Chapter 25 #2
He had thought it would be simple to remain in bed all day, but she was reading and pretending to be fine, and he was only thinking about all he should be doing.
When he reminded her that he had responsibilities, she had correctly asked him if she did not?
But if hers obviously did not count, so also did his not.
They had gotten up directly once his apology had been rendered.
As soon as Mr. Bartholomew had confirmed her state, his Lizzy had given up one of her favourite things for the duration of her pregnancy, riding her beloved stallion Mercury. That was enough of a sacrifice.
“Now I understand why you stopped riding Mercury, Lizzy,” Kitty smiled sadly for her sister.
I knew you would have to have a good reason not to be galloping across hill and dale on your beast of a stallion with William.
If he will let me take him out for a ride, I will exercise him for you.
You know I have as good a seat as you,” Kitty offered.
“You have a better seat than me.” Elizabeth laughed when Darcy looked at them in surprise.
“Just because she does not steal my thunder when I am on him, does not mean she could not. She is a truly beloved sister.” She winked at Kitty.
“He is no beast, Kitty. Now you are fully grown, I fear you would love riding him as much as I do. But I agree he is as sad as I am that I am not able to ride. In the morning, I shall take him some treats, and each day he is given exercise by one of the grooms, and on occasion William rides him and gives him his head.”
“I was referring to his size, not his nature, Lizzy. He has a very good nature and has had since he was a foal, especially with you. After all, you were the one who nursed him when his mother rejected him as a foal. William is the only one other than you it seems, he will allow to ride him; he must approve of the way William loves you,” Kitty surmised.
“You have the right of it, Kitty. When Lizzy and I first started to know each other, he would not even allow me to approach him, then as we fell more in love, he seemed to sense his mistress approved of me, so he allowed me to join the circle of humans he trusted. The first time I rode him he was a little tentative, but now he welcomes me almost as readily as he does Lizzy,” Darcy related.
As her baby made itself known again, Lizzy rubbed her rapidly expanding belly and admitted to herself the reward of becoming a mother far outweighed any remorse she had about not being able to ride Mercury.
“We can ask him for you in the morning, Kitty. He will decide.” She winked at her sisters and nestled into her husband’s side.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The next day, just as the residents of Pemberley finished their luncheon, Douglas informed them four coaches and a wagon had passed the gate house and would arrive shortly.
The Darcys and Kitty descended the stairs to the drive just as the first of two carriages came to a stop. The carriage with the traveller’s valets and maids and the wagon and the outriders had gone to the servant’s entrance.
Once the stairs were lowered by a footman the Bennet twins alighted, followed by Mary and Richard. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Lilly Gardiner, and Anne de Bourgh alighted from the second conveyance. Edward and Madeline Gardiner and the three youngest Gardiner children were in the third carriage.
The arriving party, save for Mary and Richard who knew, looked at the rotund Elizabeth Darcy with surprise. “Is there something you would like to tell us Lizzy?” Fanny smiled playfully at her daughter.
“I was going to wait until we were in the drawing room, Mama, but yes. I am very obviously with child. I suppose you would have to be blind not to see it as there is nothing that Jacqui can do with my dresses to hide it anymore,” Elizabeth owned.
“When will your babe arrive, Lizzy?” Mrs. Bennet asked as the party headed up the stairs into the house and then the drawing room.
“End of May or beginning of June, Mama.” Lizzy smiled ruefully.
“My my, Fanny. Lizzy is as large as you were at the same stage when you were pregnant with Tom and James,” Aunt Gardiner offered.
“I was about to say the same, Maddie,” Fanny agreed.
“Twins!” Elizabeth and William exclaimed simultaneously.
“It does run in our family; Tom and I are living proof of that are we not,” James smirked.
“Oh my,” gasped Mrs. Darcy as she was aided into a comfortable chair by her husband. “When I started to get so big so soon, I just thought that maybe I was eating more than normal.”
“No, my love,” her husband disagreed as he held her hand, “I have not noticed you eat in excess. We will have to be extra careful; we will retain the best accoucheur in London to be in residence the last six weeks of your confinement. I do not care how much it costs me.” Darcy started to settle when his wife placed a calming hand on his arm.
“William, I am sure that the possibility of twins frightens you given your dear late mother’s experience, but before you stands living proof all can be well in the person of my mother.
Five of her children are in this room, and as you can see by your two brothers, bearing twins did not harm mama, and I am sure I will be well,” Elizabeth reminded her husband.
“I could not carry on living if I lost you,” Darcy stated with a look of dread on his face.
“If it will make you feel better, I will be more vigilant and I will agree to you retaining an accoucheur,” she promised.
“The best one I am aware of is Sir Fredrick Gillingham, and he is a good friend of ours so you can mention the connection in your express, Darcy,” Gardiner offered. “I will give you his card.”
“Thank you, Gardiner, that is most appreciated.” Darcy nodded at him with relief.
“Let us show our guests to their chambers so they can change out of their travel attire and rest. Shall we all meet back here at half after five o’clock for an aperitif before dinner?” Lizzy looked at her family happily.
Everyone nodded their agreement, and the travellers followed the housekeeper up to their chambers while a worried and harried Fitzwilliam Darcy went to his study to compose his express to Sir Fredrick.
The rest of the evening past companionably, and although the worry Darcy was feeling for his young wife was evident, he did manage to keep it in check and not vex his Lizzy too much.
Their twin brothers took their minds off the pregnancy while they regaled the assembled company with tales of their experiences at Cambridge after but one term.
Like their father, Uncle Reggie, cousins Andrew and Richard, and brothers William and Charles before them, the boys were enrolled in Trinity College.
Their illustrious connections were widely known, resulting in deference from other young men, even titled ones.
The message that the Fitzwilliam, Darcy, Bennet, de Bourgh, Bingley, and Hurst families were not to be trifled with and would be defended by all was a lesson that had been well learnt and passed onto all members of the Ton, then to the circles below the first circle.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The next morning the Bingleys and Hursts arrived just after ten.
The arriving party was met at the entrance to the house by Mr. and Mrs. Darcy and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.
Fanny was in her element with all six of her children together again, and the prospect of becoming a grandmother in less than six months made for an even happier Mama Bennet.
With the distance between Pemberley and Longfield Meadows so negligible, the arriving party returned to the drawing room right after changing out of their travel attire. As soon as she kissed her mama and aunts, Jane sat comfortably and smiled.
“Lizzy, I have seen women close to confinement as large as you are now,” Jane teased.
“Mama thinks that I may be having twins. She says she was about the same size as I am now when she was with child carrying Tom and James,” Lizzy volleyed, laughing at the surprise on Jane’s face.
“Before the end of next year, we may be aunts and uncles many times over.” Kitty clapped.
“It does look that way. When does your doctor think your babe will be birthed Jane? I know from what Mrs. Richardson has told Mary after she examined her and confirmed she is with child that Mary should birth her babe in July,” Fanny asked her oldest daughter.
“It seems Mary and I will be in our lying ins around the same time, Mama. It is providence we birth our children about the same time as we did get married together. It will be as if the cousins are as close as brothers and sisters like William and Richard are,” Jane offered sweetly.
“I should like to announce I too am with child. I felt the quickening some four weeks ago. Harold and I are beyond happy that we are to be parents,” Louisa informed the family.
Louisa and Harold Hurst received a hearty round of congratulations from all those assembled.
As Kitty exclaimed the pleasure of another niece or nephew on the way.
Anne de Bourgh looked at the scene wistfully.
She knew she was healthy enough to bear children; all she had to do was find someone she could love the same as she saw reflected in the couples around the room.
Anne would never settle for a marriage of convenience either, she wanted to be loved as if she was the only reason the sun rose and set as William loved his Elizabeth, Bingley loved his Jane, the same as all the other couples in their beloved family. It was time to be open about her plans.