Elizabeth Darcy could hardly contain her excitement as the carriage finally rolled to a stop in front of Netherfield, a house where she felt she had as many fond memories as her sister, Mrs. Bingley, the mistress of the house had.
She hardly waited for the footman to let down the step before she was jumping out impatiently. It had been far too long since she had seen dear Jane, eight months too long in fact!
Charles Bingley was there to greet them, and Elizabeth stood on tip toe to kiss the grinning young man on the cheek. "So good to see you again Charles, but due direct me to my sister, I am most anxious to see her!"
"Of course, she is just inside in her sitting room, and most anxious to see you as well," Charles assured her, his beaming smile still in place as he turned to greet Mr. Darcy who had descended from the carriage with a little more grace and dignity than his wife.
The long time friends greeted each other with handshakes and a slap on the back for Charles. "Congratulations old man!" Elizabeth heard Mr. Darcy say as she scampered up the stairs into Netherfield. She would swear, in court if the need arose, that Charles Bingley stood at least a foot taller than when she had last seen him, and if he had not lost any buttons, he soon would.
"Oh, Jane!" Elizabeth embraced her decidedly fuller figured sister, as soon as Jane had stood from the chair she had been in.
"Lizzy! How I've missed you!"
"And I you! I could not wait to get here; the traveling took twice as long as it should have I am sure!" Elizabeth stepped back to allow Jane to take a graceful sea once again and pick up her needle work.
"When is she due?" Elizabeth demanded unable to contain her excitement a moment longer
as soon as the maid left with the tea tray.
"She?" Jane asked lightly, flushing.
"Of course, all babies are girls until proven otherwise," Elizabeth teased.
"Well, I fear we have still two months to wait according to the doctor," Jane bit her lip slightly, hiding a smile that threatened to come forth. "I'm not sure Charles will survive the ordeal."
"Oh? Has he been doing more than you wrote me of?"
"He drives me to distraction!" Jane said with fond impatience one minute he is bursting with pride and the next fears for my life," she shook her head. "And he has taken to doing the most ridiculous things!"
"I can not imagine Mr. Bingley driving anyone to distraction, but I do dearly love to hear of ridiculous actions, so please, say on," Elizabeth settled back, delighted to be with her sister and to hear all about the father-to-be's actions.
"Jane sighed, still hiding a smile. "I am sure it is wicked of me to complain at all because he has been so very sweet and patient with me all this time, but I do think he is a little too cautious." Jane set down her tea cup to explain in detail.
"Upon first hearing the news he decided that I could no longer manage the stairs, so, as you can see my room has been moved downstairs. He coddles me insistently, and worry's more than mother."
"It sounds sweet and cute," Elizabeth smiled.
"That is only the beginning," Jane warned her. "He has decided that everything must be planned to the very minutest point and has thrown himself wholeheartedly into it. First, he had his servant ride to the doctors and back and timed him to see just how long it would take when we must send for him. Then he insisted that the distance could be covered much more quickly than that."
Elizabeth did not interrupt but let a giggle escape. This was all rather out of Character for the affable Mr. Bingley, he ever insisted on anything.
"I fear he is going to have a servant standing by from now on, just waiting to be sent for Doctor Jenkins."
"Is that all you have to accuse him of?" Elizabeth asked, amusement alight in her dancing eyes.
"No, there's more," Jane laughed "he won't allow me to lift a finger at anything and insists that I no longer take long walks. He wanted the doctor to see me every week, but thankfully Mr. Jenkins managed to reassure him enough that he didn't go through with such an idea. Now though, he has been mentioning the possibility of sending for a London Doctor to stand by in case someone was perverse enough to get ill and need the doctor the same time I should and Mr. Jenkins not be at home."
Elizabeth could hardly contain her mirth. "Go ahead Lizzy, you may as well laugh at him, he is being ridiculous," Jane sighed, though her face showed amusement and affection.
Elizabeth allowed herself the relief of laughter before turning back to her sister seriously. "I think it's sweet, and I only hope Fitzwilliam would be as caring and considerate of me when such a time comes, though perhaps not quite so…" she searched for a word to describe her sister's husband.
"Excitable? Worried?" Jane supplied several, and the sisters laughed again at poor Charles expense. They need not have worried, Mr. Charles Bingley would not have minded, his head was too far in the clouds to mind much at all these days, Even Mrs. Bennet's almost constant presence there did little to bother him in his present state.
Elizabeth turned serious again and leaned forward to cover Jane's hand with her own "how are you faring though Jane, have you been well?"
"For the most part, I did have a little sickness in the mornings, but nothing alarming, and it is quite passed now." Jane bit her lip "though; I suppose I do worry a little. Every woman that I know has felt it her duty to come and tell me her personal horror story of what happened to this mother or that… it's quite dreadful."
"Never mind now, I am here, and we shall hear no more of it. I shall personally keep all such women away if necessary, including Mama, for I am sure that she is not much help in this."
"No, I fear not, I confess Lizzy, I should rather not have her here when the time comes, I think she might make things..." Jane could not bring herself to say that her mother would make things twice as challenging and stressful as they would already be.
"Not to worry, I shall find a way to keep her away," Elizabeth said with determination.
"Oh Lizzy, you are too good to me! I am delighted to have you here!"
"I would not wish to be anywhere else!" Elizabeth promised. "Now come, let us go, I did not get a chance to congratulate the father to be!"