The North-Thain's Murder--the final chapters
Chapters 38-40. The conclusion to the mystery, and tying up a few other plot threads:


!~|xxxviii|~!

When they returned to the Thain's Hall, Frodo sent Sam to the kitchens to see if Mrs. Scrubbs was up, and to wake her if she wasn't, to ask her a few specific questions. After Sam had gone on this errand, Frodo peeked in at the parlor to discover that most of the ladies were still there, discussing Vidalia's wedding plans. Mrs. Goodwood, however, had left her knitting, Persifilla had left the room, and Lady Iris was no longer seated with her son.

Sam returned after a few minutes and repeated what little he'd gotten from the cook in answer to his questions. "Is that good enough?" he asked Frodo.

"It isn't," said Frodo, "but I'm afraid it will have to do."

"D'you want me to come with you, when you go talk to her? She might be a danger."

"No, Sam. Thank you. She can't harm me." Frodo left his friend outside the parlor and went up the tunnel where the family bed-chambers were, until he reached the door of Lady Iris's boudoir. He tapped on the door, and when the lady asked who it was, identified himself and asked to come in.

Lady Iris was seated on her bower-like sofa amid a profusion of flowers. "What can I do for you, Mr. Baggins?" she asked. "I must say, I'm surprised you and your friends have stayed on so late in the day, now that this horrible business is over with. It's nearly noon, and you've a such long journey ahead of you. You'll be leaving us soon?" She sounded politely curious, but Frodo thought he detected an eagerness for him to be gone underlying the question.

"Yes, my lady." Frodo took a seat in the chair opposite the sofa. "Before we go, I must talk with Thain Brabantius about this case one last time, and I need to decide what to tell him. I was hoping you might help me. You asked me to consult you, remember?"

"Of course," said Lady Iris. "But I don't see what needs to be decided. It was his butler who tried to poison him. Poor, dear Brabantius knows that. What more is there to say?"

"It wasn't the butler, my lady," said Frodo. "Oh, it's true that Tulipant played an unwitting part in the poisoning, and when he realized it, it tormented him until he was forced to do what he did, but he wasn't the poisoner. That was someone else. A woman. Tulipant spoke of her before he died."

"Did he?" the lady sat forward and looked extremely interested. "Who did he name?"

"He didn't speak her name," Frodo answered, "but he said enough for me to understand who the lady must be--for it _was_ a lady. Tulipant said, 'I gave it her. She cosseted to me.'"

Lady Iris said nothing. Frodo went on:

"I think what happened was that this lady cajoled Tulipant into letting her borrow the wine-cellar key, then went into the cellar and tampered with the Thain's special wine. I don't know how long ago this occured. It may have been weeks, even months before the poisoned wine came to the Thain's study. According to Tulipant, Brabantius was accustomed to drink a glass or two of his wine every evening, and might finish a bottle in about a week. It would only be a matter of time before the poisoned bottle was opened--if only one bottle was poisoned. Tulipant was quite overwhelmed by the lady's charms, I imagine, and didn't even think about why she wanted the key until I arrived and the Thain told him that the wine had been poisoned."

Lady Iris smiled and sat back against the plush pillows behind her. "You have a wonderful imagination, Mr. Baggins!" she said. "All that, from just a few words. Tulipant might've meant anybody, any woman. Why must it be a lady? Couldn't it be a servant--one of the maids, or perhaps our cook?"

"If it had been a maidservant, my lady, would Tulipant have given her the key so readily? And why wouldn't he speak up about it when I began to ask questions? Why struggle with his conscience for days and drink the rest of the poisoned wine himself rather than tell me or the Thain what he'd done? He had a reason for his silence. I feel sure it was the Thain he was desperate to keep the truth from at all costs. He knew how it would break the Thain's heart... and he was in the end loyal to his Thain. It was someone Thain Brabantius cared very much for, you see. I don't believe it can have been one of the Tooks. Not because they're above such things, but because they're all awful snobs, as you well know. They would consider 'cosseting' to a mere servant to be a degradation. Even if they could bring themselves to play up to a servant, Tulipant wouldn't hand over his keys to the Thain's daughters-in-law, Mrs. Goodwood, or Persifilla. He might feel enough loyalty to Althaea as his master's daughter to lie for her, but I can't imagine Althaea Lowfoot 'cosseting' to her father's butler even to commit murder. She seems to be the sort of lady who would rather drink poison herself. No. The lady I'm thinking of wouldn't possess that sort of snobbery. She wasn't born to it the way the Took ladies were.

"It's funny you should bring up your cook, my lady. It wasn't Tulipant's last words alone that helped me see the truth. The other thing, which eliminated the Took ladies from consideration altogether, was the behavior of Mrs. Scrubbs after Tulipant drank the poisoned wine. He left a note, did you know? It's gone now, most likely destroyed in the kitchen fire. The pantry-boy Jeddy says it lay on Tulipant's bed when he first found him, but it wasn't there when I arrived shortly after Jeddy and Mrs. Scrubbs. He says that she took it up the moment she saw it, and I've no reason to think he's lying. If Jeddy himself had taken it, he wouldn't have mentioned it to me at all."

"Does she admit to this?" Lady Iris asked.

"No, she denies that there was any note. She claims she never saw it, and says that she can't even read."

"She can't," said the lady. "Not more than a few simple words."

"If you say so," answered Frodo, "but I think that even if she didn't know what Tulipant had written, she must surely have guessed that it was some sort of confession. Something that she couldn't allow anyone else to see. She also sent Jeddy away to his home for a few days, so that he couldn't tell me about the note, nor the words he'd heard Tulipant cry out before he died."

"Then you _are_ suggesting that Mrs. Scrubbs poisoned my husband?" Lady Iris asked, with a little laugh. "But that is ridiculous."

"She might be the poisoner," said Frodo. "I suspect very much that she was the one who brewed the poison, and I shudder to think that _she_ was the one who nursed Tulipant so carefully through his last night. He might've died anyway, after drinking so much of that wine, but I will always wonder if she didn't ensure that he never had a chance to revive and speak. She may even have gone into the wine cellar. But whatever she did, it wasn't for selfish reasons. There was someone else in this. You see, there's no reason why Tulipant would keep silent if _she_ had been the woman who borrowed his key. And there is only one person Mrs. Scrubbs is so devoted to that she would go to such lengths to aid and protect, even if it meant being suspected herself. She might even confess to protect that person."

The lady's amused little smile had grown frozen. Her rosy face had turned very pale and her beautiful eyes, fixed on Frodo, had taken on a icy glint. Her voice, when she next spoke, was also icy. "Why, Mr. Baggins do you think this lady would do such a thing?"

"I think she did it because she wanted to marry again," answered Frodo, steadily meeting that frozen gaze. "I think she's been in love with someone else, a gentleman with no money, for some time, perhaps even while her first husband was still alive. He says that she's doesn't care for him, but I don't think she's as indifferent as he's tried to make me believe. Perhaps he's even told the truth that there's never been anything between them except a few kisses. I can't really say. After her first husband's death, she found that she couldn't afford to marry this impoverished gentleman, being a poor widow herself. Instead, she put herself in the way of a wealthy and elderly hobbit who has always admired her, and when the opportunity presented itself, she married him and looked forward to being a widow again soon. When her second husband dies, it means she can marry her lover without worrying about _his_ lack of fortune. All she had to do was bide her time for a few months, or even a few years. But she wasn't as patient as her lover. When her aged husband lived on and showed no sign of ill health, she began to grow weary of the marriage and decided to help the inevitable along to its end. It was all very cleverly done. If Brabantius hadn't grown suspicious and fed some of his wine to a dog, he might have succumbed by now to his 'illness' and nobody would think to question it, no matter how much they disliked his widow."

Lady Iris could no longer pretend to misunderstand him; the accusation was too clear. "You've no proof of this, Mr. Baggins," she said . "It's guesses, nothing more. You can't even prove that poor Tulipant said a word before he died. He's gone and can't tell anyone why he did what he did. As you say, there's no note to be found--if he ever left one. Mrs. Scrubbs will deny there was. You only have the word of a silly little boy to contradict her. A boy who's so caught up in the excitement of having detectives in the house that he'll say whatever will impress you. Who's to say it isn't all ugly, horrible lies? They hate me so much in this house that they'll say anything against me."

"I can't prove what I've said to you is true," Frodo admitted, "but I must tell Thain Brabantius what I know and what I've deduced."

"He won't believe you."

"Perhaps not, but if what I suspect is true, then I can't stand by and let you try it again. That's why I came to you first, so you would know what I intend to tell your husband. If you think you've gotten away with it this once, I'm afraid you'll be bold enough for another attempt. The next time, you might succeed." Frodo rose from his seat. "Brabantius mightn't take my word, but I might at least convince him to make a few changes in his will, to safeguard himself."

As he turned toward the door, he heard a hissing intake of breath behind him. Lady Iris was still glaring at him; for a moment, he thought she might leap up and come at him with her fingernails, but she sat where she was. She was angry and frightened, but Frodo wondered if he'd done enough to push her to act.

"One last question," he said before he went out. "How did your first husband die, my lady? Would it be worth my while to go to the north and find out?"

!~|xxxix|~!

Frodo didn't go to Brabantius with his conclusions immediately; instead, he decided to wait and see what Lady Iris would do. He had little idea how the lady would respond to his ultimatum, but he thought it best to avoid eating or drinking anything during the remainder of his stay at the Thain's Hall. While Sam packed their bags and made ready to leave whenever Frodo gave the word, Frodo himself lay down to smoke his pipe and think. He didn't go to lunch but, after his restless night, drifted into sleep. He slept through the afternoon, and so missed all the excitement until his cousins came to find him and tell him about it.

Lady Iris hadn't appeared at lunch-time. There had been a few comments from the others at the meal, which had been cooked as well as served by the maidservants. Tilsey reported that her ladyship was lying down in her room; Iris claimed she had a terrible headache and no appetite. She'd sent for Mrs. Scrubbs, and the cook, who'd just awakened after her night of nursing, had made a pot of camomile tea and taken it to her ladyship.

It wasn't until tea-time that Brabantius grew concerned and went to Iris's chambers himself to see if his wife was any better. He found Iris gone. A quick investigation of her bedchamber showed that Iris had taken few of her belongings, clothing and her jewelry box, but she had definitely and purposefully decamped, apparently going out her terrace window.

By the time Frodo went to join the others, it'd been discovered that ponies had been taken from the stable, and that Isigo wasn't in the house. When the cook had been sent for, she was also found to be gone. Inquiries at the tavern where Florisel was lodged revealed that he had returned to gather his bags rather hurriedly shortly after midday. Lady Iris had been with him--an unprecedented event at the tavern!--and the two had ridden away together.

"She's gone," the Thain told Frodo with a note of bewilderment.

"Really and truly gone!" Diamanta echoed. "Run off with Florisel."

"I never suspected that there was anything- well- disreputable between the two," Istra added in an undertone. "They always seemed quite affectionate, but I imagined it must be the intimacy of a brother and sister. Perfectly innocent! Who could guess?"

"And that boy Isigo's gone with them," said Helimarcus. "The whole Pumble family's cleared off."

Brabantius could hear no more, and went to his study to leave his family to celebrate this astonishing turn of events out of his hearing.

Merry approached Frodo. "You know something about this, don't you?" he leaned close to murmur in his cousin's ear. "You were hardly surprised when we told you her ladyship was gone."

Frodo was aware that Sam was making an effort not to watch them, as he usually did. "Yes," he admitted, "I was expecting something, but I didn't know what it would be. I'll tell you all about it while we get our things."

"Then we're going now?" Sam asked.

Frodo nodded. He was as eager to see the last of this household as his friends were.

They left the front hall, where the North-Tooks were all talking excitedly, to return to their rooms and gather their bags. Pippin went with them rather than to his own room, to hear what Frodo had to say. They'd gone well up the tunnel before they were aware that someone was following them.

"Mr. Baggins?" Diamond stood in the curve of the tunnel, ten feet behind them. She had come up quietly and was timidly twisting her skirts in her hands. "Mr. Baggins..." she leaned forward on her toes and spoke softly, "Frodo? I couldn't tell Mamma and Papa. Isigo didn't go away with his mother. I saw him leave the Hall, and I know where he went."

!~|*|~!

Frodo had never been to the cottage where Isigo had lived with his mother before her marriage to the Thain, and so had to ask Pippin to accompany him. Also, Pippin was on friendlier terms with Isigo than Frodo was, and Isigo would be more likely to trust him. Diamond didn't dare to help Frodo more, but darted away once she had delivered her information to return to her family before her absence was noticed.

"Do you think she told you because she likes him, or was she trying to get him into trouble?" Pippin wondered. "According to the other Di, her cousin is an awful tattle-tale."

"If she'd had wanted to stir up trouble, she had only to tell her family where Isigo was hiding. I'm sure they'd be happy to make the most of it," Frodo answered. "If he's lost the Thain's protection because his mother's gone, there's no one in that household to stand by him now... except for her." He gave Pippin a smile. "Your matchmaking may have accomplished something there, Pip."

Pippin grinned. "Pity her family wouldn't hear of a match between them now--not that they'd consider it before!"

When they reached the cottage, Frodo knocked on door and tried it, but found it locked. Pippin, meanwhile, peeked into the windows, and found that the latch one had been pried back.

"It wasn't like that when we were here before," he told Frodo once his cousin had come to see it. "Diamond must be right--he's inside." Pippin opened the window and called into the cottage. "Hello! Isigo? Are you there?"

There was no answer for a long while, then a voice replied, "I'm here, Pippin." After another minute, the door opened and Isigo stuck out his head. "You'd best come in this way. I tore my trouser leg climbing through that window."

Pippin and Frodo went inside and followed Isigo into a room that must once had served as the cottage sitting room, now containing only a few sheet-covered, dusty pieces of furniture, straw-stuffed boxes, and corded trunks. One of the smaller trunks had been opened and the contents taken out and spread on the floor--books, a patched velveteen jacket, and a pipe case.

"I was looking at Father's--my real father's--things," Isigo explained. "Have you come to arrest me, Mr. Baggins?"

"I don't have the authority to arrest anybody," Frodo answered. "Is there any reason you ought to be arrested?"

"Mama..." the boy answered softly, and sat down onto the nearest box. "I swear to you, Mr. Baggins, I didn't know anything about it until today. I _like_ Father Brabantius. I've always said so. Mama called me to her not long before lunch-time. She was packing a bag and told me she must leave the Hall right away. She said she was sick of the place and everyone in it, and Uncle Flori would help her. Uncle Flori would, you know. He'd do whatever Mama asked. He even brought Grandmama down from the north when Mama wanted her here, and we kept the secret of who she was. Mama wanted me to come away with them." He gulped, and tears swam in his eyes. "She said you were going to tell Father Brabantius awful lies about her, Mr. Baggins, and I wasn't to believe a word of it--but I didn't believe _her_. My own mother, and I didn't believe her. She did do it, didn't she? Not Tulipant."

"I'm afraid so," Frodo answered.

Isigo nodded. "She said I was to gather my things up as quickly as possible and meet her at the tavern. I didn't go. I couldn't, not once I knew... I couldn't abide to face her after that. But I also saw that I couldn't stay at the Thain's Hall once she'd gone. This was the only place I could think to go." Tears had begun to flow down his cheeks, and he blotted them with his shirt-sleeve. "I don't know what to do!" He looked from Frodo to Pippin hopefully. "May I go back to the south with you? Nobody knows me there. I won't be a bother to you. I can take work, any work."

"You can come back to Tuckborough with me," Pippin offered. "My family won't mind. You're a relation, although I suppose we shouldn't tell them that!"

"You are welcome to come with us," Frodo added, "but will you let me speak to Brabantius on your behalf first?"

"He won't want to help me," Isigo sniffled. "After what Mother's done, he'll want nothing more to do with me. I might as well have gone away with her."

"Nevertheless, may I try?"

"Do as you like," the boy answered sullenly. "I'll be here, waiting, whatever comes of it."

!~|xxxx|~!

Pippin stayed to wait with Isigo, while Frodo returned to the Thain's Hall alone. Little had changed since he'd stolen out to the cottage barely half an hour earlier, except that the Thain's family had moved to the parlor, where they could sit comfortably while they expressed their amazement and delight at Lady Iris's departure. Some of them were only now beginning to wonder why the lady had gone so suddenly.

"There must be something behind it," Frodo heard Diamanta say as he went past the open door to the parlor on his way to Brabantius's study. "Mark my words, it can't be merely an attachment to Florisel Pumble-Took that took her off like that, without a word. She might've done that any time she pleased. If Frodo Baggins were half the detective he claims to be-"

Not wishing to hear his reputation abused any further, Frodo went on. He had no desire to tell them why Iris had departed so abruptly. Let them guess all they liked. Would he tell the Thain? Perhaps it would help the elderly hobbit to bear the loss if he knew why his wife had left him. Or perhaps the truth would only make it worse.

The door to Brabantius's study was shut, and he tapped on it gently.

The Thain snapped, "What is it?" But his expression brightened when Frodo peeked in. "Ah, Mr. Baggins, it's you. I thought it must be one of my children, eager to offer their heart-felt commiserations. Do come in, please. I was hoping to see you again before your and your friends left."

"I wouldn't have gone without saying good-bye," Frodo responded as he closed the door behind him. "And there are one or two things I wanted to talk to you about."

"I never thanked you for the service you've done me, even if it hasn't come out as I expected," Brabantius told him. "I saw the danger before me and imagined it might come from any one of a number of people close to me, but didn't guess it was the one I trusted most implicitly."

"I am very sorry about Tulipant's death, sir. I might've prevented it, if I'd seen the truth a little sooner."

"You did your best, Mr. Baggins. She left me a note, did you know?" Brabantius took it from the pocket of his waistcoat and gave it to Frodo. "I found it in her room, when I went to see. She says she's terribly sorry, but she can't bear any more. My household has been torn apart over her, and recent events have shown her that the rift can never be mended. She can't continue to live among my family when they despise her so much, and the best thing she can do is take herself away and hope I will forgive her."

Frodo read the note while the Thain was speaking; Lady Iris's written words were more effusive, but Brabantius had summed them up accurately.

"She doesn't say it's because they've openly accused her of trying to poison me, but that's what she means," Brabantius concluded. "Yes, I know all about that. My daughters-in-law never can keep their mouths shut, especially when they have something vicious to say. But, my dear Mr. Baggins, they were right, weren't they?"

"I believe so," Frodo admitted as he returned the note. He told Brabantius what Jeddy had told him, and what he had said to Iris that morning. "She confessed to nothing and it can't be proved, but I felt sure even as I spoke to her that my ideas were correct. An innocent woman wouldn't have responded to such terrible accusations the way she did. She would have at least slapped my face, or made me bring my accusations to you and have them discredited. Instead, her flight so soon after I warned her that I was going to tell you looks... well, like a confirmation of all my suspicious." Like Tulipant, Frodo was afraid that this betrayal would break the Thain's heart, but since Brabantius had already come to suspect it for himself, he took it rather well.

"Indeed it does," he agreed grimly. "Tell me, was Florisel part of this plot?"

"I don't know," Frodo said. "He's loved her for years."

"Well, yes, that's always been obvious. I might've thought more of it if I'd seen any sign that she returned his feelings. And since Iris was so much younger than I, I thought it'd be selfish to deny her her admirer."

"If it's any comfort to you, sir, I think it unlikely that he was aware of what Lady Iris was doing beforehand. He might've suspected it when you fell ill, and it's my opinion he guessed once he heard you were behaving oddly and might be ill again, and came dashing down here to find out what was going on. He wanted to know what my investigation had turned up, if I had any reason to suspect Lady Iris, and he did his best to protect her. He was the one who brought it to my attention that no one, especially she, could've entered your study when the decanter was there, since the fact had escaped my notice before. She told him to tell me--he even admitted to that. He must've known then. He's certainly a fool if he didn't see the truth when he agreed to take her away from here on such short notice."

"Oh, he's a fool," said the Thain. "But wasn't I as well? A pretty woman can charm you into believing anything she says. Oh, I was never foolish enough to believe that she loved me as my first wife did, but I thought we had a mutual affection, and that she was grateful for all I could do for her..." He lapsed into a gloomy silence and, as he had that morning at Tulipant's death, looked very old and weary. Then he sighed. "And so she and Florisel have flown off together. I wish them joy of each other, and hope that Florisel does not eat anything my wife prepares for him."

"They've only been gone a few hours, sir, and can't have gotten very far," said Frodo. "They might still be within the Cleeve. Will you send someone to catch them?"

"No." Brabantius shook his head. "I've no desire to see Iris again, even if it's to see her punished. I want her as far from me as possible. To bring her back and accuse her would only create a scandal of the worst kind. Besides, I'd never hear the end of it from my family. Diamanta will be insufferable if she learns she was right. No--I can bear anything but _that_. She and Aspid must be content to gloat over Iris's flight. Let them think it was Tulipant... my poor Tulipant. Where will I find a new butler? And a new cook too. I will also need a new agent for my lands in the north Cleeve."

"What about Isigo?" suggested Frodo.

"Isigo?"

"He hasn't flown with them. He's at the cottage where he and mother lived when they first came to this part of the Cleeve. He doesn't want to stay on here. I told him you might still aid him. Will you? It would be a way for you to stand by him, but not have him in the midst of your family, who are going to be hard on him. I'm convinced he knew nothing of his mother's plots. He's very young, but I think you'll find him responsible and eager to please." Also, when Isigo brought the rents, he would have chance to come to the Thain's Hall and see Diamond. Why shouldn't he play matchmaker too? The girl had taken enough interest in Isigo to know where he'd gone and try to help--perhaps a match could be arranged while the Thain still lived and had the will to convince Diamond's parents that Isigo was acceptable.

The Thain nodded. "I've always been fond of him. He's a good lad. If you will tell him to come to me, I shall have a word with him. My family won't like it, but they'll have to put up with it." A sudden thought occurred to him. "The rest of the Thain's Own wine, it will have to be poured out, won't it?"

"I'm afraid so, sir. I don't know if that one bottle was the only one poisoned. There might be more."

"Yes, you're right. I suppose it's for the best. I will never be able to enjoy the taste of it again, and we can't have Alhasrus or Ulfidius poisoned from another bottle in years to come."

!~|*|~!

Isigo came back to the Hall with Frodo and Pippin and was now in the Branbantius's study, arranging his future. The four hobbits from the south were ready to leave. It was late afternoon and they couldn't expect to get far before nightfall, but they were eager to be on their way homeward and, with the disappearance of the cook, it would be inconvenient for them to stay on for dinner. They were all well aware that the Tooks would rather not have them here another night. After they'd made their farewells to the Thain's family and received heart-felt wishes for a swift journey, they spoke to Alamaric and Diantha in the lane before the two houses.

"Perhaps we ought to wait and see if they work things out," said Pippin. "Isigo might want to come with us after all."

"Don't worry about Isigo. Even if Uncle Brabantius won't help him, I'll look after the lad," Alamaric promised. "I know it's going to be difficult for him here, with his mother gone to who-knows where, and knowing... well, I have to wonder if Diamanta hasn't got hold of something when she says there's more to it than a couple of lovers running off together. It's all quite remarkably odd, and very mysterious. But I don't suppose you'll tell us about it, will you, Frodo?"

"I can't," said Frodo, since the Thain had made it clear that he didn't want the truth known to his family. "Perhaps Brabantius will tell you himself, one day." But when Alamaric nodded, Frodo could see that the elder hobbit understood without being told.

"I'm afraid my poor uncle mayn't have many days left," Alamaric said sadly. "He's come through the danger safely, but this experience has all been awfully hard on him. First the poisoning, then Tulipant's death, and now Iris..." He shook his head. "Who would've guessed she'd do such a thing? She always seemed like such an amiable and warm-hearted woman."

"It's Uncle Flori _I'm_ surprised about," said Di, misunderstanding her father. "Love maked people so stupid sometimes. All the same, I'm going to miss him. I liked him so much. I'll be happy if I never have to be in another investigation, not if _this_ is the way they turn out."

"You get used to it," Pippin told her. "It isn't so bad when it's nobody you care about."

"Well, I found it interesting to play a- ah- part in your investigation," said Alamaric. "I hope you'll come to visit us in the Long Cleeve someday, under happier circumstances. And I know that my daughter would be glad to see you again, Pippin."

Pippin said he'd be happy to see them both again too. Di hugged him in farewell, although she was more restrained in her farewells to the other three. The foursome mounted their ponies and rode away.

They'd gone through the narrow southward passage out of the Cleeve and were on the road toward home before Sam said, "Will we go back?"

"You won't have to, Sam," Frodo assured him. "But I must admit I'll be curious to learn how things turn out for Brabantius and his family."

"_You'll_ go back, won't you, Pip?" said Merry. "You'll want to see Diantha again."

"I was just being polite," Pippin answered. "I do like her, Merry, but I won't marry Di or anybody unless you approve. I promised you so just last night, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," Merry said with a certain note of satisfaction. "I just wanted to be sure you didn't forget it."

!~|end|~!