Chapter 18

Elizabeth grabbed her bonnet from the hook and turned to her sister. Raising a brow, she asked, "Are you sure you will be fine with Anna for a few hours today?"

Jane smiled at her younger sister and laid a hand on her shoulder. "We will be fine Elizabeth. Go outside and enjoy some time alone with your husband." She gently pushed Elizabeth to the door.

Taking the hint, Elizabeth opened the door and stepped outside. Shading her eyes against the sudden brightness of the sun, she blinked her eyes. Looking around the yard, she saw that her husband was leaning against the corral, watching an older horse stretch her legs. Walking down the porch steps, Elizabeth made her way over to him.

He turned slightly at the sound of her footsteps approaching and she saw him smile. "Are you ready to go in and meet Rayna?"

She glanced away from his face and turned to watch the mare. Rayna was running around the corral and she saw the horse's muscles move with her movements. She felt the same fear course through her; she had always felt when she was near a horse.

Feeling a slight pressure on her hand, Elizabeth glanced down, and gave Will's hand a small squeeze. Turning away from watching the mare, she looked in to his concerned filled eyes, and tried to give him a smile.

"We will take it slow to start with." He put her hand in the crock of his arm, and led her over to the gate leading in to the corral. Opening the gate, he pulled her inside, and firmly latched it behind him. Lifting his fingers to his lips, Will whistled, and smiled with satisfaction when Rayna came trotting over to them.

The horse came trotting over to her and she tried to pull her hand out of his hold. "Beth, look at me." Lifting her eyes, she looked in to his, and felt some of the uneasiness and fears leave her. Will took his other hand and grasped her free hand. Lifting it in to the air, he placed it on Rayna's nose, but kept his eyes on his wife's face.

Once she felt the soft velvet nose under her hand, Elizabeth turned her head and watched the mare stand there. She ran her hand up her face, but took a quick step backward when the horse pushed her head in to her hand and walked forward.

Will lifted his hand and gently pushed Rayna away from Elizabeth. He didn't want her to become fearful again if the mare came to close. He was busy distracting the horse that he didn't notice Elizabeth walk away and stand by the gate.

Beads of sweat dripped down her face as she watched Will lead Rayna away from them and she lifted a hand to her head when a sudden wave of dizziness overcame her. Grabbing for the bar of the gate, she closed her eyes, and waited for it to pass. After a few moments she opened her eyes again and turned around. The dizziness was not fully gone, but she needed to get to her husband.

Taking a step forward, she felt her head swim again and her knees give out. The last thing she heard, before it all went black was someone shouting her name. Running over to her still body, Will dropped to his knees, and gently lifted her head. Turning it left and right, he checked to make sure she didn't injure herself when she fainted.

Running a hand along her cheek, he untied her bonnet. "Beth, please wake up." He ran his eyes over her face and held his breath when he saw her eyelids flutter. They fluttered again, but she didn't rouse. Putting one arm around her shoulders and the other under her legs, Will lifted her in to his arms, and looked down in to her face.

"Please wake up Beth. I don't know what I would do without you." Striding over to the gate, he lifted the latch, and walked out of the corral. Quickly latching the gate behind him, he made his way to the house; occasionally glancing up, when he was not watching his wife's face.

Opening the front door, he yelled for Jane, and looked up to see her hurrying in from the kitchen. Her face paled when she saw the limp form of her sister. "What happened?" she asked as she followed her brother in law in to the bedroom.

He laid her down and took one last look at her before turning to answer her question. "I don't know Jane. I pushed Rayna to the other side of the corral when I saw that Beth was starting to get shaky. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure she was okay and saw her fall to the ground. I am going to town for the doctor."

Will turned back to his still wife and pushed a strand of hair out of her face. Placing a kiss to her forehead, he gave Jane a nod before heading out of the house. Running to the barn, he through the door open and made his way to his gelding's stall. He grabbed the saddle of the hay bale, unlatched the gate, and started saddling the gelding.

The horse sensed he was in hurry and patiently waited for him to finish. Grabbing the reins, Will led the gelding out of the barn, and swung in to the saddle. Spurring the horse forward, he galloped out of the yard, towards town.

Jane watched him ride out of view from the bedroom window. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that Anna had walked in to the room and was staring up at Elizabeth. Walking over, Jane knelt down, and pulled the little girl in to a hug.

Anna pulled away from her Aunt and reached up to sit on the bed. Jane hurriedly pulled her away and scooped her up in to her arms. "You can't go up there yet, Anna."

The little girl reached out her arms, "Ma," she whined and Jane saw tears starting to roll down her cheeks. It was the first time Jane had heard Anna call Elizabeth Ma.

Jane held the little girl closer and turned to watch her sister. She held her breath when she saw her eyelids start to flutter and Elizabeth tossed her head. Walking over she grabbed a chair and pulled it closer to the bed. Sitting down, she set Anna on her lap, and grabbed Elizabeth's hand. "Elizabeth, please wake up."

Elizabeth's eyelids opened slowly and she looked around her in a daze. The blurriness soon disappeared from her eyes and she saw Jane holding Anna. After a moment she realized she was in her bedroom. "Jane what happened?"

"You don't remember fainting? Will carried you inside and left to fetch the doctor. He should be back soon." She grabbed the cloth that was resting on her forehead and dipped it in the basin. Ringing it out, she draped it across Elizabeth's forehead.

Putting a hand up to her head, Elizabeth tried to remember what she was doing before she ended up in her bed. "Will was helping me get over my fear of horses and I remember him having to push Rayna away from me. I had walked toward the gate and then I felt dizzy. I had tried to grab for the post, but I guess I didn't make it."

"Would you like some water? I will also find Anna a snack to eat before Will and Dr. Bingley get here. Will you be fine by yourself for a few minutes?" Jane asked before she stood to her feet.

Elizabeth nodded her head and watched Jane carry Anna out to the kitchen. As she lay there, thoughts ran through her head. I have never fainted before. A few minutes later, she heard footsteps and turned her head to see Jane walking through the door, carrying a tin cup of water.

Bracing her hands underneath her, she pushed herself to a sitting position, and rested her back against the headboard. Jane handed Elizabeth the tin cup and she gratefully took a long drink. She handed it back to her sister when it was empty and leaned her head back when her head swam again.

"Are you alright, Elizabeth?" Jane asked when she saw her sister closer her eyes.

After a few moments she opened her eyes again when the dizzy spell left. "I am fine now Jane."

Hoof beats sounded outside and Jane hurriedly stood to look out the window. Her face brightened when she saw Dr. Bingley tying his horse to the hitching rail. Turning her head slightly to the left, she saw Will jump over the rail and sprint up to the door. A few seconds later they both heard boot steps echoing through the house.

Elizabeth turned her head to the door and smiled slightly when she saw her husband. He stopped in the doorway when he saw her sitting up and hurried forward. Wrapping her arms around her, he pulled her to his chest.

Someone cleared their throat from the doorway and Will pulled away to look over his shoulder. He flushed slightly when he saw Bingley watching them.

"I need to examine my patient. You will have to step out of the room." Bingley said as he walked in to the room and set his bag on the side table.

Standing to his feet, Will gave his wife a kiss on the forehead and followed Jane out of the room. He pulled the door closed behind him and leaned against it. Running a hand through his already messy hair, he took a deep breath and let it out.

"Would you like a cup of coffee?"

Turning his head, he saw Jane standing in front of him with a hot cup of coffee in her hands. Reaching out his hand, he took it from her, and took a small sip. "Thank you, Jane."

She rested a hand on her shoulder and said, "She is going to be fine Will. Come in to the kitchen and sit down."

Will followed her to the kitchen and sank in to a chair. He saw Anna playing with her doll and trying to feed it part of her cookie. "Anna where is Scout?" he asked when he realized the puppy was not sleeping at her feet.

"Let puppy outside." She said and gave him a bright smile. Jane walked over to her and took her out of the chair. Once she was on her feet, Anna ran over to the door, and looked over her shoulder.

Jane gave Will a reassuring smile, before walking over to the door, grabbing their bonnets, and followed Anna outside. Will stood to his feet and paced back and forth in front of the door. After a while of walking back and forth, he heard the door open, and looked up. "Is she alright?"

"I will let her tell you." He gave his friend a pat on the back, grabbed his bag, and headed for the door. He had seen Jane and Anna walk by the window and decided to head out and walk with them.

Will waited for Bingley to close the door before he opened the bedroom door and stepped inside. Looking around, he found his wife standing in front of the window. At the sound of his footsteps she turned around and he saw an unfamiliar emotion in her eyes.

Walking over to her, he grabbed her hands, and placed a kiss to each palm. "What did Bingley have to say?"

She hesitated for a moment, before a bright smile lit her face, and he saw her eyes sparkling. "You are going to be a father, Will."

His whole body stilled as he absorbed her words. He didn't say anything for a few minutes and she gently laid a hand on his cheek. "Will, please say something. I thought you would be happy with the news."

At her words, he swept her in to his arms, and spun her around the room. "Put me down now." She said sternly and he stopped. Setting her on her feet, he kept his arms around her waist and gazed down in to her eyes.

"I have never been happier, Beth. When is the baby due?" he asked as he glanced down at her flat stomach.

"Not until December." Elizabeth gazed in to his eyes and said, "I have something I need to tell you."

"What do you still have to tell me?"

Taking a deep breath, she spoke, "I love you Will Darcy."

His face lit up when he heard her speak the words he thought he would never hear. Raising her chin, he gave her a smile. "I love you Elizabeth Darcy," he said and placed a kiss to her lips. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him back with all the feelings she felt for him.