Chapter 26 #3
Shaking her head, Elizabeth was silent for a moment.
“I do not expect her ever to understand. For a short time, I had hoped that our relationship could be restored and she would send an apology, but it has been nearly six months since we were at Longbourn. Perhaps if I give birth to the heir of Pemberley … but even then, it will not substantially change her life or prospect for the future. She is still bitter that I refused Mr Collins.”
“You cannot dwell on that, my dear,” Darcy interjected. She smiled at him, silently thanking him for the reminder to overcome her resentment.
“I know, my darling, but that is a part of why my mother is so unwilling to forgive me. Had I accepted Mr Collins in November, my father would never have been drawn to gambling and would have never gotten himself into this trouble. She would not have had to retrench and cut back on all her entertainments, and she would have still had daughters at home to keep her occupied. Her difficulties are directly related to my not being born a boy and my choosing not to atone for such an offence by marrying our cousin.”
Mrs Gardiner scoffed. “That is a ridiculous statement, Elizabeth, and well you know it. Your parents have created this situation, and it has absolutely nothing to do with you. They would have still been miserable, even had your mother given birth to an heir.”
Elizabeth smiled grimly at her aunt. “I wonder if they were always so miserable or had they married someone else, they could have been happy. Even though they are both making an effort of sorts now, every letter from Papa seems so unhappy. They still live separate lives, although they speak of estate matters together.”
Mary nodded. “They meet each morning in his study to break their fasts together and discuss estate business. Mrs Hill and Mr Todd occasionally meet with them as well, and of course, Mama meets with Mrs Hill daily after speaking with Papa, and her nerves have calmed considerably. She had two daughters married and has not had the daily care of any for some time, although Kitty is staying at Longbourn while I am here. She did not want to be here for the birth; she said the idea of it terrified her.”
The married ladies laughed. “It terrifies all women, at least a little,” Mrs Gardiner said. “But it is such a wonderful feeling to hold your newborn in your arms when it is all finished.”
Darcy winced a little at this conversation, and Elizabeth saw it, changing the conversation again.
“What did Papa say about the spring planting? His letter to William indicated that it should be nearly done by now. He and Mr Todd were trying some modern techniques on the home farm and had been encouraging some tenants to try them as well.”
Mrs Gardiner understood the need for the change of topic and answered with what she knew, which was only a little. Georgiana asked a question about Pemberley, and William answered it, which led them to an entirely different topic of conversation for the rest of the meal.
When it was done, everyone was ready to retire early as the travellers were exhausted from their journey, and Elizabeth and Darcy needed to speak privately for a time. Darcy held his wife tightly in his arms as they snuggled in bed. “Richard is now the master of Rosings,” Darcy said unnecessarily.
“And he has been learning its management from your father for half a year. No one expected Anne to pass so soon, but he is not unprepared. I know he also helped you each Easter as you reviewed the estate,” Elizabeth replied.
“He did not want this,” Darcy sighed. “He enjoyed his life in the army and truly did not want to settle down. His parents will begin pressuring him to marry, and he will become sought after in the ton as an eligible match. Always before, as a second son, he was of mild interest for his connection to the Earl, but not like he will be now–they will be relentless.”
“Kitty had a crush on him at Christmas and was so upset when she overheard Georgiana speaking to him about her,” Elizabeth told her husband.
“He called her a ‘sweet girl’ but stated that he was uninterested in a ‘girl’. I told her that Richard was unlikely to marry because of his profession, but that is no longer true. I wonder how she will react to his new freedom—and the lack of a military uniform. She and Lydia were determined to marry a man in uniform, and I supposed that was a good deal of the attraction. Not that Richard is not a wonderful man …”
Darcy laughed. “I am certain Richard would not mind that attraction being ended if that was the sole draw,” he quipped, then turned serious. “I worry for my cousin.”
“He will manage, dearest,” she comforted him, turning in his arms a little to hug him tighter. “All will be well.”
He sighed into her hair. “It is time to rest, my dear,” he said.
She grinned up at him. “To rest? Or to sleep, William?” she teased as she lifted her face to his for a kiss.
The family celebrated Easter together at Kymptom just as the Darcy siblings left their fortnight of mourning for Anne.
Elizabeth had begun feeling pains frequently, but both Mrs Gardiner and the midwife said these were normal and were preparing Elizabeth’s body for the real pains.
They suggested things that might help induce labour, including walking and marital relations.
After this, Elizabeth began to walk frequently, accompanied by her husband or one of her sisters, and mainly within the house.
Occasionally, Darcy accompanied Elizabeth for a walk in the sunshine of one of the gardens nearest the house, but he was reluctant to allow her to venture far from home.
The second part of the suggestion they explored as well.
It was different now, as they had to find positions that were comfortable for them both.
His desire, nor hers, was diminished, but her protruding belly and the aches and pains that plagued her made it more difficult.
However, they did make the effort, and soon enough, their efforts paid off.
On the morning of the last day of April, eight days after their first anniversary, Elizabeth woke up soaking wet.
Darcy had left earlier, allowing his wife to sleep as he worked, as she had a difficult night.
She had woken up several times in the night in pain, although walking around the room each time had caused the pains to cease.
Darcy had walked with her each time, so when he woke and she was still asleep, he quietly slid from the bed, dressed and headed downstairs.
He let Mrs Gardiner and the midwife know about Elizabeth’s night and asked that they check on her briefly.
Elizabeth rang for her maid when she woke and attempted to stand when a sharp pain came upon her, causing her to sit back down immediately. She was still trying to recover from this when her maid entered, followed closely by the midwife.
“Are you well, mistress?” the maid asked.
Taking note of the midwife behind the maid, she informed them how she had awoken and about the pain she had just experienced.
As she spoke, another pain came upon her.
They all waited it out, but the midwife began to issue orders immediately, including changing Elizabeth’s clothing and bedding.
Mrs Reynolds was sent for, and Mrs Gardiner, and soon the bedroom was swarming with maids preparing things for the impending birth.
Into all of this, Darcy arrived. Elizabeth was in a fresh gown, having been encouraged to walk the room to help prepare the baby for birth.
He took over for the maid, walking with her, allowing her to pace the room with his pocket watch in hand, timing the pause between pains.
They would take several slow steps and then would have to pause as he watched a pain come upon her.
His hand was sore from where Elizabeth squeezed it during each of her pains, and idly, he wondered if she was stronger during this time than usual or if it was merely a reflection of the pain she was feeling giving birth to his child.
While confident that his wife was strong and healthy, he could not help but be concerned for her as she laboured.
His mother died shortly after giving birth to Georgiana, and Darcy could not imagine his life without Elizabeth.
After an hour, the midwife asked Elizabeth to sit, and she once again checked on her progress.
“Keep her walking, sir,” she said when done.
“It will not be long now, sir. Things are progressing as they should. Perhaps you should walk her towards the birthing chamber.” She patted Mr Darcy’s hand, attempting to comfort him through her actions and words.
He was pale, obviously doing all he could to hide his concern for his wife as he supported her through this.
Hours later, Darcy was beside his wife as she gave birth to their first child—a son named Alexander Bennet Darcy. The couple had debated continuing the tradition of naming their heir after his mother’s family but chose to use Bennet as a middle name instead.
After mother and child were cleaned, the couple spent hours holding and watching their small son.
“Are you well, dearest?” Darcy asked his wife as he held her in their bed.
She was leaning against him as he rested against the headboard with plenty of pillows behind them to provide support and comfort.
He loved holding his wife against him as she held their child, his arm under hers, supporting them both.
“I am, Will,” she replied, sighing happily. “He is perfect, and while I am a touch sore, I am beyond pleased with our son. He already looks a bit like you, and he definitely has your stare.” Her voice was tired, but he heard the laughter in it.
He barked a laugh at her comment, which disturbed little Alex, and he shifted a little in his sleep and made a tiny mewling sound. His parents watched him closely, and Elizabeth jostled him lightly until he settled again.
A se’nnight after the birth, the couple finally pulled themselves away from their son enough to write letters to family and friends announcing the birth.
Darcy had remained with Elizabeth during this first week, only leaving her side to introduce his son to Pemberley’s servants.
For the rest of the time, he ignored all estate business during this time, and they both had chosen to wait until Elizabeth had recovered somewhat before sharing their news outside of the house.
Mrs Gardiner remained a fortnight after the birth and helped Elizabeth adjust to motherhood.
There was also a nursemaid to help with the baby, but Elizabeth was determined to do as much as she could herself.
She refused to follow Aunt Matlock’s advice to stay in bed and let others care for her child, choosing instead to do as Aunt Gardiner suggested.
Within mere days, she was out of bed, but she did as her husband requested and stayed confined to her rooms for the first fortnight, but that was the extent of her willingness to stay confined.
Very soon, she was up and gradually assuming all her duties as mistress again.
Soon after they posted the letters, they began to receive replies.
Lord and Lady Matlock replied happily to the news, informing the Darcys of their intention to visit when Parliament closes for the summer.
As both of their sons were unmarried, they fully intended to take advantage of their status as honourary grandparents to the Darcy children to spoil them.
The response from her family was what Elizabeth would have expected.
Her sisters were pleased with their news and were excited about the prospect of seeing little Alex at some point soon.
Jane was especially delighted with the news and excited about the opportunity to visit that summer.
Likewise, Kitty and Lydia sent notes expressing their delight in their new nephew and expressed a desire to visit Pemberley to see him—Kitty went so far as to send a letter to Jane asking to accompany her and Mr Hastings on their trip.
Mr Bennet was pleased to learn he had a grandson but expressed little desire to see him.
He briefly mentioned his wife’s reaction to the news—happy that Elizabeth had given her husband an heir but still reluctant to offer the apologies required to re-establish contact.
While she might delight in crowing this news to all her friends in Meryton, she was still too resentful and reluctant to admit she had wronged her second daughter.
As Mrs Bennet sat and spoke of her grandson to her sister, Mrs Phillips, one afternoon several weeks after he was born, she was stunned by a question. “When do you go to Pemberley to meet your grandson?” Mrs Phillips asked.
“I … I am, umm, it is not certain,” she stammered. “Mr Bennet is unsure we can afford such a long trip right now.”
“Oh,” Mrs Phillips said. “But is Jane not going to be travelling to Pemberley soon? Could you not go with them?”
Mrs Bennet answered ambiguously, saying something about this being a honeymoon trip, but she knew she was unwelcome at Pemberley.
The rest of her family would be welcome there, and she recalled that her sister-in-law had attended the birth, a fact that had thus far escaped her sister.
Suddenly, she felt the need to return to Longbourn and reread her daughter’s letters.
Mr Bennet allowed her to read them even if none came that were addressed to her.
When she arrived home, she went into Mr Bennet’s book room and asked to reread the letters Lizzy had sent since she had announced the birth of her son.
As she read the letter from her daughter—one addressed to her husband that did not even mention her—she began to realise what she had thrown away.
Due to her actions, Lizzy was unlikely ever to invite her to Pemberley or stay at Longbourn again.
Even on this last visit, she had stayed at a rented home and only paid short calls on Longbourn, unwilling to dine with the family.
This estrangement was entirely due to herself, which was shocking for Mrs Bennet to realise.
She had created this situation; it was entirely her fault that her daughter wanted nothing to do with her.
It was a difficult realisation—she retired early that night with a headache.