Here is the next chapter!
Chapter 9
Elizabeth awoke to find Jane and Kitty at her side. Opening her eyes groggily she turned to her sister, "Jane?"
Jane had been most relieved when Dr Fairfax had confirmed that Elizabeth's fever had broken. Although she was still unwell, it appeared that she was out of danger. Jane's relief was heightened now as she heard her sister speak her name.
"Oh Lizzy, you're awake!" she cried, "Kitty run and fetch Mr Darcy at once!" Kitty, although a little disgruntled at the peculiar manner in which her sister commanded her, hastened out of the room in such of Mr Darcy.
Elizabeth, having awoken a little more, pushed herself up in her elbows, trying in vain to sit up.
"Lizzy, do not exert yourself, you must rest, you are not well."
This sentiment was echoed by Mr Darcy who had entered her chamber hastily followed by Kitty.
Elizabeth smiled gently up at her husband as he bent down to plant a kiss on her forehead.
"I am so relieved to see you awake dearest Lizzy!" he cried earnestly, kissing her again.
Elizabeth closed her eyes briefly allowing her mind to drift. However, she hastily opened them again as she recollected recent events. She observed her husband's change in countenance as she asked him the question that he had been dreading.
"Fitzwilliam, where is my baby?"
Kitty and Dr Fairfax slipped unnoticed out of the room followed by Jane in order to give the couple the necessary privacy. Jane, knowing that this would certainly not be an agreeable time for either, remained close to her sister's chamber should she be needed.
Darcy, on hearing the door close, turned to Elizabeth and took her hand in his.
"Elizabeth, I - I truly wish that I did not have to tell you this," he began, seeing the tears already begin to form in her eyes,
"Darling Lizzy, our….our son is dead, he….he did not survive the birth."
The tears that had threatened, spilled freely from Elizabeth's eyes. She had known that something was amiss when she had observed Darcy's change in countenance as she had asked for her baby but nothing could have prepared her for this.
She recalled the agony of the birth, and the moment of not hearing a cry from her child before she fell into a faint. She turned towards Mr Darcy, "Are - are you sure?"
Darcy nodded as he reached over to stroke her cheek but she turned away from him, not wanting him to touch her.
Darcy was shocked by such an action and was not sure what it meant. "Lizzy…."
"Please Fitzwilliam, I should like to be on my own for a little while."
"Yes, I…I shall leave you then."
Elizabeth did not reply to her husband but on hearing the door close behind her, the floodgates were opened. She rolled over and buried her head in her pillow and wept.
On leaving Elizabeth's chamber, Mr Darcy met Jane and Kitty sitting in the alcove that he had previously occupied. Jane, on observing her brother-in-law's countenance, suggested that Kitty join Georgiana and Mr Bingley for luncheon, assuring her that they follow shortly.
"Come Mr Darcy, I think perhaps we should take a turn before luncheon."
Darcy consented and walked with his wife's sister in the direction of the long gallery.
"She asked me to leave her Jane, she would not even let me touch her. I fear she will exclude me from her feelings."
"Dear sir, I urge you not to worry. She has just been told that the babe she has carried has died, it is a shock to her. I cannot be imagine how she is feeling, nor you for that matter but I know Lizzy. She can be very private in regard to her emotions and I think that perhaps it shall take time before she will be ready to relinquish some of that privacy. She will need time to grieve and I believe that you also do sir."
Darcy ran a hand through his hair and nodded his head. He had a great respect for Mrs Bingley, her quiet manner hid a gentle wisdom that he admired.
"Come Mr Darcy, let us have some refreshment and I shall go to Lizzy in a short while."
Xxxxxxxx
Elizabeth had wept until it seemed she could weep no more and pulled herself up into a sitting position. She did not want to dwell upon the emotions which overwhelmed her but she knew she could not ignore them. She had not yet seen her son, her feelings were mixed on this subject. She was unsure of whether she could find the courage to hold him, the very thought caused tears to well up again. The pain she was feeling was great, she had carried a child for nine months, she had endured the agony of child birth but the reward of a much loved baby was not to be hers.
Elizabeth's contemplation of her emotions was interrupted by a knock on her chamber door.
"Lizzy? May I come in?"
Elizabeth was relieved to hear Jane's voice call to her and was quick to allow her sister entrance.
Jane embraced Elizabeth tenderly, she said nothing, simply held her until Elizabeth was ready to talk to her. Elizabeth pulled away, a faint smile on her face as she looked, rather unsteadily, into her sister's eyes.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Oh Lizzy, I cannot imagine how you are currently feeling, I must confess, this is not a situation with which I am familiar.
We have been confidantes for many years but if you do not wish talk on the matter then I respect that decision."
"Jane, I think perhaps that you are the only person to whom I can speak."
Jane smiled as she brushed a lock of her hair out of Elizabeth's face, "Lizzy, I do hope that you jest, surely there is one other who shares your understanding."
Elizabeth knew that Jane referred to Mr Darcy, her colour rose and she looked down at her hands.
"I do not know how. I do not understand my own feelings, how can I possibly comprehend his? Jane, I do not know what do to, my baby……" Elizabeth could not continue, once more she was consumed by the grief of losing her child and wept bitterly in Jane's arms.
Xxxxxxxxx
After dinner that evening, Darcy withdrew to sit with Elizabeth, leaving his sister to be hostess to their guests. Georgiana played a little but it could not lift the sombre mood that had descended on Pemberley. Kitty looked up from her work and observed Jane and Mr Bingley engaged in quiet, serious conversation.
"How is Elizabeth?"
"Charles, I cannot truly say."
"It must have been a terrible shock, it is a blessing that Lizzy is not dead." Bingley looked down to where her held Jane's hand, "if she had…." he shook his head as he continued, "Darcy is distraught, but to lose Lizzy, I do not know if he could go on. I know that I could not if God were to take you from me."
Jane stroked her husband's hand, "Fortunately that is not the case for neither you or Mr Darcy. Oh Charles, I do not know what to do, I have never seen her like this. I remember when we were children, Lizzy must only have been seven years old, she found a bird's nest with a clutch of eggs in it. She greatly anticipated the time when the eggs would hatch. A few days later, she visited the tree, only to find that the nest had been destroyed and the eggs gone. She cried for two days and was inconsolable."
"Jane, this is somewhat more serious than the loss of a clutch of eggs."
Jane gave him a reproachful look, "Charles, I am very well aware of that, Lizzy is in a lot of pain. When the eggs went, our father took her in his arms and she stopped crying. Perhaps I should write to him and urge him to come."
"Perhaps you should speak to Darcy first."
Jane nodded, "I hope that Lizzy will be able to talk to Darcy, I am worried, very worried indeed."
The party all looked up from their various occupations when the drawing room door opened. Georgiana abandoned her playing as her brother entered the room and she moved towards him. He sat heavily in an arm chair, Georgiana noted how tired he looked and was concerned for his well being.
"Elizabeth is asleep now," he began, "I believe she is a little better."
Kitty returned to her work and the Bingley's to their conversation but Georgiana knelt by her brother.
"Fitzwilliam?"
"I am well my dear, just a little tired. I think it is time I started the arrangements for burying him."
"Oh…"
"Indeed, I do not wish to but I must, and soon."
Sorry that was a bit shorter than usual but that's just the way it went. Things just aren't happy at Pemberley for anyone and this will continue for a while, sorry!
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