[Primrose Bolger]

Ginger’s head snapped about at the sound of Miz Rosebank’s voice. With all the commotion about the party and the search for a suitable dress for Wren, the previous news about the widow from Bree knowing Wren and her brother had been stuffed away in some far nook of Ginger’s mind. With dawning horror, she remembered Wren talking about her fears – now that someone from Bree had found them out, would her brother and she have to go back?

‘You puddin’-head!’ she admonished herself. ‘What if she just wants to spy on Wren and Tim? The Big Folk do have some strange ways. What if she’s going to try and make them go back to Bree? What if . . .’ Being a youngish Hobbit, Ginger’s thoughts at times bordered on the wildly melodramatic. ‘Best you tell Cook what you know about this Miz Rosebank.’

Before Cook could respond to the woman, Ginger grabbed up a fresh dishwashing cloth and stepped up quickly to Miz Rosebank. ‘Oh, my gracious,’ she bubbled with all the enthusiasm she could muster. ‘That would be a great help to us!' Ginger looked at Ruby and Buttercup both of whom had raised their brows slightly at her, but quickly nodded their heads ‘yes’. ‘If you really don’t mind, that is. You see . . . there’s a party this evening, and the sooner we get all the chores done about here, the sooner we can get ready for it.’ She gave her most ingratiating smile to both the woman and then to Cook. ‘Many hands make light work. And quick work, too, or so my Gran says. And you and Miz Bunce will have more time to talk about the Faire, too. You did say it would take some explaining.’

Ruby and Buttercup had come up by then with a clean apron and a towel to tuck in the ties. They offered them to Miz Rosebank, both of them casting glances at Ginger and then at Cook.

Ginger left the other two Hobbits to get the woman started and turned a pleading face to Cook. ‘I just remembered Miz Bunce. There was a very important bit of information I was supposed to tell you. Some private business I was to let you know. Could we just step away for a moment?’