Author's note: Hey everyone. Thanks for the reviews! Before I post my next chapter I need 12 reviews. I know you people are out there because I had 574 hits last time I checked. (I probably will update anyway, but still I love it when people review my story. It gives me more to go off.)
P.S. I forgot to put in this is about 8 months after their wedding.
Disclaimer: I don't own characters blah blah blah don't sue me
This is a revised chapter 2.
Elizabeth raced up to her bedchamber. She had no idea how she was going to tell Darcy about this. She quickly dressed into her night gown and pulled the pins from her hair. She lay on the bed to clear her head.
Darcy was in his office. After spending a dreaded amount of time there, he decided to retire for the evening. He hoped he would find Elizabeth in her room. He walked to her bedchamber and knocked on the door. He heard a quiet "Come in." and found his wife lying on top of the covers lying perfectly still.
"Lizzie I thought when you go to bed you sleep under the cover," he said trying to lighten the obviously tense room.
"Lizzie are you well?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking.."
Darcy shrugged off the absent reply while Lizzie got off the bed and slipped under the sheets. He followed suit after preparing for bed. That night Elizabeth kept tossing and turning. She couldn't forget about the advances that Mr. Wickam made upon her. Finally realizing that he wasn't going to get any sleep with Elizabeth this restless, Darcy lit a candle and faced his wife.
"Lizzie, what's wrong?" His concerned deepened when she didn't answer. He sat up, making Elizabeth do the same and asked again, "Darling, what's wrong?" He was very calm and patient. He knew this was a serious matter if Lizzie was losing sleep over it.
"I don't know how to tell you this," she began, very worried that Darcy would immediately storm from the room and strangle Wickam himself. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. "Mr. Wickam and I went on a walk. While on this walk he," she paused. "Well, he..."
"What did he do, Elizabeth?" He was very serious. He knew he wouldn't like what he was about to hear.
"He tried to kiss me!" She blurted out. "I slapped him," she paused, "twice. There will be a bruise by morning for sure."
Darcy sat there a minute trying to comprehend this horrible event. Suddenly he realized Elizabeth had silent tears streaming down her face.
"Please, promise me you won't do anything that you might regret later." He kissed away her tears and wrapped his arms around her for comfort.
"That man will have serious consequences for his actions." Darcy said this with such anger that Elizabeth almost pulled away from him.
"Dear, please, we'll think of something rational to do." She said this after turning around and cupping his face in her hands for his full attention.
"I want that man out of our house." Elizabeth calmed him a bit and agreed with his decision.
"Fine. It's settled then, tomorrow-"
"No," he cut her off, "Definitely not. This man is too much of a hindrance. He is leaving now."
"Fitzwilliam, it is 2:00 in the morning!"
"They're leaving. Please understand my bitterness towards him. This man has plagued me for the last time. He needs to leave." By this time Darcy was standing and beginning to fully dress himself.
"Why are you dressing?"
"I'm not throwing him out of our house in night clothing."
Elizabeth stood and started to slip on a dress. "I'm coming with you."
Darcy waited for Elizabeth to finish dressing and proceeded to walk down the hall in large strides. Elizabeth nearly had to jog to keep up with her husband. When they reached he room Darcy knocked on the door. He waited for Wickam to answer. Instead Lydia answered.
"Lizzie! Mr. Darcy!" Lydia said in a shocked voice. She quickly bowed to Mr. Darcy with a still puzzled look in her face.
"I need to speak with your husband ma'am." Darcy was trying very hard not to burst in and beat the living shit out of him. His hands were in tight fists and his jaw clenched. Lizzie, seeing his temper rising, grabbed his arm and held in tightly.
"Yes, what do ya want?" Mr. Wickam questioned lazily. He very well knew why they were there. He was just curious to how they would react.
"Nice bruise, may I ask how you obtained it?" Elizabeth asked this question with an innocent voice, but Wickam knew it was sarcasm.
"You damn well know why I have this bruise!" He shouted this to her face. It was the middle of the night and she was mocking him.
"Don't you dare raise your voice to my wife," Darcy fired back. Sparked of anger were in his eyes.
"You both need to get out of our house." He was stern, but not shouting anymore. He decided to leave before he did anything he might regret.
"What is everyone talking about?" Lydia seemed incredibly confused.
"Well, since your husband didn't have the courtesy to inform you I will. Wickam attempted to kiss my wife," Darcy said this still looking at Wickam.
"You're lying. He would never do that!" Lydia was in denial. She knew her husband was not faithful. It hurt so much, and yet she still couldn't help but defend him.
Finally Darcy's temper got the better of him. He punched Wickam in the jaw and Wickam stumbled back before regaining his balance. Darcy took Elizabeth's arm and headed back to their bedchamber.
They heard Lydia shout as they walked, "We're leaving! To hell with the both of you!"
Lizzie was extremely hurt by this comment. After all, Lydia was still her sister and she did love her. The reached her bedchamber and re-dressed in their night clothes. When they had settled in bed, Elizabeth had to ask her husband, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. It actually felt good to finally give that man what he deserved. That punch was for more than just his actions towards you. It was for his actions towards my sister also. I must ask you the same question. You seemed rather hurt at the last statement Lydia made."
"I'll be fine. I am a little shocked from the whole experience. I cannot believe what events have taken place in the last 24 hours. I'm glad it's over. I just need you with me right now."
At that, Elizabeth snuggled up and into Darcy's arms which were open waiting for her. The last thing they said to each other before they fell asleep was 'I love you'.
The next morning Darcy woke early and decided to let Elizabeth sleep. He had his servant draw him a bath and quickly left the room. He returned about an hour later to the room to find Elizabeth still sleeping. Darcy loved to watch her sleep. She always looked so peaceful. He bent over and kissed her cheek and she stirred. He backed away quickly and she opened her eyes to see him staring straight back.
"Good morning sunshine," she smiled at his comment. He was always so cheerful in the morning. "Breakfast will be ready soon; I suggest you get ready for the day." And with that, he left.
She had Mrs. Reynolds draw a bath. While undressing she noticed Mrs. Reynolds staring at her with an odd grin on her face.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Elizabeth received the answer quickly with the maid's next question.
"Mrs. Darcy are you with child?"
Elizabeth was taken aback by the woman's bluntness. She responded, still a little shaky.
"Well I-I thought I-,"she stopped. She took a deep breath before admitting, "Yes, but don't tell Mr. Darcy, I haven't told him yet."
"As you wish, Mrs. Darcy." She left without another word.
Elizabeth readied herself for the day and joined Georgiana and Darcy for breakfast.
"Where are Mr. and Mrs. Wickam?" She had been unaware of the events that took place last night.
Darcy and Elizabeth looked at each other. "They had some urgent business to attend to," he said quickly. Elizabeth agreed he was right not to tell her what happened last night. Georgiana will eventually be told, but now was not the proper time.
"Oh," she said, looking back at her food.
Elizabeth was yet again not hungry, but looking at her husband's concern, she said they would have a picnic later. Agreeing to this, Darcy said he would be in his office and to come and retrieve him before they left.
After breakfast, Elizabeth joined Georgiana in the parlor. Georgiana decided to play the piano while Elizabeth attempted to embroider. Elizabeth broke the awkward silence with an unexpected statement.
"The truth to why the Wickams left is because we threw them out of the house last night." Elizabeth couldn't look Georgiana in the face until she said something.
"That iscertainly is a relief to me," she admitted.
"I know of the tension between the Wickams and your family. I wish we could have stopped them from arriving at all." Lizzie didn't know what else to say. She knew that Georgiana had moved on, but a part of her told Elizabeth that Georgiana was still deeply disturbed.
"Everything is in the past, I suppose. I do not care for that man any longer, but I wish he hadn't manipulated me. I am glad thay didn't leave on my account. That was my biggest fear." Geprgiana quickly started talking again before Elizabeth could say anything, "I do not wish to discuss this matter any further."
A silence fell over the two of them once again. They both kept themselves busy until the afternoon for their picnic.
When Georgiana received the picnic basket, Elizabeth walked down the now familiar halls to Darcy's office. When she reached the door she knocked quietly and heard him speak.
"Come in."
Elizabeth walked in and saw Darcy at his desk trying to concentrate on reading accounts.
"Fitzwilliam Darcy, you are formally invited to a picnic with your sister and myself," she smiled brightly and he walked over to her.
"That would be absolutely wonderful."
As Darcy and Elizabeth were walking down the hall to find Georgiana, Darcy could not help but ask a lurking in the back of his mind.
"Lizzie," he said, turning to her.
"Yes."
"Lizzie, may I ask why you have not been eating much lately?"
"You may." Elizabeth knew not answering his question would irritate him to no end.
"Elizabeth," he was growing impatient.
"Alright, calm yourself. I have not been eating much lately because if I took in more than I have, I'm afraid I would reject everything I had eaten."
"Are you saying you are ill?"
"No, I am not."
"Well then," becoming more baffled by his wife, he decided to drop the subject.
Elizabeth and Darcy continued down the hallway until the bumped into Georgiana carrying the picnic basket.
All three of the Darcy family were sitting under a tree eating the lunch that the cook made for them. It was a beautiful day. The sun was out, no clouds in the sky, and a slight breeze to cool them if it became hot. The summer breeze always smelled wonderful to Elizabeth.
All of a sudden, a rush of nausea came over Elizabeth. "Excuse me," was all she managed to say before running about ten feet away and rejecting all that she had just eaten.
Darcy ran over to her and scooped her into his arms, "Georgiana, go tell Mrs. Reynolds to fetch a doctor."
"No, I know why this happened." Elizabeth didn't need a doctor to confirm what she already knew.
"Okay, but I still want you in bed."
Darcy carried Elizabeth to her bed and sat beside her.
"Elizabeth, are you alright?" Darcy couldn't believe how many times this question had been asked in the last day and a half.
"I've known something for a couple of weeks, but I wasn't quite sure how to tell you." She looked at his confused face and smile. "I discovered this shortly before you left for you business trip."
Still incredibly confused, Darcy eagerly awaited an explanation. Elizabeth laughed before taking his hand and placing it over her middle.
"Sweetie, deep breaths; you are going to be a father."