Page 93

Mr. and Mrs. Darcy left for Hertfordshire on the day after Georgiana’s wedding.

Fitzwilliam commented only half jokingly that the trip would help distract him from thinking too much on his baby sister’s activities now that she was a married woman, but he could feel Elizabeth’s worry grow with every mile they progressed.

The Darcys brought a second carriage so that young Master Bennet and his nursemaid might ride with the servants when his parents desired privacy (and quiet).

Although Lizzy wished for her parents to meet their grandson, she had spent enough time with the Gardiner children to know that traveling with a baby was not the easiest of enterprises.

Though lacking in experience, Darcy was clever, and by the end of the first day he had come to recognize his wife’s wisdom, as well as why, of their little family of three, the smallest member had the largest trunk.

The Darcys arrived at Longbourn in late afternoon of the third day. Davey Hill was there immediately and seemed to be expecting them, so moments after Elizabeth and Darcy stepped down from the carriage, it was moving again, rolling around to the back entrance to unload the trunks.

Hearing the sound of voices, Lizzy took her son from his nurse and led her husband around to the side garden.

All five Gardiner children were there and little John Thomas Bingley appeared to be fascinated by their play from his place on a shaded blanket.

Elizabeth was happy to see her cousins, but soon shooed them back to their hoops and balls with a promise to tell them a story later, her attention drawn by the group of very serious adults gathered in the copse.

“Darcy! Elizabeth! Thank heavens, you’ve come!” Bingley was the first to hail them and his words sounded ominous to the couple.

While they all exchanged greetings and the Gardiners admired young Ben for the first time, Lizzy noticed that Jane appeared particularly upset, clinging to her sister without uttering a word.

Although Lizzy dearly wished for a bath and clean set of clothes, she did not want to enter the house without knowing the state of affairs. “Well then, what has happened? Did the specialist come to see Mama? Where is my father?”

Characteristically, it was Mr. Gardiner who answered. “Yes, Dr. Grant came this morning; he seems to be an exceptionally knowledgeable and patient gentleman—thank you for seeing to that, Mr. Darcy.”

Once that gentleman had accepted his appreciation, Gardiner continued, “He spent nearly an hour with my sister, and then another with Mrs. Hill, who appears to have provided an excellent summary of Fanny’s symptoms despite the patient’s protests.

” Edward shut his eyes for a moment and sighed before turning back to the new arrivals.

“In short, he says that Mr. Jones was quite correct in his diagnosis and that, given the size of the tumor and the rate of growth suggested by Mrs. Hill’s observations, he is surprised that Fanny is still alive.

He does not believe she will last more than a fortnight. ”

Jane burst into uncontrolled sobs and was drawn into Bingley’s embrace.

“Where is she? And where is my father?” questioned Elizabeth, leaning against her husband and feeling his arm pull her close.

“Your mother is in a great deal of pain,” responded Mrs. Gardiner this time.

“She’s in excellent spirits, though, as she still believes herself to be with child.

” She sighed. “Your father is taking it very hard, I’m afraid.

He could not speak a word for a full ten minutes, and then demanded if the doctor was quite certain of the diagnosis.

Upon receiving an adamant response, he verily pushed us all out of his study and locked the door.

About two hours ago, Kitty came down to say that her father had sent the two girls away while he sat with Fanny.

As best we can tell, he is still with her. ”

“Catherine has not had an easy time of it, I fear,” added Mr. Gardiner.

“She and Lydia are up in their old rooms, resting.” At Elizabeth’s curious look, he explained, “As I understand it, one of Lydia’s friends was traveling with her family to London at the end of term and were kind enough to see your sister to Longbourn.

She arrived not more than a fortnight ago. ”

After a few moments spent digesting the information, Elizabeth gritted her teeth and forced herself to face the situation. “Well, Mr. Darcy and I need to wash up and change, and then I would like to introduce my son to his grandparents.”

Jane looked as if she might follow her sister, but Bingley tightened his arms around her and whispered something until she closed her eyes again.

Elizabeth could not recall Longbourn ever being so quiet, but she still smiled to see Mrs. Hill waiting for them at the front door. “Oh, Miss Lizzy—it’s good you’ve come. And you as well, Mr. Darcy, sir. ”

“Hill, this is my son, Master Bennet Darcy.”

“Oh, isn’t he just a dear! And just look at him watching me—he’s an old soul, mark my words!”

Mrs. Hill was slightly embarrassed to show the Darcys into Elizabeth and Jane’s old rooms, but as she explained, it was the last unoccupied suite in the house.

“I hope this’ll do, Miss… Mrs. Darcy—there now, I’ll get it right one of these days.

I’ve put the Gardiners and the Bingleys in the two guest suites, and with Miss Lydia and Miss Kitty back in their rooms, there’s only those two single bed chambers on either end of the hall, and I didn’t think you’d be wanting those. ”

“This will do just fine, Mrs. Hill,” Elizabeth assured her, though to herself, she wondered how she would feel sleeping with her husband in her girlhood room.

“And if we could have some water to wash off the dust, it would be wonderful. It need not be hot—the weather is so warm that cool water would be lovely.”

“Oh yes, I daresay old Mabberley has already brought it up for the both of you. See—your maid and valet look to have your things all set out… and the nursery’s all scrubbed up—Miss Annie and young Master Bingley are there already, each with a nurse of their own, so there’ll be no problem looking after young Master Darcy, here.

Well then—I’ll just be seeing about dinner.

Don’t you worry about a thing except your mother, Miss Lizzy. It’s good you’ve come home.”

Elizabeth watched the dear housekeeper bustle down the hall to the servants’ stairs before turning back to her husband and sighing.

“How are you, really?” asked Darcy.

Lizzy smiled wanly. “Well enough, for now.” She took a deep breath and continued, “This first time, I’d like to take Ben in to see my mother alone, if you don’t mind.

If she’s still abed, then she probably hasn’t dressed or had her hair done and she would be utterly mortified to have you see her so.

While I do that, will you talk to my uncle and find out if they know anything else? ”

Judging that in this situation, Elizabeth knew best, Fitzwilliam agreed, and, after one last kiss, the couple went to their separate dressing rooms.

Tilly was ready and had her mistress washed and changed so quickly that it was barely half an hour later before Mrs. Darcy found herself in the hall outside her mother’s apartment, holding her son and watching her husband disappear down the stairs.

She was just reaching to knock when the door opened to show Mrs. Hill with a tray.

“You go right in, Miss Lizzy. Your father’s sitting with her and they know you’re coming. I haven’t given the mistress her laudanum, so she’s in a bit of pain, but she… well, you’ll see. You go on in, dear.”

Mrs. Bennet looked just as Elizabeth had pictured, sitting up in her bed against a pile of ruffled pillows, wearing her lace cap and a pink shawl.

Her embroidery basket was on the table beside her, and a crochet hook with a half-finished baby bootie was stuck into a ball of yarn.

Her expression was happy to the point of defiance, although her daughter could easily make out the signs of illness lurking behind it, and the bulge in her mother’s abdomen could not be missed.

In that instant, Elizabeth understood perfectly why her father had chosen to allow his wife to retain her fantasy; to do otherwise would have been a cruelty.

“Is that Mrs. Darcy? Come in, come in—and you have brought the boy! Oh—bring him here so that I can see him! Your dear husband isn’t behind you, is he? I’m not dressed yet. Oh, my dear, dear Lizzy—a baby boy! Oh, my nerves! Mr. Darcy must be so pleased!”

Elizabeth came to sit on the edge of the bed and held the babe where her mother might best look at him. “Hello Mama, Papa. May I introduce Master Bennet Darcy to you? We call him Ben…”

“Mr. Bennet Darcy! Oh how well that sounds! Does it not, Thomas? Bennet Darcy… oh, what a serious expression he has, just like his father. Well, you will make sure he laughs, won’t you, Lizzy?”

With a catch in her throat, Elizabeth promised to do so very earnestly, and proceeded to answer all her mother’s questions with no hint of impatience.

Eventually, Mrs. Bennet paused long enough for her husband to say quietly, “Welcome home, Lizzy… we are glad to see you… both of you.”

For the first time, Elizabeth turned toward the chair where her father sat, and really looked at him. She was shocked to see how he appeared to have aged a decade since last she saw him. However, all she could think to say was, “Thank you, Papa.”

Fortunately, Mrs. Bennet had begun sorting through her basket, pulling out any number of beautifully embroidered baby clothes until she found what she wanted.

“Here! Most of what I’ve been making are for newborns, of course,” she smiled proudly at Lizzy, resting her hand on her own swollen belly, “but I knew I made a few that turned out larger.”