Chapter 42 #2
“We need to name the three of them soon, my love, to stop our sisters, brothers, and the rest of the family calling them whatever comes to their minds. I informed them that our oldest son’s name is Ben like we decided.
Also, Andrew sent announcements to the Ashbys and Tim.
I have not sent any other notifications out yet.
I wanted to wait for you so we could name our second son and daughter first.”
“Thank you for caring so for my wellbeing with so much going on here,” she caressed his cheek. “Now, what names should we choose William, my most beloved husband?”
“We already decided to use Bennet, Ben, for our first son, so for our oldest son and heir I suggest his full name as Lord Bennet Alexander Darcy, who is Viscount Rivington,” he offered the name he had contemplated while he waited for his wife to wake up.
“I agree with one amendment; I think that the name Fitzwilliam should be in the names of each of our sons,” she suggested as she smiled up into his eyes. “His middle names would be Alexander Fitzwilliam if that is agreeable to you.”
“Well then, we now agree on the name for Pemberley’s heir, who is less than ten minutes older than his identical brother, who is Viscount Meryton and thanks to your generosity will have Bennet Park as his seat,” Darcy chuckled.
“Identical? The mischief that they will be able to get up to while blaming one another, oh my! What will we do? Scold them both for the actions of one? I would hate for us to discipline the wrong one!” She looked at him in alarm and he laughed at the perceived predicament.
“I am sure that they will. However, I am equally sure that as they grow, we will see subtle differences in them. For the time being, Ben has blue ribbons on his wrist and ankle and his brother has green.” Darcy thought and then added, “There is already a difference in disposition, Ben seems to be of a livelier disposition like his Mama and his brother has his Aunt Jane’s serenity. ”
“How about Lord George Thomas Fitzwilliam Bennet-Darcy for our second son who is Papa’s heir? As Ben honours my family with his name, our next oldest will honour your father. His last name will keep the Bennet name alive at Longbourn joined for eternity with the Darcy name,” Elizabeth suggested.
“That is perfect, my love. I agree, so little Lord George Thomas Fitzwilliam Bennet-Darcy it shall be. When the children are older, we will need to explain why our second son’s last name is not plain Darcy like the rest of his siblings.
Now what do you think for our daughter? I thought perhaps Lady Frances Anne Elizabeth Darcy.
If all the boys are to have Fitzwilliam in their names, then it is only fair that the girls have Elizabeth.
” He looked off into the distance as he thought of his mother at this happiest of times.
“Her name will honour both of our mothers and hers.”
“I love that name for our daughter, and I have no objection to Elizabeth being part of the girl’s names, if we have more.
I think we should call her Franny as Mama is called Fanny,” Elizabeth suggested as she smiled brightly.
Her husband kissed her hand and just then they heard a chorus of cries coming from the adjacent suite as their children woke up demanding sustenance and changing.
“I want to see our children. Please, my love, and I want to feed one of them at least,” Elizabeth pleaded.
“Hold on while I go collect them to introduce them to their Mama, though as I am deficient and do not have a third arm it will not be all at once. It is suggested that you feed Franny as she is the smallest of the three and Sir Frederick said that no matter the societal norms, he believes that it would be beneficial for her to be fed by her Mama,” William smiled when he saw hers.
The Earl stepped into the next-door suite, and once the babes were changed, he returned carrying two fussing boys, one with a green ribbon and one with a blue.
“Lady Elizabeth Darcy, it is my pleasure to introduce you to Lord Ben Darcy and Lord George Bennet-Darcy. More importantly, boys, this is your Mama, the most beautiful one in the world. I will tell you a secret,” he said conspiratorially to his sons, “she is also already the best mother in the world as she is yours, but I would not boast about that around the Fitzwilliams so very much,” he teased.
His tease caused her fine eyes to shine as she laughed so their sons could hear that most perfect sound first.
After holding and kissing each of her sons, her husband returned them to the wet nurses and then returned carrying little Lady Franny.
She let them know in the loudest way that she was not impressed at being disturbed.
All was forgiven as she was soon suckling happily at her mother’s breast. Lady Elizabeth found it a very fulfilling bonding experience, and she agreed that she would be the primary source of nourishment for little Franny, but she would nurse each of her sons at least once a day so that she could experience the bonding with them that she felt as she fed her daughter.
Once Franny was full, Lizzy marvelled as her William put some cloths on his shoulder then took their daughter and placed her on his broad shoulder.
He held her upright and gently patted her back until she had a very satisfying belch, then seemed to be trying to take in her surroundings.
He settled her in his arms and gently rocked her as she drifted off to sleep.
Once he had returned the infant to her cradle, he instructed the on-duty nursemaid to have each of their children’s names written on the card attached to each cradle.
He returned to find his wife fast asleep so he called the nurse back in, gently kissed his wife’s forehead, then retired to his chambers.
He chuckled as he felt the true joy of a new father looking forward to decades with his wife and children. Decades meant that towers needed to be erected. Franny’s would be started on the morrow.
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When Elizabeth finally woke up, she knew it was late due to the low angle of the sun.
She shook the sleep out of her system and looked around, seeing her maid sitting and chatting with the day nurse; she next saw her beloved husband and her mother talking quietly.
Darcy sensed that his wife was awake and was at her bedside in an instant, followed only a little more sedately by her mother.
“Oh, Lizzy, I love the names of all three of your children. If I am not careful, I will start crying again at the thought of them. I am so honoured that you named little Franny for me,” her mother held her hand tightly.
‘Who would have thought that the daughter that used to be my least favourite would name a daughter after me. Thank you, God, for giving me the ability to change and to see what a wonderful gift my second daughter really is,’ the countess thought as she looked at her second daughter with love shining from her eyes.
“Let us see if any of my sisters can bring three babes into the world,” Elizabeth teased. “The time of Bennet women not bearing sons is over, Mama! Are not my little Lords darling?”
“They certainly are, Lizzy. I am so very proud of you. I got my wish as well for you now have a little Lizzy in Franny.” She kissed her daughter’s forehead as Darcy chuckled as he looked at the two side by side.
The Countess of Pemberley was examined by Sir Frederick and pronounced out of danger.
She ate a light dinner after which her husband asked everyone to give them some privacy so she could rest as it was very important for her to regain her health.
When she was awake, the family took turns to come visit her and the babes.
Now that the Darcy three were named, notifications were sent to friends and family, as was a notification provided to the papers.
Invariably when awake, all three of the babes were in the Darcy’s chambers being admired by the family.
Four days after the birth, friends from the neighbourhood led by Sir William and Lady Lucas, started to come to visit.
A few days after the announcements in the papers, a letter was received from the Queen congratulating them on behalf of her family.
News of the birth of an heir to Pemberley and his brother and sister spread like wildfire once the express with the announcement was received by the butler at Pemberley, who shared it first with the housekeeper, who wept tears of joy that mother and babes were all well.
All of the servants were told and notifications sent to the tenants; it was not long before the good news was conveyed to the surrounding community.
The news brought great joy and relief for their community as so many were dependant for their livelihoods on Pemberley and the Darcy line’s continuation.
Life settled into a comfortable pattern of time spent with the children and visits with the family and neighbours.
Lady Longbourn’s sister, Hattie Phillips was there so often she came very close to taking up residence at Longbourn, as she was very much enamoured with her great nephews and great nieces, all receiving her effusive approbation.
Inside of a sennight after the birth, Lady Elizabeth Darcy felt strong enough to get out of her bed and walk the halls.
After her walk, Sir Frederick examined her ladyship one more time and announced her perfectly healthy and proclaimed that she could return to her normal level of activity, to include walking and riding, as soon as she felt able.
The accoucheur and his three nurses departed Longbourn the next morning to return to Town with many thanks from the family and each with a substantially heavier purse.
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