Chapter 4: June 1814

A knock sounded on the door of the ladies' sitting room where Elizabeth and Georgiana were sitting and sewing clothes for the baby. Darcy would have willingly paid to have them made, but Lizzy wanted to make them herself and Georgiana was eager to help. The later jumped up to open the door and received a packet of letters from a servant. She brought them to Lizzy. Sifting through them, Lizzy spied Jane's neat handwriting. Another letter was from Charlotte and another… Lizzy groaned a little, from Lydia. She excused herself from Georgiana and went to her room to read them. She opened Jane's letter first.

Dearest Lizzy,

I was so happy to receive your last letter. I am sure you will be a perfect mother. Mamma was dining with us when your letter arrived, and I was forced to exert myself greatly to keep from showing my joy before her as you mentioned that you did not want to reveal the news to all our family yet.

Charles and I should be delighted to accept your invitation to visit Pemberley in June. I have a great longing to see the place and to see you dearest Lizzy. I am very happy with Charles, but I miss you exceedingly.

All my love,
Jane

A little tear of happiness splashed onto the paper as Lizzy folded up the letter. She also missed her sister and was thrilled at the prospect of a visit from her.

The letter from Charlotte was opened next. It contained a report of Charlotte's own health as she was to enter her confinement in less than a month. Charlotte also mentioned that Lady Catherine had spoken her nephew's name at dinner the preceding evening, which had not happened since his marriage to Elizabeth.

Lizzy put down the letter with a little smile as she wondered what Lady Catherine's reaction would be if she knew that Darcy was going to be a father.

Reluctantly, she opened Lydia's letter.

My Dear Lizzy,

I am sure that I thank you for the little gift in your last letter. However, with the birth of our son two weeks ago there are a great many new expenses and I was hoping you would be inclined to make George Wickham Jr. a small present of say another 20 pounds or so. I am sure I appreciate it. However if you had rather not I am sure I shall manage.

Yours,
Lydia

Lizzy was startled. She had not known Lydia was expecting a child. The realization of all that Darcy had done for Lydia struck her anew. "Ungrateful girl," she scolded. "I shall send no such money for she wastes it wantonly."

She sat down to write a response. In a little under ten minutes she had finished a rather short and angry letter, rebuking her sister for her spend-thriftiness. She looked at it and then slowly went over to her bureau and pulled out her purse. She hesitated, removed the requested 20 pounds and placed it in the letter. Who knew how desperate the Wickhams were already. The baby might suffer without the money. She sealed the letter and then, with the unpleasant correspondence over, returned to sit by Georgiana in the sitting room and answer her other letters in a more leisurely manner.

Fitzwilliam slipped into bed beside his wife. It had been a hard day and he was tired. He lent over and kissed her, thinking she was asleep, but she opened her eyes and smiled at his touch.

"How late you are dearest."

"There was a fire in the village and one of the houses was badly burned."

"Goodness!" cried Lizzy. "Was anyone hurt?"

"Everyone is fine. It was not serious. A candle too close to the thatched roof in the attic." But she saw him wince a little.

"Are you burned?" she asked, knowing that he would have been in the forefront of those trying to quench the flames.

"My hands are a little painful," he admitted.

She sat up, lighted the lamp and turned his hands over. They were red and blistering. She gave a sympathetic cry. "Oh Fitzwilliam, did you have them dressed?"

"No, it was not bad enough for that."

"You did not even show them to Wilkins," she accused reproachfully, referring to Darcy's valet. "Well, I shall have him come now and bring some cream for them."

Wilkins was summoned, fetched the cream, and was dismissed with thanks.

Darcy lifted himself so that he was sitting against the headboard of the bed and Lizzy sat facing him. She began to rub the ointment into his hands gently. He flinched and she tried to think of something to take his mind off the discomfort.

"I had a letter from Jane today," she began. "She said that she and Charles can accept our invitation and come in July."

"I shall look forward to it. I know how much you must miss your sister."

"I do miss her of course, but I have you and Georgiana, and now the child to look forward to. I think I am rather to be envied than pitied," she said with a smile. "However, I also received another letter from Charlotte."

"Charlotte?"

"Charlotte Collins," she said, a little shocked that he should not remember her friend.

"Oh, Mrs. Collins. I don't believe I ever heard her Christian name."

"Indeed, you must have. But perhaps I shall forgive you if you suggest that you could not remember her name because your whole attention was absorbed in staring at me while I was staying with the Collins," she said teasingly.

"I don't doubt but that it was so my love," he replied, with tenderness as well as playfulness in his voice.

"But we are digressing from our subject," Lizzy put in merrily. "I wanted to tell you what was in Charlotte's letter. She spoke of Lady Catherine having mentioned your name to her, which she apparently has not done since you married me."

"Most likely, even before that. My letter to her concerning the forthcoming event was not written in the most endearing language."

"I felt that I should mention her Ladyship's condescension to you."

"For what purpose?"

"I was thinking that perhaps, in view of such magnanimity on Lady Catherine's part, you might attempt a reconciliation."

"You are joking."

"Yes about the magnanimity. No about the reconciliation. You see I should very much like to see Charlotte again and I really do not see how it is possible with our current standing with your aunt."

"Now you are teasing. But why should you wish a reconciliation? My aunt was insufferable to you. I cannot apologize for what I said in view of her behavior."

"I did not suggest an apology and I do not personally wish a reunion. But I think you do."

He looked at her in astonishment. Then he laughed. "I confess it has been weighing on my mind of late. Lady Catherine is my mother's sister and in honor of my mother's memory I cannot feel at ease in slighting her. If you are in agreement, I shall write to her and ask her to forget the past and accept the future."

"Good boy," Lizzy said with saucy approval.

The cream was applied and to Fitzwilliam's surprise, his hands felt much better for it. The two lay down to sleep, at peace with all the world.

The next morning, Fitzwilliam came upon his wife and sister, putting on their bonnets and spencers for an outing.

"Where are you ladies going on your walk?" he asked.

"Down to the village. We are taking a basket with all the necessities that might have been destroyed in the fire yesterday."

He frowned. "Are you sure you feel up to walking that far Lizzy?"

"Yes, quite," she replied. "And Thomas shall carry the basket for us."

"No," he said.

Lizzy turned around to face him, prepared to be angry, but he was not finished.

"I shall walk with you and Ulysses can carry the things. He is saddled in the courtyard. I have to ride on from the village but I shall send the Thomas down with the phaeton in an hour so you need not walk back."

"We shall be delighted to have you with us," she said, relaxing into a smile. "And we shall accept the carriage, although the doctor told me that walking could do no harm."

"Trust you to ask him that."

The walk was pleasant. The June breeze was mild and sweet and the primroses were blooming in the hedgerows along the path. Elizabeth was in her element and Darcy watched her fondly if slightly anxiously as she reveled in the beauty of earth and sky.

When they reached the village after a half hour walk, Darcy led them to the burned house. Repairs were already being made. He scanned the street and then made his way over to one elderly woman who was standing in a doorway a few houses down. Elizabeth followed him while Georgiana remained behind for a moment to watch the workers.

Georgiana gasped a little as she saw one young fellow climb atop the ridgepole, which was still intact. To look up so high made her dizzy, let alone to stand up there. The youth caught her eye and bobbed his head to her in a friendly manner. Georgiana, not knowing how to respond, blushed and hurried off after her brother.

Darcy addressed the woman, "How are you Mrs. Moore? I trust you found a place to stay while your house is being repaired."

"Yes I did. I'm staying here with my good friend and neighbor Mrs. Carter," she said with a bright smile.

Lizzy thought her very cheerful, for a woman whose house had just been partially destroyed. She liked her optimistic smile and decided she was a pleasant person.

"I daresay the house will be in livable condition again within a week," Darcy added.

"Its more than I deserve, seeing my silly carelessness with that lamp."

"It can happen to anyone," Darcy said kindly. Then, "Mrs. Darcy has brought a basket of things that might have been lost in the fire and we hope you will accept them with our good wishes."

The old woman's eyes twinkled as she looked over at Elizabeth. "My thanks Mrs. Darcy. I might have known the young Master would choose a bride as was just like his mother for helping folks out."

Elizabeth blushed a little at this praise and asked, "Will Mrs. Carter mind if I step in for a moment?"

"I don't imagine so Ma'am. And anyway, she's out at the moment," Mrs. Moore said with another smile.

Darcy put the basket on the table, smiled at his wife and left the room.

Georgiana entered as he left and stood shyly by the door.

"Do you live alone Mrs. Moore?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes, my son is a sailor now and my daughter lives forty miles away with her husband."

"I don't mean to pry," said Lizzy "But I am curious as to how you support yourself."

"I have savings put by," Mrs. Moore said, not at all offended. "And," she added with one of her twinkling smiles, "I still work from time to time."

"What is your profession?" asked Elizabeth with a new respect for the independent woman."

"I'm the local midwife. And if I do say so, I am welcome in any house in the village seeing as how I helped deliver nearly every person here that's under forty years old."

Elizabeth was intrigued. The topic was one avoided in all respectable circles and she liked the old woman's frankness. She looked towards Georgiana but she was looking out the window at the workers.

"How did you learn the… trade," she said, smiling a little.

"The way we all do. Practice with a more experienced midwife until we know just what to do. I'd say I've delivered close to three hundred babies in my time. You see Ma'am, I gave up counting at one hundred and sixty-two and that was twenty years ago."

Her chuckle was infectious and Elizabeth laughed with her.

There was a clatter of wheels on cobblestones outside and Georgiana called, "The carriage is here Elizabeth."

"I must go," said Lizzy. "But we shall call again when your house is rebuilt."

"Please do Mrs. Darcy," said Mrs. Moore with a polite bobbing of her head in farewell.

Out in the street, Lizzy and Georgiana stepped into the phaeton and settled themselves for the ride back.

"I think I should like to be a peasant girl if I couldn't be myself," said Georgiana thoughtfully, "They have so much more freedom and less society rules to follow, such as not speaking to people without a proper introduction."

Lizzy smiled. "Did someone speak to you Georgiana?"

"No." said the girl, "I was just watching the villagers."

The rest of the drive was spent in a friendly silence, each lady busy with her own thoughts.

Author's Note: Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Do you all like the introduction of OCs or prefer to stick to Jane Austen's original set? I am going to try and follow what happens in the epilogue/last chapter of Pride and Prejudice as best I can, because Miss Austen was a genius, but not be restricted by it from adding new scenarios.