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“Maybe you two can stick around for a bit,” Woody said, “I’ll bet Cook’d trade you some chores for meals and such. That is, if you want to...”
“She offered to let us at least stay for breakfast,” Tim replied. “Tomorrow’s breakfast. I don’t think...well, we can’t stay here for ever. Wren and I...” but then he stopped and he looked ahead and shut his mouth. No reason to go shoveling his troubles on some Hobbit boy who was friendly.
Wren didn’t think of it like that. “Mama and Papa died last month,” she said, picking up where Tim had effectually left off. “We’ve been pretty much out walking ever since.”
“Don’t, Wren,” Tim said, glancing quickly at her. She looked up inquisitively at him and he shook his head.
They had reached the barn and Tim reached forward to swing the door open more so that they could fit through with the food. Woody took the lead to take them to wherever Hanson had gone to the kittens. Tim bent a little ways towards his sister and whispered quietly in her ear.
“We don’t need to go about making it a public fact that we’re orphans,” he said. “People around here probably don’t care to hear about all our problems. We’ll stay as long as we’re welcome and as long we’re no burden and are actually working for our keep, but I can’t promise that we’ll stick around any longer than that. I’ve got to find work that can keep me and you alive.”
“But, Tim, she said that we could stay-”
“For tomorrow morning,” he said quickly. They were drawing close to the two hobbits again. “Don’t worry about it.”
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