Chapter 157 Small-minded and Protective
There were several shopping bags in the trunk, all gifts Frederick had prepared in Rebecca's name for Elizabeth, Alex, and the butler.
After having someone deliver the gifts to their respective rooms, Frederick took Rebecca's hand and headed to the dining room.
As they approached, they could hear laughter coming from inside - it seemed there were quite a few people there.
Rebecca tried to pull her hand back, but Frederick held it even tighter.
Elizabeth was seated at the head of the dining table.
On her left sat a couple in their fifties. Frederick introduced them as his uncle and aunt.
Rebecca greeted them politely. Uncle John Windsor nodded in acknowledgment, while Aunt Donna Walker smiled slightly, though her eyes looked Rebecca up and down several times.
"Becca, I heard you've been sick and resting at home for a week?"
Donna asked in a gentle voice.
Rebecca nodded, "Yes."
Donna looked Rebecca over again, then spoke, but this time directing her words at Elizabeth, "Young girls these days just care too much about their looks. They don't eat properly, always worried about keeping their figure. The slightest breeze or bit of rain, and they get headaches and fevers. It's fine when they're single, but how are they going to have children after they get married?"
The incident with Alex running away from the Windsor Mansion had happened and ended quickly. Elizabeth didn't want to deal with people who would use visiting Alex as an excuse to bother her, so she had the servants keep quiet about it - no one was allowed to talk.
Unexpectedly, Rebecca's illness had now become evidence of her being weak.
The smile on Elizabeth's face faded a bit, and she was about to snap back at Donna.
But Frederick spoke first, "Aunt Donna, I'm a petty person, and I'm protective of my own - I haven't changed after all these years, as you know. I can't stand hearing anyone say anything bad about Becca."
He calmly wiped his hands with a hot towel, and when he finished, he grabbed Rebecca's hand to wipe hers too.
Frederick wiped each finger carefully, "You can tell me you're talking about other people's thoughtless young girls, but what I hear is you talking about Becca. If you're talking about Becca, then I'm not happy! And when I'm not happy, everyone in the Windsor family except Grandmother and Becca is going to suffer!"
"Oh my, look at my big mouth!"
Before Frederick could finish, Donna hurriedly started explaining: "I really wasn't talking about Becca! A girl like Becca - the Windsor family must have saved up so much good fortune to marry her. How could I think badly of her? Becca is wonderful!"
With that, Donna put on a big smile and looked at Rebecca, "Becca, I talk too much, don't take it to heart! We came specially to see you today, and we even prepared a gift for you. Oh my, did I leave it at home?"
Slapping her thigh, Donna pulled out her phone from her bag and walked out of the dining room to make a call.
Watching Donna hurry away as if afraid she might hear something, and thinking about her own mysteriously appearing Christmas gift.
Rebecca suddenly saw the similarity.
Thinking about Frederick's words, Rebecca felt warm inside. She turned to look at Frederick and gave him a sweet smile!
Rebecca's smile was full of tenderness and joy, as if he had done something earth-shattering.
Frederick chuckled and leaned over to whisper something in Rebecca's ear.
Whatever he said, Rebecca froze for a moment, then looked at Frederick, completely flustered.
But her whole face turned red.
One handsome, one beautiful - the scene was quite pleasing to the eye.
Elizabeth was genuinely happy for them.