AN: Thank you for reading my story. It will remain up for about a week after the epilogue when it will be removed for publishing. Your support and constructive criticism have been appreciated. Please all stay well and safe, Shana.
Epilogue
December 1824
"Lord Bennet Robert Darcy you will be thirteen soon and gentlemen do not pull their sister's hair," Lady Francine Beth Darcy, eleven, remonstrated with her older brother. Miss Jones, Lady Fanny's governess looked on in case she had to step in to seperate the two.
"Would you like me to tell Mama and Papa you pulled my hair?" Fanny Darcy asked her arms akimbo with the same fire in her green eyes her mother had. Her father had been delighted when their second born was a girl who, as she grew, became more and more her mother, both in looks and character. "Otherwise, if you prefer, I will beat you up again and you can run to Mama and Papa crying like you did the last time!"
Bennet knew there was only so far, he could push his sister before it was too far and then he would pay a dear price. He had reached that line. "Sorry Fanny," he managed before he turned and made himself scarce.
"Come Fanny, let us return to the nursery and join your younger brother and sisters," Miss Jones directed her charge. Beside the oldest two, who both had their mother's fiery temperament, the next after Fanny was almost ten, Thomas, called Tom, and Viscount Kympton. With more than one son, the titles had been split among the first two sons. Ben was Marquess Pemberley. After Tom there was Emily Anne, six and the baby, Annabeth who would soon be three.
After two years without conceiving, Elizabeth had begun to be concerned she was barren or worse, the attack she survived by the two executed criminals, had made her unable to bear children. Just when she was ready to give up the dream, she became with child and nine months later, just over three years since marrying her William, she presented him with his heir and first son Ben. After Ben there was no further thought of being barren and it was the last time Elizabeth had thought about the cowardly attack on her person or those who perpetrated it.
The family was at Netherfield for Christmastide. Tommy and Allie, and their three boys were at Longbourn, now by far the largest estate in the area, and would join them on the morrow. Allie was with child again hoping very much to be blessed with a girl this time, but she and Tommy would be happy as long as both mother and daughter were healthy.
They had married ten years past two years after Tommy graduated from Cambridge, in a double ceremony with Gigi and Phillip. That couple had four children so far, two of each gender ranging from nine to eight months old. When Phillips married Georgiana, the Duke and Earl had contributed fifty percent each and purchased an estate not five miles from Pemberley where the old man had no heir and wanted to enjoy his remaining years without worry in Bath. He had sold the estate, which brought in more than six thousand clear per annum, for considerably less than market value. The old man was simply happy to have someone who would look after Broadmoor as it should be. For the Duke, he would have paid the full price as it kept his beloved sister in the neighbourhood.
Jane, Jamey and their six children were scheduled to arrive later that afternoon. They were in London at Glenmeade House. They had two girls before the first son arrived, he was followed by another son, a daughter, and finally another son.
Although they used Glenmeade House in London, Jane, Jamey, and their children lived at Holder Heights. Some two years before, the Earl decided to effectively retire and left the running of the estate to Jamey. Lord James and Lady Amy split their time between their children's and the Darcy's houses. They were treated like grandparents by the Darcy children, so their time was devoted to spoiling their myriad of grandchildren as much as possible.
There was no health reason for the Earl to retire, he and his wife just wanted to spend as much time with their family as they could. The Viscount and Viscountess would travel with their parents and the Matlocks as there had been a final session of the House of Lords that morning. Lord James would attend a session if and when his voice and vote were pivotal.
The Earl and Countess of Matlock had five children, the oldest Thomas, eighteen, was now Viscount Hilldale. Besides Amy who was almost sixteen they had two more sons and a daughter. The boys were thirteen and ten, and the baby of the family was six. Marie and Andrew Fitzwilliam doted on one another and their children and never ascribed to the Ton's theory that children should be seen and not heard, as it was throughout the extended family.
Lord Reginald Fitzwilliam has passed away a little more than two years previously. He had been mourned by all the family. He evidently had a weak heart from some disease he contracted a year or so before his death. For William and Gigi, it had been an especially hard blow as he had been a surrogate father to them, so it was like losing their father for a second time.
The Dowager countess split time between Snowhaven and Brookfield. Cassie and Richard had married fourteen years previously and like Jane and Jamey, had six children, Andrew was heard to joke about Richard having to one up him. Cassie had only suffered through four confinements thanks to two sets of twins. Her first confinement, a year and a half after their marriage, had produced a twin boy and girl, followed by two sons and then identical twin daughters. The older twins were twelve, the two brothers nine and seven respectively and the twin girls a little more than three.
Louisa Hurst went five years without being with child. She was convinced it would never be, and like her sister Elizabeth, as soon as she gave up, it happened. What Louisa did not know was thanks to her punishing schedule of exercise and diet, never wanting to be corpulent again, she had affected her monthly courses and they had ceased.
Around the same time, she became convinced she would never bear children, her husband took her to see a doctor. He was an accoucheur who specialised in diagnosing birthing problems. He succeeded in having Louisa cut back drastically on her exercise while increasing her intake of food and two months after she began her new regimen, her courses began again. The first one was as the accoucheur said it would be, very heavy and painful, but by the next month they were normal. Three months later, her courses stopped again and as she began to despair, she started feeling tired and had the sickness in the morning, when the accoucheur confirmed her state, she was both overjoyed and felt tremendous guilt at her habits having caused the delay in her becoming with child.
It took Elizabeth to remind her of her late father's philosophy, so Louisa concentrated on what was to come rather than what had been. Her first, who was a little over eight, was a girl she names Beth after her sister. Beth was followed eighteen months later by Harold Junior. Almost three years after little Harold, baby Cheryl was born. For Christmastide, the Hursts would sleep at Hurst Haven and spend each day with the family at Netherfield Park.
Charles Bingley never reverted to his bad behaviours prior to his epiphany. He and Charlotte were both happy and comfortable at the Hunsford parsonage. He had been offered other livings in addition to Hunsford and had turned each of them down. He did not want any distractions to his ministering to his flock and he did not believe he deserved the money to do nothing and have a curate do all the work.
The Bingleys had five children, three girls and two boys, ages thirteen down to four. They were close to the master and mistress of Rosings Park, George and Karen Wickham and their seven children who were aged fourteen, George Junior, down to the baby, Robert, who was just two. They had been blessed with five sons and two daughters.
It had been sad for the whole family when after the first Easter in '10 where Anne de Bourgh although going downhill, was in her element with all of her loving family around her, had passed away three months after Easter bringing the family back to Kent for a much more sombre reason. Anne had lived the last part of her life surrounded by love so when she died it was with no regrets.
When the will was read and George and Karen Wickham inherited everything, the estate, Anne's dowry and the de Bourgh fortune. They swore they would help others with some of their new fortune and had done so ever since they became wealthy.
Their children were taught the same lesson the late Duke taught their father, anything worth having is worth working for, and honesty was not just the best policy, it was the only policy. The Wickhams had been adopted as cousins by the family meaning anytime there was a family event, they were included, so they would depart for Netherfield in two days taking the Bingleys and their brood with them.
As they were wont to do, Elizabeth and William, along with their children visited Longbourn to see Allie, Tommy, and their children a few hours before the first guests were to arrive. As arranged, Louisa, Hurst and their offspring were visiting as well.
Leaving their spouses with the children, Elizabeth on Calista, Louisa on her horse, and Tommy on an aging Orion, who would be put out to pasture soon, rode to the spot, the little culvert where the Bennets father had met his end that fateful death so many years ago.
Tommy helped his sister and Louisa dismount. Elizabeth had not told William yet, but she suspected she was increasing again, so there was no galloping until her state was confirmed. If so, she would take a break from riding until after her confinement as she had each previous time she increased.
Louisa looked at Elizabeth with raised questioning eyebrows, she had an uncanny sense whenever anyone she saw was with child and would often be correct even if the subject of her guess did not suspect yet. Elizabeth shrugged her shoulders telling her sister she did not know yet.
"Papa would have been so joyous at the man you became Tommy, you have taken Longbourn to heights he could have only imagined. He would have been as we all are, extremely proud of you. Even of you are a little taller than William, you are and always will be my little brother," Elizabeth said as they stood next to the spot where their father's life ended.
"Not little Lizzy, younger," Tommy corrected her as he always did when she called him her little brother.
"What a life we are all having Papa, it could not have been better if we had fairy godmothers to grant our every wish," Elizabeth told her late father her head lifted to the heavens.
"I would have wished for my mother to have never compromised your father," Louisa added softly.
"It happened as it should have, Lulu. Were it not for that, we would not be sisters, and I would have gone my whole life without meeting my best friend in the world! Never say that because I do not want to imagine my life without you in it!" The sisters hugged for a long time.
"Lizzy has the right of it Lulu," Tommy added. "Never forget what you mean to all of us, and always will."
"Is Phillip bringing Parrot with him? Is it not your year upcoming Tommy?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes, he is, my children cannot wait to see the bird again, and Phillip and Gigi's children always lament Parrot leaving their home. He is a symbol of hope, he always gave us something to think about when we were on New England and not just contemplate our never being found," Tommy averred thoughtfully.
As they always did when they accompanied Elizabeth to this spot, Tommy and Louisa, and Jane if she were present, would give Elizabeth some alone time before returning to the house. "Papa I miss you and Mama always, but it is easier for me as I know you are together in heaven. I have the kind of love with William you and Mama have, a forever love that will last for eternity. If only you could have met him and all your many grandchildren.
"I want you to know I still read Utopia from time to time, not as much as I used to, and no longer sitting in front of a fire at night. It has been many years since I have smudged soot on my face. We will see you again one day Papa and Mama, I hope in many years from now. I must return to my husband and children now. I love you both," Elizabeth told the heavens, then she kissed her hand and placed it on the spot where her father had been found.
She joined her brother and sister and the three turned back riding slowly toward the manor house, to their loving families waiting for them.
The End
