"Resistance is a sign that shows you're going the right way." Constance Friday

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VI.

Charlie Beresford had arrived home later that afternoon, and the return of the Dukedom's heir was celebrated just as well as the return of the two eldest daughters had been the day before.

Charlie entertained them all with school stories, and Perrie observed that Joe seemed quite curious to listen to these. Of course, his curiosity did not last long before he quietly likened her to the little string bean on his plate. He seemed very amused with himself.

So, when Joe was not looking, Perrie covered his meal with salt. That would teach Mama to seat her beside Joe Parish at dinner ever. The gagging noise Joe had made when he'd eaten his next mouthful was delightful.

What was not delightful was the mouthful of pepper that came from her wine goblet a few minutes later.

Perrie could not count all the times that she had marched down to her Uncle Jem's house in her youth to complain about Joe. Of course, she would complain to her parents as well, but her uncle always seemed to have the more creative solutions.

Since being away at school, it had been a little while since she had visited her uncle, and she supposed it would be rude to break their tradition. She did have plenty to complain about.

When her Uncle Jem and Aunt Cressie's cottage came into view, Perrie could see the work that Papa had ordered done to add additional rooms for their growing family. It was indeed a very comfortable house, and very fitting for the Land Steward of Ashwood.

She could hear the children before she saw them. Perrie smiled when the garden beside the house appeared, contained by a low stone retaining wall. Her three young cousins were running about the lawn, chasing each other, watched over by her aunt.

Perrie could recall her uncle's absence several years ago, and the worry that had spread through her family surrounding Jem and his once lost love, Cressie. She had not understood it fully. But how could she have done properly at age ten or eleven? Even younger still when her uncle had first lost his heart?

Perrie did not think she even understood it now. She didn't know what it was to be so in love with somebody that one would do anything for them. Perrie wondered if she even had the ability to love someone that much. But whatever happened, Uncle Jem and Aunt Cressie's first son was born some months after their wedding.

Sam was their eldest at seven years old. Next had come David, who was now five. Their youngest, for the time being, was three-year-old Oliver, and her Aunt was currently expecting their fourth child this winter. Cecily was predicting another boy owing to whatever silly superstition she was currently keeping. Perrie hoped for a girl.

There were currently eighteen Beresford-Denham-Whitfield-Ellis grandchildren. Nine girls and nine boys. Perrie was determined to outnumber her male cousins.

What Perrie did love about her family especially, however, was that there were a few facets of them who were really unrelated. Perrie's grandmother, Mrs Denham was not grandmother to Aunt Susanna and Uncle Alex's children. Grandmamma Cecily was not grandmother to Uncle Jem and Aunt Cressie's children. By blood. But it did not matter to any of them. They were all family regardless.

"Perrie!" cheered Sam. He was the first to notice his cousin approaching. As soon as he alerted his brothers, all three Denham boys came running out of the garden gate and towards Perrie.

Perrie knelt down on the grassy path and extended her arms, and she received their little bodies tightly. However, the speed in which they launched into her toppled her over backwards, and Perrie laughed as she ruffled through the dark mops on each of their heads.

"You're back! Is Lily with you?" Cressie asked as she hurried along after her children.

"Is Lily here?" gasped David.

"And Charlie! Is Charlie back, too?" Sam asked enthusiastically.

Perrie struggled to right herself, though she kept her arms around her cousins. "I see who your favourites are," she grumbled playfully. "Am I your favourite, Oliver? Are you most excited to see me?" she inquired of her three-year-old cousin.

Oliver's eyes were large and blue. A Denham family trait.

Height was also a Denham family trait, one that Perrie had missed, and it alarmed her to see how tall Sam was already as he had come running towards her. He was only seven and he was practically at her shoulders. She would not be able to stand near him if Joe was present.

"Yes!" Oliver cried happily and Perrie chuckled.

Perrie looked up at Cressie, and she silently remarked how radiant her aunt appeared in the morning sun. She looked happy and healthy, and rounded slightly at the hips. "Lily and Charlie are both back as well, but they are not with me. You must venture up to the house to see them. I think Mama is going to visit Grandmamma today, so you might go along with her to see your mama as well."

Cressie's mother lived with Mrs Denham and Amélie in the Ashwood village. Perrie did not know the particulars of the arrangement. She did have a sense sometimes when something was not her business. But that did not always satiate her curiosity when she saw certain emotions cross Cressie's eyes like the one that just had as Perrie had mentioned her mother.

There was a sense of sadness, Perrie thought, as well as yearning. Cressie nodded, before she said, "That sounds like a lovely idea. Once Jem has stopped for his luncheon, I will go up to the house. I do not think poor Mrs Denham wants three wild boys descending upon her house when she expects her daughter for tea."

As if on cue, her three young cousins had tired of pleasantries, and had run back to continue their game in the garden.

"Grandmamma would never refuse a visit from her grandchildren," Perrie replied. "She often tells me that we make her want to be young again and she wishes that she could run with us."

Cressie's eyes softened. "I understand her exactly. Running is the second-best feeling there is."

"What's the first?" asked Perrie curiously.

"Swimming in the ocean." For a moment, Perrie could have sworn that she saw Cressie's eyes sparkle. What must the ocean be like?

"I have never been."

"Perhaps someone special will take you one day," Cressie proposed. "You might have your honeymoon at the seaside like your uncle and I did."

Perrie screwed up her nose. "You have to be married to go on a honeymoon. Wouldn't it be marvellous if one could take a honeymoon journey without having to have a husband?"

Cressie laughed as she helped Perrie to her feet, before Cressie leaned in to brush some of the grass from her skirt. "One day, the idea of a husband might not seem so terrible. You may trust me, of all people, on that, dear Perrie." She sighed quietly. "But I do not suppose it was just me or your cousins you came to see. I can hazard a guess that your father's new companion is bringing up old memories for you."

Was everyone privy to Joe's presence at Ashwood but her? "Uncle Jem always has the best ideas," Perrie snickered. "He encouraged me to drown Joe once. I failed unfortunately."

"Hush!" exclaimed Cressie, wrapping an arm around Perrie's shoulders as she led her towards the house. "Jem did no such thing, and you ought not to joke about drowning people. You don't really wish to harm Mr Parish. Do you know, I would wager if you tried, you might even be good friends."

"One does not befriend a wild boar, Aunt Cressie," Perrie replied dryly. "They're horribly ugly and will spear you if you get too close."

Cressie laughed as she rubbed Perrie's arm. "I think Mr Parish is a handsome young man if you ask me."

Joe, handsome? Perrie scrunched up her nose as she pondered the thought. She supposed he was not unpleasant looking. He had a straight nose and good teeth. His eyes were the colour of chocolate and chocolate was nice. But then his horrid personality ruined it all and Perrie concluded that he was dreadful again.

"You need spectacles," Perrie determined.

"As do you, Perrie. Do not mistake stubbornness for firmness of character."

***

Cressie went back to playing with her children and she let Perrie go in the house alone. Perrie knew the way. She did not bother to knock. Her uncle would not expect it of his favourite niece.

"Uncle Jem!" cried Perrie as she swung open the door.

Her uncle's study was a smaller replica of the one her father kept. He possessed considerably less books, but his desk was just as laden with papers, and Perrie noticed that he now wore a pair of spectacles on the end of his nose. They were new, and she found it amusing that she had just teased her aunt about needing them.

"Are you blind now?"

Jem laughed as he shook his head. "Just old."

"What are you now? Forty?"

Jem took removed his spectacles and set them down on his desk, before he stood up and crossed the room to her in three quick strides. Moving swiftly was easy for tall people, and Perrie envied it greatly as her uncle hugged her.

"One and thirty, Trouble," he corrected. "Though for a spritely, young thing like you, I am practically at death's door."

Perrie grinned. "Practically," she concurred. "Uncle, I need your advice."

"But of course. Your nemesis." Jem chuckled under his breath.

"He ought to be your nemesis, as well. Don't you feel as though your role is being usurped?"

"No," Jem said with a roll of his eyes. "My role is right here. Your nemesis is learning to do what I do."

"Well, why does he not come and stay here with you, then?" Perrie wondered. "If it is your role, why doesn't he learn from you?"

"Because his father and yours got together and determined that it would be best to drive you to madness by having Joseph Parish live at Ashwood," Jem retorted with a wicked grin. "It is a conspiracy, Perrie. I'm surprised you have not cottoned on to it."

Perrie groaned. "Be serious!"

Jem sighed with a little sympathy. "Perrie, I don't know exactly what has happened. Your father has been tight lipped about it, and I respect their confidentiality. I understand there is some compassion to be had around the subject."

There certainly was a conspiracy, or at least some big secret. One of which Perrie was not privy to. "Well, I suppose I do not need to know the secret right this minute. I do want your advice, however. I don't know why, but he always gets the better of me. Every time I think I have got him won; he gets me back. If I try and drown him again, can I blame you?"

Jem pretended to ponder the question for a moment, before he flatly said, "No." He added, "Perrie, you make it too easy. It is so easy for any of us to get under your skin."

"It is not!" Perrie retorted.

"You haven't grown at all since I saw you last," Jem then murmured, placing his hand on top of her head and measuring her against him.

Perrie huffed and pushed her uncle's hand away. Why did they always have to mention her height? Why was that the first thing anybody noticed about her? "I have too grown!" she exclaimed. "My ... my hair has grown! And my fingernails grow when I let them."

Jem merely raised his eyebrows, and his point dawned on Perrie.

"Oh."

"Oh." Jem nodded. "If you don't let him get to you, you might even befriend him. If he can't irritate you, he'll probably give up and he might even endear himself to you."

"Why do you and Aunt Cressie both believe that he could be my friend? I don't want him as my friend."

"You always wanted friends," Jem reminded her.

"But not him!" Perrie rebuffed. "No. Different plan. We were closer to a good idea with the drowning plot. What do you suggest?"

Jem groaned as he caught Perrie around her shoulders with one of his arms and mussed up her hair with the other. "Butter in his boots?" he suggested playfully. "Soap in his tea? You could cut holes in the buttocks of his breeches, too. That could be amusing."

Perrie could picture it in her head, and she stifled a hysterical giggle. Oh, she would pray that he didn't notice the holes before he pulled on his breeches. She would happily forgo any birthday or Christmas gifts if she managed to pull that off.

"What am I still doing here? I need to go to the kitchen! I have to get some butter!" And then she would pinch Mrs Hayes' sewing sheers and she would get to work making some alterations to Joe's breeches. "You're my favourite uncle!"

Jem laughed. "If anyone asks me, I'll tell them that I was teaching you how to make a cake." He caught Perrie's hand before she could run out of the door. "I mean it though, Perrie. If you really want my advice, take the former. Don't react. And make a friend. I'd wager you both wouldn't fight each other so hard if you didn't already like one another so much."

"You're mad!"

Jem shook his head. "You know I would never allow you to mistake cruelty for affection. But these pranks seem to stay in the way of actual communication. I think the both of you need to do a little growing up and learn how to talk to one another as people, and not opponents. You might even learn a bit about this secret if you're lucky."

----

I reeeeeallly want to know what is so hush hush about this! What's going on??!!

Oh.

Oh wait.

I already know. 

Lol.

I'm so funny sometimes. *cackles maniacally*

But I thought you'd all enjoy learning a bit about what happened to Jem and Cressie after the end of their story. I put them through a lot. I'm glad for them!

I didn't think I would be able to write tonight, but what do you know, another chapter appeared despite my arms being like lead. Pilates is kicking my behind, but I'm four classes down and I can already see muscles! It's so cool! If I flex, I can see quads. Who knew I had quads hahaha

Anyway, I'm exhausted, so I'm going to scroll through TikTok instead of sleeping because that's just one of my adorable toxic traits hahaha

Nighty night!

Vote and comment xxx