Chapter 29: August – September 1816

Lizzy was up and around again soon enough. The birth, longer than her first, had taken more of a toll on her body and she was sore for weeks, but it did not stop her from resuming her duties and doing her part in the relief of the estate.

Georgiana too, threw herself into the work of helping those who were suffering from cold and hunger. She assisted Elizabeth with the makeover of the conservatory into a vegetable garden and helped to organize training sessions at Pemberley for the village girls, where they learned how to do various tasks which would be useful to them in the future and for which they could be paid a small amount and fed a hearty meal.

Some of Georgiana's shyness had worn off during the winter in Town and now still more of it fell away. As she conversed with the villagers and handed out bread to the children who passed on the road, their homes lost, she developed a new sense of gratitude for her life and a desire to share the bounty she had always taken for granted. To be generous, one had to talk to people, to show them that sympathy, rather than pity, was offered. This she did, growing surer of herself through experience and realizing that shyness sometimes had the power to hold one back from offering love and care where love and care were needed. Acknowledging this, she fought her battles bravely and, with the suffering children, who generally viewed her as an angel from heaven, her compassion won the victory over her timidity.

Darcy was proud of her and proud of his wife and boys. They were his sun on days when there was no other.

He himself had done what he could for the crops, oversaw the building of several hothouses where vegetables could be grown after seeing the success of those grown in the conservatory, and begun the work on the enlargement of the stables, with the prospect of adding more horses to it when the time was favorable.

Thus the summer of 1816 passed and autumn came, bringing no change in the weather, but at least normalizing it.

Darcy and Elizabeth were sitting together over breakfast one morning. Darcy with one elbow leaning on the table and his weary head in his hand, was reading the newspaper.

Lizzy set down her teacup with a louder clink than necessary.

"There is nothing new in that paper Fitzwilliam, and it does make you frown so. Please put it down and eat something," she requested firmly.

Darcy put down the newspaper.

"Thank you," said Elizabeth, smiling at him.

"I am sorry Elizabeth, I fear I have been poor company lately," he said, rubbing at his tired forehead.

"You are fortunate that I would rather have your poor company than anyone else's good company."

"We shall never argue as to my good fortune with regards to a wife. However, surely a little fresh company would not come amiss."

"Perhaps not," she replied demurely.

"Where would you like to go?"

"I was thinking of how we haven't seen Jane and Charles since Anna was born. They haven't even met Louis yet. I should very much like to go and see them."

"Then see them you shall," he said, laying his hand on hers where it rested on the table. "Let us make an outing of it on Thursday. Perhaps we may even surprise them."

"That sounds wonderful."

Thursday arrived in due course and the one gentleman, two ladies and two babies crowded into one carriage and set of for Highwood Manor.

Louis was a quiet baby and spent the majority of the drive staring placidly at the ceiling, while his more active brother clambered over people's laps to get a better view out of the different windows.

At Highwood Manor house they alighted, but no footman was at the door to receive them.

"Well, we shall certainly succeed in our intended surprise," commented Darcy, looking about curiously.

"I do hope nothing is wrong," Lizzy said worriedly.

The party went up the steps, Lizzy holding William and Georgiana carrying Louis' basket. Darcy knocked loudly. There was a hurry of footsteps and a footman opened the door to reveal a rather nervous looking Jane.

"Lizzy, Darcy, and Georgiana," she greeted them, the alarm seeming to grow in her voice with each name. "This is such a surprise."

"Jane, why are you acting so strangely? Is anything wrong?" Lizzy asked, taking her sister's hands while her companions hung back in puzzled alarm.

Jane had no chance to answer before a voice called from the parlor, "Lizzy! Hello Lizzy!" and Lizzy turned to see Lydia standing in the doorway.

Lizzy could not answer at first. Jane gave her a helpless look. She glanced at her husband who had turned white and stepped closer to his sister. Georgiana looked confused and nervous.

Lizzy realized someone had to take control of the situation. "Lydia," she said with forced gladness, "I had no notion you were coming to visit Jane."

"Neither did I. I thought I was going to Bath with Wickham, but he thought I should come and stay with Jane instead. I would rather go with him, but he insisted this was best. He is leaving alone tomorrow."

"He is still here then," said Lizzy, looking around as if suspecting him to jump out from a dark corner.

"Oh yes."

"Perhaps we had better call another day, seeing that you are already engaged," said Darcy quickly to Jane.

"Oh, don't go. You haven't met my children yet, and I haven't seen Lizzy in so long," Lydia said pathetically. Lizzy wondered that her company would be so dear to her sister, who had never cared for it before.

"I think we really must go," said Darcy. He turned, and came face to face with Wickham and Bingley, just coming through the door.

Wickham jumped back a little, as if he had seen a ghost. Darcy's mouth was set in a thin line.

Elizabeth looked quickly at Georgiana, to see how she stood this sudden appearance. To her astonishment, Georgiana was standing with her head thrown back looking neither to right nor left. She would not meet Wickham's eyes, but she would not complicate matters by any sign of weakness. Darcy glanced at his sister and Lizzy saw a flicker of emotion in his eyes, even though his mouth remained rigid.

Wickham, as usual, was the first to recover. "Darcy," with a slight bow which the other neither returned nor recognized. "Ladies."

They deigned to acknowledge him with slight nods. Lydia moved forwards and took her husband's arm. "Well this is a sight for sore eyes," she said gaily. Wickham shifted uncomfortably. "What a joke that we should all be here together," she continued with a laugh.

None of the other occupants of the room found anything amusing in the situation.

Darcy was thinking. His first concern in this situation was for his sister. She however was showing no hint of weakness. If she could make heroic efforts not to cause any suspicion then the least he could do was play along.

"Bingley," he began, unable to bring himself to address Wickham yet. "I see you have just come in, but we haven't long to stay and I should very much like to see those horses you purchased last month. Will you oblige me?"

"Of course," said Bingley, smiling in relief that there had been no confrontation. "Will you remain here or come with us Wickham?"

He seemed to hesitate.

"I would like to hear your opinion on them Mr. Wickham," Darcy said in a clipped tone.

Lizzy knew he did it for them. He would endure the company of George Wickham that Georgiana and she too, might be spared it.

Wickham bowed slightly and said that he should be delighted to accompany them.

The men left, and the ladies adjourned to the parlor.

The children were brought in shortly after, no other topic of conversation being ventured upon. George Wickham Jr. had inherited, even at two and a half years old, both his father's handsome features and his mother's lively temperament. He jumped about the room, grabbed his mother's handkerchief and threw it out the window and generally made a nuisance of himself.

Thomas and Lucy, Lydia's year-old twins were noisy too, although less obtrusive, and Lizzy could not help but feel a sort of pride in her quiet Louis.

William looked uncertainly at his cousins for a few minutes, not knowing what to make of this bevy of little children, before bravely going up to George and waving at him, a gesture which George responded to by jumping up and down and shouting lustily.

Anna Bingley's little head was covered in short golden curls, which she inherited from both her parents. She seemed to have their joint temperament too, for she sat on her mother's lap and smiled down benevolently on her little cousins.

Georgiana did not say much, but she was very composed and sat, with hands folded in her lap, calmly answering any questions put to her.

Elizabeth realized that Lydia would probably think Georgiana as proud as she still thought Darcy, but to be thought proud was better than to be thought injured.

"I am sorry Lizzy," whispered Jane when Lydia had gone out to summon a maid to fetch her handkerchief from the garden. "But there was nothing I could do to prevent your all seeing them once you were here."

"It is likely for the best. We would have had to see them sometime and I can think of no less awkward way than this."

"They only arrived yesterday evening or I should have perhaps sent word. And Lizzy, I do feel for Lydia, being left behind by her husband."

"Has she shown any unhappiness?"

Here the conversation was brought to an abrupt halt by the re-entrance of Lydia.

Over the next hour Lizzy studied her youngest sister, but if Lydia was unhappy, she hid it well. Her face looked a little thinner, but then, she was older than when Elizabeth had last seen her.

"Aren't my children beautiful?" asked Lydia of her second eldest sister.

"They are all three very handsome children," replied Lizzy truthfully.

"It is so droll that I should have three already and you two and Jane one when I am the youngest and Jane the eldest. But then, I was married first."

Lizzy was not surprised, although still rather disgusted, that Lydia had matured so little. She changed the subject. "How do you like living in Newcastle?"

"Oh, there are diversions enough. One gets tired of the same sights and people however and I do want to go to Bath or London. But it costs too much to take a proper house and Wickham says it is too difficult to take three small children to stay at lodgings. It is such a shame."

"Have you both been in Newcastle since his posting?"

"I have, except for one trip to London early on. Wickham goes out on short trips a great deal with other gentlemen of the regiment."

Lizzy's curiosity being now satisfied, she was glad when Louis finally began to cry, and she must turn her attention to comforting him.

"Well Darcy. We meet again," commented Wickham, when the two were left to themselves while Charles spoke to the head stableman. "You know I never thought I would actually call you brother, although we were always something like."

"Not always," returned his companion shortly, stooping to examine the legs of a black thoroughbred that reminded him of Ulysses.

"Elizabeth is fond of Pemberley I should think. She always did have a taste for lovely views."

"I did not give you permission to address Mrs. Darcy by her Christian name," Darcy said coldly. "You will please refrain from doing so in future."

"Come come Darcy. She was my sister before she was your wife."

"Only because I made you marry Lydia Bennet when you would otherwise have deserted her. You will perhaps guard your tongue when I remind you that I also purchased your commission and paid your debts," said Darcy in a more heated tone.

"Ah yes, Darcy, now that we are speaking of my commission, my salary is quite too small for a family of four," returned Wickham, to all appearances unruffled.

"I should think it's a little late to think of that."

"For Mrs. Darcy's sake, don't let her sister's family go hungry," in those smooth tones which grated on Darcy's ears.

"You dare ask me for more," he whispered angrily as a stableman passed them.

"Only for a recommendation for a promotion."

"I would rather promote a Frenchman."

"It's not for my sake Darcy. If it was I should not ask it."

Darcy highly doubted this last remark, but Charles was returning.

"I shall consider it," he managed from between clenched teeth.

When the gentlemen returned from the stables, Darcy sat for only a quarter of an hour before suggesting to his wife that their departure be commenced. She quickly agreed and goodbyes were exchanged, some cold and some warm.

"Come and see us soon Jane," whispered Lizzy. "I did not get to talk with you as I would have wished."

"I will Lizzy."

Lizzy could not help but bid Lydia goodbye with feelings of compassion, if not of regret. Wickham bowed respectfully to her as she passed him.

"Mr. Wickham." She nodded to him, coolly enough.

"Mrs. Darcy." There was nothing forward in his tone, as on their previous meetings. The corner of her mouth twitched, and she wondered what Darcy had said to him.

In the carriage Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam both looked hesitantly at Georgiana, not knowing in what state they should find her.

"Please, do not distress yourselves on my account," Georgiana said firmly, seeing their glances. "I assure you that George Wickham is no longer anything to me and any shyness regarding him stems from a shame of ever having thought him worthy of regard. I wish nothing more than for you to forget that he was ever known to me, as I have endeavored to do."

Darcy pressed her hand wordlessly and Elizabeth smiled warmly at her. They were perhaps less composed than their sister and both felt uncomfortable discussing the visit until they were back at Pemberley.

"I am sorry, Fitzwilliam, that you should have been forced to go through that," Lizzy began.

"I have gone through worse," he commented dryly. "It's not your fault Elizabeth."

"My sister did run away with him," she whispered with downcast eyes.

He raised her chin. "Elizabeth you know I would rather be forced to see him every day than lose you. So enough of this nonsense."

"I do feel sorry for Lydia, even though she formed her own fate, and was lucky in a way," she added hastily, not wishing him to think she resented his help in bringing about the Wickham's wedding.

"No one deserves a husband like him."

She sighed. "At least he still keeps up a pretense of being an honorable man."

He nodded. "He asked me to aid him further in his profession. What is your opinion on the matter?"

She paused, considering. Then, "He does not deserve it, but anything that can help him retain his respectability before his family seems to me worthwhile. You once told me that it was all for me, everything you did for Lydia. I must tell you before you assist him that I have not been worthy of your sacrifice. I have been sending money to Lydia on occasion without telling you."

He turned away from her and she feared he was angry. After a moment he said, "If it gave you comfort, I have no objection. I only wish you had not thought you must conceal it from me."

"I should not have. I was ashamed of all you had already done."

She took his arm as she spoke, and he covered her hand with his own, but his brow was still troubled. Soon she understood that it was caused by no anger against her as he said, "When I think of what might have been if either Georgiana or you had not had your eyes been opened in time to his deception."

"There was no fear for me. I was too poor to make him desire me as a wife and I hope too virtuous to give him the chance to think of anything else. And Fitzwilliam, I was very proud of Georgiana today. She seemed quite untouched, even when we arrived home. She is growing up."

Darcy looked at his sister, who was sitting at the pianoforte across the room, engrossed in her music, and Lizzy could see the pain in his eyes as he realized the truth of her words.

"I don't want to lose her Elizabeth."

"And you never will. She adores you Fitzwilliam. Her growing up and leaving to form a more lasting establishment will not decrease her love for you. Has it decreased mine for Jane or my father?"

"No."

They had walked out into the hallway as they spoke, and he moved to stand by a window, something he did when troubled or perplexed.

"I believe," said Lizzy, "it will only bring you still closer, when you can converse together as equals, rather than elder brother and little sister."

"You are right, I am sure, but I cannot help but wish she need not grow up ever."

"You would deprive her of the kind of love I feel for you?"

He looked at her steadily. "Never," as he closed the space between them in a single stride.

A/N: Hope everyone enjoyed this installment. I have decided that the next chapter, chapter 30, is going to be the last chapter in this story. Fate permitting, there will be a sequel at some point. I still have lots of ideas for all the characters.

Thank you for joining me on this ride and see you for the last chapter in a few days. :)