Apiston family tree

Lady-like manners

But Miss Peregrine did find out. By none of the children, but by instinct. "You children really shoulder know better!" She growled as we all sat down to eat our dinner. Millard was still in his room with Hugh beside him, who was telling him non-funny jokes just for the same of it. "We're sorry Miss Peregrine." Fiona whispered. Then her eyes returned to the door, as though she were waiting for someone, or some thing.

"Right, eat up. Your supper is getting cold and I'm not going out to get you children a new goose!" Miss Peregrine declared. So we all sat down and tucked in. "Ooh, this is so tasty!" I exclaimed. Emma smiled at me. But then her face went stern. "Ever price counts. We don't have my, but we have enough to have a all dinner like we're supposed to." I nodded and ate the veg on my plate that Fiona had grown. "Very nice, Fiona." I said. Fiona merely smiled and continued to look out the door. "Whose she looking for?" I asked Bronwyn, who was sat next to me. "She and Hugh have a... thing going on." She said cautiously. I knew what his meant. My brother had a girlfriend. I stared down the table. These people weren't dating anyone. With Miss Peregrine at the north head and Enoch at the south of the table, we had five on one side and two on the other. Emma sat next to Miss Peregrine on the other aide, then opposite her was Horace, and next to Horace was Claire, then Olive, the Bronwyn, then me. Fiona sat opposite me and in between her and Emma were three empty seats. "Usually, we put our dolls on so that they could eat their food, but we forgot today." Said Claire, indicating her and Olive. I nodded and continued to eat my food. Then, when we were finished, we had fresh fruit with a sprinkling of sugar, which no one could resist.

"How long are you staying, Ari? Forever?" Asked Olive hopefully. I shrugged. "I'm not sure. I wasn't even aware about any of this all Miss Peregrine found me earlier. Honest. But if you guys make tea like this every day, I'll consider it!" I joked. No one laughed. Luckily, though, it seemed no one had heard me. That was a good thing. "So?" Olive looked up at me smiling. I banged my cutlery on the table. "Forever!" I declared. People began to clap around me. I felt special.

"Miss Apiston! Quick, your brother needs you!" I let myself sleep through Bronwyns shakes. I hadn't ever gotten this much sleep in eight years - it felt good. "Bronwyn..." I murmured. "Please, Miss Apiston! He's crying and Millard is, well, dead now, and Hugh needs his sister for support!" I gently got up and followed Bronwyn to Hugh's room. Just as Bronwyn had said, he was crying heavily, an explosion of tears over a cloth in which Millard's dead body lay. I put my arm round him awkwardly. Hugh ignored that awkwardness and snuggled into me. "He's gone." He whispered. "He was my best friend. And now he's gone." "Hugh," I whispered and gently kisses his forehead he didn't even flinch, like I expected he would. If it were any other occasion, I would have expected him to shrug me off. But then he snuggled under my arms closer. Those very words hung in my brain. Closer. Hugh was getting closer. The his hand went over Millard. "It was a stupid game." He said. "And I'm never playing it again."

Fiona and Miss Peregrine ran into the room. Fiona gasped and her hands zoomed over her mouth as tears sped down her face. Miss Peregrine's face remained cold, as though it were normal that someone within her ward had just died, or that she didn't even care. "Miss Apiston, please come with me. Miss Frauenfeld and Mr Apiston, stay here. I'm sure that if Millard were alive, that's what he would have wanted." So me and Fiona swapped places, me with Miss Peregrine and her with Hugh.

"I'm sure this is not exactly what you would have wanted to happen on your first night here. Raid The Village is a game that I always discourage the children to play. I warn them and yet they go off and play it anyway. Miss Bloom is the only one who will not play. If only I had more like her, ones who did not take the risk. Either way, what's done is done, so o suggest that you get some sleep and perhaps play with the younger children, or go to the beach with the older ones, just try to distract them. Especially Hugh. I'm not sure if Miss Elephanta or Miss Densmore know yet, but Miss Bruntley is sure to tell them. If you should see her on your way upstairs, do check to see if she's told them yet. If not, please discourage on my behalf. You have been food throughout the surprise of this loop and my children, Miss Apiston. I do hope this has not put off what you said to Miss Elephanta at supper. About staying with us." I shook my head. "I'm not sure how to take this, though. I've never properly met Millard, and I'm not sure how to deal with these children." Miss Peregrine nodded. "It is only natural that you have more feelings now that you have never felt. Trust me, we had this happen to Victor to. But that time, it was something worse."