A/N -Thank you all for the encouraging reviews.
There is a definite HEA for ODC, the angst in the story is not due to misunderstandings between them.
The particulars of their histories will be revealed in coming chapters. ( sljh85 I hope you can have a little patience ;) )

Chapter 3

As soon as Miss Darcy left the room, Elizabeth got out of the bed and started pacing again. Each time a contraction hit she leaned over the bed and swayed her hips from side to side.

"Ye are a natural at this, dearie. Yer body knows what it needs." Mrs. Hobbs bustled back in, accompanied by another maid. They carried a stack of toweling and a bowl and pitcher of warm water.

She washed her hands and asked Elizabeth if she could examine her. "I need ye to lay on the bed. 'ave ta see if we can see the head."

"Dear lady, I have not been able to see my toes for three months. I most assuredly will not be able to see a head." She chuckled to herself.

"La!" Mrs. Hobbs said to the maid, "we've a bright one here." They all shared a chuckle. "Come now, let's lay ye down."

Lying down on the toweling the maid had spread over the mattress, Elizabeth continued, "Where would we be without humor to raise our spirits from time to time."

Mrs. Hobbs lifted the hem of her shift long enough to check the situation. "It 'as begun, but I can see there is still a ways to go. Do ye think ye might rest or do ye feel the need to walk again."

"I will try to rest." Elizabeth rolled onto her side.

Mrs. Hobbs straightened the laboring woman's garment and pulled the sheet over her."Tha' be a good idea. Rest up. Ye'll be needin' it later.

The sound of heavy breathing filled the room, and no one spoke until the young lady inhaled and let it out slowly. "That did not feel as bad as the last ones. Might it be stopping?"

"Nay, dearie. They'll be back. Yer opening has widened, there's no stoppin' it now. Rest while ye can." With one last pat to Elizabeth's arm, she exited the room, leaving the maid seated in the chair to keep watch.

Elizabeth smiled at her, her eyes heavy with fatigue. "What is your name?"

"Mary, ma'am."

"I have a sister named Mary. Thank you for your assistance, Mary."

The young maid blushed.

With a large yawn, Elizabeth closed her eyes and within minutes, she slept.

~ / ~

A pain tore through her, waking her from a short slumber. "Ahhhh…" The cry ripped from her, both from the pain and the shock of it.

"There, now. You're awake and it musta' been a strong one. So, let's see where we're at." Lifting the shift again, "good, the openin' is wider. Tha's very good."

"How much longer?"

"Never can tell with babes. Each one is different."

Elizabeth rose from the bed, feeling the need for movement.

"Keep hold of the missus in case she falls." Mrs. Hobbs told Mary.

"I shall not fall." Elizabeth huffed in offense.

"Harder to get ye up from the floor should a pain fell ye, dearie." Mrs. Hobbs was curious and wanted to make conversation to distract the young lady. "Yer Ma did'na want ta be with ye now?"

"My mother passed three years ago. The only female home at present is my elder sister. As she remains unmarried it would have been inappropriate. My aunt Gardiner was going to be with me for my lying-in. It would appear, that is not to be."

"Man plans an' God 'as His laugh at us in return." Mrs. Hobbs tutted.

Elizabeth gripped her hand. "My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me. However, I do believe this is more than even I imagined."

"Now, ye listen here, dearie. Ye might feel your bein' alone in the world means this is more difficult, more dangerous, but every woman endures it alone, be it mother, aunt or husband holdin' her hand. Ye can do this. Ye are a mother now, and your child needs ye."

"To bring this little one into the world, with no home and no father. What kind of life is that?" Elizabeth kept walking as she vented her fears. "I may be its mother, but I know not how to be a father. My own father is a good man, but he is not the best example of fatherhood."

Mrs. Hobbs was shaking her head. "We'll not 'ave such talk now. 'Tis the fears speakin'. It may be natural havin' 'em, but they won't help you stay strong for the birth, nor for taking care of the babe, when it comes. There be many in this world with no 'ome and not blessed with a set of parents takin' care of 'em. We make do wi'the best we got."

Mrs. Hobbs rubbed her hands over Mrs. Carrington's low back, as the travailing woman leant over the bed again, resting her forearms on the mattress. "Ye 'ave one task t'day, dearie. Givin' birth is all ye need be focusin' on." She tapped Elizabeth's back. "Aye?"

Elizabeth nodded her head. She could not speak as another pain tightened her abdomen. "Pray, tell me this is as bad as these pains are going to get?" She finally gasped out.

Mrs. Hobbs chuckled, "Oh dearie, if I had a shilling for every time I was asked that."

Elizabeth huffed out her own laugh. "Very well, then. But I do require a distraction. Something to remove my thoughts from obsessing over the pains which feel like they are ripping me in two."

"Well, if it's a story you be wantin', I can tell ye, this ain't the first I help deliver a babe to a traveler." She tsked. "Their situation was diff'rent from yers. A whole party they be, figurin' they'd make it 'ome for the birth. How she carried on, screamin' and wailin'. We had to close up the taproom. They couldn't take the noise." She nudged Elizabeth, "the drinkers, not the madam an' her husband. Don't get me started on 'er sister. Tha' orange clad madam did not like bein' ignored an' made sure everyone heard 'er complaints."

Elizabeth had lain back down, her body relaxing in between pains. "That indeed must have been a trying experience. For you."

All three women chuckled, until it died down and stillness settled on the room.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hobbs. That was quite diverting. As difficult as my situation is, I have the comfort of knowing I have no sister with me to make it more untenable." She paused, "although it does sound like how my youngest sister would have behaved."

"How many sisters are ye?"

"We were five at one time. Now we are only four." She sighed. "I think I will try and rest again."

Mrs. Hobbs nodded, said she would be back soon, and exited the room. Elizabeth tried to find a comfortable position, but her mind was now filled with memories of her sisters, most particularly, her youngest.

A brash, spoiled child, who had never been taught to behave with proper decorum and propriety. It was her selfish actions which sent the Bennet family down a path of loss and death.

How different her life, all of their lives, might have been, if Lydia had not made that one fatal mistake.

I never would have met Gregory. Or if I had, I might not have agreed to marry him, certainly not so quickly. I would have liked to know him better, to see if feelings of love might grow. The promise I made together with Jane, that we would 'only marry for the deepest of love', had no place when it came to the choices of husbands being reduced to a bare handful.

Her hand rose to rub large circles on her stomach.

Still, I was fortunate. Gregory had been a good man and a kind one. The short while they had together before he sailed away had been good. Yet now it has come to this- giving birth far from all my loved ones. I am truly grateful for the kindness of strangers.

She continued the circular motion of her hands. Very soon little one, very soon you will meet your Mama.

This was her last thought before falling into a light sleep.

~ / ~

When the pains awoke her again and Mrs. Hobbs had checked her opening, the pains were coming more frequently.

"Aye, 'tis gettin' to be time now. Ye might feel the pressures build, but it ain't time to push. Ye need a bit more time for the opening ta be jest right."

"Mrs. Hobbs, I need to walk again. The pains are more bearable in movement than lying on my back." The older woman helped Elizabeth to her feet and kept hold of her as they slowly walked. When another strong pain nearly brought Elizabeth to her knees, Mrs. Hobbs protested.

"Come now, dearie., or ye'll be giving birth on the floor. An' I can tell ye, it'll be near impossible for me ta get back up from it."

Elizabeth chuckled. "Very well, but pray, do not make me lay down on my back again." She climbed back onto the bed on her hands and knees, rocking with every wave of pain.

"If you want to stay that way. We'll need ta take yer shift off ye later so it won't get in the way. Mary, please start the fire. The room be warm for us, but the babe'll need it warmer."

The fire threw off more light into the room creating a soft glow which pulsed against the darkness outside the windows.

Elizabeth alternated between rocking back and forth on her hands and knees and holding still, breathing deeply when each pain developed her.

To her it seemed like hours went by while her body toiled, but it mattered not. I will do whatever it takes to bring my baby into this world and survive to raise him. This is the only acceptable outcome.

Finally, Mrs. Hobbs was pleased with the progress and not a moment too soon.

Elizabeth cried out, "I beg of you, make it stop!"

"There we go, dearie. Quick, Mary, let's get her shift off her."

They removed her shift and Mrs. Hobbs climbed on the bed behind Elizabeth and gripped the sides of her protruding belly. "With the next pressure, dearie. Don' fight it, jest bear down."

With each consecutive pain, a head slowly emerged. When the little body quickly followed, Mrs. Hobbs guided the babe forward into the new mother's arms.

Sitting back on her heels, Mrs. Elizabeth Carrington beheld her beautiful newborn child through tear filled eyes. "Welcome, my dear, sweet boy."

Keep reading a bonus chapter is posted in celebration of the holidays.