The changeling

“I would,” I said. “But she did have it on her conscience at the end. I know now why she was so anxious to see my grandmother when she was dying. She was going to confess to her. If she had we should have known of this long ago.”

“Leah can’t be parted from her child,” said Celeste.

“That’s for sure,” added Tom.

“I always felt drawn towards Lucie,” put in Benedict, as though talking to himself. “Perhaps there is something in this relationship between a parent and child even when they are unaware of that relationship.”

“I am very fond of Lucie too,” said Celeste.

We talked for a long time ... well into the night. Tom Marner was passionately persuasive. He wanted to take Leah back with him and he wanted Belinda too. “She’s a strange one,” he said. “She needs special handling.” He was smiling to himself. He would know how to do the handling and, having seen the comradeship between him and Belinda, I believed him. Moreover Belinda would never be happy if they left without her. I had thought she showed signs of fondness for me. I believed she did care for me ... a little. But Leah was first with her and I guessed that place could be shared with Tom before long.

I think we were all beginning to realize that when Leah and Tom went to Australia, Belinda, that strange changeling child, would go with her mother and the stepfather she would have chosen for herself.

The wedding followed very soon. There was no point-nor time-for delay, Tom said.

Belinda and Lucie were bridesmaids.

Belinda was brimming over with excitement. She talked continually of Australia and the perfections of her new father.

It was a little churlish perhaps to those of us who had cared for her all these years, but she was genuinely happy and so excited that she could not hide her feelings. We all understood.

After the church ceremony we went to Manor Grange for the reception. As I came into the hall one of the maids called to me. Her eyes were shining and she said in a high-pitched voice, “There’s someone called to see you, Miss Rebecca. He’s in the little room.”

I went into that room where Benedict listened to the complaints and suggestions of his constituents. A man was standing there, his back to the window. He looked different. The sun had tanned his skin to a light bronze and he seemed older. “Pedrek!” I cried.

And then we ran to each other.

The embrace was breathtaking. I managed to say, “You have come home then. I have been so longing for news.”

“I thought it better to come myself.”

“At last! It’s been so long.”

“Never mind. It’s now that counts. I’ve loved you through it all, Rebecca.”

“And I you.”

“Never doubt again.”

“Never ... never ... never,” I said.

There was so much to be told ... so much to plan for. ^ Leah, Tom and Belinda were to leave soon after the wedding and there came that moment when we had to say goodbye. Belinda was like a wild-eyed sprite. She could not stand still. “We’ll come back to see you,” she said. “And you can come out to see us. My father says so ...”

She jumped up and put her arms round my neck.

“I do love you, Rebecca,” she said a little ruefully, as though apologizing for her enthusiasm. “I will come back and see you.” She hugged me more tightly. “And now you can marry that boring old Pedrek.”

“Thank you. I shall,” I told her.