Madam and Missy — A Pride and Prejudice Variation
This is dedicated to all the writers both here and on KU who've released their stories for free! As I enjoy reading them so much, I thought that I'd have a go, and here it is.
[Note that I'm a Brit, so have written with British spelling, punctuation and terminology 😏]
In which Elizabeth and Sarah winter in Shropshire where they welcome new life
Shropshire
Lady Anne
Her dismay at her son's sudden trip to Portugal had been assuaged a little by the news from Mr. Bennet. Try as she might, though, Lady Anne could not think of a way for Elizabeth to stay with her either in London or at Pemberley. Too many questions would be asked. A return to Shropshire seemed for the best. She had arranged for Mrs. Reynolds' oldest son to stay with Elizabeth and Sarah — he could be trusted both to care for them and to not talk.
Once she had them settled, she gave money to Elizabeth, Sarah and Sam Reynolds. "Hide it well," she had admonished each of them.
On leaving, she stopped at the parsonage to ask the parson and his wife to keep an eye on the residents of the lodge and to recommend a couple of local girls to work in the kitchen and around the house. Then she stopped in Tenston village where her coachman paid the grocer, the butcher and the baker for several months of deliveries. Meanwhile, she met with the innkeeper, slipped him a few coins and asked him to send a message should he think that the household needed assistance. I hope that I have done enough.
Elizabeth
As winter fell and the temperature dropped, they settled into a gentle routine, spending most of their time together in the kitchen, the warmest room. Elizabeth would venture into the parlour to play the piano if her fingers were not too cold. The parson or his wife visited once or twice a week, and some of Elizabeth's other local acquaintances dropped in too. Every Sunday morning, one of their neighbours would call to offer an escort to church.
Elizabeth was very grateful to her neighbours, but missed Darcy immensely and knew that Sarah missed the redoubtable Stevens too. The young women would walk into the small town together often. As they grew larger and the ground got increasingly slippery, they took turns walking with Sam Reynolds, leaning on his arm for support.
Christmas and the start of a new year came and went with no message from Portugal. Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Reynolds each sent gifts for their offspring, and the occupants of the lodge spent the time very quietly. Lady Anne also sent a small package from her son to Elizabeth. It contained a small sailing ship for her bracelet and a note saying:
'Fair, Wight, Man — none compare to View.'
It was the very end of February and bitterly cold, when Elizabeth's time came. They were snowed in, so Sarah acted as best she could as midwife. As there was no wet nurse, Elizabeth nursed her daughter herself. Young Miss Darcy was but three days old, when Sarah's time came. The two maids, sisters Gertie and Gussie, were full of cold, so were restricted to stoking the fires unless abed with coughs and sneezes — they were to go nowhere near the new babe. Sam had slipped on the ice and was nursing a twisted ankle and a broken arm.
Cold, hungry and exhausted, Elizabeth had to help Sarah in return. She was in the kitchen, standing over the stove, when the door creaked open.
"William!"
Darcy
Darcy felt as if he had not stopped galloping since he and Stevens had arrived in England with a wounded Richard, though he had not galloped at all. Once they had reached London and dropped off Richard with his relieved family, they had returned to Darcy House. He had been looking forward to a hot bath and a comfortable night on terra firma. But, as soon as she could speak to him alone, his mother had dispatched him to Shropshire.
Buried under snow and ice, the roads were almost impassable. Darcy, Stevens and the coachmen pushed and pulled, dug and swept all the way. At last, they arrived at The Anchor Inn where he left the others and waded through the snow to the lodge. As he was sodden and filthy, he entered through the kitchen door.
It was worth every mile. There she was!
"William!"
Exhausted, he took in the scene before him. It was daytime and she was not dressed, but wearing her nightgown and dressing gown. She had a shawl wrapped around her hair which was down in a messy plait. Her coat was draped over her shoulders and her stockinged feet were shoved into boots. There were no servants in the kitchen. His relief turned to anger.
"What are you doing?" he demanded, seeing her nascent tears of joy turned to tears of bitter frustration.
"I am trying to keep warm and am stirring this soup."
"Where are the servants?" He was getting crosser.
"We have quarantined the maids as they have wretched colds and poor Sam fell on the ice."
"Why have you not sent for help?"
"Sent who? The maids are in no state and I had to splint Sam's broken wrist with wooden spoons. I persuaded him to crawl upstairs where he is holding Sarah's hand." Her voice rose, matching his anger.
"Why?"
"Sarah's time has come."
"What time?"
"Her confinement."
"Her 'confinement'?" What confinement?
"Yes. Now." She glared at him.
"She is with child? Where is the midwife?"
"Snowed in like everyone else, I expect." She gestured with angry frustration.
A loud cry came from above them.
"Is she—?"
"Yes, and I must get back to her." She turned to him in tears and he found himself pushed out of the door. "Oh, get out! If you cannot help, then do not hinder!"
What has just happened?
Stevens had caught up with him. "Sir?"
"Stevens, go to the manor house and bring some servants to help."
"Yes, sir." Stevens struggled off through the snow.
"Bring a married woman! The housekeeper!" Darcy called after him.
"Yes, sir."
Darcy took a deep breath and re-entered the kitchen. "Stevens caught up with me and I have sent him to the manor to ask for help." He took her by the shoulders and apologised. "I am sorry. One feels that one is the weariest and then one meets someone even wearier!" Pulling her to him, he asked, "Why is your arm in a sling?"
A small whimper answered him.
"What?"
"'Who?' is the correct question. This is your daughter." She looked down, her expression softening.
"My daughter?"
"Your only daughter!" She grinned uncertainly up at him through her tears.
"But how?"
"I do believe that you were there for the process, Madam!" she replied archly.
"Well, yes, but— "
He looked down into the sling to see a tiny pink face peeping from swaddling. A small fist had escaped and was waving around.
"How?"
"I believe that you have already asked that."
"How old is she?"
"This is her third day."
"What have you called her?"
"At the moment, she is just 'the baby'. I wished for your presence before choosing a name."
Hearing Sarah cry out, again, Elizabeth passed the baby and the sling to him. "Here! I have been using the sling to support my arm while I carry her."
Darcy stood, transfixed with terror. "What do I do?"
"Keep her warm and comfortable while I go to Sarah." Hearing Stevens coming in, she added, "And you might like to keep the expectant father company while he waits."
His world had changed. Darcy had gone from exhaustion to bewilderment to — no, he was still bewildered. It was no longer a furious bewilderment, more a joyous bewilderment — bewilderment all the same. A child!
Stevens came in to say that help would be arriving shortly. Darcy looked away from the baby long enough to see that his bewilderment had been caught by Stevens.
"Sir?"
"My daughter." Darcy grinned. My daughter!
"Sir?"
"Get your own, Stevens! Missy will tell you when."
"Sir?" Stevens now had his own bewilderment.
A shout and a wail came from upstairs.
"That will be yours."
"Sir?"
A little while later, the housekeeper from the manor having arrived in time to help, Elizabeth came downstairs. She took Stevens by the hands, increasing his bewilderment if that were possible, and said, "You have a daughter!"
"Miss? Madam? Er, Missy?"
"I am all of those women, Stevens, but that does not change the fact that you now have a daughter."
"Sir?" Stevens turned to Darcy.
"Is there something wrong with the water in the peninsula? You men are very slow to understand normal speech," said Elizabeth. They both regarded her in confusion; Darcy's was lessening as he was slowly consumed with love for his new child.
"William, Stevens, while you were off on your swash-buckling adventure, Sarah and I have been increasing. You have missed the waddling gait, the swollen ankles and the constant need to excuse ourselves, and have arrived in time for the crying and sleepless nights!"
Stevens looked blank for a moment then dashed upstairs.
"I have spent all of these months with only your mamma in my heart and find that you, my little love, have joined her there," Darcy said softly to the baby.
The servants from the manor house had started a roaring fire in the small parlour. Mother and father sat there together, Darcy ceding the baby only when she was hungry. He made sure that the door was closed so that Elizabeth could nurse in privacy. He watched in wonder and asked, "Shall we call her after you?"
"Or your mother?"
"Or your mother?"
"Perhaps she should have her own name." She smiled up at him. "You have the advantage of me as you will know how the name would sound with your surname."
"Indeed." He laughed. Daisy Darcy!
"Of what are you thinking?"
"I am thinking of those poor people with rhyming names."
"Like 'Madam Adam'?"
He pulled her closer and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Oh, how I have missed you, my teasing wife!"
"Your only wife!"
He kissed her again. "Now, what shall we call our only daughter?"
"Mmm, what about 'Prudence'?"
"No, I have an Aunt Prudence." I cannot wait for you to meet her! "Huh, and do not suggest 'Catherine', as I have told you about that aunt!"
Elizabeth turned the baby to nurse on the other side making 'm, m, m' noises to her as she did so. "Here, if you would stop waving your hands, you will have some more. What a busy bee you are!"
"'M-m-m'? I have it! Our busy bee will be 'Melissa'."
"Oh, well done! All those years studying the classics have not gone to waste!"
Darcy gently kissed Melissa's head, and whispered, "And your mamma will have a little bee to go on her bracelet, but you are not to tell her for it is to be a surprise."
With a full stomach, Melissa drifted off to sleep. Her parents crept upstairs as quietly as they could. Darcy was keen to change from his dirty travelling clothes, and Elizabeth was keen to peep in to see if Sarah was well. "Sleep while the baby sleeps!" she told Sarah, before doing so herself.
Please don't copy, but please do let me have comments/corrections 😏
Notes:
• the secrecy is decreed, it's not Mr Bennet's edict
• menstruation — I looked it up before writing that chapter. Apparently, our periods have grown in length as our diet has improved. It seems as though two-three days was typical at that time