Bilbo felt his own heart tighten. He had never seen Frodo so desperate.
“I will talk to the Gaffer, dear Frodo,” Bilbo said, stroking his cousin’s dark curls.
Frodo dried his tears. He knew how Bilbo could be quite convincing.
“Now lad, if you would be kind enough to fetch me these things at the market …” Bilbo handed Frodo a list on a sheet of paper. “I will go to Bagshot Row n. 3.”
Frodo smiled, gratefully. “Thank you Bilbo.”
* * *
When Daisy went to open the door, she was surprised to see the Master of Bag End himself.
“Morning, Master Bilbo, Sir. Please come inside.”
“Good morning, Daisy. Is your father in?”
The Gaffer appeared in the doorway.
“Master Bilbo, please, take a seat.” The Gaffer held out a chair for him. “Daisy, go prepare some tea.”
Bilbo looked around, but Sam was nowhere to be seen.
“I sent Sam to the Cotton’s.” Hamfast explained, answering Bilbo’s unspoken question. “He has to finish his work in their garden.”
Bilbo nodded. “I think you can guess why I’m here, Hamfast.”
The Gaffer took a deep breath. “Me Sam hasn’t been properly behaving, lately. Please, accept my apologies for him, Master Bilbo, Sir. I’ve heard him talking to Mr. Frodo, discussing what, in Sam’s opinion, the young master should or should not do. I felt so ashamed. It’s not proper for me Sam to be talking with Mr. Frodo in that way. He has to remember his place, he has to be respectful!”
“Hamfast, your lad is very respectful! In fact, he might even be too respectful!”
Bilbo stared at the Gaffer reproachfully. “Now, what’s the real problem here? You know me too well to worry about this. Ah, the same old story about masters and servants. I’ve heard it too many times. All rubbish to me, that’s what I think about it, and you know!”
The Gaffer listened in silence, as Bilbo continued.
“I’ve always treated all people as equal, no matter if they are gentries or gardeners. And I’m proud that my Frodo thinks the same. You Gamgees are a respectable family, no less than we Bagginses. And there’s always been respect between us, and, as far as I know, between Frodo and Sam. You see, Hamfast, they’ve been together since the day Frodo arrived here, when Sam was just a child. They’ve grown up so close, and are so fond of each other. And I’m fond of Sam, too … Oh, Daisy dear, thank you!”
Bilbo took a sip from the cup of tea Daisy had just handed him. He remained silent for a while, choosing the right words.
“Now, I don’t want to interfere with your decision, but I want you to know just one other thing … I’m going to leave, Gaffer … Frodo doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to stay in Rivendell, with the Elves. Frodo will be of age next year, he will be the Master of Bag End. But he is still so carefree, and sometimes it seems to me that he really has his head in the clouds.”
Hamfast was looking at him with concern. And a bit of pain, for he too was fond of Bilbo.
