AU Pride and Prejudice

Unbreakable Bonds

Previously

"I dare say you could very well be correct." Mary then had them cease their conversation as their aunt, Mrs. Philips, was heading their way from one direction and their father was making his departure from the cemetery.

Peculiar Perry

Ch. 2

Adelia could hear the bubbling river as she walked down from her family's campsite, through the pine trees and along the same river that made the sound. She saw more than one RV parked at the campsite, with fires going unnecessarily in her opinion. However, she focused on the river, not the campers or the campsite.

She knelt down by the water's edge and pulled out some homemade soap products. She began to wash her long dark-brown hair, enjoying the coolness of the river on her scalp. Water ran down her face which was not large. She was not surprised when Tandy came down to join her.

"Normal people use the camp showers," Tandy said spoke from next to a tree, her strawberry-blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail holder.

"I am not normal people," Adelia replied.

"You said it, not me." Tandy then pointed out the way her friend was dressed. "Don't get me wrong, that light blue and flower-printed dress looks really good on you, but this is the twenty-second century, not the eighteen thirties."

"Technically, this style was at its height somewhere around seventeen ninety-five during the regency period," Adelia corrected.

"Oh, like that's any better." Tandy then listed a few other things that had earned Adelia the nickname of Peculiar Perry. "For the past year, you have learned to darn socks, mend clothes by hand, start fires with flint and steel, cook basic meals in a fireplace and even learned to ride a horse with and without a saddle. Not to mention you quit talking normal and you no longer wear jeans or pants of any kind. What is going on? Where do you plan on moving? To the Oxbows or some place like that?"

"The second sounds good." Adelia stood up once her chore was completed and did not mention a few other courses she had delved into—all involved being able to survive during the regency era. 'Tandy is a sweet enough gal, but if I told her what is motivating me, the girl would think I was mad. And to know it was all being done on a 'I made a promise, but I do not know if I can even pull it off.' And that I will not likely be returning even if it does not work out? Oh, that would go over as well as any lead balloon.' The lady then wondered, 'Will they threaten to lock me up if I wish to wash my hair at least once a week? That is going to be horrible as it is if I am only allowed a couple times a year.' Out loud, Adelia only suggested that the two ladies go back up to their campsite.

They walked back together, chatting about trivial things. Adelia glanced at the snow-capped mountains in the distance, the green meadows dotted with wildflowers, and the clear blue sky. She felt a pang of nostalgia and excitement. She knew she would miss this place, but that was a subject she could not allow herself to dwell on. So, she focused on the family gathering.

The ladies' footsteps took them back to where family and friends were sitting around a crackling fire, talking and laughing. The firepit was surrounded by thick logs and newly bought camping chairs. The smell of smores filled the air. Some were drinking pop, others coffee, and some hot cocoa. Adelia opted for a glass of milk, another thing that made her stand out. No, it was not the milk itself; it was the fact that she had gone to the nearest farm and bought it straight from the farmer.

"So, I do not like extra …stuff…being put in my milk. Last time I checked, that is not a crime."

"I suppose Adelia milked the cow herself," another cousin joked. "Probably even admitted her age to the creature, for she never hands that out to anyone, not even the doctor if she can get away with it."

"No, I gave up after the first attempt. The cow had such long teats, she could have tied them into a bow. And she did." Adelia shot back about the cow. Half the family understood her humor and laughed; the others simply rolled their eyes. The truth was, Adelia had attempted it more than once, but had indeed finally tossed her hands into the air. Now, as for her age? She conveniently ignored that remark; her cousin knew full well her age; there was no need to mention it here. It was only after her reply, and refusal to reply about her age, that everyone turned to eating their meal and then focused on turning in for the night.

"Adelia?" Tandy's sister, Anne, sat down in a camper chair next to her. "May I speak freely?"

Anne was older than Tandy by a good twelve years, and gray was beginning to show in her hair in her dark audburn hair. "Be my guest, but only because I like you."

"You have found a door, haven't you?"

Adelia did not reply. The lady only looked at Tandy's sister with her forehead muscles going up. It was as if to say, 'Where did that question come from?'

"I became aware of one, once, even talked to a lady who come through but then returned," Anne spoke softly, not wishing to be overheard. "I let fear stop me from going with her. You..." She glanced at her sister's friend. "You are braver than I was. You have been preparing to go, I can tell." Anne held up her hand and plowed ahead. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you this, and I'm sure you have thought about it. But..." The lady turned her head at the sound of a door shutting and was relieved to see it was only another camper going into their RV for the night. Turning back to Adelia, she said, "Once you go, there is no returning- They can also only come once, why they can return and not us she could not tell me. It was just something the lady knew. There is none of this slipping between two worlds; that is simply not a reality. So, make sure the risk you are taking is worth it. You do not have a submissive personality, even if you do believe in giving submission to one's husband. And they don't have a nearby Wendy's." She laughed and then said, maybe, just maybe one day she would find one again someday and go through herself.

The Wendy's comment made Adelia chuckle. However, it had been weighed in, and going out to eat had been stopped altogether- though it had not been an easy adjustment. More than once, it was a goal that had almost been broken. If anyone had asked, Adelia would have confessed, in the beginning, it had not been kept. Now? It was not even a temptation. Adelia thought about Anne's words and was surprised the lady had been able to read her so easily. So, maybe, the secret within herself was not as hidden as Adelia had thought. Yes, she could have broken her word, but a promise had been made in regard to befriending two young ladies and it was to be kept. And, to top things off, when another unexpected visitor had crossed her path and begged her to come back for the sake of Mary and Kitty the promise had been remade.

So, yes, her first vow had been marked in stone for those young ladies' sake. Adelia, if she had known about the will, would have wondered where on earth had Mrs. Bennet gotten such money. There is no way she would have believed it had been saved, not on what Mrs. Bennet had said her husband's income was. And even if she had known about it, she would have said it had to have been done behind Mr. Bennet's back; there is no way the lady would have gotten away with it if that gentleman had known about it. No matter the case, Adelia's word was still her word. So, no, staying where the lady was, well, that was no longer an option.