Ashley becomes attracted to barmaid Bernice Blackstock (Samantha Giles), but she is not impressed by his job. Ashley's feelings for Bernice grow and when she breaks up with her ex-fiancé, he eventually tells her how he feels. They begin dating and when they receive Bishop George Postlethwaite's (Peter Cartwright) blessing, they get married. Bernice discovers she is pregnant but miscarries. Ashley and Bernice's marriage suffers when he leaves the village briefly. Bernice has an affair with Carlos Diaz (Gary Turner) and discovers she is pregnant again. However, Bernice tells her sister, Nicola, that Carlos could be the father of her baby after Nicola admits that she is not pregnant on her hen night, despite having told Carlos that she is. Disgusted by Carlos and Bernice's lies, she tells everyone about their affair and dumps Carlos. Ashley also throws Bernice out and they only start to reconcile after the baby is born, a girl who she names Gabrielle (Annelise Manojlovic). A paternity test reveals Ashley is Gabby's father but Bernice sinks into post-natal depression and eventually admits to Ashley that she does not love him anymore and she leaves the village, as Bernice's divorce from Ashley is finalized off-screen.