and proceeded to try and figure out just where the day had gone off course. Before I knew it, I had nearly polished off the entire basket. I felt more than a little queasy and I still hadn’t figured out where I had gone wrong.
