Rebecca Garrison

Rebecca Sterne

Portrayed by Trini Alvarado
Full Name	Rebecca Sterne, nee Garrison
Associated Noble House(s)	Marquessate of Pendleston
Date of Birth	20 August, 1783
Father	Henry Garrison
Father's Rank/Occupation	Clergyman
Mother	Louisa, Lady Selkirke, formerly Mrs. Garrison, nee Gordon
Mother's Rank/Occupation	Gentry
Town Residence	Sterne House, 35 Brook Street
Occupation	Governess

Rebecca Sterne (formerly Garrison) was a governess to Penelope Grove for the past six years. She has very recently wed Thomas Sterne for the sake of convenience and security. She is played by Emily.

Family

• Husband: Thomas Sterne
• Mother-in-Law: Margaret Sterne
• Sister-in-Law: Jane Middleton, plus her husband (Percival Middleton) and children (including Rebecca Middleton).
• Brother-in-Law: Richard Sterne

• Father: Henry Garrison (b.1754 - d.1784)
• Mother: Louisa, Lady Selkirke, formerly Mrs. Garrison, nee Gordon (b.1764)
  • Married Henry Garrison 1783, married Rowan Selkirke 1786. In town for the season, with her daughters and husband.
• Stepfather: Sir Rowan Selkirke (b. 1750)
  • Rebecca will do anything to avoid encountering her stepfather. Which just became a little more difficult, as the Selkirkes have evidently come to town for the season.)
• Half-brother: John 'Jack' Selkirke b.1787
  • Not currently staying with his mother, father and sisters. Actually hasn't shown up yet, in any form.
• Half-sister: Laura Selkirke (b.1790)
  • Surprised her in Hyde Park, and indicated that she would shortly be joined by the rest of Rebecca's family, (also NPCs) who have evidently come down for the Season. Rebecca professes to love her family as she ought, but wishes she may see very little of them.
• Half-sister: Catherine 'Cathy' Selkirke (b.1794)
  • Youngest half-sister, in London for the Season.

• Paternal Aunt: Rebecca Northcott, nee Garrison, (b.1763)
  • Rebecca met her aunt's family quite recently, and likes them.)
• Uncle: Aldous Northcott (b.1756)
• Cousin: Henry Northcott (b.1782)
• Cousin: Elizabeth 'Bessie' Northcott (b.1791)

• Cousin: Helena Wriothesley
  • ...by marriage. Ye gods.

History

Rebecca's father, Henry Garrison, her mother's first husband. was a poor clergyman who died of a fever when Rebecca was only a few months old. Her mother, (now Lady Selkirke,) a genteel, delicate woman, left her child in the care of a respectable widowed friend in Devonshire whose circumstances made her more able to raise the infant, and went to distant relatives in London, dependant upon keeping house for her great-uncle, a widower. Three years later, she met, beguiled, and soon wed Sir Rowan Selkirke, a baronet from the north of England. They had three more children together.

Rebecca's haphazard education at the hands of the kindly Mrs. Butterworth consisted of what she might glean from the books of the house and a circulating library, an old spinnet, and two or three yearly visits from her mother. Mrs. Butterworth was of the opinion that fresh air and exercise were all a hearty girl might need to grow up properly. ("If she be a beauty, who will care for her netting?") At age ten, Rebecca was taken to live with her mother and step-father, to refine her habits and develop more ladylike accomplishments such as drawing and dancing.

In her step-father's house, Rebecca applied herself to her lessons with great zeal, learning all that was proper by way of dancing and singing, playing and fancy work, with no little knowledge of languages and what history and philosophy she could seek out on her own, as no one cared to teach a girl such things on purpose. As Lady Selkirke had no inclination to be bothered about the upbringing of her children, Rebecca, thrilled with her little brother and sisters after years of a rather lonely childhood, gladly took the part of Little Mother and began to teach them, herself.

At sixteen, however, Rebecca found herself the object of the ardent attachment of Mr. Richard Lewis, the visiting nephew of a friend of Sir Rowan's, who evidently hoped to have Sir Rowan's help in setting up a profitable venture of some sort. She agreed to an elopement; however Sir Rowan got wind of the plan and was furious. Her step father, never caring for the child who so little resembled her honey-haired, doll-like mother and their three golden-headed children, immediately had the girl sent to London and found a place as a governess, shortly after she had turned seventeen.

For the past ten years, Rebecca has done her duty without complaint, now knowing how close she brought herself and her family to ruin, closely guarding her feelings and devoting herself to the children in her care, knowing she will never have a family of her own, as penance for her rash behaviour as a girl.

Rebecca is as close as she wishes to be to her family, writing often to her sisters and brother, with shorter, more formal missives to her mother, all of whom rarely answer her--her mother has gayer matters to attend to, and two pretty daughters at home to pet and dote upon, along with a handsome young son. She has an aunt (the woman she was named after) on her father's side. Mrs. Rebecca Northcott and her husband reside in London.

Quiet and reflective, Rebecca has an independent streak from her rather unrestrained upbringing in Mrs. Butterworth's cottage by the sea, though she now sees this rebellious part of her nature as being the fault by which the rest of her life has since fallen apart, though she allows that her heart was too trusting and naive when faced with the pretty wooing of that young scoundrel who never seems to have let her fate have a moment's share in his thoughts, soon going on to wed a young woman from the next county with five thousand pounds to her name.

Though not much good at fancy-work, she is a good sewer by necessity, having to constantly refresh her own gowns as she diligently puts money aside for whatever future might be left for her. Her French has become impeccable thanks to constant study as a girl, though she does not trust herself to speak it well in company, and thankfully she has never met a Frenchman, in any case. She adores the pianoforte, and plays well, and her singing does no one any discredit.

Patient and largely serene, Rebecca has a keen sense of duty and perseveres to perform any task as well as she possibly can, taking pleasure in the approval of others, or at least the lack of their censure. She is happy enough in the life she has chosen, though she struggles at times to conceal her own longing for the life that might have been hers, though she herself foolishly cast it aside by her own behaviour. She worries, often, for those she cares about, be it her sisters who may yet turn out just as giddy as their mother, or young lady left in her charge, Miss Penelope Grove.

As a rule, she is greatly distrustful of men, having no liking for the grasping machinations of young men such as the cad who would have seduced her, nor the heavy-handed manner of the aristocracy, who put her in mind of her cheerless and harsh step-father. Overall, she has the appearance of a genteel and slightly melancholy woman whose bright eyes never quite meet the gaze of those around her. When in company with the Groves, however, she has learnt to be open and warm, enjoying the kindness and intimacy she claims with that family, and loving them as if they were her own.

Circumstances have recently goaded her to accept a ludicrous offer of marriage from Thomas Sterne. As much as she dislikes him, she comforts herself with the goodness of Lady Jane Middleton who is to be her sister-in-law, and the prospect of a settled home and income. The fly in the ointment is that her wish for a swift and fuss-free ceremony has led some of the general public to believe that some scandal, rather than economic necessity, has forced the match.

Relationships

Friends

• Penelope Grove: Alright, so Penny's her charge in technical terms, but Rebecca would do anything to make her happy, and feels a sisterly affection for the girl, even stronger, perhaps, than her affection for her own immediate family. She has been Penny's governess for the past six years.
• Benjamin Grove, Marquess of Pendleston: Her employer and a wonderful gentleman, Rebecca quietly dotes upon the Marquess.
• Sir Phillip Vaudrey: Met briefly in the park at Easter, though it was an all-around awkward encounter and no introductions were made. Later encountered Sir Phillip when the gentleman intervened on Rebecca's behalf as she was being bothered by an impertinent young rapscallion, whereupon he walked her home. Having conversed relatively pleasantly on this and subsequent occasions, they are becoming better friends, though Rebecca believes the gentleman is merely being kind and polite.
• Jane Middleton: Becca has few, if any, allies among her new relations that she knows so little of--Jane has been a rock and a comfort in the bewildering whirl leading up to Becca's nuptials. Indeed, the match may never have been made without her--though Rebecca prefers not to dwell on that fact, fearing it may, in time, sour her budding affection for her new sister-in-law.

Aquaintances

• Alfred Sterne: Becca and her husband will be living with the Colonel in London.
• Phillip Grove: Another of Penny's brothers, Rebecca has nothing ill to say of Philip.
• Percy Grove: The youngest child, Rebecca is inclined to like the boy.
• Basil Brett: Sort of. He half-introduced himself amidst his babbling at St. George's, but Rebecca didn't pay it much mind, nor offer her name in return.
• Claudia Morton: Met briefly upon the steps of St. George's. Rebecca felt rather awkward and wishes she had held her tongue, but Lady Worth did not seem to mind her less than reverent attitude.
• Evander Whinging: Met him, along with Penelope, in a book shop. Is fairly indifferent to him.

Love Interests

• Don't be foolish.

Enemies

• Richard Lewis: Ex-fiance. Attempted to elope, then force a marriage by her ruin, before he finally abandoned Rebecca under very harsh circumstances when it was revealed that she would not receive any money from her step-father.
• Thomas Sterne: Husband. Accepting the captain for practical reasons rather than any liking for the man, Becca quickly came to believe him incapable of reform, and despairs of making her marriage tolerable.
• Sir Rowan Selkirke: Arguably responsible for the above two and a whole lot more.
• Patrick Grove: Has known the eldest Grove for several years, but has never seen much of him. She wants to think well of all the Grove family but finds Patrick's overall behaviour to be disgraceful and the man himself to be rather vile, even if he is her superior in all worldly senses. Having perhaps foolishly confronted him on more than one occasion in recent history, her aversion for the man and her fear that his wounded pride will lead to unhappy consequences as he runs the household in lieu of his father, Rebecca has added yet another practical motive to her list of reasons why she ought to marry such a horrible man as Captain Sterne.