Disclaimer: I own nothing, except my own characters.
Mr Bennet sat comfortably, thankfully devoid of female presence as he reread the letter. Elizabeth had written from Hammersmith to expect Mrs Darcy at Longbourne.
Being informed of such an event by the absent Lizzie was odd, but more peculiar was her instructions for him.
He was being charged with relaying unknown news to their visitor, news he would apparently know when he set eyes upon her.
He rather though that Lizzie expected too much of him.
Letter aside, he devoted a pleasant hour to reading before a carriage rolled into the courtyard.
There was no mistaking the voice in the hall. "Someone grab me a bucket. I'm going to be sick."
Mr Bennet rose from his seat and as the new arrival complained. "Where was the bloody suspension on that thing?"
Dear Lord!
Amanda Darcy quelled her nausea and looked at the women surrounding her. "So where's Lizzie?"
"Lizzie?" asked Mrs Bennet in confusion. "Why, she's still in Hammersmith I presume."
"Then why did she order me to get here lickety split?" She quickly amended her choice of words. "I mean, arrive most hastily?"
They had no idea.
"There is a letter for you though," Kitty said, pulling parchment from her dress. "I found it on the fourth floor. I guess Hill dropped it."
"A letter?" breathed Amanda, her heart constricting fearfully. What did this mean? Her hand reached blindly for the paper and she dashed up the stairs.
Sitting on the top step, refusing to look at the door at the end of the hall, shaky fingers folded the parchment back. There were only two lines in a familiar scrawl.
You had to go and get yourself knocked up in a strange place, didn't you? her mother wrote, and she could smell the cigarette smoke. Hope you've still got a man sticking around.
Amanda flipped the paper, looking for other identifying details as the realisation that her mother thought her pregnant hit her. "You've got to be shitting me."
She made for Elizabeth's old room. Planting herself before the looking glass, she pulled her dress tight and scrutinised her figure.
She hadn't thought, but falling pregnant here was certainly a possibility, especially considering her and Fitz's enthusiasm these past six months.
Finding no additional curves, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Returning downstairs, Amanda followed when Mr Bennet awkwardly ushered her into his study. "What's up sir?"
The man had a wife and five children. He knew the signs of pregnancy and decided to do his daughter's bidding by blurting it out. "You're pregnant."
"No I'm not," shot back the doubting Amanda. "How the hell did this happen?" she protested.
Mr Bennet flushed. "I can summon Mrs Bennet if it is education you require."
Amanda snorted and recovered quickly. "No, no. I'm fine." She sank into a chair. "Guess the pill wore off."
Thinking of mini-Darcys running around made her smile and Mr Bennet looked at her peculiarly. "Are you alright?"
"I'm going to be sick," she decided calmly and dashed from the room.
Next chapter: Lydia.
