A/N - This chapter is unedited. Please let me know if you see any issues or where you think the story might drag. Specifically, in this chapter, what do you think of the resolution between ODC after their argument?
Let me know if you continue to see any issues with consistency, language/usage, or just too much information. This story will be published on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited at some point once it is finished (new target: September 10?).
Chapter 26
The Darcys spent much of that day in separate pursuits without crossing paths. This was unusual for the couple, and the servants noted the distance between them. A few times, Darcy hovered by the door of whatever room Elizabeth was in, watching her for a few moments before sighing and moving on, unsure of how to approach his wife. He knew he was correct — they had already discussed this and agreed on this course of action — but he was concerned about speaking to Elizabeth without upsetting her further.
Finally, he moved to his room to dress for dinner and waited for his wife in their sitting room to escort her downstairs. After some time, he finally knocked on her bedroom door to check on her.
"Dearest," he called as he opened the door. "Are you well?" His voice betrayed his uncertainty.
"I am tired," Elizabeth replied from the bed. "I requested a tray in my room this evening."
"Might I join you?" he asked softly.
She sniffed. "If you like," she replied diffidently.
He nodded but then stepped away. After speaking to his valet to send a message to deliver an additional tray to the mistress's bedchambers, he removed his coat and boots and went to join his wife in her bedchamber.
The room had been rarely used during their marriage except as an extension of Elizabeth's dressing room. She had not fully redecorated it but replaced a few faded and worn pieces and ordered new curtains and a counterpane to brighten the room.
"Are you well, my love?" he asked as he entered the room, pulling a chair nearer to her.
She looked abashed. "No," she replied. "I feel somewhat foolish for hiding here this evening and avoiding you all day. I have missed you but was too proud to seek you out. I am glad you discovered me here. I am sorry for behaving childishly."
"Are you still determined to travel to Longbourn?" he asked quietly.
She sighed deeply. "No, you were right. We had agreed that it was a foolish idea. I was exhausted by our travel in October, and I was uncomfortable travelling to Lambton just a few days ago. It is ridiculous to suppose that if I struggled to travel just five miles, I could manage a journey of more than a hundred and fifty miles. I would be miserable travelling for days and likely make you miserable. I do know better, but it seems that this baby makes me incapable of thinking reasonably."
Darcy attempted not to laugh at the look on her face as she said this. Uncertain if he should agree with her, he made a noncommittal noise in his throat. Elizabeth noticed this and grinned at him. "I no longer feel so irrational, so you may laugh at me if you like. I dare say the physician will arrive tomorrow and want to meet with you before you see me, and you can tell him all about it."
He grinned in return and released the chuckle he had held back. However, he had not kissed her since that morning, so he moved to sit beside her on the bed and remedy that problem. They were interrupted several minutes later when her abigail arrived, leading several footmen carrying the trays that contained their dinner.
As they ate, Darcy addressed the argument again. "Elizabeth, is there something else on your mind that led to your earlier upset? You cannot truly want to go to Longbourn, can you? Not after swearing never to step foot in your mother's house again."
Elizabeth drew in a shuddering breath. "I am feeling more emotional than usual, but I cannot help but think how excited my mother would be if it were one of my sisters facing their confinement. Our aunts intend to come to see us near the time of my lying in, and I am certain they will be helpful. And while I doubt I would want Mama anywhere near me during my time, I cannot help but feel some resentment that she cannot let go of hers to speak to me even a little. Nearly the last words she said to me were criticising me for gaining weight and risking you losing interest in me. A small part of me wants to show her that I was not growing fat and lazy as she implied, but that I am carrying a child, your child. I am certain she is aware of it, but I want her to be forced to see me and have to pretend to be happy for me. I I know it is silly, but I would like her to acknowledge that I have done something well. Although, I can imagine her commenting that I will continue to fail you by having only girls just as she did."
"Dearest, you know that I will never lose interest in you or seek out the company of another," Darcy reassured her. "I understand your desire to have your mother approve of you and your resentment toward her. Endangering yourself — and our child — by travelling to Longbourn now so that you can hear her 'pretend' to be happy for you will not accomplish anything other than make you miserable."
"I know, but being so close to becoming a mother makes me much more aware of my parents' failings. I never wanted a marriage like my parents, but I have realised that I do not want to parent like them. Both my parents allowed their resentment of the other to affect how they acted, and they made others miserable along with themselves. I worry that I am more like my mother than I realised, if I am willing to allow my resentment for her to cause me to pick fights with my extremely longsuffering husband," Elizabeth said as she leaned toward him.
Darcy leaned to meet her and wrapped one arm around her shoulder. "We will not be like your parents, my love," he said reassuringly. "We discuss our problems and work them out; we do not allow things to fester. Additionally, Pemberley has no entail, and a son or a daughter can inherit, so there are no worries. We are blessed with excellent examples to follow and notable examples to avoid. So do not fret, Elizabeth; we will always strive to do well by our children."
The Darcys enjoyed their solitude in Derbyshire through the winter. Letters frequently flew back and forth between Pemberley and points south. All of Elizabeth's sisters, including Georgiana, were prolific correspondents. For a while, much of the news regarded Jane's wedding — the arrangements and the shopping eventually subsumed with details of the wedding itself. While not as handsome as Darcy, Jane had been glowing, and Mr Hastings appeared delighted. Kitty had written this comparison, which had made Elizabeth laugh out loud when Darcy flushed when she read that sentence to him.
Jane's wedding breakfast was sufficiently grand, although it had stayed within the budget set by Mr Bennet. Mrs Bennet had done all she could to convince her husband otherwise, but he had been adamant that the funds he offered were sufficient. With some ideas from Mrs Gardiner, she had managed it very well, and the breakfast had been complimented by all in attendance. Lady Lucas might have turned her nose up at it a little, but she was the only one, and it was most likely done out of spite. Charlotte Collins had returned home without her husband — he had been sent to Africa as a missionary for the Church of England. Charlotte intended to visit her home briefly as she decided her future, keeping in mind the promise of a cottage wherever she wanted to live. Meryton was looking less and less likely …
"Darling," Elizabeth said upon reading the letter from Charlotte not long after Jane's wedding, "did you know that Mr Collins has been sent to Africa as a missionary for the Church of England? You must have, since Charlotte writes that she accepts your offer to purchase her a small cottage near Lambton for her to live in."
Darcy smirked. "I did not know his exact fate, but, if you recall, you did know that I would write to my uncle about having Mr Collins investigated since he spread rumours after kicking you out of his home at the direction of his patroness. We spoke then of my intention to offer your friend a home if necessary."
Elizabeth made a face as she sought to remember. "I am sorry, William; I had forgotten that conversation. You have said this baby makes me irrational, but I believe it also makes me forgetful. I have taken to making lists of things I need to remember."
He laughed outright at this. "I have seen your lists, and I am most intrigued when you remove them from some interesting spots on your person. I believe, dearest, that you will need to add larger pockets to your dresses to allow you to carry all the items you believe necessary to carry around with you." She blushed, remembering how he had discovered one of her lists as he had helped her undress when they went to their chambers to rest the previous afternoon.
Standing, he went to lock the door of his study before returning to stand in front of her. "Would you like my help retrieving one of these lists, my dear?" It was her turn to laugh.
"As I recall, I had to rewrite that list after you discovered it, my husband," she teased. "If I allow you to help, I will have to rewrite yet another."
"But it is time for your rest, dearest," he told her, bending to kiss her passionately before pulling two or three lists where they were tucked into her bodice and laying them on the table with her other letters. "I will promise not to damage these. Now, come here."
The forgotten lists and correspondence that had yet to be read were retrieved that evening after dinner. Elizabeth took these to their private sitting room and read the letters from her sisters while waiting for her husband to return from the stables. As they finished dining, he had received a summons from the stables that a horse was in distress while giving birth, and he had gone to see what could be done. It was late when he finally joined her, bathed and dressed in his night clothes, exhausted from the ordeal. Elizabeth had fallen asleep as she waited for him, and he lifted her to carry her to bed. The letter she had been reading fell to the floor.
Elizabeth mentioned the letter to him in the morning as they snuggled in bed. "Dearest, did you, perchance, read the letters I held when you carried me to bed?"
"I did not see any letters, my love," he replied. "Who was it from?"
"One was from Mary," she replied. "She and Georgiana are doing well with their studies, as is Kitty, but Mary is asking if she and Georgiana can travel to Derbyshire with my aunt. Aunt Gardiner is supposed to depart from London in a fortnight and stay with us until I give birth."
"Well, neither girl will be permitted into your chambers while you deliver — they are too young and maidens. Mrs Gardiner will be with you, as I will, regardless of what the midwife says, but I do not think it will hurt our sisters to be in the house. Mrs Annesley will keep them well away, and they can assist you with your tasks both before and after the birth," he stopped and thought for a moment. "They are welcome to come, for my part. Will you write Mary and your aunt to encourage them to come?"
She nodded. "I will," she agreed, then looked pensive. "It is the second letter that I most wanted you to see. It was from your Aunt Matlock."
Darcy was concerned by the look on her face. "And what does my aunt say?" he inquired.
"Anne is not well," she admitted. "The doctors had been so certain that her ill health was nothing but the tonics her mother forced her to take. However, she took a turn for the worse while in London, and they retired to Kent for a rest and to get her out of the air of London. They called for a physician to accompany them as Anne soon developed a fever. The fever was brought down, but it left her weak and tired and unable to leave her bed. The Matlocks worried that Anne would not be able to recover, and a second opinion had been sought. Nothing either physician had done had restored Anne's health.
"Richard is resigned to becoming master of Rosings upon Anne's death," she told him. "He is in London arranging to sell his commission — you likely have a letter telling you this in your pile."
Darcy hugged her to his chest. "How are you doing, dearest?" he asked.
"I feel terrible for Anne, and I know Richard did not want this," she replied sadly. "I do hope Anne will recover, but for your cousin to be willing to sell his commission points to it being more serious than a trifling cold. He must be convinced that her end is near."
Darcy nodded. "I will not leave you," he stated abruptly. "Do not even suggest that I depart for Kent for Anne's funeral, especially should she pass before you have given birth; I will be at your side when our child is born." The look on his face was stubborn, and she did not even attempt to dissuade him.
"Your aunt said the same thing," she told him. "No one expects you to attend her funeral should the worst happen."
"I do not recall seeing a letter from Richard, but I will look later," he told her, unwilling to leave the cosy nest of their bed just yet. They continued to speak softly of the news they received the previous day and to make plans for the morning. Elizabeth needed to spend the morning writing letters in reply to those she had received yesterday, and Darcy needed to spend some time ensuring that all was in order for the spring planting. He needed to write some of his letters, so the two decided to spend the morning in his study attending to business.
Just over a fortnight later, near the first of April, they were waiting in his study for the carriages bringing their family to arrive when the post arrived. On top of the stack was a black-edged note, and both their hearts lurched upon seeing it. Automatically, Darcy reached for the stack and laid it on his desk, excepting the one on top.
He took a deep breath and noted the Matlock seal before breaking it and opening it, reading what was contained. "Anne has died," he said, his voice husky in evident emotion. "It is strange — for so many years, I avoided her due to her mother's machinations, but since I married you, she was finally able to become a friend. Although her letters were most frequently addressed to you, I came to know her through those letters and our interactions largely through you. I would have never known her except for you, Elizabeth, and I wish I had more time with her now."
Elizabeth's eyes filled with tears. "I am so sorry, William. Sorry that her mother prevented the two of you from knowing each other better, and sorry to have lost a cousin that I, too, wish I could have known better. Her spirit had been crushed by her mother's influence all those years, yet her letters were so full of hope and happiness."
Darcy strode to where she sat and pulled her into his arms. They sat in this attitude for some minutes until a servant announced that a carriage had been spotted entering the Park. "My apologies, sir, mistress, but Mr Pembroke sent me to inform you that two carriages have been spotted. Miss Darcy and your guests should arrive within the hour."
"What shall we do about mourning?" Elizabeth asked her husband.
He sighed, releasing her a little. "I will wear an armband when I leave the house for however long it is required. Georgiana should wear black for a week or two if she leaves Pemberley, but you, dearest, do not need to do anything. You are too close to your confinement to be in company, nor should anyone be visiting, so I see little point in dying a dress black or purchasing something new for such a short time."
Elizabeth momentarily thought to protest but quickly saw the value in what he said. She was already uncomfortably hot most of the time, and wearing black would only worsen things. Nor would she be leaving Pemberley, and she believed most of the servants would understand the reasoning behind her decision. She would explain the matter to Mrs Reynolds, and the housekeeper would ensure that all that needed to be done was done.
The Darcys were still sorting through their post when the carriages would soon arrive at the door. Darcy helped a very pregnant Elizabeth to stand and escorted her to the entry. When their guests arrived, all were surprised to see Elizabeth's normally svelte form so swollen with child. Mrs Gardiner was the first to comment. "You are positively glowing, my dear," she said. "I doubt it will be long before he or she arrives."
"The midwife agrees with you, Aunt," Elizabeth laughed. "She remarked just last week that she suspects I will enter my confinement in the next week or two. She is also certain I will give birth to the heir based on how I am carrying the child. Regardless, I am beyond ready to meet this little one. My husband will attest to my increasing irritability and irrationality."
They all laughed at that comment, and Elizabeth drew away her aunt and Mary, allowing her husband time with his sister. He intended to pull her aside and tell her about their cousin, leaving Elizabeth to inform her relations of Anne's passing.
Dinner that night was subdued as Anne's unexpected passing saddened the entire party. Mrs Gardiner had seen the wisdom in Darcy's decision regarding mourning for the family and volunteered to travel into town the following day to obtain a few black ribbons and the like for Georgiana.
More pleasant topics were also canvassed, including sharing additional details of Jane's wedding and the status of Longbourn. Mrs Gardiner had helped to reign in Mrs Bennet's more excessive ideas regarding the breakfast and the wedding, and the addition of funds from both the Gardiners and the Darcys had ensured Jane had a lovely trousseau and everything she needed to set up the house.
"They did not go on a true wedding trip, only a few days at his parent's estate, but spent most of their 'honeymoon' settling into their new house," Mrs Gardiner told them. "I have visited her several times, and they are very happy together. She looks forward to visiting here later this summer."
Elizabeth smiled. "I am happy for her and am glad that she and Mr Hastings have found each other. We only met him a few times, but William has heard much of him and his prospects. Jane will be happy."
"Mama was surprised at Jane's choice and a few times began to berate Jane for 'settling' for a barrister when she could have done better, but those outbursts were quickly restrained," Mary told her. "I hate to say it, Lizzy, but she is still … uncertain, I suppose, at your marriage to Mr Darcy. It irks her that you, the daughter she believed to be unmarriageable, married so well, while Jane, the daughter she believed would 'save the family', has married a barrister. I heard her muttering how Jane should have married better than you a few times while we were at Longbourn, and she cannot forgive you for marrying better than Jane did."
Shaking her head, Elizabeth was silent for a moment. "I do not expect her ever to understand. For a short time, I had hoped that our relationship could be restored and she would send an apology, but it has been nearly six months since we were at Longbourn. Perhaps if I give birth to the heir of Pemberley … but even then, it will not substantially change her life or prospect for the future. She is still bitter that I refused Mr Collins."
"You cannot dwell on that, my dear," Darcy interjected. She smiled at him, silently thanking him for the reminder to overcome her resentment.
"I know, my darling, but that is a part of why my mother is so unwilling to forgive me. Had I accepted Mr Collins in November, my father would never have been drawn to gambling and would have never gotten himself into this trouble. She would not have had to retrench and cut back on all her entertainments, and she would have still had daughters at home to keep her occupied. Her difficulties are directly related to my not being born a boy and my choosing not to atone for such an offence by marrying our cousin."
Mrs Gardiner scoffed. "That is a ridiculous statement, Elizabeth and well you know it. Your parents have created this situation, and it has absolutely nothing to do with you. They would have still been miserable, even had your mother given birth to an heir."
Elizabeth smiled grimly at her aunt. "I wonder if they were always so miserable or had they married someone else, they could have been happy. Even though they are both making an effort of sorts now, every letter from Papa seems so unhappy. They still live separate lives, although they seem to speak of estate matters together."
Mary nodded. "They meet each morning in his study to break their fasts together and discuss estate business. Mrs Hill and Mr Todd occasionally meet with them as well, and of course, Mama meets with Mrs Hill daily after speaking with Papa, and her nerves have calmed considerably. She had two daughters married and has not had the daily care of any for some time, although Kitty is staying at Longbourn while I am here. She did not want to be here for the birth; she said the idea of it terrified her."
The married ladies laughed. "It terrifies all women, at least a little," Mrs Gardiner said. "But it is such a wonderful feeling to hold your newborn in your arms when it is all finished."
Darcy winced a little at this conversation, and Elizabeth saw it, changing the conversation again. "What did Papa say about the spring planting? His letter to William indicated that it should be nearly done by now. He and Mr Todd were trying some modern techniques on the home farm and had been encouraging some tenants to try them as well."
Mrs Gardiner understood the need for the change of topic and answered with what she knew, which was only a little. Georgiana asked a question about Pemberley, and William answered it, which led them to an entirely different topic of conversation for the rest of the meal.
When it was done, everyone was ready to retire early as the travellers were exhausted from their journey, and Elizabeth and Darcy needed to speak privately for a time. Darcy held his wife tightly in his arms as they snuggled in bed. "Richard is now the master of Rosings," Darcy said unnecessarily.
"And he has been learning its management from your father for half a year. No one expected Anne to pass so soon, but he is not unprepared. I know he also helped you each Easter as you reviewed the estate," Elizabeth replied.
"He did not want this," Darcy sighed. "He enjoyed his life in the army and truly did not want to settle down. His parents will begin pressuring him to marry, and he will become sought after in the ton as an eligible match. Always before, as a second son, he was of mild interest for his connection to the Earl, but not like he will be now – they will be relentless."
"Kitty had a crush on him at Christmas and was so upset when she overheard Georgiana speaking to him about her," Elizabeth told her husband. "He called her a 'sweet girl' but stated that he was uninterested in a 'girl'. I told her that Richard was unlikely to marry because of his profession, but that is no longer true. I wonder how she will react to his new freedom — and the lack of a military uniform. She and Lydia were determined to marry a man in uniform, and I supposed that was a good deal of the attraction. Not that Richard is not a wonderful man …"
Darcy laughed. "I am certain Richard would not mind that attraction being ended if that was the sole draw," he quipped, then turned serious. "I worry for my cousin."
"He will manage, dearest," she comforted him, turning in his arms a little to hug him tighter. "All will be well."
He sighed into her hair. "It is time to rest, my dear," he said.
She grinned up at him. "To rest? Or to sleep, William?" she teased as she lifted her face to his for a kiss.
The family celebrated Easter together at Kymptom just as the Darcy siblings left their fortnight of mourning for Anne. Elizabeth had begun feeling pains frequently, but both Mrs Gardiner and the midwife said these were normal and were preparing Elizabeth's body for the real pains. They both suggested that might help induce labour, including walking and marital relations. After this, Elizabeth began to walk frequently, accompanied by her husband or one of her sisters, and mainly within the house. Occasionally, Darcy accompanied Elizabeth for a walk in the sunshine of one of the gardens nearest the house, but he was reluctant to allow her to venture far from home.
The second part of the suggestion they explored as well. It was different now, as they had to find positions that were comfortable for them both. His desire, nor hers, was diminished, but her protruding stomach and the aches and pains that plagued her made it more difficult. However, they did make the effort, and soon enough, their efforts paid off.
On the morning of the last day of April, eight days after their first anniversary, Elizabeth woke up soaking wet. Darcy had left earlier, allowing his wife to sleep as he worked, as she had a difficult night. She had woken up several times in the night in pain, although walking around the room each time had caused the pains to cease. Darcy had walked with her each time, so when he woke and she was still asleep, he quietly slid from the bed, dressed and headed downstairs. He let Mrs Gardiner and the midwife know about Elizabeth's night and asked that they check on her briefly.
Elizabeth rang for her maid when she woke and attempted to stand when a sharp pain came upon her, causing her to sit back down immediately. She was still attempting to recover from this when her maid entered, followed closely by the midwife.
"Are you well, mistress?" the maid asked.
Taking note of the midwife behind the maid, she informed them how she had awoken and about the pain she had just experienced. As she spoke, another pain came upon her. They all waited it out, but the midwife began to issue orders immediately, including changing Elizabeth's clothing and bedding. Mrs Reynolds was sent for, and Mrs Gardiner, and soon the bedroom was swarming with maids preparing things for the impending birth.
Into all of this, Darcy arrived. Elizabeth was in a fresh gown, having been encouraged to walk the room to help prepare the baby for birth. He took over for the maid, walking with her, allowing her to pace the room with his pocket watch in hand, timing the pause between pains. They would take several slow steps and then would have to pause as he watched a pain come upon her. His hand was sore from where Elizabeth squeezed it during each of her pains, and idly, he wondered if she was stronger during this time than normal or if it was merely a reflection of the pain she was feeling giving birth to his child. While confident that his wife was strong and healthy, he could not help but be concerned for her as she laboured. His mother died shortly after giving birth to Georgiana, and Darcy could not imagine his life without Elizabeth.
After an hour, the midwife asked Elizabeth to sit, and she once again checked on her progress. "Keep her walking, sir," she said when done. "It will not be long now, sir. Things are progressing as they should. Perhaps you should walk her toward the birthing chamber." She patted Mr Darcy's hand, attempting to give him a small measure of comfort through the action and her words. He was pale, obviously doing all he could to hide his concern for his wife as he supported her through this.
Hours later, Darcy was beside his wife as she gave birth to their first child — a son named Alexander Bennet Darcy. The couple had debated continuing the tradition of naming their heir after his mother's family but chose to use Bennet as a middle name instead.
After mother and child were cleaned, the couple spent hours holding and watching their small son. "Are you well, dearest?" Darcy asked his wife as he held her in their bed. She was leaning against him as he rested against the headboard with plenty of pillows behind them to provide support and comfort. He loved holding his wife against him as she held their child, his arm under hers, supporting them both.
"I am, Will," she replied, sighing happily. "He is perfect, and while I am a touch sore, I am beyond pleased with our son. He already looks a bit like you, and he definitely has your stare." Her voice was clearly tired, but he heard the laughter in it.
He barked a laugh at her comment, which disturbed little Alex, and he shifted a little in his sleep and made a tiny mewling sound. His parents watched him closely, and Elizabeth jostled him lightly until he settled again.
A sennight after the birth, the couple finally pulled themselves away from their son enough to write letters to family and friends announcing the birth. Darcy had remained with Elizabeth during this first week, only leaving her side to introduce his son to Pemberley's servants. For the rest of the time, he ignored all estate business during this time, and they both had chosen to wait until Elizabeth had recovered somewhat before sharing their news outside of the house.
Mrs Gardiner remained a fortnight after the birth and helped Elizabeth adjust to motherhood. There was also a nursemaid to help with the baby, but Elizabeth was determined to do as much as she could herself. She refused to follow Aunt Matlock's advice to stay in bed and let others care for her child, choosing instead to do as Aunt Gardiner suggested. Within mere days, she was out of bed, but she did as her husband requested and stayed confined to her rooms for the first fortnight, but that was the extent of her willingness to stay confined. Very soon, she was up and gradually assuming all her duties as mistress again.
Soon after they posted the letters, they began to receive replies. Lord and Lady Matlock replied happily to the news, informing the Darcys of their intention to visit when Parliament closes for the summer. As both of their sons were unmarried, they fully intended to take advantage of their status as honorary grandparents to the Darcy children to spoil them.
The response from her family was what Elizabeth would have expected. Her sisters were pleased with their news and were excited about the prospect of seeing little Alex at some point soon. Jane was especially delighted with the news and excited about the opportunity to visit that summer. Likewise, Kitty and Lydia sent notes expressing their delight in their new nephew and expressed a desire to visit Pemberley to see him — Kitty went so far as to send a letter to Jane asking to accompany her and Mr Hastings on their trip.
Mr Bennet was pleased to learn he had a grandson but expressed little desire to see him. He briefly mentioned his wife's reaction to the news — pleased that Elizabeth had given her husband an heir but still reluctant to offer the apologies required to re-establish contact. While she might delight in crowing this news to all her friends in Meryton, she was still too resentful and reluctant to admit she had wronged her second daughter.
As Mrs Bennet sat and spoke of her grandson to her sister, Mrs Phillips, one afternoon several weeks after he was born, she was stunned by a question. "When do you go to Pemberley to meet your grandson?" Mrs Phillips asked.
"I … I am, umm, it is not certain," she stammered. "Mr Bennet is unsure we can afford such a long trip right now."
"Oh," Mrs Phillips said. "But is Jane not going to be travelling to Pemberley soon? Could you not go with them?"
Mrs Bennet answered ambiguously, saying something about this being a honeymoon trip, but she knew she was unwelcome at Pemberley. The rest of her family would be welcome there, and she recalled that her sister-in-law had attended the birth, a fact that had thus far escaped her sister. Suddenly, she felt the need to return to Longbourn and reread her daughter's letters. Mr Bennet allowed her to read them even if none came that were addressed to her.
When she arrived home, she went into Mr Bennet's book room and asked to re-read the letters Lizzy had sent since she had announced the birth of her son. As she read the letter from her daughter — one addressed to her husband that did not even mention her — she began to realise what she had thrown away. Due to her actions, Lizzy was unlikely ever to invite her to Pemberley or stay at Longbourn again. Even on this last visit, she had stayed at a rented home and only paid short calls on Longbourn, unwilling to dine with the family. This estrangement was entirely due to herself, which was shocking for Mrs Bennet to realise. She had created this situation; it was entirely her fault that her daughter wanted nothing to do with her. It was a difficult realisation … She retired early that night with a headache.
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