June

Summer in Derbyshire was not nearly as hot as summers in Hertfordshire were. Lizzy was quite glad for the difference in temperatures. She was approaching her confinement date, only a month left until her mother arrived to mark it.

In the interim, she was helping Jane plan her wedding, which had been pushed back to allow Lizzy to attend, via letters. She was able to send by the express a few swatches of lace and such. Georgiana was quite pleased to help as well.

"All these swatches remind me that we must paper the nursery walls. The pink from Georgiana's room will not do for our son" Lizzy remarked over breakfast one morning. Her husband lowered his morning newsprint and smirked.

The bet made between the Darcy's became common knowledge amongst the household staff. Although they did not know the particulars of the bet, they chose their own sides accordingly. Georgiana believed it to be a girl, although Mrs. Reynolds sided with Mrs. Darcy on the child being a boy.

Most of the staff had sided with the new mistress as well. Wishful thinking, Mr. Darcy had told her. They wished for an heir for him.

"But the pink would be lovely for our little girl, little Fanny" Lizzy made a tsk'ing noise, shaking her head slowly.

"I found a lovely pattern in a shop in Lambton. I have arranged for the man and his son to start today"

"And what does this pattern look like, my dear?"

"Tis navy blue with a lighter stripe pattern, quite endearing" She replied. "It shall match splendidly with the darling white and blue damask fabric I purchased for the bedding. I am sure little Bennet shall adore it"

Her husband simply smiled and shook his head.

"I had a letter from my mother yesterday, dear, in response to the, in her words, lovely and endearing letter you sent her" She stifled his laughter as she watched him choke on his tea.

"And?" He asked, wiping tea from his chin.

"She is overjoyed at our choice of a name if the child is a daughter." She answered. "She dearly hopes that our first born will be a son however, and suggested that we might consider Francis. She also wishes to stay a few months with us after the birth, to ensure all is well" At his pale countenance, she laughed. "I am sure you regret writing to her in the first place"

"Never" He replied stoically.

"Are you sure you are alright with my mother, my aunt, and Jane arriving so soon?"

"They are your family, my love, of course it is alright" She smiled and took another bite of her tart.

"I had a letter from Charlotte as well" She finalyl told him.

He waited for her to continue.

"She is with child as well. She wishes to reconcile, she hopes that our children will be as great of friends as we once were" She admitted. "She writes that she will forgive even if I do not apologize"

"Lizzy" He whispered sadly, reaching across the table to grip her hand.

"I wish to visit her after our child is safe to travel. We shall need to introduce him to your Aunt as well, and I shall need to meet her"

"Are you positive? Aunt Catherine is a very, overbearing woman"

"We could visit at Christmas, after the Bingley wedding. Richard told me that his family spent Christmas with her on occasion perhaps they will this year as well"

"It is your choice, my dear" He told her.

"And we shall have to prepare for Georgina's coming out"

"Lizzy" he warned in his Master of the Estate voice.

"Alright, alright" She held out her hands in surrender"

"Are you nearly finished? I believe you promised Georgiana that you would practice a duet with her" He asked, changing the subject.

"Nearly" She replied.

A few seconds passed in silence before she gasped. He was at her side in an instant, kneeling in front of her. She was slacked jawed and wide eyed.

"Lizzy? Lizzy" Her hands had flew to her stomach, he was desperately clutching at them. "Lizzy, please, what is wrong?"

A smile grew across her face, and tears welled in her lovely green eyes. She moved his hands so that they rested on her stomach, on their child.

"Wait" She whispered. A few moments later he felt it, their child.

A slow smile spread across his face. Tears were streaming down her cheeks in joy.

He drew her in for a searing kiss while one hand reminded with her own on their child.