The kitchen was all a bustle with preparations for the evening meal when Gilly reached the enterance. Immediately the heat and humidity pressed upon the hobbit, making her feel as though she were a lump of fat slowly melting in a frying pan. She longed for her cool home at times like this; and a bit of quiet.
Mrs. Vinca Bunce, the cook, was hurriedly traveling to and fro between oven and stove, stove and larder talking all the while to Miss Myrtle Bunce, her sister-in-law. The older of the two hobbits was perched on top of a high stool creating vegetable mounds of varying hues. A bulging woven bag leaned up against the stool at her feet.
“Ah Miss Gilly, you’re back!” said the cook as Gilly emptied her tray at the washing basin and began cleaning the dishes. “And how is Miss Benia feeling?”
“Right enough,” replied the hobbit. “Her wit is as sharp as ever, though the pain is no doubt sharp too, but she bears it without complaint, poor thing. I think it has worn her out. Thank you for the soup, Miss Vinca. It was unsurpassingly good, as always!”
Seeing her neighbor, Myrtle got down off the stool and began rummaging through the contents of her woven bag, producing a rather fierce looking taxidermy squirrel. “Here Gilly, I found the squirrel you were mentioning. Got it at quite a bargin too as they had placed it on the burn pile out back. Look not a whisker got singed!”
Gilly had totally forgotten about the mathom sale, but was immensely pleased to find that Myrtle had remembered her in the flurry. “Thank you! And Miss Vinca if you could spare thistreasure for a moment I’d like to ask yet another favor of Miss Myrtle here. It will be nothing more than a short break I think.”
“You’ve picked a fine time my girl!” grumbled the cook going to the open back door to let in the baker’s delivery of fresh warm bread wrapped up in cloth bundles and stacks of pies. “ Shoo, the both of you! You’re taking up too much room!”
Gilly led Myrtle to the doorway. “I have a mission for you Miss Mrytle, I am worried about Miss Benia, more than just her ankle. These two men there”, she said gesturing out to the commons room, “I don’t rightly know what they’re up to, and why they ‘ve taken an interest in her.. But they know who I am or I would do the thing myself. Do you think that you could sit by them and sort of do some listening?”
“Which two Gilly?”
“The two rangers, you see? Over there near the stairs the graying one and the other with the rope at his side.”
“You’ll have to show me dear. My eyesight’s no good. And what are all these men about for? Haven’t they heard about the king’s edict?”
“Pehaps they haven’t.” said Gilly trying to stay with the matter at hand. “I’ll just go by the table. You can follow at a distance and sit near them, for a bit.”
Gilly, walked into the commons room and over toward the rangers. She glanced at them as she passed by but couldn’t hear a word, whether from her heartbeat pounding in her ears or the joy of seeing Silvanis’ empty soup bowl she hadn’t the presence of mind to tell. But seeing Myrtle settle herself down at an adjacent table she made a wide loop clearing away the odd empty cup she found abandoned on the tables, before heading back to the kitchen.
Gilly didn’t have to wait long before Myrtle came trundling up rather hurriedly.
“Oh you were rightly worried, my dear. It seems that the two know one another and were discussing Miss Nightshade’s character, and something to do about hunting!”
Not waiting to hear more Gilly rushed off to station her self at the foot of the stair leading to Benia room. She was a light deterent she knew, but she could draft reinforcements from the commons room if need be.
“To Life and living this day!” she heard Silvanis say before rising from the table and speaking again lower this time, something that apparently was not to the scarred ranger liking. He then turned to the stairs and nodded at Gilly as he past her by, the hobbit still seated, following him with her gaze.
[ June 26, 2003: Message edited by: Hilde Bracegirdle ]
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