Did Saruman Believe He Could Master The One Ring?

[Fordim Hedgethistle]

You are right there Sauce about the reliance on assumption that you and Misty Undy are engaging in -- which is why I forsake such things and cite once more the passage provided by MU above:

"If he had questioned you, then and there, almost certainly you would have told all that you know, to the ruin of us all. But he was too eager. He did not want information only: he wanted you, quickly, so that he could deal with you in the Dark Tower, slowly.

That dark mind will be filled now with the voice and face of the hobbit and with expectation: it may take some time before he learns his error.

So Saruman will come to the last pinch of the vice that he has put his hand in. He has no captive to send. He has no Stone to see with, and cannot answer the summons. Sauron will only believe that he is withholding the captive and refusing to use the Stone. It will not help Saruman to tell the truth to the messenger."

To Gandalf's mind the situation is pretty clear: Sauron wants and is referring to Pippin as the thing to be sent to Mordor; and there is no mention anywhere here of the Ring. Gandalf says that Sauron wants "information", "you", "you" and that he is consumed with "the voice and face of the hobbit" and that he'll be angry that Saruman has withheld "the captive".

Given that this is Gandalf speaking, I'm inclined to follow his lead and take his interpretation of the situation. Now if you want to try and discredit Gandalf you may go right ahead and try...