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The butler at Bedford House ushered the four Fitzwilliams into her Grace’s sitting room where they found Aunt Rose in a state of worry.

Tears were rolling down her cheeks when they walked in and her adopted daughters sat on either side of her, each taking a hand in theirs.

“My Sed has never had a fever like the one he has now. The doctor used the cold bath like Lizzy used on William, and thank God, it seems to have brought it down.” Aunt Rose nodded at the hope she saw in their eyes.

“Then there has been some improvement in Uncle Sed?” Andrew Fitzwilliam asked carefully.

“Yes, Andrew, his fever seems to have broken now, but I am so worried,” she admitted as more tears rolled down her cheeks. “In all the thirty years since we married, I have never been so worried for my Sed.”

“Should we send an express to Derbyshire, Aunt Rose?” Jane asked.

“You know that your uncle does not want to worry Thomas and the rest of the family, but yes I think we should let them know. Do make sure that you tell them that Sed thinks it is not needed for them to return,” Lady Rose said with relief. Having the whole family around her would be a boon.

“Papa knows what Uncle is like; how he downplays anything connected to his health. I am certain that they will return as soon as they receive the news,” Marie opined.

As she spoke, Jane walked over to the escritoire and wrote the express.

As soon as the missive was sealed, the butler was summoned and instructed to have the letter sent with all haste.

After confirming that their uncle was awake to receive them, and with the Duke of Bedford’s long serving and very loyal valet, Mr. Adam Winters, the four made their way to his chambers.

When the twins saw their surrogate father, they almost burst into tears but were able to somewhat control their reaction.

“Do I look so poorly that…” the Duke’s inhale after but a few words, it was harsh to their ears, “Thomas’s daughters got such…

a shock seeing me?” he asked. It was obvious that he was trying to put on a brave face, but both ladies were beside themselves with worry.

Their Uncle Sed had always looked younger than his two and sixty years, but if they were to admit the truth, he now looked considerably older than his age.

They chose not to berate him for not heeding Aunt Rose’s admonitions not to ride in the rain, he had always loved his stallion Apollo, and hated going more than one day without riding him.

Marie gained her equanimity before her sister, “Sorry, Uncle Sed, we are not used to seeing you ill,” she managed knowing that it did not ring true, even to herself. She was sure that he understood their reaction to how bad he looked.

“You…did not ask…my brother to…return?” the Duke of Bedford managed between breaths.

“I did send an express to inform Papa that you are sick, Uncle, but we did not request that he return to London post-haste,” Jane informed her Uncle whose eyebrows raised in bemused expectation as they both knew that the letter would be enough to have the Bennets leaving Derbyshire within a day of receiving it.

Lady Rose walked into her beloved husband’s bedchamber saying, “Reggie, Elaine, and Catherine are with me in my sitting room, Sed. Reggie wants to know if you feel up to seeing him.” The duke nodded and his nieces kissed him on his cheek as they followed their aunt back to the sitting room.

The sisters passed their father-in-law in the corridor, and by their looks of solemnity he could tell that his friend was not in a good way.

When Ladies Jane and Marie entered the sitting room, the duchess was being comforted by the Countess of Matlock on one side, and Lady Catherine on the other. “I have Tom’s and Lizzy’s betrothal ball all planned,” Lady Rose said distractedly. “There have been no refusals to an invitation.”

“Rose, I am sure that Lizzy and Tom will agree that they will not want to celebrate until our dear Sed is well again,” Lady Catherine opined.

“That may be the case, Catherine,” the duchess responded, “but if I know my Sed, it would upset him more if they cancel the ball because of him. He would not want that, and I would not suggest it to him as it would truly upset him.” Elaine passed her a new silk and squeezed her hand.

“You have the right of it, Rose. I too know Sed will demand that plans not be changed,” Lady Elaine nodded as she agreed with her friend.

“At least the ball is at Bennet House so if he is not well enough to attend yet, he will not be tempted to force himself out of his sickbed to show his face.” Lady Rose smiled as her friend had accurately stated just what her husband would do, his fighting spirit to rally with his family long joked about in their drawing rooms.

“It will be interesting to see what happens when Lizzy returns,” Marie smiled as she thought about her younger sister.

“You know that she can be as stubborn as Uncle Sed, but she has always loved him and listened to his council so he is the one person who will be able to sway her easily.” Jane and her aunt nodded in agreement.

The Earl of Matlock and his sons returned to the sitting room and each man went to his wife. “We will all pray for him. My friend Sed is as strong as that horse of his, so I am sure that he will recover, Rose,” Reggie said, as much to convince himself as the others.

Jane decided to change the subject. “Have the Gardiners, Phillips, and Bingleys been notified yet that Uncle is sick?” she asked.

“Thank you for reminding me, dear,” Aunt Rose said gratefully. “I have been remiss, and I should…” She was cut off by her younger niece.

“I am sorry to interrupt, Aunt Rose, but you have enough to think about. I will write the notes and make sure that they are sent out,” Lady Marie said, then went to sit at the escritoire to write, seal, and address the four notes as offered.

The butler was instructed to send the three with London addresses with a footman, but that the one for Meryton was to be sent by express.

The Viscountess realised that the other cousins would not be happy if they were not notified as well, so she wrote one more note and had it dispatched to Buckingham House forthwith.

The Regent had always been close to Uncle Sed, so omitting the royal cousins would have been unpardonable.

~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~

Two days later the betrothed couple and their younger sisters returned from a lengthy ride flushed with exercise and smiling at the reminder of an amusement shared while they were on it.

Darcy led them up a bridle path to the summit of a hill that overlooked the estate, it had a very good view of the peaks in the distance.

As they were dismounting in the stables, a footman from the house approached the Master and requested that he and the ladies join their parents in the family sitting room as soon as could be.

The five quickly followed and entered the sitting room where they first saw a grim-faced duke, his expression so unlike his usual sardonic smile it warranted their immediate attention.

They then looked to his wife and saw she had shed tears and was being comforted by the Dowager Duchess.

“Papa,” Lady Elizabeth broke the silence, “what has happened, why has Mama been crying?” she looked from one to the other for a reason.

The Duke said nought but handed his middle daughter the express that had arrived an hour previously.

22 May 1812

Bedford House

My Dearest Mama, Papa, and Family;

Uncle Sed is unwell. He caught a cold after riding in the rain, and you know him too well to think that he would cease the riding because of some inconvenient weather.

At first it seemed no more than, as Uncle put it, ‘a trifling cold’, but it took a turn for the worse and Uncle had a raging fever. It was so high that the cold bath method Lizzy employed for William was used. It had the desired effect, and the fever broke, but all is not well.

When we first saw him, even our husbands gasped at his pallor. No matter how he protests that he is getting better, when he breathes there is a rasping sound, and he needs to take as deep a breath as he can every few words when he speaks. He tires easily and sleeps for much of the time.

Aunt Rose is so very concerned. Uncle commanded that I not ask you to return as soon as may be, so I told him that I would inform you of his illness and leave the decision up to you, though I confess, I hope that we will be seeing all of you far sooner than had been originally planned.

Aunt Rose, my parents-in-law, and Aunt Catherine send their regards.

With much love,

Jane.

The three Bennet daughters all had tears of worry in their eyes after reading the missive. “We will return to Town, will we not Papa?” Lady Mary asked hopefully as she especially loved her Uncle Sed.

“Yes, Mary, we will return as soon as Tom and James arrive from Birchington,” Lord Thomas too looked tired and worried. “William, we dispatched one of your grooms with a note to inform my sons, asking them to hie to Pemberley as soon as they are able.”

“I sent Jim on the fastest mount available, William,” Lady Anne informed her son who nodded his agreement.

Without planning it, Lady Elizabeth’s hands found their way into her betrothed’s, and no one made a comment as she needed the comfort only her beloved William’s touch could give.

“We must pack,” Elizabeth stated as she started to think of the practical tasks that must be achieved prior to the departure.

“The instructions have been issued, Lizzy,” Lady Anne responded. “We will be ready to depart as soon as the party from Birchington arrives.”

“They should reach us by evening, so we will depart as early in the morning as we can,” the Duke of Hertfordshire stated.