Page 66 of To Love And To Cherish (Pride And Prejudice Variation #3)
“Anne, let me prop your feet upon this stool.”
Elizabeth bent to lift the heavily pregnant Mrs. Fitzwilliam’s feet, arranging them upon the cushioned rest before settling to massage her swollen ankles and lower legs. Anne, in turn, rubbed her own wrists and hands with a small sigh that soon became a wail.
“I cannot believe the human body is capable of becoming so bloated. I am wretched, Lizzy. I cannot sit in comfort, I cannot lie down without pain, and I cannot sleep. I wish this child would come without delay.”
Elizabeth smiled with sympathy and patted her hand. “All in good time. You have but six weeks more, and by then Richard will have returned from the continent. You shall have him at your side for the birth.”
Anne’s eyes glistened. “Why must he be away now, of all times? The French Imperial Army is marching toward Belgium, and Richard is in Brussels! He is no longer in the military. What call had they upon him?”
Her voice trembled and broke. “I do not know how I shall bear the uncertainty, whether he is safe, whether he is well. What if he is caught in the midst of the fighting?”
Elizabeth’s hands paused in their gentle work. She longed to offer firm assurances, yet no words came that could carry conviction. She squeezed Anne’s hand in quiet understanding instead.
That evening, as the household assembled for dinner at Matlock House, a loud rap echoed from the front door.
The butler entered moments later bearing a letter, which he presented to the Earl.
Conversation ceased at once. All eyes followed the Earl as he broke the seal and scanned the final page before looking up.
“It is from Richard.” His voice was steady, though all present leaned forward in unspoken urgency.
He read aloud:
Father, by the time this reaches you, Napoleon’s army will have crossed into Belgium.
They will soon meet the Prussian forces under Field Marshal Blücher and a coalition under the Duke of Wellington.
I remain in Brussels, far from the field of battle.
Comfort Anne with this knowledge and tell her she need not fear for me.
My work here for the War Office is nearly concluded, and I expect to return to England within a fortnight, well before our child is born.
Phillip laid a reassuring hand upon his sister-in-law’s shoulder. “You see? I told you, my brother would not risk his life needlessly. Take comfort, Anne. Richard knows his duty to you and will be here when you need him most.”
Tears of relief ran unchecked down Anne’s cheeks. Darcy, however, spoke gravely. “Napoleon is even now advancing into Belgium. The armies will be engaged within days. Pray God Wellington prevails over that Corsican Fiend.”
Elizabeth moved to sit beside Anne. “All will be well. Richard will take care and return to you as swiftly as he is able.”
Anne dabbed at her eyes and managed a small smile. “Yes. I am grateful for his letter; it will give me strength in the days to come.”
Elizabeth said gently, “Fitzwilliam and I go to Longbourn on the morrow and shall be gone a fortnight. My father has taken a house in Cambridge, and we mean to see my parents comfortably settled.”
Anne looked up. “So Mary and William are already at Longbourn?”
“Yes, these three weeks past. My father writes that William and the steward are much in accord, and William has a sound head for numbers. This has made him feel easy about relinquishing the ledgers to his heir and turning again to his books.”
Lady Helen smiled. “Why Cambridge, Elizabeth? I should have chosen the seaside.”
Elizabeth laughed. “My father was a professor of languages there in his youth, before marriage. Now he returns to tutor students who require more guidance than usual. His friend, Professor Giles Trent, is overburdened and has asked him to take a share of the work. My father writes that it gives him new life, and my mother is happy to have fresh places to see and new occupations.”
Anne asked, “Is not Kitty near her confinement? Who will attend her, now Mary has gone?”
“Jane will go to her,” Elizabeth replied. “Mr. Bingley will accompany her, with baby Thomas, but they will leave little Charles and his nurse with us.”
Lydia laughed. “We shall be run off our feet, Lizzy. Baby Wills cannot keep pace, and little Charles will be into mischief from morning till night.”
Darcy grinned. “If Charles proves too much for us, we shall drive to Kent and deliver him back to his parents. Provided we remain there ourselves, no one will take offence.”
Anne smiled. “You may stay at Rosings, Fitzwilliam. Charlotte says the Grants’ house is quite full. Mr. Grant’s two sisters and their families arrived last week and mean to remain until Kitty is delivered. They wish to be on hand when the new heir is delivered.”
Georgiana said softly, “Poor Kitty, she must be overwhelmed.”
“Not at all,” Anne answered. “Charlotte writes that Mrs. Grant has all in order, and Daniel will not permit Kitty to lift a finger. He told them he would send the whole party away if they became troublesome.”
Darcy chuckled. “I can scarce believe Daniel has acquired such firmness.”
Anne joined in the laughter. “He has grown into a man and a most protective husband.”
Lady Helen turned to Elizabeth. “And your sister Mary, is she indeed expecting?”
“Yes, at last,” Elizabeth replied warmly.
“They feared they might never have children, having waited four years. I am thankful Fitzwilliam discovered a technicality by which the entail was rendered void; else I might have fretted that, were the child a girl, she would not inherit. Now it matters not, boy or girl, the estate shall remain in the family.”
“That is a blessing,” Lady Helen said sincerely.
At that moment, the Darcys’ nurse descended with baby Edward wailing in her arms. Elizabeth rose at once. “I shall return well before dinner; he never takes long to nurse.”
Darcy also stood. “I will keep William amused while you feed the little one.”
Georgiana’s gaze followed her brother as he ascended the stairs with Elizabeth.
Lydia leaned toward her. “Do you think you and I shall ever find such a man, Georgiana? He cares for everyone. Why, he brought William, Charles, and Daniel to the point, followed Lizzy to Scotland, and stole her away from a laird! He even accomplished the impossible by settling Lady Catherine in a comfortable apartment in Bath. Are there any such men left for us?”
Georgiana laughed softly. “Plenty, Liddy. And we shall have a delightful time discovering them.”
The End