May 21st, 1891 - South Bartonburg

The townhouse was a little more aslant than their last, a little more confusingly laid out, but it had all the necessities, and a little garden for Gwenog to play in, and Art hadn't found anything to complain about when he and Ben had visited. (There was a weird scorch mark on the kitchen ceiling that he didn't love, and he was fairly certain that the second floor was at a slightly-weird angle, but — it was fine.) He had a lease, but he hadn't signed it, and the landlord told him he could bring Dez by the house any day this week, but he had waffled until today and he wasn't sure why. Except that Art wasn't this person, this person who did hurtful things apparently for the sake of doing them, except that maybe he was and maybe living in Bartonburg again wouldn't actually stop him.

But maybe it would, Art thought, as he concluded their tour in front of the floo point in the sitting room. "I can get all the furniture in in the next few days," he said, tone a little hopeful and very earnest. He wanted to hold her hand but he wasn't sure she would let him. "And then we can move in next week. What do you think?"

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Aldous Crouch Desdemona Pettigrew

  

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set by MJ <3

She had remained safely ensconced at her mother's house, communicating with her husband largely by letter, save for when she and Gwenog met him at Padmore Park as the Pettigrews worked to mend fences. He had said he would set things right, promised to do his level best, and the South Bartonburg house was certainly a step in that direction.

A fresh start, albeit one in which Gwenog's wooden train might roll slightly on its own.

Still, uncertainty gnawed at her like a stray dog on a bone. Desdemona's expressions and feelings, in Art's presence, had been granted only in small dollops in the weeks since their estrangement; should she give too much of herself, after all, she would fall yet again into the human sinkhole that was her husband. She had to be sure, but she couldn't, be sure, and he was asking her to be sure—

"You're certain we can afford it?" she asked softly, tone skeptical but kind.

  

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"We can afford it," Art affirmed. The truth was, they could afford it as long as he didn't fuck up — but he wasn't going to fuck up. He wasn't. He was determined to stop doing stupid shit — or to only do stupid shit that wasn't actively harmful to their finances, which was going to be difficult for him. But — he could do it, right? He didn't have to be this person.

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set by MJ <3

Her smile was unconvinced, but Desedmona was making the effort nonetheless. After all, it was the least she could do, was it not, if Arthur was? If not for them (and it certainly was for them, of course!), then for Gwenog's sake; she deserved two parents and to grow up as far removed from scandal as could be managed.

"Then I think it quite lovely," she assured.

  

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Arthur's lips curled into a smile. "Can I —" he started, with a helpless gesture with one hand. He wanted to embrace her, nothing else, but he wasn't sure she would let him.

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set by MJ <3

Even as she opened her mouth to say yes, Desdemona felt herself stiffening.

She had long since come to terms with the fact that Arthur Pettigrew was her weakeness—moreso than any of her character flaws, Art had unbridled power to ruin her emotionally. That, she supposed, was what love meant, but it was still not a power she was certain she trusted him. The water under the bridge was more of a flood than a stream, and it was too soon to cross that bridge safely.

"What sort of space does it allow for staff?" Dezzie asked, stepping away from her husband and further into the house instead. She did not need a great deal, but neither of them could cook.

  

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He should have expected this; he shouldn't have asked. Arthur's arms fell and he bounced on the balls of his feet, trying not to look like his spirits were too dampened by it. He should have expected it.

"A cook and a maid," Arthur rattled off, "And then the nanny." It would be a little more cramped than it had been last time, but they could fit more or less what they had at the old house — as long as Arthur didn't fuck up too badly. But he was working on that.

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set by MJ <3

Dezzie made a noise best characterized as benign approval. That would do quite nicely for their needs, and was a perfectly respectable amount of staff—it would not draw undue attention to the Pettigrews or their circumstances.

"Is there a garden?"

  

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"It's not particularly well-tended," Arthur allowed, which was a polite way of saying that it was overgrown. "But there's a small garden out back."

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set by MJ <3

Good. That was good. Children needed to get out of doors, after all. She nodded, even going as far as to offer Art a small smile.

  

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Arthur smiled back at her, soft but excited. "I think once we're moved in it'll feel like home," he said. He wasn't sure — obviously, he wasn't sure — but he could hope. "And — it'll be alright. Right?"

Even with all his mistakes — they would be alright.

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set by MJ <3

Desdemona was not certain that it would, and could not help but wish that Arthur was. They, and their marriage, stood cliffside in a storm, one they would either weather together or that would see them fall to the rocks below.

"It is a fine house," Dezzie answered with far more confidence in her voice than she actually felt. "Our home."

  

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