Bingley was surprised when he received a letter from his aunt, informing him that she had granted permission for Mr Jamison to court Caroline. Knowing Mr Jamison’s family, Bingley could not believe that his sister would accept a courtship with someone she would consider beneath her. But their aunt explained to him that she had spoken with Caroline at length concerning Mr Jamison. Mrs Bingley was surprised when her niece approached her, wishing to discuss what it was like to feel love for someone. After many discussions, Caroline decided that she did have a tender regard for the young man. It was quite a revelation to all of her family, but especially to Caroline herself.
~~ ** ~~
As the Darcys arrived at the top of a hill on the road leading to the main house at Pemberley, Darcy smiled when he heard his wife gasp. The first sight of the house came into view and, like many others, Elizabeth was awestruck. “I am to be the Mistress of all of this? William, it is far too grand. I could never do it justice.”
“My love, you only need to do as much as you wish. Mrs Reynolds, like Mrs Lane at Darcy House, has been taking care of the house since my mother’s death. She will have no difficulty continuing whatever duties you wish for her to handle. Take as much time as you wish becoming used to the estate before taking on any tasks, and then take on only what you wish. Besides, I do not wish for you to overtax yourself, for I will not tolerate you putting your health or the health of our child in jeopardy. You are both too important to me.”
Elizabeth rested her head against her husband’s shoulder as she continued to watch out the window at the grand house that was now her home. “It appears as if it grew there naturally, the way it is situated with the natural beauty of the grounds. It is so beautiful.”
“Do you think that you will enjoy walking the paths of the park?”
“It is beautiful, even being winter. I can only imagine how perfect it will be to wander the estate in the spring, when it comes to life.”
“It is the most beautiful place in the world.” Darcy said with a smile on his lips. He ran his hand lightly up and down his wife’s back as he held her to his body. “It is the best place in the world to raise a child.”
“Not that you are at all prejudice, Mr Darcy.” Elizabeth giggled.
“Not at all, Mrs Darcy, for I have been told by many that they wished they had been so blessed.”
“I know our children will be pleased to grow up in such a perfect piece of heaven. You said that your mother had a rose garden. Is that it, there to the north of the house?”
“It is. And she had an orchard planted further north of there. She loved fresh fruit and wished to have plenty grown locally. Mother would go to the rose garden or the orchard and work with the gardener in making certain that all the plants were healthy and well taken care of.”
“And our rooms face to the north, do they not?” Elizabeth asked. “We will be able to smell the roses when they bloom from our rooms?”
“That is why my mother planted them there. She loved the fragrance and when the roses were blooming, she would sit on the balcony in the evening to enjoy the coolness and the scent.”
“What a wonderful way to end the day.”
Darcy smiled, knowing that his wife would make this a nightly routine for them, as well, as soon as the weather permitted.
Finally arriving at the front steps, Darcy stepped out from the carriage and turned to hand down his wife. The staff had assembled outside the front door, and as soon as Elizabeth joined her husband, there were many cheers of delight from the servants. Elizabeth blushed as all bid her welcome to her new home. Darcy introduced her to many of the main staff; most importantly, to Mrs Reynolds.
The lady was in her late forties, and had worked at Pemberley since she was quite young. She became the housekeeper when the current Master was nearly four years old. Mrs Reynolds was a caring woman, and she knew this was the young lady who had captured the heart of her Master William. Mrs Lane had written to inform her counterpart of the new Mrs Darcy, telling her of the young lady’s preferences and style, and of the deep love and devotion that was obvious in both Mr and Mrs Darcy.
“Mrs Darcy, I am so very pleased to meet you. I have heard so many wonderful things about you, and it will be delightful to have such a Mistress here at Pemberley.”
“I do not know that I deserve such praise, Mrs Reynolds, but I thank you for your kindness. I look forward to knowing you better as I will be relying on your wisdom in training me as to the running of the estate.”
“Whenever you wish to learn, do not hesitate. I do hope that you will take some time to settle in here first, as I know that you and your husband have not had a great deal of time to yourselves. It is winter and that means that there are not as many priorities for the Mistress. Now, I have ordered baths drawn for you, and trays will be sent up to you when you are ready for them. Cook has prepared some wonderful treats for you to enjoy over the next few days.”
Darcy smiled. He had sent a letter to Mrs Reynolds asking that all preparations be made for he and his wife to remain locked away in their suite of rooms for the rest of the week. Though she had said baths, he knew that she would have had the new tub, which had been delivered recently, filled for the couple.
When the couple entered the Mistress’s Chambers, Elizabeth gasped. The bedchamber was filled with vases of roses and lavender, as Mrs Reynolds had the gardener raid the hothouse for every available blossom. The room was decorated in such a way that Elizabeth felt she was hidden away in a forest, with rich woods and lush greens being primary through the room. Around the base of the walls were small flowers which had been hand painted. The furniture was cherry wood, lending a rich feeling to the room. The shades had been pulled back, allowing the sunlight to enter the room, as if peering through tree limbs.
On the right side of the room were a door into her personal dressing chambers and another door leading into the birthing room and nursery. It brought a smile of joy to Elizabeth to see the sweet room where she would give birth in just a few months. This sent a sense of thrill coursing through her body. Mrs Reynolds had already been told the wonderful news of the future of Pemberley already on its way. “I had the rooms cleaned thoroughly and aired out. If there is anything you wish changed, we will begin on such as soon as you wish. It is such a wonderful gift, a new generation of Darcys. We are excited to have little ones in the house again.”
Elizabeth’s hand covered her belly as a strange look came over her expression. Darcy noticed the change in his wife and was instantly at her side to tend to her. “Lizzy, perhaps you should rest for a while. The trip must have taken more from you than you thought.”
She shook her head as she looked into her husband’s eyes. “William, I just felt it. Like fluttering inside of me, our babe is moving around.”
It was clear that her husband was disappointed in not being able to feel their child moving about inside his beloved. “It is not painful, is it?” he asked.
“No, it is an incredible feeling. I cannot begin to describe it to you.”
Mrs Reynolds had tears in her eyes as she watched the exchange between the couple. Though she had been told that it was a love match, seeing the young couple before her made her heart leap for joy. “Does it feel as if you had a batch of butterflies flitting around inside of you?” she asked.
Elizabeth nodded her head. “It is such an unbelievable feeling. I know that we have been aware of my increasing, but this makes everything so much more real. This is a new life growing inside of me. The babe is a piece of you and me that will grow into a fine person. William, I love you so very much.”
Mrs Reynolds was amazed when her master scooped his wife into his arms and kissed her soundly in front of those in the room. He walked, with his wife in his arms, to the Mistress’s bedchamber, closing the door and locking it. After depositing his wife gently on the bed, he walked to the other side of the room and made sure the doors to his rooms and the sitting room were secure as well. As he began to walk back to the b
ed, he was removing his clothing, leaving a trail behind him.
Reaching his wife, he captured her lips again, as his hands wandered to the back of her gown. Quickly, he was able to dispense with her clothing, leaving the items in a pile on the floor beside his own. He knew that his valet would be scandalized to see the clothing tossed about in such a way, but that did not matter.
Once he had divested his wife of her clothing, Darcy moved his lips down her body, placing light kisses along the trail. When he reached the swell of her abdomen, he ran his fingers over the skin, caressing gently. “Hello, Sweetling. I cannot wait until I can feel you moving about. I love you and your Mamma so very much, and I am so very grateful for your letting us know that you are with us.”
“William, I believe your child must have approved of the room where I will deliver him or her into the world.”
“It is a daughter, I am sure of it. My little Sweetling; I will have a small version of my beloved wife.”
Elizabeth began to giggle. “I would never have thought that the taciturn Fitzwilliam Darcy could be so silly. Fortunately I learned of this sweet side of you, the kind and caring man that you are. I cannot imagine what my life would have been had I not realized how much I love you.”
“You are my world, Elizabeth Darcy, my heart and soul. I will be grateful for the rest of my life for your giving me a chance to win your heart. We will have a long and happy life together, I am sure of it.”
~~ ** ~~
The bath was taken nearly an hour later, followed by the couple partaking in the delightful morsels that the cook had prepared. Mrs Lane had sent a list of Elizabeth’s favorite foods as well as other likes, so the cook made certain to have many of them prepared. There were pastries, cheese, fruit, cold chicken and roasted beef. There was fresh made bread, some still warm from the oven. Elizabeth had not realized how hungry she was until she smelled the heavenly fragrance.
After they ate, the couple dressed simply so they could step down the hall. Darcy wished to show his wife the library of their home. “I have not given you a full description of the size of our library.” He said as he opened the door and escorted his wife inside. Laughing at her expression, Darcy wrapped his arms around her from the back.
They wandered through the room, and tears came to Elizabeth’s eyes as she remembered the times she sat in the library at Longbourn, reading while her father worked on his books or read. Seeing this room made Elizabeth think of how dearly her father would have loved to see it. The smell of leather binding and parchment were like coming home.
Darcy noticed the tears that had escaped and trailed down her cheeks. “Dearest, what is wrong?”
“I was thinking of Papa. He would have loved this room; we would have never been able to get him out of it. We spent so many hours in his bookroom; it just touched on some wonderful memories.”
“Forgive me for not thinking. Of course, you and your father shared your love of books. It was thoughtless of me for not realizing that it would bring memories of your family.”
“Pleasant memories, William, and they need to be cherished. If we do not hold on to the memories of those we have loved and lost, they disappear as if they never existed. I wish to remember my parents and sisters. They were all very important to me and I do not wish for them to be forgotten.”
“Very well, dearest, but if you find something too painful to accept, please tell me.”
Elizabeth turned around and reached up to kiss her husband. “I know that you will do everything in your power to protect me. You are truly the best of men.”
Once they returned to their rooms, Darcy guided his beloved to the rug before the fireplace, encouraging her to rest her head on his lap when he sat down. She did so, relishing the feel of Darcy playing with her curls. Seeing how relaxed she was, with her eyes closed and a delighted smile on her lips, Darcy knew his life was extremely better than it had been twelve months prior. Twelve months before, Darcy was sulking in London at his townhouse, as he fought against his feelings for Elizabeth Bennet. What a fool he was to have not declared his feelings for her while he and Bingley were first at Netherfield. Then, the end of March of the previous year, he had found her at Rosings Park when he had gone there for Easter. Fate was telling him that it was meant to be, they were meant to fall in love. Less than a year later, after all that they had been through, and here they were, married and expecting their first child.
Darcy decided that this year, their Easter would be the start of new tradition. They would plant a new tree each year in the orchard at Pemberley, and have a picnic there as the weather permitted.
~~~~~~~ ** ~~~~~~~
Chapter 30
The weeks went by quickly, as Elizabeth and Darcy settled into their married life. Elizabeth took over the household books and planning the menus, as well as many other duties that the Mistress of Pemberley would handle. Mrs Reynolds instructed the new Mistress, and gave her opinions in private when asked. She was proud to see Elizabeth take to the position easily and with confidence.
Darcy had a great deal of catching up to do, after being away from Pemberley for so long. His steward met with him daily, spending a great many hours going over the books, the plans for the planting season, and the list of repairs that needed to be done to the estate. They rode out many days, inspecting buildings and bridges, checking over the livestock. Darcy had also planned to begin breeding horses on a larger scale than he had in the past. When he and Georgiana had traveled the previous year, his sister knew of his passion for horses and made sure that they saw some of the best breeding farms in the countries that they visited. He knew that his love of horses would only grow now that the rest of his life was working out the way he wished.
Georgiana decided to return to Pemberley at the end of June, as the heat of summer in Town was not enjoyable. She was also dying to spend time with her sister and brother. Never having a sister before, Georgiana was thrilled to have someone with which to talk with. When Georgiana first arrived home, she chattered on about the latest fashions and gossip in Town. Elizabeth laughed as she watched the once quiet and shy Georgiana acting as many young girls did. She also reminded Elizabeth of Lydia and Kitty with the animated way she was behaving.
While Georgiana had been in Town, she had continued her studies with masters. Her musical talent was to be envied previously, now they were near perfection. Each evening, after the family dined together, Georgiana would entertain her family with music as they sat together on the sofa in the music room. A peaceful bliss had come over Pemberley and even the staff noticed.
A letter arrived near the first of June from Jane, announcing two events. The first was that she was increasing, and the babe was expected around the end of January. Elizabeth was thrilled for her sister and prayed for her and her baby’s good health.
The second piece of news was shocking to everyone. It was the announcement that Miss Caroline Bingley was to marry Mr Jamison on the first of July. The couple would marry from Scarborough, from her aunt’s home, as Caroline felt she had finally come to life while living there. In her mind, it was her home. Charles found no offense from this, and was pleased to be giving his sister into a marriage built on love and mutual respect. After the wedding, the Jamisons would take a trip to Scotland for a week before returning to the new home which Mr Jamison purchased for his bride.
Bingley and Jane planned to travel to Pemberley in June, to be able to enjoy a few weeks with the Darcys, before making the journey to the wedding. They would remain in Scarborough at Mrs Bingley’s house for a fortnight, before returning to Pemberley. They would stay at Pemberley until after the birth of their niece or nephew.
~~ ** ~~
By July, Elizabeth felt she was as big as a house. She could not remember the last time she was able to look down and see her own feet, which were swollen and ached from time to time. Fortunately, her husband was quite attentive and massaged them often for her. A smile grew across her lips on afternoon as she watched her husband massaging
her left foot.
“And what is bringing such a sweet look to your face, my love?” Darcy asked.
“I was just thinking that my accident did have one positive result.”
Darcy’s eyebrow arched with curiosity. “And just what could that be, Mrs Darcy?”
“You have developed an amazing ability for massaging sore muscles. You have quite a talent, my lover.”
The last months had Elizabeth’s appetite for her husband’s affections growing beyond what they had previously known. She was nearly insatiable in her need to have him. Fortunately, her husband was more than willing to be of aid to his beloved wife. When she had grown too large to be comfortable in their “marital duties”, he found other ways to bring her pleasure.
As the day came closer to the birth of their child, Elizabeth looked back on the months since coming to Pemberley. Each morning, after they woke, Darcy would speak to her growing belly. He spoke of his family history, of their home, and of the love he had for his beloved Elizabeth. At the end of each of his talks, he would tell his unborn child how dearly he loved her, for Darcy was certain that it was a daughter, and place a kiss for her on her mother’s swell. Elizabeth would listen to her husband’s chats, while running her fingers through his dark and unruly curls.
She also remembered the look on Darcy’s face the first time he felt the babe move inside her. He could not move from where he was, he wished to continue feeling the kicks and stretches that his child was making. The funniest day, though, was the day that he had caressed his wife’s breast a little harder than he had thought, and her milk came from the nipple. Having never seen such before, Darcy was amazed at this revelation of just how the nourishment for a babe came from a woman’s breast. He knew, from reading, what would happen, but had never seen milk coming from a woman.
They had discussed hiring a wet nurse, for that was standard practice in high society. Darcy was concerned for his wife’s health if she were to nurse the babe, if she had to be up throughout the night and not rest properly. Elizabeth informed him that her mother had nursed all five of the Bennet daughters, with no adverse effects to her health.
The Ashes of Longbourn Page 28