You guys are right, he intended to write the relationsip that way but it does come across differently, given how modern society thinks; with innuendo everywhere and homosexual lifestyles commonplace.
On a slightly related note, but not really a flaw, more an amusement, I love the way that the antiquated language comes across today. Tolkien's use of 'gay' and 'queer', whilst proper, is out of date for today's world and makes me chuckle. Not to mention some mentions of 'black men' and so on, which would be terribly politically incorrect if written by a contemporary author. But as they stand, I just laugh at the old-fashioned English stuff and how pompous some of it sounds today, even when it probably shouldn't.
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