Okay, so we're all agreed that Elfhelm, at least, knew perfectly well who "Dernhelm" was - well, he had to, didn't he? :-) He wouldn't pay much attention to a new young Rider who came up and asked for a favour! And it says in the book that all his men pretended Merry wasn't there. So presumably he had a word with them. Maybe it was only a case of "Look, the hobbit's with us and we all think he has the right, so just ignore him would you?" but I suspect they, too, knew who had asked the favour.
Merry didn't know, true - well, he'd seen her close up when she took him to get kitted up and, as you all say, in her own clothes with long hair and yes, those helmets would probably hide a multitude of sins (don't get them confused with the ones in the film, though). But Merry doesn't know her. And he has his own problems and no reason to think she'd come along. She did indeed seem surprised that he hadn't recognised her, though.
Must admit, I hadn't thought of Elfhelm having romantic thoughts of the lady! (g) Perhaps. I like to think of him having respect for her courage, though, and sympathy for her need to fight.
|