There’s Nothing I Want More

2: Pervinca’s Problems

Pearl ran to her room through the Smials. She had forgotten all about the tree, and even if she had remembered it, she would not have been able to climb it. Fortunately for her, her mother and Beryl had already checked her room, believing Pervinca to be Pearl, and moved on.

Pervinca was just readying to leave the room when a very tearful Pearl burst in, and slammed the door behind her.

“Pearl, what’s wrong?” Pervinca cried, in alarm.

Pearl threw herself onto her bed and started sobbing. Unsure what else to do, Pervinca sat next to her, and soothingly rubbed her back. Eventually, Pearl’s sobs subsided, and she was able to speak again.

“He proposed!” she cried.

Pervinca was confused. She had thought that Pearl and Orlando were very much in love, but Pearl was certainly not pleased that Orlando had proposed. “But that’s wonderful news.”

“No, it isn’t,” Pearl sniffed, as a fresh set of tears started. “The family would not approve of our marriage.”

“That’s not true,” Pervinca argued. “Mother and Father would be delighted.”

“I don’t mean Mother and Father, Vinca. I mean the Thain, and the rest of the family. They hate me enough as it is, without me marrying some lawyer from Overhill, who does not even have a proper family.” Pearl was disgusted at herself for describing Orlando in such a way, but she knew that was how the Thain, at least, would see it.

“The Thain does not control your life, Pearl, no matter what he may like to think.”

Pearl managed a smile. “You should not be so nice to me, Vinca. I was so nasty to you.”

Pervinca returned the smile. “You still remember that? I forgave you a long time ago, Pearl. I’m not one to hold grudges.”

“But Pippin is. He quite often reminds Pim and I – ‘Remember how horrid you two were to Pervinca about that thing with Sam’.”

At about the same time that Pearl and Orlando’s romance had begun, a teenaged Pervinca had started having feelings for Samwise Gamgee, Frodo Baggins’ gardener. Pearl and Pimpernel had found out, and confronted their youngest sister about it, and they were not very kind. Though they had apologised for their behaviour long ago, both still felt guilty, especially when Pippin chose to remind them about it.

“You were just looking out for your little sister,” Pervinca pointed out.

Pearl sniffled, and wiped away her tears. It had been a long time since she had had a good talk with her youngest sister, and she was surprised to realise how much better Pervinca was making her feel. Pervinca was very much like their Aunt Esmeralda in nature as well as looks.

“I wonder how Pimpernel is enjoying herself in Hardbottle,” Pearl commented.

Pervinca snorted. “Hopefully, not too much. I will not be happy if she finds some Bracegirdle lad to marry.”

Pearl giggled. As a child, Pervinca had always had more lad friends. At parties, the Bracegirdle lads had often teased her about this.

“I doubt that Pim would be that silly. She’s quite fussy about looks, and I can’t think of a single Bracegirdle that would be good enough for her.” Pearl squeezed Pervinca’s hand. “We haven’t had a nice long talk like this for a good while. Thank you.”

Pervinca smiled. “This is nice, isn’t it? You must forgive me – I had started to think that you and Pim were very dull. You certainly proved me wrong when you climbed through that window!”

“I was terrified,” Pearl admitted. “And I ended up with leaves all through my hair.”

“There are still some in it,” Pervinca laughed, as she plucked three leaves from her sister’s hair. “There, all gone.”

“So, little sister, aside from Master Gamgee, is there a lad that’s caught your eye?” Pearl hoped that talking about Pervinca’s love-life would help her to forget the troubles with hers.

Pervinca blushed. “Well, perhaps…”

“Oh, who?”

“Uncle Addie’s son, Everard.”

Pearl frowned for a moment. Everard was Reginard’s younger brother. She held her tongue, though, since she did not know for certain that there were any plans to organise a marriage between herself and Reggie. “Everard – he’s a good-looking lad.”

“Yes, he is,” Pervinca sighed, dreamily. “And a wonderful dancer.”

“Where have you danced with him?”

“I haven’t, but I saw him dance the Springle-ring at Bilbo’s party.”

Pearl laughed. “That’s hardly any way to know whether he’s a good dancer! Does he fancy you also?”

Pervinca’s smile faded. “No – well, actually, I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to him.”

“Why not? You’re such a pretty lass, he’d be a fool not to fancy you! Try talking to him, and you may be pleasantly surprised. He may even ask to be your escort for the ball.”

“It would be nice to go with someone other than Pippin or Merry,” Pervinca admitted, with a grin.

“Frodo took you to one ball, didn’t he?”

“Oh, that hardly counts. He’s far too old for me.” Pervinca looked at her sister slyly. “But he’d be a good age for you…”

Pearl returned the smirk Pervinca’s face bore, and hit her with a pillow.

* * * * * *

Merry and his parents arrived the next day. Pippin and Pervinca had not been watching the road, so only found out when Pearl came to tell them.

As they ran to greet their favourite cousin, Merry started shaking his head desperately. “Get back, Pervinca,” he hissed.

As Pervinca stopped short, and regarded him in confusion, she heard Saradoc Brandybuck say, “I hope no one will mind, but Berilac came with us. Merimac has gone to Bree, and the lad would have been very bored by himself.”

Pervinca’s face paled, but she was too late to leave. Berilac had already seen her.

“Pervinca! How lovely to see you,” he cried. “I missed you on your last visit to Brandy Hall.”

It was well known that Berilac Brandybuck had taken a liking to Pervinca Took. He had admitted it to Meriadoc many years earlier. Pervinca, however, did not share in his affections, despite all of her mother’s efforts. Berilac was exactly the type of lad that Eglantine hoped for her daughters to marry: rich, handsome and respectable (even though he was a Brandybuck). Though Pervinca could not deny that Berry was very handsome, she found that there was something lacking in his character.

“Hullo, Berilac. I was sorry to have missed you during my last visit.” Pervinca forced a smile. Behind her, Merry and Pippin snickered.

“Pervinca, why don’t you take Berilac for a walk in the gardens?” Eglantine suggested, none too subtly. “I am sure he would love to see them.”

“Indeed, that would be lovely,” said Berilac, with a bow.

Pervinca looked pleadingly at Merry and Pippin, but neither seemed to notice. Merry turned to Pippin. “Shall we take my things to your room, Peregrin? I thought I would let Berilac have my usual room for this visit, if that is all right.”

“Certainly, Meriadoc,” Pippin replied, just as airily.

Pervinca had just enough time to glare at them both before Berilac took her arm, and started towards the nearest exit from the Smials.

* * * * * *

Later that day, Pearl, Merry and Pippin were sitting together in their family’s private dining room. While Pippin and Merry complained about having to go to the Ball, Pearl had her cross-stitch pattern out again. It was beginning to look like a very deformed and frightening tree.

They all looked up as the door was forcefully opened. Pervinca stormed in, looking particularly displeased.

“Thank you all so much for helping me!” she snarled.

“Well, I did try to warn you,” Merry stated. “If you had listened to me, there would have been no problem at all.”

“You did not enjoy your time with Master Berilac?” Pippin asked, sweetly.

“Of course I did not!” snapped Pervinca. “He kept dropping terribly obvious hints about the Ball.”

“Wonderful. He can take you, so that Merry or I will not have to.”

“I don’t want Berry to take me!”

Pearl just smiled to herself. She had to admit that Pervinca’s plight was somewhat amusing, but she owed her younger sister not to openly show her amusement. Besides, she was quite content in being the only person present who had not been yelled at.