Chapter 24:

"They are here," called Georgiana, hurrying down to meet her brother as he entered the hall of Bingley's London house. Kitty followed her quickly and Jane and Charles came after her, no less eager.

In a moment the hall was a confusion of happy greetings as Lizzy was embraced by her sisters and Bingley swung William high in the air, making him shriek with laughter and his mother to gasp in fright. The little lad was rescued by his father and the party went to the sitting room.

"Lizzy? Were you not to bring little Catherine Farley with you?" Kitty asked, trying to sound quite innocent. Lizzy looked at her sister curiously, but her head was bent over a bouquet of hothouse flowers and she couldn't see her face.

"Yes. We had Nurse Rosa take her straight to Darcy house. She is only a little over a month old you know and was sleeping soundly when we arrived there. We didn't want to wake her but anyone who wishes to see her may come back with us. She is a dear baby. William calls her 'Katty' just as Mary used to call Kitty."

Kitty hid her face in the flowers again, and Lizzy turned her attention to Jane who asked, "How long will you keep her for?"

"I would love to keep her for a year at least, but Richard will take her back to Rosings with him in the spring once a suitable nurse has been found. He has agreed to let us keep her until then."

The conversation drifted to other topics, but Kitty's mind remained on the child at Darcy house, whose new mother she might possibly be before the spring came.

Darcy soon proposed going home, knowing that Lizzy was tired from the journey and would rest easier now that she had seen her sisters.

Georgiana and Kitty were to remove to Darcy house the following day, but at the door Lizzy turned and said, "Would either of you like to come back with us now? I could certainly use the help getting settled in."

Kitty's eyes lit up. "I will certainly come if you want me to Lizzy."

Georgiana expressed an eagerness to come home, but an old schoolfellow of hers was expected in an hour and she felt she must stay.

At Darcy house, Lizzy took Kitty's hand and led her upstairs to where Cathy lay in her cradle. Lizzy picked up the baby and Kitty bent over her, exclaiming in delight.

"She is such a little angel." Kitty said softly as the baby opened her grey eyes and stared up at her quietly. "May I take her?"

Lizzy gave Kitty the baby and watched as Kitty walked slowly around the room, cooing softly to her.

"Do you think I could help care for her when you have William with you?" Kitty asked tentatively.

"Of course, if you'd like to. She is very young and will need her nurse quite a lot. But you may certainly care for her in the intervals between."

There was a light knock on the door. Lizzy bade the person enter and Richard poked his head in.

"Richard," said Lizzy. "What a surprise."

He looked a little uncomfortable but said cheerfully. "I hope I am not intruding. I wanted to see Cathy before tomorrow. I have no intention of making a long visit."

Lizzy looked at her sister and Kitty nodded in assent.

"Come in and see her then," Lizzy said invitingly.

He walked over, his limp was barely noticeable now, and stood beside Kitty who still held the child.

Lizzy decided that the intended conversation had been successful and smiled happily.

"She has grown," Richard commented.

"You saw her last barely over a week ago," Lizzy protested.

"My statement still stands."

"I think she is very tiny," said Kitty.

"That is also true," he said. "Now I have contradicted myself and you are free to laugh at me."

"I would never laugh at you," Kitty said with a smile, as Lizzy laughed freely.

"You have a poor opinion of my sense of humor then?"

"No," she said, laughing too despite her best efforts. "I never said I wouldn't laugh at your jokes."

"Oh, well then that's alright," he said, relievedly.

Cathy began to cry, and Richard asked, "May I take her for a minute?"

Kitty gave him the child and he moved to a seat and sat down. Cathy quieted almost instantly, and Kitty sat down beside him, too engrossed with the baby to realize what she did.

"She certainly hasn't forgotten you," Kitty said softly.

Richard nodded but did not answer. Kitty laid a hand on his arm as she bent forward over the child and touched her soft little cheek.

Lizzy watched them as they sat together, with the little bundle in Richard's arms, and happy tears gathered in her eyes. They looked so natural and happy, forgetting themselves in their interest in the child.

Darcy came in with William and put the little boy down to let him crawl to his mother. Lizzy held out her arms and William gave an eager little shriek and made for her on chubby hands and knees, still his preferred method of locomotion although he could pull himself up easily now and even take a wobbly step or two.

Kitty stood up quickly at the new entrance and Richard looked up. But Darcy didn't seem surprised or displeased. He gave them a smile and nod and settled down beside Lizzy on the other couch.

After another five minutes Richard handed Cathy back to Kitty and departed, promising to see them at Lord Grenville's ball tomorrow evening at the latest.

The next morning, Jane and Lizzy were sitting together in the little corner room in Darcy house.

"I have something to tell you Lizzy."

Elizabeth looked up to see her sister's face, glowing with happiness.

"Tell me Jane. Do not keep me in such suspense."

"Well… I am finally to be a mother Lizzy."

Lizzy threw her arms around her sister's neck in the exuberance of her emotions.

"When? How long have you known? Who else knows?"

Jane laughed at the bevy of questions. "In the late spring, May probably. I have been sure for about three weeks now, but I wanted to tell you in person and there has been no other time that seemed appropriate. Charles knows of course, and I have written to Papa, who will prepare Mama for my next letter. We have made no general announcement yet. Perhaps soon now that you are all here."

Lizzy took her sister's hands and held them close. "I am so, so happy for you Jane."

"Will you help me Lizzy. I feel quite nervous sometimes."

"Oh, but you do everything flawlessly. I am sure I shall be learning from you how to handle in a graceful and calm fashion what I stumbled and cried my way through. You certainly helped me in exactly the right way at William's birth without ever seeing it done before."

"So, you won't help me?" Jane asked with a smile and a lift of the eyebrows.

"Did I say that? Why of course I shall help you as best I can."

Lizzy returned to her seat after one more quick hug.

She almost opened her mouth to share her own hopes with Jane. But it was not time yet. Fitzwilliam didn't even know yet, she was not quite sure, and there was time enough after the celebration over Jane's news.

A/N: If I was naming chapters this one would be called Babies, Babies and More Babies. But who can get tired of babies?

Thanks again for all the awesome support. Please R&R and have a great day just because I said so. :)