Author's Note: As always, thank you, thank you, thank you for your feedback. Please continue to message me or comment about questions, issues, or anything else you see. I am enjoying this story, and I hope you are as well.
Chapter 33
As the Bennets were settling into their new life in Kirkwall, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth found themselves settling into their new home in Oakridge. The day after the wedding, they embarked on their journey accompanied by nearly the entire family, who were en route to Pemberley and intended to spend a few days in Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam's new home.
Following Elizabeth's wedding in early April, the Gardiners had decided to change their summer plans, opting for a journey to Derbyshire instead of their original seaside destination. On the initial evening of their trip, they met the Darcy party at the inn to continue their journey with the rest of the group. Despite their regular correspondence with their niece, Elizabeth had much to tell them regarding the occurrences at Longbourn over the last fortnight, as several things that had occurred were best not to be written down.
She shared these happenings with her aunt and uncle as they gathered in a private room at the inn. None were genuinely taken aback by the actions of Mrs Bennet and Jane nor by Mr Bennet's characteristic inaction. What had been surprising was his willingness to surrender his estate and travel to Scotland.
"He did not have much of a choice," Fitzwilliam replied to a question from Mr Gardiner. "My cousin was rather convincing when he recounted what would happen if he chose not to agree."
"And the younger girls will remain with your mother at Pemberley?" he clarified.
"Yes, they will join Georgiana's lessons and perhaps even go to school with her for a year or two. They will have opportunities Jane and I did not. Lady Anne has already begun to tame Lydia's wildness, though we were all amazed to learn exactly how much her education had been neglected," Elizabeth sighed.
This conversation soon shifted to another. According to Elizabeth's calculations, the Darcys would anticipate the arrival of their first child sometime in early March. Although it was still too premature to definitively confirm her pregnancy—Elizabeth had missed her courses twice and was experiencing occasional morning sickness, yet had not felt the quickening. She had finally had the opportunity to speak to her mother-in-law about her suspicions the morning after the wedding when she had cast up her accounts after a foul smell accosted her during breakfast.
Lady Anne had offered her assurance and encouragement, advising Elizabeth to take it easy and rest as needed, recognizing the significance of these early days of what promised to be a momentous journey into motherhood. The first day of travel had been difficult for Elizabeth during this time, and the couple had stopped more frequently than the others in their party, taking longer to arrive at their final destination for the night than the rest of their party. Mrs Gardiner also answered Elizabeth's questions about her niece's concerns and offered similar advice to her niece.
The families celebrated Elizabeth's birthday on the twelfth of August, three days after they arrived at Oakridge. That evening, they convened for an elegant dinner featuring many of Elizabeth's favourite dishes, followed by a joyous round of dancing. Fitzwilliam had thoughtfully arranged for musicians to serenade them with music, providing the perfect backdrop for the intimate gathering. He eagerly looked forward to taking full advantage of the company and dancing with his beloved wife as often as the occasion allowed.
As the clock struck midnight, the dancing ceased, and they ventured outside to witness a breathtaking fireworks display meticulously organized by Fitzwilliam in honour of his cherished wife's special day. Elizabeth, who had never seen fireworks before, was entranced, thanking her husband exuberantly for his efforts to make her day special.
Only a day or two after this, their guests departed, leaving Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth finally alone at Oakridge. For the next several months, the couple learned more about their new estate and each other as they learned more about being married.
This should not suggest that their life was flawless. Even two individuals as deeply in love as they were could not coexist for months without the occasional disagreement. Most of these conflicts were quickly settled, but a handful posed genuine challenges to their marital bond, pushing one or both of them to evolve as individuals and as a united couple.
One such argument occurred shortly after their family left Oakridge. Elizabeth had not yet felt the quickening, and Lady Anne had spoken to her about what she could and could not do while carrying a child. With that in mind, Elizabeth approached her husband one morning and suggested they take a short ride around the estate.
"Fitzwilliam," she began at breakfast, "I would like to take a slow ride around the estate with you this morning."
Fitzwilliam looked at her incredulously. "Absolutely not!" he stated but did not continue beyond that brief proclamation.
"Why not?" Elizabeth demanded.
"You are with child, Elizabeth," he stated, then held up his hand when it appeared she intended to speak. "I know that it is not yet confirmed, but surely you know that riding is dangerous when enceinte. I cannot agree to you risking your health or our child's."
"The child is well protected, and I have yet to fall from a horse. I am not suggesting a gallop across the fields, just an amble with you," she insisted. "Your mother said she continued riding during the early days of her pregnancies."
"No, Elizabeth, under no circumstances can I condone you riding in your condition. Mother rode because she rode frequently even before she got with child. You are still a novice and do not have years of experience behind you. Too much can happen when riding sidesaddle," he declared. "I am doing this to protect you, my dear. I will take you on a ride in a pony cart or a phaeton if you would like."
"I wanted to go for a ride—you ride every day, and you have told me there are places you would like to take me that a cart could never reach," she tried again.
"And when you have recovered from giving birth, I will gladly take you to these places, but not now. That is my final word, Elizabeth, and nothing you say will persuade me otherwise."
A petulant Elizabeth shot a sharp look at her husband, abruptly rose from the table, and moved away from him, her frustration evident. Fitzwilliam observed her departure, convinced of the correctness of his stance in this situation and equally confident that she would eventually comprehend his reasoning.
He did not count on her going to the stable herself and demanding one of the grooms saddle a horse for her. She was not dressed in a riding habit, having gone straight from the breakfast room to the stables, and the groom looked at her in concern. However, he hesitated to refuse the mistress's order and found the stable master to ask him.
"Oi, sir, what be I to do?" the groom inquired, his tone hushed and bewildered. "She's gone and told me to saddle up a horse, she has, but the master ain't by her side, and she ain't in her riding attire, no sir. She ain't ridden since she been here, so I reckon I ain't the wiser on which horse she oughta be takin', sir!"
"Work slowly and saddle a docile mare for her, one of the older ones, and I'll send a boy up to the house to ask the master," the stable master replied.
Fitzwilliam was in his study, where he had gone after his wife had left him. He was surprised when a boy from the stable came running into his office, not even knocking to tell him that the stable master had a question for him about what horse his wife should ride. He stood and nearly ran from the room with the stable boy behind him.
"Elizabeth," he demanded when he entered, "what on earth do you think you are doing here? I told you that you should not be riding in your condition."
"We are not even certain I am in any particular condition, sir, and what right do you have to prevent me from doing what I want," she asked defiantly.
"The right of your husband and as the master of this estate," he retorted. "Smith," he called out, and the stable master was immediately before him. "Mrs Darcy is not to ride any horse without my express permission. Do not saddle a horse for her unless I am with her, do you understand?"
Smith nodded, as did any other grooms or boys in evidence in the stables. Seeing the looks passing between the master and mistress, they quickly rushed to find somewhere else to be.
"Mrs Darcy, what are you thinking?" he asked, his voice quiet and calm, which would have alerted a less petulant person to his anger and frustration.
"I was going to go for a ride," she insisted. "I do not appreciate how you spoke to me or how you demanded the grooms to disobey me in the future."
"Elizabeth, I do this for your own good. I am your husband, and it was only a few months ago that you promised to obey me," he said.
Elizabeth scowled at him. "I am not your chattel, sir," she bit out. "You do not have the right to command me."
"But I do, Elizabeth; I am your husband, and while I have never viewed you as chattel, I do not believe you are acting reasonably in this matter. At Netherfield, you allowed me to restrict your movements when we thought you would be in danger. This is the same—although, in this case, it seems I am needing to protect you from yourself," Fitzwilliam replied.
Once again, Elizabeth turned and stomped away from her husband, not even bothering to respond. She went directly to her rooms, where she had spent little time, and sat on one of the chairs in front of the fireplace. "Why does that man think he can command me?" she stewed. "He is not the man I thought he was."
As she sat there, she began reflecting on their courtship and the first months of their marriage and was reminded of a conversation between her and her aunt early on in her relationship with her now husband.
"Dear Elizabeth, you must attempt to remember Mr Darcy cares for you and, unlike your father, will not allow you to do whatever you want," Mrs Gardiner said one morning after Mr Darcy had left. "He may seek to limit your actions because he knows what you do not—remember, he is older than you and has much more experience."
"But if he cares for me as you say, he will listen to my opinions and not simply restrict me because he can," Elizabeth replied.
"That may be correct, but you must also listen to him and not get angry without considering his point of view. Your father has allowed you freedom—at times, too much freedom—because it was easier for him to let his daughters do as they wished. He educated you because you would not let him do otherwise, but for the most part, he did not concern himself with anything you did. I do not believe Mr Darcy will do the same. He will want to protect you and at times may ask you to do as he asks merely because he is asking," Mrs Gardiner explained. "There have been times in my own marriage that I have had to obey Mr Gardiner, not because I wanted to necessarily, but because I knew that he had my best interests in mind. He was the worst when I was with child—he was so overprotective, and I thought I would go mad, but he acted out of love."
Elizabeth began to cry as she remembered this conversation and how poorly she treated her husband that day. He had explained his reasoning—he was concerned about her health—and while he may not have expressed it well, he acted out of love. As the tears turned to sobs, she struggled to convince herself she had not ruined everything.
Fitzwilliam found her this way a short time later. She had fallen asleep in the chair, but the evidence of tears was still on her face. Carefully, he picked her up and carried her into their shared bedroom, and after divesting her of her restricting clothing, laid her on the bed. He removed his boots, coats, and cravat and lay beside her to watch her.
He had been surprised she had not woken when he carried her to bed or undressed her, but she had been sleeping more than usual of late. Part of him wanted to worry about her, but he recalled what he had been told regarding the need for pregnant women to sleep more than usual. Lost in these thoughts, he barely noticed when she stirred next to him.
"Fitzwilliam," a soft voice called, "I am so sorry. I behaved as a child earlier."
"It is well, dearest," he whispered back, pulling her into his arms and wiping away the traces of tears. "It is well."
George Darcy had left ahead of the rest, as Lord Matlock sent a letter about the petition to award the marquessate that needed immediate attention. The Regent had questions that needed to be addressed immediately, and George rushed home to take care of them.
Lord Matlock also had news on the proposed marriage between George—the lady was ready to go through with it but was now insisting on a rushed affair to occur within the month. After George obtained the information he needed, he was to travel to London to meet with the lady and her father regarding the wedding preparations and marriage settlement.
Upon his arrival in London, George Darcy received two significant pieces of news that would profoundly affect his future. First, he learned that the Regent had granted his petition to elevate his title to the Marquessate of Pemberley. Second, he discovered that the lady who would become his wife, Lady Arabella, the third daughter of a powerful duke, was with child.
While there were no formal contracts binding him to this marriage yet, George was well aware that his agreement to marry Lady Arabella had played a significant role in securing the Regent's approval of his petition for the marquessate. This knowledge presented him with a moral dilemma. On one hand, he could choose to withdraw from the verbal agreement, given that the arrangements had not been finalized. On the other hand, he could not ignore the political and social implications of reneging on his commitment, considering the delicate web of connections and obligations that came with his newfound title.
After careful consideration, George decided to honour his commitment and proceed with the wedding. George prayed earnestly that the child his future wife carried would be a girl and swore that he would never touch her before or after the child was born. If the child were a girl, that would mean that eventually, his brother or his brother's child could inherit the title and the estate, and he would ensure his wife kept what she brought into the marriage.
George had begun to believe that women resembling his sister-in-law were exceptions to the rule. In the social circles he frequented, many women seemed driven by avarice and self-interest. He could not help but recognize that, with his newly acquired title, he might not have the liberty to pursue a woman akin to his brother's choice. His sister-in-law Elizabeth possessed qualities that reminded him of his own mother, making her a rare find among the women he had encountered. In his estimation, she held far greater value than most others he had crossed paths with, and he would be a fool to hold out for one like her.
With that in mind, he worked with his solicitor and the duke and wrote a marriage settlement mutually beneficial to both husband and wife. Lady Arabella would bear the Darcy name, and if the child were a female, she would be recognized as Miss Darcy, but a male child would sent to live with the duke and be raised as his ward. George Darcy was willing to marry Lady Arabella but not to claim her son as his heir, a point he made very clear during the discussions. The only other condition that George held fast to was that, as he would never touch her and they would live most of their married life apart, she should not expect to bear another child. Should that happen, George retained the right to divorce her and keep her dowry for himself.
The duke reluctantly agreed to these conditions, and after discussing matters with Lady Arabella, the marriage settlements were signed, and a week later, the marriage was solemnized in the church. The new Marquess and Marchioness of Pemberley, styled Lord and Lady Darcy, travelled to Pemberley, forgoing a wedding trip due to the circumstances of the marriage. At Pemberley, Lord Darcy retained the master's chambers while his wife was assigned a suite in another wing of the house.
Lady Anne was far from pleased with these developments. Having observed Lady Arabella for the last year or two during the season, she held no particular affection for the so-called lady, and the idea of yielding her position to this new addition did not sit well with her. The fact that the newly-married couple were already separated and the fact that the lady was already with child signalled to Lady Anne that her son had entered into a marriage that diverged from the type of union she shared with her own husband or the one her other son enjoyed with his wife.
In a relatively short span of time, Lady Anne decided to relocate herself and her daughters to the dower house. Since they had relocated to Pemberley, Lady Anne had decided to 'adopt' the youngest Bennet girls into her family and considered them the same as her own children. Like Elizabeth, Kitty and Lydia considered themselves orphans since their parents clearly wanted little to do with them now that they were no longer at Longbourn.
Darcy Cottage—a name that was scarcely deserved, given its size—provided ample space to accommodate the matron and the three girls and the necessary governess and tutors required for their education. Some of the household staff transferred from the main house, and it took significant persuasion to convince Mrs Reynolds, the housekeeper, to remain at the main house rather than moving to the dower house with Lady Anne.
"Mrs Reynolds, I am afraid that Lady Arabella and Mr Darcy will need you to remain to ensure the house is taken care of," Lady Anne had asked her longtime housekeeper. "As much as I would like you to join me at the dower house, I am afraid it is best that you remain at the main house. Please, feel free to still come to me if there is anything I can do."
With this, Mrs Reynolds had reluctantly agreed to stay. While pleased to be a marchioness, Lady Arabella Darcy was not particularly interested in the duties of running the household due to her overall sickness from her pregnancy. The lady rarely stirred from her rooms and felt ill most of her dal. It did not take long for Mrs Reynolds to realize her former mistress had been correct—Pemberley needed her there.
Author's Note: What do you think? Next chapter - more about George's marriage, a birth or two, and then we'll wrap it up. Am I missing anything?
Also, Elizabeth is seventeen in this story and celebrates her 18th in this chapter. I know it's been a while, but it was set in late-February 1809. I have gone back and made a couple of changes earlier on, so you may need to go back.
I will be in need of a beta reader or two soon to read through the entire thing and give feedback. Send me a PM if you're interested. Thanks!