Chapter 11
Darcy entered the bedroom quietly and whispered something to Lizzy. She nodded eagerly and he went out again.
The doctor had come and gone after declaring that all was well and Mrs. Moore had returned to her home for the night.
Darcy reappeared and beckoned to someone behind the door. Georgiana entered on tiptoe. Elizabeth smiled and held out her hand. Georgiana scurried forwards and took it.
"Oh," she breathed, looking down at the baby, who lay beside his mother, blinking quietly at the ceiling. "He is so small. May… may I hold him Lizzy?"
"Of course. You are much braver than your brother you know," Lizzy said with a quiet chuckle. She carefully lifted the baby and Georgiana bent to receive him.
"Support his head, so… There we are."
"His eyes are so dark!"
"Like his mother's," said Fitzwilliam, who was standing to one side and fairly bursting with pride and delight at seeing his little family all together.
"And like yours," remonstrated Elizabeth. "I think that we have such similar coloring that there will be no way of knowing who he favors."
The baby whimpered and flailed an arm about wildly. Georgiana bounced him lightly and he quieted.
"I believe you are a natural Georgiana," exclaimed Lizzy in delight.
Georgiana blushed with pleasure and changed the subject. "Have you decided on a name yet?"
"Well, we have talked about it a few times now," Lizzy said, "and think that all our respective relatives will be offended if we don't name our first son after them, unless we name him after his father. They will not dare to complain then. We were thinking Fitzwilliam Henry Darcy or something of the sort. Isn't that right Fitzwilliam?"
He nodded. "Yes. He will go by William or Will to save confusion."
Georgiana gently handed the baby back to Lizzy. "I shall come visit you again soon little William," she said playfully. "And you just rest Lizzy and don't worry about a thing. Jane and I shall manage fine."
Lizzy hid her smile at the girl's businesslike tone. "I am very grateful, dear."
Georgiana turned and walked to the door with a last fond glance back.
"I shall follow you directly Georgiana," Darcy called after her. He turned to Elizabeth. "Charles sends his congratulations and looks forward to meeting his nephew soon. Jane is resting now. Can I do anything for you?"
"I just need to rest I think. Thank you dearest."
He bent over and kissed her gently, then left her and the baby to sleep again.
Mrs. Moore took the baby expertly from his mother's arms. He was a week old now, but Elizabeth was still very tired, and Darcy still insisted that Mrs. Moore come once a day to check on her. Jane and Georgiana sat with Elizabeth every day and, altogether, the time was a peaceful, happy one.
"I can't imagine what I would have done without you Mrs. Moore," Lizzy said sincerely.
The elder woman gave Elizabeth one of her twinkling smiles. "He is a fine baby, Mrs. Darcy. He looks a great deal like his father when he was born."
Lizzy looked at her in surprise. "You were there for Fitzwilliam's birth?" She smiled at the ludicrousness of the idea of Darcy as a baby.
"Indeed, I was. I was a young midwife then, but old Mr. Darcy said there was none better in Derbyshire. I was also one of those who attended Lady Anne at Miss Georgiana's birth. Young master Darcy used to walk with me from the village up to the house. But…" with a sigh, "The missus was very frail and… well, we did what I could, but it was almost hopeless."
"I did not know…" said Lizzy, visibly moved, and with a tender glance at her son. "My aunt engaged a London midwife for me, who as you know, did not arrive in time. If I had not felt obliged to accept my aunt's recommendation I should certainly, I think, have planned on calling on your services earlier. I shall certainly have no need to send to London for a midwife ever again, for I will always feel safe in your hands. I wonder, since he knew of your work before, that my husband did not think to call you first."
"I wouldn't blame him Ma'am. My guess is that Master Darcy put all thoughts of that time—his mother's passing so young and all—out of his head and tried never to think of it again. It's no wonder he forgot about me being a part of that time."
"Well, we are forever grateful, Mrs. Moore," Lizzy said as the midwife handed the child back to her.
When Darcy came in from his morning ride with Bingley, he found his wife dressed and sitting on the sofa by the window in her room.
"You are up I see," he said, sitting down beside her and taking her hand.
"Yes. I feel much better today. The nurse took William while I answered some letters. She will bring him in as soon as he wakes up."
Lizzy had decided to feed and care for her child herself as much as possible, but it was unfeasible, with all her other duties and in such a large house, to be always available to him. Thus, a part time nurse had been engaged. Rosa was a motherly woman from the village whom Mrs. Moore had recommended and Elizabeth, who had watched her with an eagle eye for the past few days, was quite satisfied with the nurse's care of her infant.
"Speaking of letters, I sent the invitations to the christening out today. The date is set for January 5th. Today is December 14th so we shall have plenty of time to prepare."
Lizzy sighed. "I suppose we must have them all, but the thought of all of my family and your family under one roof is quite frightening to me."
He frowned. "The thought cannot hold much pleasure for me either. They must come however."
"At least Caroline Bingley shall not come. She would not like to miss the beginning of the season in Town."
"That is always a blessing," said Darcy dryly.
"I daresay there shall be a few welcome guests to make up for the general inconvenience," said Elizabeth optimistically. "Charlotte will come I think, and Papa, and the Gardeners. Jane and Charles will stay until after the event of course. They are the godparents. I promised Georgiana that she shall be the godmother of our second child, so we had better be quick about it, for she will expect it," she finished jokingly.
"What are your views concerning future children my love, now that you have one?"
"Why, I think that my views are unchanged. You know I want seven or eight at least," replied Lizzy teasingly.
"In all earnestness Elizabeth, waiting… while you went through that, was horrible. I would not put you through that again, without your being ready, for anything."
"You are very good to me," she said softly, laying her head on his shoulder and putting an arm around him. "But know Fitzwilliam, now and always, that I truly want to have your children. The joy of holding our son was greater than any pain I experienced. I love him, and I love you."
He looked at her tenderly. "You are quite a woman Mrs. Darcy. Well then, when William is a little older, and you are quite strong again, we shall give him a sibling, and perhaps leave it to God to decide the final number?"
"Agreed," said Lizzy smilingly. She lifted up her face and he kissed her softly. She leaned against his chest and let her heartbeat fall into rhythm with his.
"Where are we going Charles?" Jane asked for the third time. "We are far past the grounds of Pemberley as you well know."
"Wait and see Jane," he answered with a knowing smile as he patted her hand.
She looked out the carriage window in a vain attempt to determine their exact location. A light flurry of snowflakes was in the air, but the sun was shining brightly from between the clouds. She sighed and leaned back.
As the hour wore on, Jane looked at her husband with an increasing surprise and curiosity. Bingley however, chatted away about anything and everything but their destination. His train of thought frequently reverted to how fine a county Derbyshire was and how inconvenient it was to be in Hertfordshire, so far from Lizzy and Darcy.
Just when Jane began to think they might never reach their drive's end, Bingley called to the driver to turn off the road onto a drive with great, spreading, oak trees, bare now, but of gigantic size. Jane peered out the window and suddenly gasped in astonishment as the drive made a turn and a large, stately house came into view.
"Are we paying a visit here?" she asked in surprise. "I do not recall meeting the family."
"No," Charles replied as the carriage rolled to a halt in front of the mansion. He helped his wife alight and then finished his sentence. "If you find it agreeable, I was thinking of leasing this house this coming year and perhaps purchasing it if…"
He was cut off as Jane threw her arms around his neck in a transport of joy. "Thank you! Thank you Charles! Oh, you are too good!"
He hugged her back, a little sheepish but delighted none the less. "My dear you haven't even seen the place yet."
"I shall love it I know already. But when did you find it?"
"Darcy found it for me during the summer. The grounds are much more beautiful then of course, and he and I rode out here yesterday. We looked at two but this one was in better repair and only needs new furnishings. The last step before we can sign the papers is to see if you like it."
"Can we go inside?"
"Of course. The housekeeper is still here although the family moved to reside permanently in London over a year ago."
Jane gave him a quick kiss and then took his hand and pulled him after her towards the entrance.
The next day, the papers were signed, giving the Bingley's a year's lease, starting in January.
Lizzy was elated at the news and was only sorry that she was not let well enough for such a long drive in the cold. She comforted herself with the prospect of seeing the house in the spring when her sister moved in, for the process of refurnishing would require at least two months and there were matters to be settled before Netherfield was given up which would take time.
Christmas was held at Pemberley with reverent and quiet joy by the Darcys and Bingleys, and the new year was ushered in with the promise of great happiness in the time ahead.