After the rest of the guests left, the Fitzwilliams and Darcys were silent for a minute or two when Elizabeth then looked at each of her family members in turn:“Did that truly happen? Did I find my birth family, or, rather, they found me after almost fifteen years? I have so many questions! I forgot to ask what my actual birthday is!” Elizabeth was babbling, rare for her to do, but understandable given the magnitude of the day.
“I asked Tammy Bennet,” Elaine offered calmly.
“Do not make me wait, Mama, when was I born?” Elizabeth asked excitedly.
“In 1791, on the fifth day of March,” Elaine revealed.
“Lizzy, we share a birthday!” Georgiana gasped in excitement.
“Does that mean I will have two birthdays?” Elizabeth lit up at the thought.
“Sprite, you will only have one birthday,” Andrew informed her. He saw a pout forming and then added,“However, we willalwayscelebrate the twentieth of June as the day that you joined our family.” The pout disappeared before it could make its full appearance and was replaced by a bright smile.
“That is an excellent idea, Andrew,” Uncle George agreed.“It will be such a hardship for my niece to have to suffer through more of the chocolate cake as we know she detests it!”
“Uncle George, it is Itch’s job to tease me, not yours.” Came the droll reply from his niece.
“Yes, that is my domain,” Richard agreed with a grin.
“You know,” Elizabeth again turned serious,“I feel like I was being selfish tonight.”
“How so?” Aunt Anne asked.
“While worrying about how this will affect me, I forgot that Uncle Thomas and the rest of my birth family have been hurting since that insane woman had me removed from the nursery and ordered my murder,” Elizabeth answered, feeling chagrined.
“You know that from now on they will be part of our family, do you not Lizzy?” Marie asked easily, as she had already started including them in her mind as such.
“If you heard your birth father’s words, you will understand that he is doing what any parent would do; he is protecting you,” Elaine stated.“Legally, as you are still a minor, he could demand your return to his home, but rather than do that, he considered the damage that would be done to you if you were ripped from the only family that you have ever known.”
“Mother is absolutely correct,” Andrew added gently.“If this had been months after you were taken, or even a year or two, there would have been no question, but now that you have been with us for almost fifteen years, it would do you far more harm than good to demand that you return to your birth family. I respect Uncle Thomas greatly as he put your best interests ahead of his own desires.”
“Do not make the same mistake you made after Uncle Reggie was murdered, the same one your birth father was making tonight, when he attempted to take a burden on his shoulders that was not his to take,” William told Elizabeth as he gave her a hug of support.
“You are a fine one to talk, Will,” Richard smirked.“There is no one better than you at trying to take responsibility for that which is not yours!” Richard may have been ribbing his younger cousin, but all who knew William recognised that there was a lot of truth in the statement.
“Do not forget that after we all have had a night to absorb the miracle that happened here today, that we will be meeting at the Gardiners on the morrow to discuss the way forward,” Aunt Anne offered.
“I am happy for you, Lizzy,” Anne de Bourgh spoke for the first time in hours.“Even though your birth … I truly do not want to say mother, as that demented woman does not deserve the title, so I will say birth woman. Even though her actions were despicable, you now have two families that love and care for you. In fact, you may be the luckiest woman in the realm rather than someone who was discarded.”
“Will all of this not interfere with your coming out season, Anne?” Elizabeth asked her sister with concern.
“I do not believe so, especially if a certain gentleman is not obtuse,” Anne replied coyly.“But that is a discussion for another time!” She exclaimed with finality as Elizabeth was about to ask more questions on the subject, and the collective inhales said others would, too. She steadfastly ignored Aunt Anne, Marie, and Mother Elaine, as they were far more observant than the men who were now looking at her in surprise, concern, and confusion but for Andrew.
“You have to know that no one will push or pressure you, Lizzy. You may get to know your birth family at your own pace, and you will be the one to decide how much or how little of a role they will play in your life. We will support you no matter what you decide, even if you choose to go live with them in the future,” Elaine told her daughter with all sincerity, although the thought of that eventuality hurt her heart. But just like her late husband had put their protection above his own, she would do the same for her daughter.
“You do not want me to go and live with the Bennets, do you, Mama?” Elizabeth asked, her look of hurt breaking her mother’s heart anew.
“No, my darling daughter, you misunderstand; that is most certainlynotmy desire. All I am saying is that it is up to you, and I will always love you, regardless of what you feel you must do. You are my daughter, and that will be so irrespective of where you reside.” Elaine relaxed as she saw her daughter do so when she realised what her mother was actually saying, rather than what she thought she had heard.
“You will not be rid of me so easily, Mama,” Elizabeth lightened the mood she had helped darken.
“Even were you to try to leave us, Georgie would just hunt you down and drag you back,” William teased his cousin.
“And I would help her!” Richard added.
“It is time for the Darcys to go home, but if Georgie and Alex are sleeping upstairs, will you have someone escort them across the square in the morning?” Anne asked Marie.
“Of course, Aunt Anne,” Marie waved off the question as they all knew the answer.“Or you can come back and break your fasts with us.” After hugs from the Darcy men and a kiss from Aunt Anne, and a footman confirmed that the two younger Darcys were asleep, the three made the short walk across the square.
