Madeline

Chapter 30

Eventually, I was able to make my way over to Rebecca. She'd been mostly keeping to herself the whole time, looking uncomfortable. I wanted to sit down and really talk to her, particularly since I'd had no idea she was even aware of the wedding. I wanted to invite her, of course, but I couldn't figure out how to do it. I didn't know where she lived, so I couldn't send a messenger, and I didn't know her last name, so I couldn't tell anyone who exactly to search for. There must be quite a few Rebeccas among the staff at the castle. But here she was. And despite the many attempts from Anne and Keira, and even the children to include her, she looked like she'd rather be anywhere else.

"How are you enjoying yourself?" I asked, coming up beside her.

"Oh, wonderfully," she said automatically, sounding nothing at all like herself. Her somber, anxious tone was so out of character, I couldn't help laughing.

With a sheepish little smile, she said, "or I really want to feel that way. I can't believe I'm here among all these ladies. I mean, I know you're their sister, and technically part of the upper class too, but you were always so normal. So much like me...." Realizing the implications of what she said, her eyes widened a bit. "Not that they're not normal or anything," she said quickly. "They're all lovely and they seem so sweet, like you, and-"

"Rebecca!" I cut her off, with a grin. Same little chatterbox as always.

She swallowed her next words.

"You can relax here," I said. "There's no class system in this room. I was barely part of the Upper Class before, and in a few days, I won't be part of it at all. My sisters are even a little jealous of that. They don't care about being elite or consider themselves more important than you. And Keira and Anne would be insulted at the idea if you believed they thought that way. Just be yourself. Everyone will love you."

She looked around hesitantly, her eyes going a little wide when she saw Keira coming our way.

"Oh good, you got this one talking," she said when she reached us. "I was afraid we'd have to-" She stopped suddenly and cringed.

Rebecca and I exchanged a confused and worried glance.

"Oh no..." Keira said, having recovered. She put a hand to her back and groaned.

"What?" I asked nervously.

She huffed, more annoyed than anything else. "I think the baby's coming."

"What?" I shrieked.

Keira laughed and rubbed her belly. "It's not that shocking, really," she teased. "But that midwife told me it'd be another week at least."

"So we know it's your child then," Anne said, having appeared at her side. "Takes orders about as well as you."

It was strange to see them acting so casually about Keira being in labor, but maybe after so many babies, it wasn't so scary.

Anne shuffled Keira to the sofa and told Waverly to go get William and to send Michael for the midwife.

Rebecca seemed to forget her worries instantly. "Could I help?" she asked Anne. "My aunt is a midwife, and I've helped her lots of times before."

"There, see?" Keira said. "We don't need the midwife. Between the two of you, I'll be fine."

Anne raised her eyebrow at Keira before turning her attention to Rebecca. "That's very sweet," she said. "Thank you. For now, there isn't much to do, but we'll be very busy later. In the meantime, I may have you babysit the mother to make sure she does as she's told."