Author's Note: sorry for the delay. The next chapter won't take as long. Enjoy!
Lizzy's maternal instincts were correct. They did receive letters from Georgiana in the post the following morning. In their letters, Georgiana recapped her experiences in London and said she was about to depart for Pemberley. She believed she would arrive home two days after her letter reached them.
Both Darcys were filled with joy at the news of her return. Georgiana's stories would keep Lizzy entertained for days. While Georgiana was an excellent correspondent, she was sure there were tons of things she left out. Lizzy, in particular, was certain that there were things too scandalous to have been shared in a letter.
The two days passed too slowly for Elizabeth's liking. She was very large, wanted her husband's touch, and sleep deprived from the babe's kicks. Jane, Kitty, and Fitzwilliam did their best to entertain her, but she was too excited for her sister's return. When Georgiana arrived, she was overjoyed. Georgiana changed quickly from her traveling clothes and came to sit with her.
"Lizzy!" she exclaimed and hugged her tightly. "My, how big you have gotten!"
"Dear Georgiana, we have missed you so very much these past months. As you can see, I am now nearly as large as Pemberley," she smiled.
"Oh you are not that large, but I have missed you too! I am so terribly sorry I could not have returned earlier, especially when you were confined."
"Georgiana, speak no more of it. I wanted you to enjoy the season. Please tell me all about it. Spare no detail!"
Georgiana began to recount all the splendors of London. She talked of the theatre she saw, the music she listened to, and the art she admired. She talked of the sights of London and the bustle of the city. She talked about the fashionable ladies she saw and the newest fashions.
Lizzy was an attentive listener and asked a great number of questions. She was extremely curious about Georgiana's encounters with Lydia and Caroline. She did not know how to broach the subject delicately, so she was bold.
"Georgiana, I do not know how to ask more gently so let me just say it. Did you encounter Mrs. Wickham and Miss Bingley again?"
"I confess that I did. I did not know what to do or what to write about it, but the ladies made some comments to me. They suggested something very disturbing to me."
"Pray tell."
"Caroline may have suggested that the babe is going to come very early because," she said taking a deep breath, "because you and my brother preceded your marriage vows. Caroline said it would be revealed as soon as the babe is born and that I shall be ruined." She was worked up, incredibly so.
"I assure you that did not happen and I can assure you that you will not be ruined. Please calm down," she said rubbing her sister's back. "Georgiana. I am nine months gone and the babe is not yet here. Surely I could not have been with child on my wedding day."
"I grow increasingly upset the more I think about the whole incident. Miss Bingley and your sister did indeed make some cruel comments to me. They were about more and you and my brother. Mrs. Wickham said that no man would marry me except for my money."
Had Lizzy not been confined to bed, she would have leapt from the bed and stormed out of the room. She was so angry at Lydia. She wanted to write to her, wanted to scold her. She tried to keep her anger under wraps. "Please, do not listen to Lydia. She is a foolish girl; anyone can see that. She is jealous of you. Do not let it bother you."
"But what if no one wants to marry me?" Georgiana looked up at her, her eyes watering.
"Georgiana, I was telling this to Kitty not long ago as well. You are a beautiful girl. You are a catch. Just because someone has not seen your loveliness and acted on it, does not mean you will never fall in love."
"How is Kitty?" she said whipping her tears. "I forgot to ask. How is the new vicar?"
"I believe there is something between Kitty and the new vicar. I am pleased. Jane says that they have been very kind to each other. They get on well."
"At least someone is happy and perhaps on their way to falling in love."
"Oh Georgiana."
"I do not know why I am upset or why I keep jumping around in conversation. I confess I am more tired than I realized."
"Perhaps you should rest. I will still be here, lying in bed, when you awake."
"Alright," she sighed before heading off to rest, and to regain control of her emotions.
Lizzy was not pleased. She had to do something to make Lydia see the fault in her ways. She wished she could travel to London and give Lydia and Caroline a proper set down. They deserved it. They had been very cruel these past months.
There was little she could do from her confined state. Even after the babe was born, she would not be able to travel for some time. She would not wish to travel anyway. The only thing she could do, would be to send someone in her place. Fitzwilliam was the clear choice seeing as she trusted him beyond any other person, but she could never bear to be apart from her husband, especially when their first child was about to be born.
The next logical choice would be to send Charles. Caroline was his sister after all and he had the authority to scold her. Jane would not mind Charles being gone, not when the coming birth was the focus of her thoughts. She would wish for Charles to take care of Lydia and Caroline; Jane could not stand cruelty.
Whether Charles was up to the task was another story. He had a tendency to be kinder than necessary and forgiving of the faults of those around him, particularly his sister's. Surely once the situation was explained to him he would agree that something that to be done and that he was the person only person in a position to do anything about it.
She would talk to Fitzwilliam first. His judgment was always sound; he would know exactly what was best to do. Normally she would be confident with her own decision making skills, but lately, she felt off, likely due to her late stages of confinement.