[Pivli]

Violet glanced up at the boy as he approached. Her niece and their new dinner companion, Rose, were looking past the young messenger and at the original source of the message. Violet leaned forward a little, the better to hear what the boy was saying. At the same time she tapped her cane twice on the floor, drawing the attention of Lilly and Rose.

‘Mr. Fordogrim, you say,’ Violet said, looking over to where the Hobbit sat. Nicely enough dressed, she thought. There were two other fellows sitting with him, clouds of pipeweed smoke floating above their heads.

‘Well, now,’ she began. ‘It looks as if Mr. Fordogrim has finished his lunch.’ She looked at the three bowls on her table. She and the two girls were about halfway through their stew. ‘Perhaps we should just finish our lunch here, and then join him. Seems awkward, don’t you think, girls, to drag our half eaten food to another table.’