[Primrose Bolger]

Ginger could hardly wait to take her books up to her room. She knew just where she was going to put them. Next to the little lamp on the small nightstand that stood by her bed. She put the piece of paper Miz Bella had shown her for the letters ‘a’, ‘e’, and ‘o’ carefully between the two books. Later she’d ask Buttercup if she knew where she could find a quill and ink for her own use.

She brought her attention back to the elderly Hobbit who was walking her back to the door. It was the tone in Miz Bella’s voice . . . sad, and a little wistful. ‘Oh, m’am’, said Ginger, ‘t’would hardly be any sort of fair payment to teach you those things.’ She blushed, thinking how she was getting the better end of the deal. ‘But, if that’s what you really want, then that’s what I’ll see to.’

Ginger’s eyes lit up, remembering what Cook said she was to help make for supper. ‘Would you like to help with the pie for supper?’ she offered. ‘Now pastry I’m sure is the same most places, but here in the Shire we like to fill our meat pie with tender chunks of coney, a bit of onion, lovely taters in thick pieces, and plump slices of mushrooms . . . got here in the woods right near Bywater.’ Ginger warmed up to her subject . . . she had found, much to her surprise, that she quite liked to cook. And under Miz Bunce’s tutelage was getting better at it.

‘. . . and gravy, she went on, plenty of tasty gravy to bind it all together. Salt and pepper for seasoning, just to bring out the flavors. And when we have them, bits of carrot add a bit of sweetness to the filling.’ Ginger sighed, ‘Nothing like a flakey meat pie to tuck into at the end of a grey day.’ She grinned at Miz Bella. ‘And to top it off I think we’re having a peach upside down cake with sweet clotted cream for dessert.’

She thanked Miz Bella for the loan of the books once again and stepped out the door to the kitchen. ‘Anyways, if you want to you can help me later.’ She turned back to the older woman, her brow wrinkled. ‘One thing, if you don’t mind, ‘cause otherwise I’ll be wondering about it all day long . . . where are those New Lands you mentioned . . . the ones you call home?’