A Fiery Dalliance

III

"Love your enemies because they bring out the best in you." Friedrich Nietzsche

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III.

Adam had kept to his word, and sure enough, Joe Parish was seated opposite Perrie at dinner that evening.

Perrie was seated in between her two sisters. Her father and grandmother were at either ends of the table. Her mother was beside her father. And there Joe was, in what usually would be Charlie's chair, as though he were one of the family.

Perrie wondered how many times Joe had joined her family for dinner without her knowledge. Just had far had he ingratiated himself into her family without her knowledge?

As the footmen placed the first course of soup in front of each of them, Perrie suddenly smiled rather wickedly. While she hadn't looked properly in the library for anything on poisons yet, that did not mean that she would not be able to convince Joe of something amiss.

"Eat your soup, Mr Parish," she encouraged, smiling politely. She didn't like how formally she had addressed him, but she knew that her parents would have expected nothing less now that he was an adult, and she was one in waiting according to her father.

In childhood, Perrie had usually referred to him by elongating his name with dramatic flair or a murderous growl.

Joe's brown eyes flicked up to hers, and his gaze narrowed suspiciously. She could see his lips pressing together firmly, as though he wanted to accuse her of something, but he dared not in front of her parents.

Oh, this was a good game. Joe had informed her himself that he did not want to spoil whatever it was that he was doing with Adam, and so he would not risk making a scene at the dinner table.

Perrie collected her own spoon, deliberately choosing the wrong one. It was a shame Mrs Liscombe was not there to scold her about the shame she would bring to her husband's family with her incorrect silverware etiquette. She scooped a spoonful of the soup onto her utensil and delicately pressed her lips to it, allowing the warm, flavoursome broth to enter her mouth.

Joe did not tear his eyes away from her, his jawline tightening with ever second that passed.

"Lily, I've yet to hear of your school tale," Cecily announced, capturing the table's attention as well as directing the line of conversation. "How did you find it?"

With her family suitable distracted, Perrie reached for the salt on the table and elegantly sprinkled some over her bowl. Her soup did not need it; Mrs Reynolds had prepared it perfectly, but Perrie was wanting to be theatrical.

"Sometimes I find that a good soup often needs a little special something added to make it truly perfect. Don't you agree, Mr Parish?"

Perrie's own eyes narrowed as she watched him with a smile that dared him to challenge her. Serves you right for entering my house! she thought.

"What did you do, Imp?" he mouthed to her subtly.

Perrie merely smiled, before she reached for her wine glass and turned in her sister's direction, pretending to have listened to Lily's response to their grandmother's question.

"Before we enjoy our meal any further," Adam said after Cecily and Lily's conversation had concluded. Joe, meanwhile, had not touched his soup. "I would like to propose a toast. Would everyone please charge their glasses?"

The entire party, including Joe, lifted their glass, looking to Adam.

"I'd like to properly welcome my darling Perrie and Lily home. The walls of Ashwood House are entirely too quiet without you. We have missed you greatly, and I forbid you from ever leaving me again." Adam grinned.