Page 50 of The Fire at Longbourn (Pride and Prejudice Variation)

Anne gulped, and her eyes, already swollen with exhaustion and grief, leaked tears which flowed down her face.

“What of Mrs. Darcy?” she asked a moment later, panic clawing at her throat. Her mother was dead, and her cousin by marriage was delivering early. Would there be more deaths today?

“She is well, as are the twins,” Mrs. Jenkinson said softly.

“Twins?”

“Indeed, a son and a daughter, both of whom are healthy.”

Anne leaned back against her pillow, a smile shining through her tears. Her mother was gone, but two new precious children had entered the big wide world.

Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: theLordgave, and theLordhath taken away; blessed be the name of theLord.

/

Rosings

Three days later

“Go along, Fitzwilliam,” Elizabeth murmured, lifting a hand to run it down her husband’s cleanly shaven cheek. “I plan to take a nap now, and I know that Anne wishes to consult with you.”

“Are you quite certain?” Darcy asked worriedly. The doctor had assured him that Elizabeth had done well in birthing the twins, but he was still anxious.

“Absolutely certain,” she responded. “Indeed, my love, I wish for you to go. The babies are asleep now, and Jane’s family will arrive with Arabella in a few hours. I will want to spend time with our daughter when she arrives, so I ought to sleep now.”

Darcy nodded and leaned over to kiss her, though gently to avoid her hurting lips, which she had bitten until they bled during labor. He was thankful that her toil had not been as long as with Bella, but he knew she was greatly fatigued.

“I will see you soon,” he assured her. He blew out the wax candle on a nearby table and exited into the adjacent sitting room, which had been fitted up as a nursery for the twins, with a crib and nappies and the like.

Two nursemaids were seated on chairs within, one to look after little Alexander Darcy, the other to look after Baby Susanna.

Both women rose to their feet, but Darcy, quietly so as not to wake the sleeping infants, gestured for them to sit back down.

He walked over to peer down at his son and heir, who was sucking on one tiny fist, his little eyes screwed shut in determined slumber.

Susanna, lying swaddled next to her brother, opened one eye partway as if vaguely curious, before closing the eye again to show off delicate little eyelashes.

They were so beautiful, so perfect, and he would happily hover over them for hours, but Lady Catherine was dead, and Anne needed his advice. Regrettably, it was necessary for him to go.

/

Rosings

Two Hours Later

The door to the great house opened, and Darcy, who was closeted in the study with the steward of Rosings, tilted an eager ear toward the closed door. A moment later, he was out the door and rushing toward the vestibule, where three adults had arrived, each with a child in his or her arms.

There was a shriek of delight, and Georgiana Darcy lowered her niece onto the floor. Arabella dashed toward her father, her dark ringlets bouncing in her enthusiasm, and a moment later, Darcy swung his older daughter high in the air.

“Papa! Papa!” the child squealed, her blue eyes bright with excitement. “Missed you!”

“My darling Bella, I missed you too!” he answered, lowering her in order to kiss her on the cheek.

He turned his attention on Georgiana and the Bingleys, who were standing in the foyer with numerous servants swirling around to relieve them of their outerwear.

Charles put his son David, almost three years of age, on the floor while Jane held their two month old daughter Helena close to her chest. Darcy noted with surprise that a snowstorm had arrived while he was meeting with the steward, and the window panes were spattered with large white flakes of snow.

“Bingley, Jane, thank you for collecting Arabella from the Gardiners and Georgiana from Darcy House,” he said, stepping forward to clasp hands with his closest friend, even as Arabella wiggled out of his arms and began hopping around the large entry way along with her male cousin.

“It was our pleasure, of course,” Jane said, though her brow was furrowed in concern. “Is Lizzy...?”

“She is well,” Darcy assured her. “Tired, of course, and still weak, but she is well, as are the babes. I am certain you wish to refresh yourselves, and the children need attention, but afterward I know she would love to see you.”

/

An Hour Later

“Oh, they are both beautiful,” Jane murmured, planting a kiss on her newborn niece, who was slumbering in her arms. “Lizzy, I am so happy for you.”

“I am too,” Elizabeth said, smiling down at her son, who was also asleep in her embrace. “I am still rather astonished by it all. I knew I was larger than with Bella, but it did not occur to me that I might be carrying twins.”

“Are they feeding well?”

Elizabeth grimaced and said, “In truth, almost too well. I do hope that I can keep up with them. Alexander, in particular, is a greedy little lad. Fitzwilliam assures me that we can hire a wet nurse if necessary, but there is no one available living nearby. Back in London, I suppose we can find someone, so I can only hope and pray that I will have enough until we return to Town.”

“I can help feed your children,” Jane said firmly.

Elizabeth lifted her brows, startled. “Oh, I could not ask such a thing!”

“I am offering, dear one. Helena is a good eater, but I always have plenty of milk when I am finished feeding her. Of course, we would not care to overstay our welcome if Miss de Bourgh is uncomfortable with our being here.”

Elizabeth felt her whole body relax at these words.

She had been a little worried about providing enough for her infants and having another nursing mother, one whom she trusted implicitly, was a great relief.

“I am confident that Anne will be delighted to have you here. She is rather lost, I think; Lady Catherine had such an enormous presence.”

At this moment, Alexander chose to wake up and promptly began crying with hunger.

Elizabeth quickly brought him to her breast, just as Susanna, awakened by her brother, began crying.

Jane immediately began feeding her niece, and in a moment, all was silent except for the enthusiastic grunts of the newborns.

“Is everyone well at Longbourn?” Elizabeth asked a moment later.

“Yes, very well. Father is enjoying a time of relaxation after the busyness of the growing and harvest seasons, and Mamma treasures spending time with our little ones, though she quickly returns them when they grow fractious.”

“One of the pleasures of being a grandmother, no doubt,” Elizabeth said with a chuckle. “How are Mary and Kitty?”

“I think Samuel Lucas and Mary will make a match of it, though they are in no great hurry. Sir William and Lady Lucas certainly approve of our younger sister, and Mary seems very comfortable and happy with Samuel.”

“That is wonderful news! They are well suited.”

“I quite agree.”

“I am glad that Sir William is not holding out for a wealthier bride for his heir.”

“Well, as to that, Father has been saving diligently these last years to augment our younger sister’s dowries, and Charles added a little as well…”

Elizabeth laughed softly and said, “So did Fitzwilliam!”

“So Mary will be far from a penniless bride!”

“And what of Kitty?”

“She is looking forward to her second Season in Town. Given that both you and I are busy with our babies, I am thankful that Lydia will be able to host her.”

Elizabeth nodded. Lydia had entered society the previous year, and she had promptly captured the heart of a wealthy baron, Lord Winterford, who was an old friend of Darcy’s from Cambridge.

The two had tied the knot only six months previously, and Lydia had already found her footing socially.

As a near relation of the Darcys, now married to a lord, she had won a number of friends and was quite adept at managing those jealous of her rapid rise in society.

Of all the changes that had occurred in the Bennet family in the last five years, Lydia was the most surprising of all.

The fire at Longbourn, followed by the attack by George Wickham, had wrought serious alterations in the youngest Bennet’s character.

Elizabeth had always loved Lydia, but now she admired her for who she had become.

/

Midnight

The door to Elizabeth’s bedchamber opened softly, and Elizabeth turned over to peer into the shadows. The candles had been snuffed by a maid, and only the flames of the fire illuminated the room.

“Fitzwilliam?”

“Did I wake you, darling?”

“No. Come here.”

Darcy did so, eagerly enough, and he sat down on the bed next to his wife. He was surprised when his wife promptly grabbed his arm and yanked him over to lie down beside her.

“My dear, are you terribly exhausted?” he asked, putting a hand out to stroke Elizabeth’s soft cheek.

“I am tired,” his wife murmured, “but I will be well enough. Do not worry, Fitzwilliam.”

“I do worry. I remember how weary you were with Arabella in the first weeks, and we have been blessed with two babies!”

“Baby Helena has joined our twins in the sitting room next door, and Jane is in the bedchamber beyond. She has offered, and I have accepted, her help in nursing our twins.”

Darcy was briefly surprised, which quickly gave way to gratitude. “That is kind of Jane.”

“It is,” Elizabeth agreed. “How long do you think we will stay at Rosings?”

Darcy sighed and shifted a little closer to her, careful not to jostle her unduly.

“It depends on your wishes, Elizabeth. Anne is grieving and uncertain as to how to proceed as mistress of Rosings. I would like to stay for at least a week, maybe more, but only if you are willing. You and the children are the highest priority.”

“We can stay as long as you wish,” she said. “I truly do not care where we are so long as we are together, and with Arabella here, and Georgiana, and Jane and Charles, along with my own need for rest and recovery – well, I would be glad to stay for as many weeks as you wish.”

He reached out and grasped one of her hands, pulled it to his lips, and pressed an impassioned kiss on the smooth skin.

“I love you, Elizabeth.”

“I love you too, my darling.”