Chapter One
23rd December
The sound of laughter could be heard in the grounds of Pemberley as the Darcy siblings played together in the snow. Elizabeth smiled as she watched her three children play from the living room, holding her snoring baby against her chest.
"I told them they have ten more minutes before they have to come in," a voice said from the doorway, "Rose was adamant she wanted to stay outside a bit longer, but I don't think she'll appreciate freezing to death."
Elizabeth smiled, rocking backwards and forwards on her feet. To her, it was amazing how fast their children were growing. Even at ten, Rose was still cheeky and tried to push her luck in staying outside longer than she was allowed.
"She's always loved the snow, even when she was younger than Ally and we lived at Longbourn, it was magical to her." Elizabeth said warmly.
Turning around, she saw her husband walk over to her with a smile on his face, placing his hand on the back of the baby she was cradling.
"How did Henry do?" Will asked.
"The only downside to breastfeeding is you can't measure the amount of milk they are taking in. I'm thinking of expressing the breastmilk and then bottle-feeding Henry. I'm exhausted!" Elizabeth yawned.
"Whatever you are comfortable doing, I'm comfortable with too. If you choose to bottle-feed him your breastmilk, then I'll help with the night feeding." Will said.
"I know. I may have a chat with our health visitor about support groups to get some tips about pumping, the last thing I want is to have my supply dry up. I want him to have breastmilk as long as I'm able to feed him like this."
"I know, Lizzy. Do you want me to take him?"
Elizabeth carefully handed over Henry to his dad, watching in admiration as Will cradled the baby in his arms. Even at four months old, Henry was still tiny.
"Apparently Georgie is thinking about expanding her little family." Will said quietly.
"I thought she said having her hands full with an eighteen-month-old was enough?" Elizabeth laughed.
"She said she wants Annie to have a brother or sister soon and while me and her are close, she doesn't want Annie to have the same age gap between a sibling as we have."
"I suppose that's understandable. But at the same time, there is ten years between Rose and Henry and she absolutely adores her baby brother."
"Not hard there," Will smiled, "Rose is good with all of them. I think we lucked out on how well our kids get along."
"Well…aside from Ally trying to dress Tom up in her dress-up clothes and then whine that he's not being kind when he refuses." Elizabeth laughed.
Will laughed too, placing Henry down in his basket that lay in the corner of the living room. Elizabeth looked down at her infant son, noting silently that while Henry was still quite small, it wouldn't be much longer until the basket would be put away for the last time.
"Georgie asked if we were set on four." Will informed her, sitting on the sofa.
Joining her husband, she rested her head on his shoulder. She knew that Will had always wanted them to have a large family, he had only the one sibling, his mother had died when he was reaching his teenage years and his relationship with Reginald had been somewhat strained in the years before his father had his liver transplant. She had grown up in a large family, with four sisters she was used to a large family. But her pregnancy with Henry had been rough and she had been in slow labour for a week before Henry decided to make an appearance. Each of her pregnancies had been different. With Tom, they hadn't told anyone until her twenty-week scan because they had been told she was a higher risk of having a baby born with Down's syndrome and opted to have an amniocentesis. With Ally, he'd hone into premature labour at thirty-four weeks with a three week stay in the neonatal unit at the hospital. Her easiest pregnancy she'd have to say was her first.
"I know you want a large family, Will, but I don't think I can handle another pregnancy. I've just had a baby and the pain of contractions on and off for a week meant I didn't get any sleep." Elizabeth sighed.
"I know. I would never push you into having another baby if you didn't want another one. I just think my desire for a large family stems from having the one sister and then missing out on those few years with Rose-"
"I know, darling, I know. But you have four beautiful children and the way that you and Rose are together, you wouldn't think you missed those first few years of her life."
"Four it is then." Will agreed happily, kissing the top of her head.
"Besides, if we have anymore I think my dad will go into shock. Let one of my other sisters give him a grandchild. He's got four from us, three from Jane." Elizabeth laughed.
"Now there's a question, would Jane and Charles have any more?" Will asked.
Elizabeth shook her head. Jane hadn't exactly had it easy with her pregnancies. After Amelie had been overdue and ended up being delivered by a caesarean section, Jane had gone on to have another two daughters with Charles: Hannah and Megan. Both her nieces ended up being delivered by caesarean sections because Jane had difficulty delivering them and after Megan had been born, her older sister had decided not to expand her family.
"I think she's set with her three. I know dad would like to be surrounded by grandchildren, but he's accepted he won't get any more from me and Jane." Elizabeth replied.
"How is your dad?"
"He says he's fine…but I know when he's trying to persuade me he is when really he's lonely. It's going to snow down there over the Christmas period which means that Jane, Charles and the girls will be stuck at Netherfield and he'll be alone at Longbourn."
"What about Mary and Penny? Are they not going to pop in and see him?" Will asked.
Elizabeth shook her head.
"No, they're volunteering this Christmas. Kitty is in Australia with Denny and Lydia has moved with Francine to Spain." She replied with a sigh of dread.
Will raised an eyebrow at her, causing her to smirk slightly.
"What?" she asked with a laugh.
"I know what you're going to ask me, Elizabeth." Will stated, his voice both strict but amused.
"Have you somehow become a telepath, darling?" Elizabeth asked teasingly.
"No," Will whispered huskily as he titled her head up, pressing his lips to her neck, "I just know when you're going to persuade me to something."
"And what…am I going…to ask you?" she asked breathlessly, a shiver running down her spine as she felt her husband continue to kiss her neck.
"You're going to ask me if we can spend Christmas at Longbourn." Will whispered, his lips at her ear and tugging on her earlobe.
She let out a quiet gasp of pleasure before meeting her husband's gaze. They had been back together for seven years, married for six and she still saw him look at her as if there were nobody else in the world for him, and she felt the same. Six years of marriage and four children and their desire and love for each other hadn't faded.
"What if I was going to ask you if we could spend Christmas with my dad?" Elizabeth questioned.
"I know that's what you were going to ask. You're worried about him being lonely now that the nest is empty, and his wife has asked for a divorce. You think it will be good for the kids to spend Christmas with their grandad, it'll be their first without my dad." Will answered.
"And what would your answer be, if I were to ask you?"
Will smirked at her, raising an eyebrow.
"You're adorable when you insist on carrying on the 'hypothetical scenario' routine." He commented.
Elizabeth let out a laugh.
"Your answer?" she pressed.
Will kissed her on the cheek.
"You already know the answer. There is nothing I wouldn't give to you, Lizzy." He whispered.
"Thank you. Do we tell the kids?"
Will shook his head.
"I have to make a few calls, make sure the roads around Meryton are cleared and graveled. We have to pack for a few days, make sure that the staff here will be alright and make sure that Charles and Jane can make it to Longbourn at some point. Would your dad be okay with us staying there?"
"I was kind of thinking that we'd surprise him…he said he understood why we had to stay here but I think it would really make him happier if it was a surprise."
"Alright. But considering we've rented our house in Meryton out, we're going to have to stay at Longbourn." Will reminded her.
"I know. Dad won't mind if we stay with him, he'd love it. He doesn't know what to do with all the empty bedrooms now that Lydia has completely packed her belongings out. I know he's redecorated Lydia's and the guestroom." Elizabeth said.
"Okay. I'll make these calls now, I'm sure someone would be willing to earn a lot of money to clear some roads."
"And just how much money are you going to offer?"
"That's for me to know, sweetheart. But it doesn't matter how much, if it ensures your happiness and the happiness of the people you love, that's all that matters to me."
"I love you, Fitzwilliam Darcy." Elizabeth said warmly.
Will stood up from the sofa, leaning down and placed a lingering kiss on her lips before parting.
"I love you, Elizabeth Darcy." Will replied with a warm smile.
Watching as her husband left the living room, she heard the footsteps of her older three children enter the entrance hall, their wellington boots being kicked off and the sound of coats, scarves, hats and gloves being hung over the bannister before her son, two daughters and Alice came into the living room. Elizabeth smiled at their red noses and cheeks as they sat on the floor as she switched on the TV and put on a Christmas film they had recorded on the TiVo.
ooOoo
"Okay…run me through this again." Jane requested for the third time.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she let out a laugh, pressing the phone firmly against her ear.
"We have some last-minute plans for Christmas, we're coming to Longbourn to spend it with you guys and dad." Elizabeth replied.
"Yeah I get that part Lizzy. But how? You know heavy snow is forecasted from tomorrow night, it's been snowing on and off here for the last few days. It's been so bad at Netherfield that we can't even get our car out of the driveway." Jane said gloomily.
"Will is paying generously for some of his business partners in Meryton to shovel the snow around the village, they were all willing to help out when Will explained the situation of dad being alone and the kids needing to spend Christmas with their grandad and because of the weather conditions, he's paying them generously; although he wouldn't tell me the amount. He's also sending Charles a bank transfer to pay your staff to clear the roads around Netherfield tomorrow afternoon. I've already checked the forecast and it's raining when we plan to travel so that should also help to clear it before the forecasted snow starts falling around nine at night. We're leaving here with Alice and the kids at three in the afternoon and plan to be at Longbourn for six in the evening. If the rain is heavy tomorrow afternoon, then the snow won't lay because the ground will be too wet. It should work out." Elizabeth explained.
"Your husband is too generous for his own good." Jane laughed.
"He knows it's important to me. I called Mrs. Hill yesterday, she said that dad was sat alone at the fireplace yesterday during the snowfall you guys had down there yesterday. He's lonely, Jane. I know you have been stuck at Netherfield since the snow came but I really don't want dad to be on his own." Elizabeth sighed.
"I know. I'm worried about him too. So, let's say your plan goes ahead the way we want it to, are you telling dad you're coming?" Jane asked.
"Nope. We want to surprise him." Elizabeth replied.
"You've thought of everything, haven't you?"
"Almost. We still need to work out how we're doing the travelling. With four kids, three adults and a LOT of presents to put in the car, we might end up having Will drive Alice's five seater and then have me or Alice drive our eight-seater. Will is sorting out the insurance paperwork now."
"Do you need me to do anything?" Jane asked.
"Just make sure you can try and get to Longbourn on Christmas day, bring some of your food. Mrs. Hill is popping to the shops for us today to get some last-minute things and Alice is going to pack a few bits as well, so we can all have a nice Christmas dinner." Elizabeth replied.
"Alright. Text me a list of things you need me to do and I'll delegate."
"Thanks Jane."
"No need to thank me Lizzy. I don't want dad to be on his own either. Let's just keep our fingers crossed that everything goes in our favour."
"I hope it will. I'll text you that list over once I've put Ally and Tom to bed."
"Goodnight Lizzy."
"Goodnight Jane."
Hanging up the phone, she heard a scuffle of footsteps outside the living room door. Smiling to herself, she didn't even bother looking over her shoulder.
"You can come out now Rose." Elizabeth called.
Sure enough as she turned around, her eldest daughter stood in the doorway.
"How much did you overhear?"
Rose looked at her impishly.
"All of it." Her daughter replied.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
"How many times have I told you not to listen at the door?" she asked.
"A lot but how else would I find out what goes on?" Rose questioned with a shrug.
"It's not polite."
"You were only talking to Auntie Jane. Are we really spending Christmas with grandad?"
Seeing no point in lying to her daughter, Elizabeth nodded. She smiled as her daughter's brown eyes lit up in excitement, bouncing up and down on the spot with her curly hair flying in all directions. Rose had always had a close connection with Grandad Bennet. Having fallen pregnant just before her nineteenth birthday and having to raise her daughter alone while she was still in university, she knew that she couldn't have gotten through the first three years of Rose's life without her dad or Jane. Her dad had always been devoted to Rose, often looking after her when Elizabeth needed to attend lectures, or exams and eventually when she went on to work at the local primary school in the village. Her dad had been her rock through those three years, he and Jane had been her constant support and it was partly because of how he had supported her through her pregnancy and early motherhood that Elizabeth didn't want him to be on his own at this time of year.
"Yes. But you CAN'T tell your brother and sister, it's meant to be a surprise." Elizabeth instructed firmly.
"I won't say anything mum, I swear." Rose promised.
"Good. Now, can you go and see if Ally and Tom are finished in the bath for me? Help Nanny with getting them ready while I feed Henry please?" Elizabeth asked.
Rose nodded, hugging her tightly before running out of the room and up the stairs in the direction of the family wing of the large manor house. While she loved how magnificent Pemberley was, how peaceful and how much calmer it was with their vast grounds, she missed the place she once called home. Longbourn was where she had been born, her mother had insisted on a homebirth when Fran had been pregnant with her, it was where she had always felt safe. It was where she had made the best memories with her dad and sisters (Lydia and her mother, not so much) and it was where Rose had first called home. It held a special place in her heart and the idea that her dad was going to be unable to make new memories in her childhood home tore her up inside.
But, she was determined to give her dad the Christmas he deserved. She just hoped it would go the way she wanted.