A/N: I know I am being way too mean to Charles and Jane. I'm sorry. I really am. I like them, but I also rid of them or ruin them way too often for plot's sake, I know. Again, sorry! Everything is canon up until Hunsford. Then only Charles returns to marry Jane. Here we go!
"Do you think they shall remember being left here?" Jane cooed over the first crib before turning her attention to the second. Motherhood looked as beautiful on Jane as marriage did, and Elizabeth smiled at the way her older sister soothed her children. Longbourn might not be the Bingley twins' official residence, but they visited often enough in their three months of life to have made their presence completely natural.
The Longbourn nursery, long neglected, had sprung to life in a flurry of activity. And not a soul in the Bennet household could ever resist spending at least an hour or two in the room whenever the twins were there.
"You fret too much, Jane." Elizabeth addressed her sister while keeping her eyes on the babes. "They will be well cared for here, you know."
Benedict Bingley, eldest and heir, had twisted his way into the world first - a small and strong creature with a loud enough cry to permeate the entire family wing at Netherfield. Then, to everyone's pleasant surprise, a tiny, pink, squirming Beatrice had joined him right after. The twins had been inseparable ever since.
And Charles and Jane hadn't stop smiling since either.
"I know, but I don't think you can understand, Lizzy, until you've had a child of your own." Jane brushed Beatrice's soft hair with her fingers. "I know the trip is meant to only last a few days, but it is as if I am leaving my heart behind."
Elizabeth hugged Jane from the side. "We shall take perfect care of Bennie and Bea. I give you my word as their godmother."
"Mary is godmother too," Jane reminded with a smile.
"Only for Beatrice. I am godmother to both." Elizabeth grinned.
Jane shook her head with a gentle smile. She tucked Benedict's blankets tighter around him. The babes lingered between wakefulness and slumber - dozing one moment and bright-eyed the next. If Caroline Bingley were not marrying all the way in Yorkshire, Jane would surely never wish to leave the children.
"I suppose Charles would not hear of you missing the wedding?" Elizabeth asked before Jane sighed and turned towards the door.
Elizabeth followed, nodding at Nurse Graham on her way out. The young nurse took her place by the cribs, and Elizabeth closed the door behind them.
"I think Charles is glad Caroline is marrying," said Jane.
"Of course he is! And to a baronet too." Elizabeth laughed. "It is hardly possible to not be happy at such a turn of events."
"Be kind, Lizzy."
Elizabeth held her favorite sister's hands. "I will, Jane. And I promise you cannot leave your children in better hands than mine."
Jane smiled, beautiful and sweet. "I know. I am glad you are their godmother, Lizzy."
"As am I."
"And Bea smiled so beautifully that I swear I have never seen a smile so pretty, Darce," Bingley gestured animatedly as he described his daughter. Behind him, the wedding guests continued their revelry, served hand and foot by the baronet's staff. The former Miss Caroline Bingley, now Lady Gilmore, beamed beside her husband. "And Bennie was able to turn by himself at a mere two months! You simply must come see for yourself one day."
Darcy smiled at his friend. It was nice, very nice, to be able to converse so freely with Bingley without the shadow of Caroline's empty hopes or the weight of their Hertfordshire departure between them. It had taken Darcy a mere week after his own failed proposal in Kent to write to his friend about his mistaken notions regarding Jane Bennet.
The fact that Darcy was now godfather to two Bingley children was proof enough that he had done the right thing. If he thought he had any hope of ever winning Elizabeth's heart, he might offer to join Mr. and Mrs. Bingley on their way back to Netherfield this very day. Since he had been informed, however, in no uncertain terms, that he was the last man in the world she would ever be prevailed upon to marry, Darcy contented himself with wishing her well from afar.
"I trust all is well at Longbourn?" Darcy inquired, the sounds of merrymaking still filling the halls of Burnham Manor.
There was once a time when the very thought of being within a day's journey of Caroline Bingley's home would send Darcy shuddering and drafting his own protective service. Given how happy Caroline Gilmore looked as the new mistress of the manor, however, the thought of having Bingley and his growing brood visit Derbyshire more often lent a cheerful thought.
"The Bennets are the dearest people one could ever have the honor to know," Bingley gushed readily. "I would never dare travel so far without the children if we had not been able to entrust them to the family's care."
"Would you and Mrs. Bingley not stay the night at Pemberley then? Mrs. Reynolds can accommodate you, surely."
"Oh, Darce, I cannot stand another day apart from the twins."
Darcy grinned and shook his head. This was a new height of being smitten, even for Bingley. "Not even if I promise my finest port?"
"Never." Bingley grinned back. "And Jane would have me murdered if I were to keep her from her babies another day longer."
"Your wife will never murder anyone. She is fundamentally incapable of it."
"That is true. But then she might weep instead, and then I cannot bear to be the source of her disappointment."
Darcy chuckled. A more perfect pair he had never seen than the young Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bingley. It was a wonder that he had ever thought them a poor match.
Clearly, as with many things, Elizabeth knew better.
"Charles, Mr. Darcy." Jane Bingley approached then, her smile sweet and serene. "I hope I am not interrupting, sir."
"Not at all," Darcy assured.
"Shall we make our excuses to Hendrick and Caroline?" Bingley asked his wife.
"If you wish, Charles."
"Of course I do." Bingley smiled at his wife with a look so lovestruck that Darcy could barely decide to envy his friend or to hurl out his breakfast.
"I hope you can excuse us, Mr. Darcy. We are glad to have seen you once more." Mrs. Bingley spoke as gently as she ever did. "Do visit us as Netherfield when you can."
Darcy bowed. "I would be much obliged, Mrs. Bingley."
The young couple, looking every bit as taken with each other as the day they had married, gave Darcy their thanks before turning to go.
"Should we have your carriage inspected first?" Darcy suddenly thought to ask. "I hear a storm is meant to come within a matter of hours. I wish you would stay at Pemberley for the night."
"We shall be perfectly well," Bingley assured with his usual cheerful tone. "A well-sprung carriage can hardly be so easily overcome."
"Thank you, Mr. Darcy," Mrs. Bingley thanked him with a curtsy. "Your kindness is much appreciated."
"Be well," Darcy responded.
"We will." Bingley grinned once more before they left.
And Darcy returned to Pemberley, as alone as he had ever been. His house was grand and his lands prosperous. But with his sister away in London, the servants outnumbered their master dozens to one. His relationship with Georgiana - indeed, his relationship with everyone - had improved in recent months, due mostly to his efforts in the past two years. And he had Elizabeth to thank for it all.
It was a pity he never had the courage to thank her in person.
The downpour began a half hour after Darcy's return to Pemberley and continued on relentlessly into the night. In the master's chamber at Pemberley, Darcy tossed and turned on his poster bed, his heart uneasy. The last time such a storm had brewed had been in the summer, and already the roads had suffered greatly, making casualties of many wagons and carriages. With the colder weather easily threatening sleet or hail, the risks for anyone traveling intensified.
The Bingleys should have come and stay. How bad could it truly be to be parted from one's children for one night more? The twins, cuddly as they had been at their christening, were merely babes. Surely, it would not matter if they were left to the nursemaid for an additional night. Mrs. Jane Bngley had said herself, during their brief interactions at the Bingley-Gilmore wedding, that she was glad to have left the children at Longbourn rather than Netherfield. There was no reason for such haste.
A sound of heavy pounding rumbled under the sounds of the unforgiving rain.
Darcy waited to see if he had only imagined the noises. Then they came again - distinct and urgent.
Someone was at the door, and there could be no good reason for a visitor at this hour and in such inclement weather. Was it a peddler who had gotten lost? Or perhaps a waylaid nobleman needed refuge? Tales of horror and woe often started with such unfortunate circumstances, but Darcy had enough faith in his staff to believe that Pemberley's security could hardly be threatened by a lone malicious man.
Rushed footsteps indicated that the servants were seeing to their surprise visitor, and Darcy rose to don his dressing gown as well.
The pounding continued until it gave way to the sound of the front door swinging open. Darcy descended the length of the hall and the staircase. Mr. Hudson, his relatively new butler, stood with his back to Darcy as he discussed something with the clearly distraught man at the door. Their visitor looked to be from the lower classes, although young and strong.
Darcy narrowed his eyes as his servant continued to speak to the man.
"What is it, Hudson?" Darcy called out when he had reached the main floor.
Hudson turned quickly, displaying a worried face atop his haphazardly collected livery. The man was usually impeccably, almost vainly dressed. He had to have roused quickly.
"What is it?" Darcy repeated.
Hudson stepped aside for the midnight caller, who edged forward slightly, looking as if he was afraid to stain the house floor.
"Yes?" Darcy sensed some familiarity with the man. He looked the spitting image of one of their longest tenants.
"There was an accident, sir, just off Pemberley ground," the man frowned as he reported. "The carriage overturned. Passengers were pinned down."
A vice grip caught around Darcy's heart. His frown deepened. "Did you discover them?"
"Aye, sir." The man paused, as if wary of upsetting Darcy further.
"You must have braved the rain for a reason." Darcy stepped closer. Tendrils of the icy wind whipped against him, but he stood his ground. "What is it?"
"They were close to the house, Mr. Darcy. We had to see if we could rescue them. They looked like gentlefolk, they did."
"And did you manage to rescue them?"
"Not the woman, sir - but the man is slightly conscious. Can we bring him to the house to nurse, sir?"
Darcy bellowed the instructions before the man could say another word.
A/N: I got 3 pieces of news! Firstly, I cannot respond to all reviews but read and reread them all! Secondly, "Picture Perfect" ended last week, but some people did not seem to have gotten the notification. I posted chapters 6-7 together. Lastly, Heirs and Graces is now available for pre-order on Amazon. I am busy revising it and hope to polish the story a little more before it comes out in April. Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy this story as well!