Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears. “I am so sorry, William. Sorry that her mother prevented the two of you from knowing each other better, and sorry to have lost a cousin that I, too, wish I could have known better. Her spirit had been crushed by her mother’s influence all those years, yet her letters were so full of hope and happiness.”
Darcy strode to where she sat and pulled her into his arms. They sat in this attitude for some minutes until a servant announced that a carriage had been spotted entering the Park. “My apologies, sir, mistress, but Mr Pembroke sent me to inform you that two carriages have been spotted. Miss Darcy and your guests should arrive within the hour.”
“What shall we do about mourning?” Elizabeth asked her husband.
He sighed, releasing her a little. “I will wear an armband when I leave the house for however long it is required. Georgiana should wear black for a week or two if she leaves Pemberley, but you, dearest, do not need to do anything. You are too close to your confinement to be in company, nor should anyone be visiting, so I see little point in dying a dress black or purchasing something new for such a short time.”
Elizabeth momentarily thought to protest but quickly saw the value in what he said. She was already uncomfortably hot most of the time, and wearing black would only worsen things. Nor would she be leaving Pemberley, and she believed most of the servants would understand the reasoning behind her decision. She would explain the matter to Mrs Reynolds, and the housekeeper would ensure that all that needed to be done was done.
The Darcys were still sorting through their post when the carriages would soon arrive at the door. Darcy helped a very pregnant Elizabeth stand and escorted her to the entry. When their guests arrived, all were surprised to see Elizabeth’s normally svelte form so swollen with child. Mrs Gardiner was the first to comment. “You are positively glowing, my dear,” she said. “I doubt it will be long before he or she arrives.”
“The midwife agrees with you, Aunt,” Elizabeth laughed. “She remarked just last week that she suspects I will enter my confinement in the next week or two. She is also certain I will give birth to the heir based on how I am carrying the child. Regardless, I am beyond ready to meet this little one. My husband will attest to my increasing irritability and irrationality.”
They all laughed at that comment, and Elizabeth drew away her aunt and Mary, allowing her husband time with his sister. He intended to pull her aside and tell her about their cousin, leaving Elizabeth to inform her relations of Anne’s passing.
Dinner that night was subdued as Anne’s unexpected passing saddened the entire party. Mrs Gardiner had seen the wisdom in Darcy’s decision regarding mourning for the family and volunteered to travel into town the following day to obtain a few black ribbons and the like for Georgiana.
More pleasant topics were also canvassed, including sharing additional details of Jane’s wedding and the status of Longbourn. Mrs Gardiner had helped to rein in Mrs Bennet’s more excessive ideas regarding the breakfast and the wedding, and the addition of funds from both the Gardiners and the Darcys had ensured Jane had a lovely trousseau and everything she needed to set up the house.
“They did not go on a true wedding trip, only a few days at his parent’s estate, but spent most of their ‘honeymoon’ settling into their new house,” Mrs Gardiner told them. “I have visited her several times, and they are very happy together. She looks forward to visiting here later this summer.”
Elizabeth smiled. “I am happy for her and am glad that she and Mr Hastings have found each other. We only met him briefly, but William has heard much of him and his prospects. Jane will be happy.”
“Mama was surprised at Jane’s choice and a few times began to berate Jane for ‘settling’ for a barrister when she could have done better, but those outbursts were quickly restrained,” Mary told her. “I hate to say it, Lizzy, but she is still … uncertain, I suppose, at your marriage to Mr Darcy. It irks her that you, the daughter she believed to be unmarriageable, married so well, while Jane, the daughter she believed would ‘save the family’, has married a barrister. I heard her muttering how Jane should have married better than you a few times while we were at Longbourn, and she cannot forgive you for marrying better than Jane did.”
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 thetonas 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.
