Turning Your World Upside Down

[Cadence Nightingale]

• So much had happened in just a few short weeks. Elsbeth had passed and left strict details on what she wanted to happen. Cadence's life had quite literally been turned upside down as she'd expected to just remain with the Craigs. But just a few days after laying her mother to rest, Christian and Lyra had told her that they would be going in search of her birth father per her mother's last request. And while Cadence had always been intrigued by the few, brief stories her mother had told her of her father, she was torn by what was to happen now. She was comfortable and happy with the Craigs. And once the packing of her few items had been done, the silent tears had started to flow only resulting in a tight embrace from the aging couple. They had held her and comforted her, assured her that should things not work out with her birth father, they would be more than glad to take care of the young girl. What they didn't say, however, was that if that were to happen, her hopes of attending Hogwarts would be slim unless she proved worthy to be a scholarship student. They didn't doubt she would be smart enough but her chances of remaining at Hogwarts would be far greater if her father agreed to take her in.
  
  While they'd been preparing Elsbeth's funeral, Christian had been trying to track down Cadence's birth father. Luckily, it hadn't taken long to figure out who the man was but it had only made Christian all the more wary of leaving the little girl he'd grown to know as a granddaughter with. If he hadn't made the promise to Elsbeth, he'd simply have said they couldn't find the man but he couldn't do that. All he could do was hope Cadence wasn't welcomed, but even then that was a horrid outlook to have. And while Christian had been able to track down the whereabouts of the man, he hadn't been able to get too much more information about him.
  
  Preferring to enjoy what time he did have with Cadence, the two walked along the streets and headed to Bartonburg, Cadence's small trunk packed and Elsbeth's letter tucked safely in a pocket of Cadence's jacket. Soon enough, they were standing in front of the house that matched the address on the sheet of parchment Christian held in his hands. Squeezing Cadence's hand, the two walked up the steps leading up to the residence of the Simpson's. Christian knocked abruptly on the door and then took a step back, holding his hands behind him but his own eyes watched Cadence. Cadence, on the other hand, was busy staring up at the home that she half hoped to call her own. She couldn't help but feel as though she were abandoning the Craigs but the idea of getting to actually know and meet her real father was much too exciting to ignore.

  

[Kathleen Simpson-]

Kath had not left the house since returning from the funeral service. She had barely slept since the news of Cadence's death had reached her. Instead, her time was spent trying to keep up with what had been Cadence's duties - running the home, directing the servants, making sure to find a wet nurse for the twins. It was all she could do to keep herself busy. She checked on her younger siblings throughout the day to see how they fared - especially little Laoise, who was taking her mother's death worse than any of the others.

The knock at the door was not entirely unexpected - they had callers from time to time who simply expressed their sympathies and went on their way. Being the nearest one, Kathleen opened the front door herself. She was surprised to see a pair of lower class citizens standing on the stoop. She did not recognize them. A young girl, a bit younger than Laoise perhaps, though she was awfully thin accompanied by an elder, yet kind, looking gentleman.

"Hello," She greeted with bemusement, "Can I help you with something?" The only logical explanation she could think up was that they were lost, or were so unfortunate in their situation that they had taken to begging. If the former was the case, she was more than happy to offer directions. If it was the latter, she was certain she would be able to find a few coins that the family could spare for those who were less fortunate than they.

  

[Cadence Nightingale]

• Christian was quite taken aback by the sight of the young woman that answered the door. She was obviously not a servant of the household by the looks of her attire and appearance but that wasn't what shocked the man. He'd watched Cadence grow up and knew very well what the little lady looked like. This woman standing before them looked like his little Cady, or what he suspected she'd look like in the future. It was almost eerie the resemblance but it also affirmed to the elderly man that this was indeed the home that he needed to be at.
  
  He stepped forward, taking his hat from his head and giving the young woman a polite nod of the head. He felt Cadence tense up next to him, knowing her hand was clutching the spot that the letter was tucked away safely. It was best that they saw to these things quickly. No one had seen the letter that Elsbeth had written and once Cadence had been told it was her job to hand it to the man said to be her birthfather, she'd taken it very seriously. She hadn't let the letter leave her sight in the slightest since it had been handed over to her and she had been very adamant about not letting anyone else hold onto it. No one was to see the letter except for Bernard, papa.
  
  "Well Ma'am," he started, eyes darting between Cadence and the woman that could very well be her twin despite their years in difference, "This may seem a bit strange but we're here to call on Bernard Simpson." He wasn't sure how far to go or how much to tell this woman. He wasn't sure who she was or where she stood in the life of Bernard or even Elsbeth and Cadence. "Its actually a rather private matter," he continued, though this time is voice was much lower as he didn't want others to overhear what was being said, "Cadence here is actually Bernard's daughter and she has an important letter for his eyes only."
  
  Cadence simply stared up at the two of them as they spoke. She knew her manners well and when two adults were having a private conversation, she was not to interrupt and most importantly, not to eavesdrop. But despite such teachings, she couldn't help but to stare up at the pretty woman Christian was busy talking to. One thing Cady was very aware of, however, was not that they looked alike like Christian noticed, but that they were wearing the same black color. It had been explained to her that she was to wear black to acknowledge the passing over her mother so it left her wondering who the pretty woman was mourning herself.

  

[Kathleen Simpson-]

The man had given her an odd look - and continued to do so, as his gaze shifted from herself to the young girl. The healer was entirely oblivious to the physical similarities between them, as she was not one who spent much time in front of a looking glass. In fact if shown a picture of herself, she likely wouldn't even realize that it was her. The woman did not give much thought to her own appearance, aside from brushing her hair neatly and having a modest state of dress, though that was due to the fact that she was expected to dress neatly, rather than anything that had to do with any sort of vanity.

As he spoke, her face turned from mild confusion to that of concern, quickly followed by astonishment and a sprinkle of disbelief. This man believed this little girl - who coincidentally shared the name of her late step-mother - to be Bernard's daughter? An illegitimate daughter, by all account of things.

Kath wasn't quite certain what she ought to do. It needed to be brought to her father's attention, though she didn't think that he was in the proper state of mind to deal with such a thing - whether it was the truth or a hoax. The girl's innocent and sweet look made her hope that it was the truth - she did not seem to be the type to try to hoodwink someone.

"Please, come in," She said after a moment of speculation. Kath stepped aside and held the door open for them. "Would you care for some refreshments? We have fresh lemonade." Kath had had it made in an attempt to bring some light into the home, though she did not know whether any of her family members had noticed it. A maid passed by, to which she requested that her father be roused and brought to the drawing room. The maid scurried off, and Kath managed a small, reassuring smile at the duo.

  

[Laoise Simpson]

Lee prefered to be on her own these days. After her mother's funeral, she didn't want anyone to see her cry again. She could be stronger than that, but she couldn't stop her tears from falling. So the best thing to do was to hide whenever she could no longer stop the tears.

She quickly became sick of being on her own, though, so she decided to go downstairs to join the rest of the family. Hopefully, it would be Kath, Gemma or Gareth. Joseph and she didn't fight that much these days, but that still didn't mean she enjoyed his company.

She was about to enter the sitting room when she saw Kath standing at the front door. She quietly went there to see what was going on, only to hear the names 'Cadence' and 'Bernard's daughter'. Soon, she saw who that Cadence was and oh! She looked a lot like Kathleen and Lee could even see herself in her.

Could it be possible?

Normally, Laoise would have been angry at such claims, but the name Cadence made her feel that this might be some sort of sign. Maybe her mother was sending this girl. And if that was the case, then Lee would have to be welcoming.

"Oh, a sister!" Laoise commented, with a weird sweetness in her voice. "It is such a lovely surprise in such dark days."

Table by Lola

[Cadence Nightingale]

Christian truly hadn't expected things to go the way they were. He had prepared himself for an argument, or some sort of a persuasion just for the family to hear them out, to at least give Cadence a chance. He also hadn't expected to find the family in mourning much the way Cadence now was. While Elsbeth had not been family by blood, Christian and his wife still mourned her loss and had both decided to wear darker colors and a back armband as well to signify their loss as well. But despite having not expected it, it was happening and he followed the woman's lead into a sitting room, Cadence walking directly in front of him. He couldn't help but smile down at the little girl who he could see still clutching onto the spot where the letter was located.

Cadence's eyes clearly lit up at the mention of fresh lemonade, so much so that she almost didn't notice the appearance of another girl, barely older than herself. With her blue-gray eyes big and bright, she turned a sweet but slightly apprehensive smile to the younger girl. It excited her that she may be welcomed by the family after all, especially considering they had been so kind to them so far. It gave the tiny girl a renewed sense of hope and she seemed to finally relax enough to bring the letter out from its hiding place but still pressed her hands firmly down on top of it against her lap.

Christian noticed the small change in Cadence's demeanor, glad for it, but he also clearly noticed the mention of such dark days but the younger girl. He found himself nodding in response, feeling a little guilty that they had come during such a time. "Please, accept my condolences on your loss," he stated, his voice sincere and true, "I know this visit is highly irregular but the fact you have suffered a loss of your own only makes it all the more irregular. But Cadence her should be expecting a letter from Hogwarts this year and she has no other family than yours." He paused, realizing bringing up Hogwarts may not have been the best course of action considering it may make it look as though they were only after money. "Elsbeth wrote a letter that was to be given to Bernard," he continued, hoping they wouldn't look too badly upon him for his earlier mistake, "She sincerely hoped that she would be able to find a family and a home with Bernard and his family. My wife and I will surely care for her if not, but as you can see, I'm not in the prime of youth myself and neither is my wife. We will only be around a few more years ourselves."

The man was clearly worried that they would be thrown out at any moment but Cadence seemed to be showing a more optimistic and hopeful outlook. Perhaps because she didn't know any what to expect any other way. Her young and innocent mind couldn't quite comprehend being thrown out and ignored so she simply continued to watch a listen on with big round eyes now moving slowly between the sisters.

  

[Kathleen Simpson-]

Kath had planned to usher them into the parlor and shut the door in order to get to the bottom of this business, but little Laoise had managed to make a rather inopportune appearance. The healer had half expected her sister to not be very fond of the idea of yet another sister - which was still a rather abstract thought at the moment. She did not know whether to believe this man and this little girl, but she could not get herself to turn them away. Especially now that Laoise had seen them. The younger girl simply wouldn't understand.

The pair were led into the parlor, with Laoise accompanying them. Kathleen quietly pressed the door shut behind them. She did not know what business this entailed exactly - with her family in such a state - especially her father - she did not want to press this upon them if she discovered it to be a hoax. Laoise ought not to have been involved either, but it was too late.

"Thank you," She said graciously, "I extend my condolences toward you both, as I see you have also lost a loved one." She listened politely, hands clasped before her, as he explained the situation. At least, a part of it.

Her blonde brows furrowed, "I understand your concern. However, I must ask - for clarity - are you claiming that this Elsbeth and my father... that this child..." She didn't quite know how to go about asking, especially with Laoise in the room, "Are you saying that she is my father's illegitimate daughter?" Kathleen knew that her father had mistresses in the past - Bernard Jr. was the product of such an affair. She had never thought of it before, but she supposed there were other such products running about in the world. She hoped that there weren't very many. The very idea of it caused her pain.

  

[Laoise Simpson]

A bastard? Given her youth, Lee wasn't so informed of her father's romantic adventures and mysteries, so that information came as a bit of a surprise. But that didn't matter, for the girl was called Cadence and that was surely some sort of sign that her mother had sent her from heaven. Even if she was a bastard, that didn't make her less deserving for the family's love. Especially not when embaciles like Joseph were not yet disowned.

She didn't want to interfere to the adults' conversation, so she just gave Cadence a smile. She would have suggested to show her around or something of that sort, but the last thing that needed to happen now was for them to stumble on her father before this matter was settled.

  

[Cadence Nightingale]

Christian nodded in response to the concept the tall, blonde, spitting image of Cadence was having a problem comprehending. If she was the man's daughter, then surely it would be a hard thing to grasp, knowing one's father had slept with another woman than his wife to produce another child. He couldn't imagine such a thing, being unfaithful to Lyra even though they had never had a child of their own. He would surely not step out on the woman he loved, barren or not. But not all men were like him, he was well aware. That wasn't why they were there though. They were there for Cadence to make sure the young girl would be looked after and given all the things that Christian and Lyra could not give her.

"Yes, ma'am," he responded quietly, glancing down to Cadence and smiling as the young girl's own smile was contagious itself. She glanced up to him then down to the letter, silently prompting him to mention it again. Nodding, he turned to look back to the lady in the room. "I'm sure it is well explained in the letter. Elsbeth sealed it though and I am unsure of what it says," he started, a faint smile still creasing his features, "She was a good mother and a sweet young lass. If I thought for a moment it was a hoax or an attempt for something more, I wouldn't be here but I believe what Elsbeth says." He couldn't help but to look from the sisters in the room, to Cadence then back to them. The resemblances were uncanny and even if he'd had doubts before, they were surely long forgotten now. "And I can't help but to notice how she looks just like you and the little one there," he added, hoping that pointing out obvious resemblances would help their case that much more, "If I may be so blunt, Cady could very well be you in ten years."

  

[Kathleen Simpson-]

Out of the corner of her eye, Kathleen watched her sister - the legitimate one. Laoise seemed every bit as accepting of this new development. She had even send an encouraging smile at her! It was odd behavior from the Slytherin, but Kath counted it as a blessing. At least she had not caused a scene or been cruel. All of the children were mourning in different ways, but to Kath at least, Laoise had had the worst time of it.

She listened intently to his response. While she wanted to believe him, there was a little niggling that if this was true, she would need to bring it to the attention of her father. He was in a mess of a state and even during a normal period in their lives, she could not foresee him taking this situation lightly. It would break her family's already fragile shell. She did not want to impose this upon them until she was completely certain that it was necessary.

The man named Christian did have a point, however. Laoise and Cadence resembled each other. Her ears turned red at the mention of her own looks. Quickly, she replied, "I am sorry to doubt you sir, but this is quite a lot to take in... especially at such a time as this. Perhaps... perhaps I could read the letter first, so that I know what it is that I am handing to my father? I would never ask to disregard privacy - only I do not know if my father will receive such news very kindly."

  

[Laoise Simpson]

The man was right about their appearances. This young Cadence resembled both her and Kathleen. They had the same gray eyes and their hair was also quite similar. He clearly wasn't lying about this girl being their sister. And even if she didn't have blonde hair and gray eyes, her name was Cadence and that was enough for Laoise to believe their story.

"I am sure father will." Laoise commented quietly to Kathleen. The man and Cadence probably didn't hear her, but Laoise didn't care too much. She wanted her sister to see that this was a sign and that it would be a sin to send them away. "Can't you see it, Kath? Mother has sent those two men. This is a sign. From Heaven and God."

  

[Cadence Nightingale]

Christian nodded at the young woman's hesitance. He couldn't really blame her. This meeting was highly irregular and surely it didn't help that Elsbeth had never wrote to the man of the house before and informed him of his illegitimate daughter. But as the younger lady spoke quietly to her sister, Christian noticed out of the corner of his eye the tightening of Cadence's hold on the letter in her lap. With a small smile, he knelt on the ground next to her and patted the girl he'd come to know as a granddaughter. Slightly foggy blue eyes focused on the young girl as he continued to smile at her.

"Cady, dear," he started softly, speaking only to her but loud enough should the other two want to hear. He didn't want it to seem like they were keeping any secrets or anything but he wanted to find a way to reassure her that it would be okay to let the other woman read the letter. "I know your mam wanted the letter to only be seen by your pap," he continued, trying to keep his tones as soft and reassuring as possible, "But they're going through a rough time themselves. It might be best to let her see it then she can give it to your pap."

Cadence gave the older man a small nod though there was no longer a smile on the young girl's smile. A part of her felt as though she were betraying her mother but she understood Christian's logic. While she may be young, Cadence was a smart young girl and had always shown an aptitude for learning. She tried her hardest in the little bits of schooling her mother and Christian had been able to give her so it wasn't really surprising that she would understand Christian's point.

Slowly, she stood up from where she was sitting and offered the sealed letter to the woman who Christian said she looked just like. "My mama wouldn't lie," she said softly but her voice wasn't defensive or rude, she was just stating something simply, "She didn't want to have to rely on my papa but she's gone now.." It was all she said, all she could think to say, as she offered a small smile before turning to sit down once again with the letter in the hands of the other woman.

  

[Kathleen Simpson-]

Kath wanted to handle the situation delicately. Her sister was quite convinced that the younger girl was sent to them by their mother, though the healer was certain Cadence Simspon was rolling in her grave. Her lips tightened as their father was referred to the girl as her "papa." Though Kath was doing her very best to be kind, she did not like the idea of them simply assuming that it was acceptable for her to refer to him as such.

She gently took the letter from the girl, who had grown quite solemn, and nodded to show that she had heard her plea. She was not about to tell this girl that her mother had been sinful already - bearing a bastard child - which really did not do well to prove her case in the holiness and truthfulness department.

After reading the letter, she refolded it. With all eyes in the room on her, she knew she needed to come to a decision. She could not send this girl away, that she was aware. She would have to bring the girl and the letter to Bernard.

"Laoise, would you be a dear and fetch some biscuits for our guests?" She said suddenly. It was better to get her little sister out if the situation before their father got wind of it. "I shall go and inform father that we have important visitors."

  

[Laoise Simpson]

Laoise didn't really want to fetch the bisquits. She was curious to see her father's reaction to this new girl. Although she had decided that she liked the child, as she was sent by God, she was also curious to see what her father would do when he saw his bastard in front of his eyes. A bastard was a sin, but he couldn't send away something that sent by her mother and God.

Sighing, she nodded and then headed to the kitchens to get a plate of bisquits. If she was quick enough, she could see what was going to happen next. Hopefully, the servants would hurry, as Laoise didn't want to lose any of the fun. This sort of felt like they were in a book and losing the interesting part would not be fun.

  

[Cadence Nightingale]

Both Christian and Cadence remained rather still as they watched the young woman read through the letter. Neither had seen for themselves what Elsbeth had written, it was something the dying woman had written in private and then sealed with only strict instructions as to what was to be done with the letter once she'd passed. Though they hadn't done what they were suppose to as quickly as Elsbeth surely would have liked, they had eventually gotten around to it. And, as it was, the rest was history now. Christian had brought Cadence to the Simpson home and while Cadence was supposed to give the letter directly to Bernard, the young girl felt she could trust the woman Christan said she looked so much alike. Cadence really didn't know what the man meant as she rarely looked in the glass herself but the woman was pretty and she had been nice to them so she could only assume that she would do what was right.

Both watched as the smaller girl, Laoise, was asked to leave and she did just that. Well, it was nice to learn the name of one of her sisters. Or at least, that's what Cadence assumed she was. She hoped she was at least. The girl seemed pleasant and nice enough, far different from what she had been expecting anyways. She had heard enough in the past about "bastard" children and knew that was just what she was so she hadn't been expected a warm welcome whatsoever. And though the older young woman who had greeted them seemed wary and hesitant, she was still pleasant. Cadence just hoped that what she had read in the letter was enough to dissuade her concerns and that her father would understand as well but there was no telling, not until it actually happened.

  

[Kathleen Simpson-]

I'm going to wrap this here!

Kath waited until her younger sister had left for the kitchen before she turned to their guests, "Excuse me for a moment." She dipped her head politely and then slid through the door. Her heart was in her throat as she slipped the letter into her pocket. It would not do to have to explain herself to a maid or another sibling. It was not until she found her father that she presented the letter to him, and then excused herself to wait outside the room until he was ready to speak to her. Then, she brought him to the girl - the girl that was her sister.