She turned around in his arms to face him and stroked his worried brow. Pressing a light kiss to the spot, she spoke, “It is not a bad thing, dearest, it is just … if I do not misunderstand these symptoms … I do not know if you have noticed that I have not had my courses since that one time shortly after we married,” she paused, wondering if he would catch on. When he still said nothing, she spoke again, deciding to be explicit. “It is possible, my dear husband, that I am with child. We will not know for certain until I feel the babe move, but the cessation of my courses, the tiredness, and now the nausea are all symptoms of the condition.”
William stared at her for several moments as she watched various emotions play across his face. It seemed that both worry and joy were competing to rise to the top. Suddenly, he pulled her tightly to him and kissed her. “A babe, Elizabeth, truly? Youare carrying our child?” he said when he could breathe. “An heir! A baby! When, dearest, when will the baby arrive?”
“I believe in late June,” she replied. “And I do not know if it is an heir yet; we might have to try again.”
He drew in a deep breath. “Oh, Elizabeth, you have just told me, and already I am both terrified and elated. I have a feeling those two will be a constant companion for all these months we will have to wait, and yet you are here speaking of another to follow. You will have to help me stay sane while we are waiting. Are you sure you do not need to see a doctor?”
“I believe we should wait to consult him. I will speak to Mrs. Reynolds later today, and I have no doubt she can share some wisdom and advice. And, of course, I will write to Mrs. Gardiner, who will no doubt have plenty to share as well. Please do not worry, William; there is little we can accomplish by worrying. My mother delivered five healthy babies, and my aunt has also delivered several. You cannot let this feeling of worry consume you,” she told him, returning to caressing his brow. In about eight months, you will be a Papa,” Elizabeth said reassuringly.
The couple celebrated the news like they had celebrated nearly everything else of major or minor significance in their married life. Some hours later, they began their day, and Elizabeth did as she had said, speaking first to Mrs. Reynolds before writing a letter to her aunt asking for advice.
Mrs. Reynolds had given Elizabeth ideas on mitigating her nausea in the mornings, suggesting she drink peppermint or ginger tea before rising. She asked her to let her know if there were foods to avoid as her pregnancy proceeded. She also suggested a few things Elizabeth should do to prepare but said most could wait until after the quickening. Eventually, shewould need new clothes to grow with her, especially in the later stages.
Feeling more prepared after leaving the housekeeper, she sought out her husband to inform him what Mrs. Reynolds said. Sitting together in his, now their, study, she began to attend to her correspondence, beginning with her letter to her aunt.
In the post that day, letters had arrived from London, Hertfordshire, and Kent, and Elizabeth read each of them to herself before reading specific lines and passages to her husband. Jane’s letter told of the things they saw and did in London and of their return to Netherfield. Nothing was said about Caroline Bingley or Lydia, but Jane almost sounded frustrated when mentioning her mother’s frequent visits.
“Bingley’s also mentioned that and asked me again about properties to lease or purchase in Derbyshire or the surrounding counties. I have an agent making enquiries,” William had said when she read him that passage.
The greatest surprise included in her letters was a letter from her father. It had been tucked into Jane’s, giving a few details about the plan for Lydia - Bingley had found a place in Ireland where she and her mother could go for her confinement. Mrs. Bennet was determined to accompany her daughter on this trip, and he was half inclined to leave them there permanently. He had jested that, indeed, his two sons-in-law could contribute something to their upkeep if only to keep them away from Longbourn. When she read it, Elizabeth had determined it must be a jest, poor as it was, and deliberately chose not to mention it to her husband.
Finally, Elizabeth read the letters from her aunt and Charlotte. Her aunt’s letters told of the doings of the children and a few tidbits from Netherfield she had gleaned from correspondencewith, strangely enough, Mary, who had begun writing her aunt frequently. The Gardiners planned to bring Mary to London after Christmas and hoped to help her find her place in the world as they had done for Elizabeth and Jane. Aunt Gardiner also noticed the distance from Jane since all of this started, yet could add nothing to Elizabeth’s wonderings about its cause.
Charlotte said little but shared that she was expecting a child in the spring and talked about how well Anne de Bourgh was doing as mistress of Rosings. The Earl had escorted her there and was still there as they had Lady Catherine settled into the dower house. Richard Fitzwilliam had also gone with his father, and one of his first tasks had been to make Collins understand that rumour-mongering was the surest way to lose a position in the church. Since Collins was not sufficiently intelligent to know that once a living was granted, it could not be taken away unless done by the archbishop, he believed the threat and quickly wrote several letters absolving Mr. and Mrs. Darcy of any wrongdoing before their marriage.
“William,” Elizabeth asked suddenly as she was writing replies to her letters. “What does Bingley say about Jane? Is she still as she was—pretending nothing has happened and that all is well in the world?”
“Not really,” William replied. “He mentioned that she has expressed some frustration with her mother’s frequent visits, which she also mentioned to you, but he also says that Mrs. Bennet continues to complain about how you have injured your youngest sister. Mrs. Bennet is unhappy about the coming trip to Ireland, especially as her husband will not escort her there himself but is allowing Mr. and Mrs. Phillips to escort them on his behalf. He did say that Jane had attempted to correct hermother when she mentions these complaints, although neither of them will acknowledge that Lydia is with child.”
Elizabeth shrugged. “I intend to speak to her when she comes for Christmas. I do not know what is going on with her, but we did not have the opportunity to in Hertfordshire, and I was unwilling to broach it with her after all that happened with Miss Bingley in London. I keep hoping she will say something to me, but if she continues to act as she has been when she is at Pemberley, I will speak to her.”
“I do understand, my dear,” he said. “Perhaps if you speak to her on the first day or two after they arrive, you can clear the air before the Matlocks come on the twenty-first of December. Did your aunt Gardiner say if they would be able to come?”
“They intend to arrive on the 21st and stay through Twelfth Night. I am very pleased,” Elizabeth said. “I have written her a letter, but I hope to speak with her and invite her to stay with me during my confinement. Do you want to announce the pregnancy to your family at Christmas? Or will you want to tell Georgiana privately?”
“Let us tell her privately before we inform the entire family,” he said. “Will you tell Jane?”
“Not in a letter,” she said. “I will tell her after we have spoken about other things. Jane says they intend to arrive on the 15th of December.”
“Yes, we will have several days with just the Bingleys here, and then the other families will descend,” he teased.
The couple continued speaking of their plans and avoided their correspondence for a bit longer. Finally, however, they decidedthey must finish their daily tasks to have time for play that afternoon.
Chapter Seventeen
The Christmas season rapidly approached, and although both William and Elizabeth thoroughly enjoyed this time in each other’s sole company, they found themselves looking forward to the arrival of their families to celebrate the holiday. First to arrive were the newly wedded Bingleys. William and Elizabeth were both waiting just inside the massive front doors when they arrived at the gate—it was simply too cold to meet them outside—and greeted them warmly when they entered.
“Welcome to Pemberley,” William said happily as they entered. “You are our first guests, and we are so very pleased you could come to celebrate the holidays with us.”
After hugs and handshakes were exchanged, Jane and Bingley took a few minutes to refresh themselves before joining them in the drawing room for tea. Elizabeth and Darcy had gone there immediately after showing the couple their rooms and were quietly talking when the others entered. A few minutes of general conversation gave way to the couples separating into pairs, the sisters together on one settee and the men in a corner talking about possible estates.
“Oh, Lizzy, it has been so difficult with Mama,” Jane cried nearly as soon as they were alone. “She visits so frequently and always complains about her nerves and persists in blaming you for Lydia’s foolishness. No one can convince her otherwise.”
“With luck, you will be leaving Netherfield soon enough, as William’s agent has found several not too far away that he believes may be good possibilities for you,” Elizabeth answered. “But Jane, I confess, I have heard quite enough of Mrs. Bennet’s abuse of me. Come, tell me of your time in London and Netherfield. How are you doing with managing the estate? And most importantly, how are you finding married life?”
“Lizzy, what do you mean by referring to Mama so?” Jane asked.
Elizabeth sighed. “My parents have declared me dead to them. From what you have said, Mrs. Bennet continues to abuse me and speak poorly of me despite this edict. I want nothing more to do with her, and even Mr. Bennet, who said he wanted to restore our relationship, has written me one letter since your wedding, more or less asking if my husband would send money to maintain his wife and youngest daughter in Ireland throughout her confinement, and beyond if someone—my husband or yours—would be responsible for their upkeep.”
