# Perkins — The Jade God character guide

> Perkins in The Jade God by Alan Sullivan.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Derrick, Miss Derrick, II Perkins Miss Derrick, Presently Derrick, Perkins knocks, no Perkins

**First appearance:** 0001-ii-perkins

## Snapshot

The Derricks' uncanny housekeeper at Beech Lodge, whose dream-haunted sleep mutters fragments of Malay and unsettles even the men who fear her.

## Who they are

Perkins stayed on at Beech Lodge after the Thursbys left, and Jean Millicent recognizes her instantly as part of the house itself. She is a queer woman, best left alone, as Martin warns with a meaningful touch to his forehead — yet her unconscious babbling in an Eastern tongue becomes a thread Derrick cannot ignore. Her presence keeps the cottage's buried history alive, making her a quiet hinge between the household's daily life and the mystery beneath it.

## Relationships

### [John Martin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/john_martin)

_professional_

John Martin and Perkins have a frequent, likely employer-servant or colleague dynamic, with Perkins being a central figure in the household.

### [The Woman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/the_woman)

_psychological_

Perkins and The Woman share an intense, possibly obsessive or manipulative connection, given their extremely high interaction count.

### [Edith Derrick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/edith_derrick)

_professional_

Edith Derrick interacts frequently with Perkins, suggesting a close servant-mistress or trusted employee relationship.

### [Sergeant Burke](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/sergeant_burke)

_professional_

Perkins and Sergeant Burke have a professional relationship, likely involving investigation or police matters.

### [Henry Millicent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/henry_millicent)

_social_

Henry Millicent and Perkins are frequent acquaintances, possibly due to household or community connections.

### [Mr. Thursby](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/mr_thursby)

_social_

Mr. Thursby and Perkins are frequent social acquaintances, possibly within the same household or community.

### [Jean Millicent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/jean_millicent)

_social_

Jean Millicent and Perkins are social acquaintances, likely through household visits.

### [John Martin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/john_martin)

_professional_

John Martin and Perkins have a frequent, likely employer-servant or colleague dynamic, with Perkins being a central figure in the household.

### [Edith Derrick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/edith_derrick)

_professional_

Edith Derrick interacts frequently with Perkins, suggesting a close servant-mistress or trusted employee relationship.

### [Sergeant Burke](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/sergeant_burke)

_professional_

Perkins and Sergeant Burke have a professional relationship, likely involving investigation or police matters.

### [Henry Millicent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/henry_millicent)

_social_

Henry Millicent and Perkins are frequent acquaintances, possibly due to household or community connections.

### [The Woman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/the_woman)

_psychological_

Perkins and The Woman share an intense, possibly obsessive or manipulative connection, given their extremely high interaction count.

## In the story

### [I: The Old House](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/chapters/i-the-old-house)

The maid with an 'extraordinary expression' that makes Edith feel cold. She is described as making Mrs. Thursby feel like an intruder.

### [II: Perkins](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/chapters/ii-perkins)

Perkins is revealed as a mystic figure who believes the house has absorbed evil from the past. She communicates with the spirit of Mr. Millicent and guides Derrick toward understanding the supernatural forces at play.

### [III: The Man from the East](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/chapters/iii-the-man-from-the-east)

Reveals the gardener's return, advises Derrick on hiring him, remains enigmatic.

### [IV: Jean](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/chapters/iv-jean)

Perkins is seen at the window of Beech Lodge and later appears in a trance-like state, mourning her master and kissing the bloodstain on the desk.

### [V: The Paper-Knife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/chapters/v-the-paper-knife)

The housekeeper at Beech Lodge, known to sleepwalk and to be drawn to the desk where Mr. Millicent was found.

### [VI: God—Or Devil?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/chapters/vi-god-or-devil)

Described as a sphinx-like figure, a domestic automaton who talks in her sleep and mourns her murdered master.

### [VII: A Mysterious Peddler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/chapters/vii-a-mysterious-peddler)

Derrick briefly considers whether Perkins might know Eastern languages, recalling her dream-haunted sleep and babbling.

### [VIII: The Power of the Unknown](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/chapters/viii-the-power-of-the-unknown)

Perkins drops a tray of coffee cups upon hearing that Martin is charged with murder, revealing her deep emotional turmoil.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters/perkins
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_jade_god_se/characters