Chapter 25 #3
“Georgie and Kitty, I hope you do not mind if I join you for your debut season as I plan to debut as well. Aunt Elaine will sponsor me for my curtsy. Lady Catherine would never hear of my having a season, and although I am already five and twenty, I am determined to make up for lost time. I have no interest in an arranged marriage; I will only marry for the deepest mutual love and respect. I see so much happiness in all of you, and I would like to at least give myself the opportunity to find the same,” Anne blushed after her uncharacteristically long speech.
“Anne I am sure I speak for Kitty as well when I say we are more than happy to have you join us. The more the merrier.” Georgiana smiled happily.
“Oh yes, Anne. I second what Georgie said. We too will only settle for love matches so there is no pressure to accept the first man who shows interest in us this coming season. Not even the fifth. I would rather never marry than marry without love,” Kitty agreed.
“We have taught you very well, Kitty,” Bennet smiled proudly at his youngest daughter. “We are looking forward to you and Georgie joining us at Longbourn until Reggie and Elaine take you to town in February to prepare for your season.”
“If I do not find a love match, I know William and Richard would never force me to marry where I do not have the inclination.” Georgiana looked at her guardians with a sweet smile.
“You are correct, sweetling, neither William nor I would ever force you to accept someone against your inclinations. I pity the dastard that would try to compromise you, Anne, or Kitty with so many male relatives willing to take him to task,” Richard winked at them.
“I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the Fitzwilliams on the morrow, did you and Papa break your trip at Snowhaven, Mama?” Lizzy looked over at her mother.
“We did. We spent the night with Reggie and Elaine, and they wanted us to mention they are waiting for Andrew and Marie to arrive in the morning then they will join us all at Pemberley. Elaine told me it is the last time Marie will travel as she should enter her lying in in late February or early March,” Fanny revealed.
“Mama, what will you do with Jane and Mary entering the final stage of their confinements around the same time?” Lizzy enquired.
“Mama will stay with Mary. By the time I enter my lying in you, Louisa, and Marie would have birthed your children so I will have plenty of support. Aunt Maddie will also come from town to be with Mary, and I am sure Aunt Elaine will want to be at Netherfield Park for Mary’s lying in, so along with Mama, Mary will have good support as well,” Jane stated, having wanted to make sure that no one felt torn.
“I agree with my Jane, Mother Bennet. We have a lot of family close to the Meadows so you can be with Mary without worrying Jane will not have family to assist her.” Bingley held his wife’s hand gently.
“Thank you, Jane, and you Charles, for your thoughtful and unselfish solution to the problem. I believe your suggestion is a good one, and unless there is a significant change; that is what we will do,” Fanny nodded in approval.
“Fanny has the right of it. We will be here for Lizzy’s time, and as long as she is close to the estimated date, we will return to Longbourn well in time for your lying in Mary. Maddie, do you plan to come to Derbyshire for Lizzy’s?” Bennet looked to his sister-in-law.
“As long as there is no emergency with one of the children or Edward’s business then yes, we will join you in returning to Derbyshire to be with Lizzy, Thomas,” Madeline agreed as she glanced at Lizzy and couldn’t help but smile.
“Richard and I thank Jane for her thoughtfulness, and it is a good solution given the distance between our homes,” Mary agreed.
“There is one way we would all be close for both births.” Richard looked at his Mary.
“How is that? What battle plan are you considering?” Mary teased him.
“I am sure we would be welcome at Snowhaven before your lying in and remain there for your recovery. Just think about it, no need to decide now. The grandparents would have all their grandbabies born within a thirty-mile radius. And for your sisters to see ours so soon when months would otherwise be required.” He kissed her hand.
“I just want you as close to your sisters as I know you want to be. And my mother would be overjoyed to have her daughter home when she gives birth,” Richard drawled, Fanny’s answering laugh making him grin.
“Louisa, where will you be for your lying in?” Lizzy asked.
“We plan to be at the Hurst estate, Lakeside, in Lincolnshire, Lizzy. After my churching we will return to the Meadows so we can be with Jane and Charles.”
“Your parents must be happy at the prospect of a grandchild and possible heir, Hurst.” Darcy nodded at Hurst.
“They are. We are now very welcome at Lakeside,” Hurst stated, not willing to bring up the persona non grata that had made it difficult for them in the past.
“Well now, there will soon be a plethora of babes in this family,” Bennet grinned as he glanced around the room.
“Lizzy, when does Charlotte arrive? Lady Lucas told me about her invitation and that you and William are sending a carriage with a maid and footmen to bring her into Derbyshire,” Fanny enquired.
“She will arrive two days before the Twelfth Night Ball we are holding here at Pemberley, Mama,” Lizzy reported.
The rest of the day was very pleasant with much talk of babes, clothing, and accoutrements needed for said babes. The men executed a tactical withdrawal and went riding after lunch, all hastily agreeing to the twin’s suggestion of some exercise.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The following morning, two more coaches arrived bearing the rest of the Fitzwilliams. When they disembarked, young David Fitzwilliam, now almost three, very proudly informed one and all that his Mama had his baby brother in her tummy.
When his smiling grandmother told him it could be a baby sister, he scrunched up his nose and told everyone he had decided that it was a baby brother.
Once everyone met in the drawing room, the Countess and a very pregnant Lady Marie agreed with Fanny’s assessment that Lizzy could be carrying twins. When the tentative plan for Mary and Jane’s lying in was laid out, the Earl and Countess agreed wholeheartedly.
Decoration of Pemberley had started the day the first group of guests had arrived, and now the inside of Pemberley was almost as green as it was on the outside in the summer.
There was greenery on all of the banisters, sprigs of holly were hung all over, and strategically placed mistletoe, heavy with berries, could be found when one did not look too hard.
No one missed the blush both Tom Bennet and Georgiana Darcy sported when they were inadvertently caught under one hanging piece of mistletoe.
After retrieving a berry, a very embarrassed Tom gave an even more embarrassed Georgiana a peck on the cheek.
Luckily for Darcy and Richard, more so than Georgiana and Tom, the rest of the revellers did not mortify them by insisting on a proper kiss.
The invitations for the Twelfth Night Ball had been sent out and were accepted with very few exceptions and the plans for the ball were well in hand. Mrs. Darcy acceded to her husband’s request she not overdo things and use the many friends and loved ones she had at her disposal for help.
On Christmas Eve, the whole party made the short walk to the Pemberley Chapel where the young rector officiated the service. He held the Pemberley living in addition to the one at Kympton and Lambton.
The Pemberley living was a small and minor one, but as Darcy was his patron for the other two livings, he had his curates officiate at the other two while he did the Pemberley services on Christmas Eve.
When the family returned to the house, with the parson in tow, they were treated to a sumptuous Christmas Eve dinner that had no fish on the menu.
It had begun to snow overnight, and it was still falling when everyone met to break their fast in the morning.
Afterward, they congregated in the ballroom where there was a big fir Christmas tree in the German tradition that Queen Charlotte observed, and to the surprise of some it had lots of presents at its base.
Before opening gifts, they all sung their favourite carols.
Bennet was most pleased by his gifts from his married daughters and sons in law.
From Mary and Richard, he received a first edition book that was not in his collection, and Lizzy and William also gifted him a first edition, a very rare one he had long sought out with no success.
Bingley and Jane gifted him with a case each of the best French cognac and the port that he loved. Bingley refused to disclose how he was able to purchase the cognac with the kingdom still at war with France.
Everyone else was more than satisfied with their gifts, especially the four Gardiner children who announced it was the best Christmas.
When the twins asked about riding, they were downcast when told that there would be no riding while the snow was falling and getting deeper.
Their frowns quickly turned into happy smiles when Darcy let them know there would be sleigh rides after luncheon on the morrow for anyone who wanted to participate.
Fanny and Bennet, Madeline and Gardiner, and Elaine and Matlock begged off the sleigh rides, but everyone else enthusiastically indicated that they would like to go, especially the four young Gardiner children and one young future earl.
The days flew by as everyone enjoyed the time together as a family.
Five days after sending the express to Sir Fredrick, he replied he would be willing to come to attend Mrs. Darcy and would arrive with two nurses a month prior to the expected date of Mrs. Darcy’s lying in and requested his warmest regards be passed onto his friends, the Gardiners.