One Autumn with Darcy

by Rose Fairbanks

  *****

  May 26, 1820

  Elizabeth’s labour with her second child was very short but intense. She had been ill much of the pregnancy. She was never very weak, but she had frequent bouts of fever, nausea, and back pain. The midwife assured the nervous parents that all was well, that Elizabeth’s complaints were not unusual at all, but it did little to ease the anxiety they felt but did not verbalise. Perhaps it was because she was the second child herself that Elizabeth worried excessively over the transition from one child to two. Between her illness, the usual pains, and her nerves, Elizabeth slept little of the pregnancy and had never been so thankful for Pemberley’s library than during those months.

  The pains felt differently than they had with her firstborn, Teddy. At first she was certain it was just the onset of her illness again, but before too many hours, it was clear that she was in labour—and something was not quite right.

  Neither Darcy nor Elizabeth could truly remember much of that day, only that it ended in joy. Elizabeth’s maid had alerted the housekeeper when the pains began, and eventually Darcy was retrieved from his estate affairs. While they awaited the midwife, Elizabeth’s illness attacked. In an instant, she was shivering with a high fever, and her belly was cramping acutely. Darcy refused to leave his ill wife and acknowledged that he had never prayed so fervently in his life. When the midwife finally arrived, Elizabeth could only register the look of terror in her eyes as the entire room was silent with a palpable sense of fear and dread. As usual, her courage rose to the occasion, and she chose to chatter as much as possible and attempt to put the room at ease.

  Very few minutes later, the midwife passed a beautiful baby girl to Darcy and assessed her patient, who was recovering from the fever exceptionally fast now that the baby had arrived. Her full recovery would take several more weeks, but she was undoubtedly out of danger.

  A happy hush descended on the room as everyone looked to the parents. After meeting Elizabeth’s eyes and sharing a soft smile, Darcy happily declared, “Allow me to present Miss Anne Frances Darcy.”

  Even the servants who had never met Lady Anne Darcy could not contain their tears of joy. Pemberley had a new Miss Darcy, and she was named after the beautiful and gentle former mistress.

  *****

  May 1838

  The years passed, and Darcy and Elizabeth were blessed with four more children, an even number of boys and girls. From the moment of her birth, Anne enjoyed being read to. Elizabeth joked that it was due to all the reading she did during the pregnancy. Once Anne was able to read, she had an insatiable curiosity. She was the apple of her father’s eye, preferring him to all others since just after her weaning. Her first word was “Papa,” and her first steps were to him.

  Elizabeth heartily teased Darcy for being wrapped around the finger of his “first baby girl,” but he could not repine a moment of it. In truth, all the daughters were doted on by their father, and in turn, the sons were never too old to display their love for their mother. But Anne Darcy was now a young lady of eighteen, busying for her court presentation, and suddenly found great use in her mother.

  Miss Darcy was strikingly beautiful and looked very much like her namesake. She had the Fitzwilliam family blue eyes and Lady Anne’s fair hair and colouring. Her eyelashes were long like her father’s but full and dark, illuminating her fine eyes, like her mother’s. The dimples to her smile came from her father, but the expression she had, the smile that could light the room, came from her mother.

  Her temperament was a mixture of her parents as well. Mostly, she was quiet and gentle like her grandmother Darcy, but she had a mischievous streak like her mother and was obstinate like her father. She was accomplished, well read, and genuinely intelligent, with a clever but sweet wit. Between her beauty and her disposition, she had many suitors her first Season out but was determined to marry only for a deep love.

  Darcy took the Season particularly hard. At her coming out ball, he danced the first set with her and could only think of the first time he danced with her in his arms. She was only weeks old when he found Elizabeth dancing around the ballroom of Pemberley with her. The sight was so charming, he happily pulled his wife and daughter into a form of waltz embrace. As Anne aged, so did the dancing. In the blink of an eye, she went from being carried in his arms to stepping on his toes to learn the steps to being praised by her dancing master.

  Now, Darcy and Elizabeth watched as their eldest daughter took up her position in line to enter the throne room and make her curtsy before Queen Adelaide. They beamed with pride to hear announced: “Presenting Miss Anne Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire.”

  *****

  May 1841

  The Darcys held a combined ball for their eldest son’s graduation from Cambridge and Anne’s one and twentieth birthday. The house was overflowing with young people, many of them Teddy’s friends from school.

  Darcy and Elizabeth had their eye on one gentleman in particular, though. His eyes followed their daughter around the room, and now he was in conference with their son. Neither could say what it was about this gentleman that garnered their attention, although it might have been how Anne surreptitiously looked about the room for him when she believed no one was watching. Darcy and Elizabeth conveniently found themselves near enough to their son and daughter to hear the introduction when it was finally made.

  “Eddie, may I present my sister, Miss Darcy of Pemberley? Annie, this is my good friend, Mr. Edward Moore of Spotborough.”

  The young couple stood still for some time before they made the appropriate bow and curtsy. Mr. Moore clearly seemed dumbstruck by Anne, but she had never known such an affliction in her life.

  “Thank you for the introduction, Teddy, but Mr. Moore and I are already acquainted.”

  “You are?” Teddy was clearly quite surprised.

  Anne smirked. “Of a sort.” She raised an eyebrow in challenge at Mr. Moore.

  Teddy gave his friend an expectant look, and Moore closed his eyes in resignation.

  “Miss Darcy is only partially correct. We were never introduced. I had been roped into taking my sister shopping, and after several excruciating hours in various shops, I was in a foul mood. Lucy was modeling a new hat in a milliner’s shop and was insistent on some specification as to why I liked it. Instead of focusing on what I liked about that hat, I foolishly, and loudly, criticised certain features on other hats.”

  Teddy rapidly nodded, and his parents shared a knowing look. They could all quite predict what happened next and heard a short huff come from Anne.

  “Lucy happily skipped off, and suddenly Miss Darcy was in view with a hat quite like what I criticised.”

  “Tell him exactly what you said, Mr. Moore. Teddy, I want you to know the true character of the sorts of men you call friends!”

  Sighing in resignation, Mr. Moore accepted his chastisement. “I said hats with flowers on them were only tolerable and not handsome enough for a scullery maid, let alone my sister; feathers were much better.”

  Before Teddy could say a thing, Anne spoke again. “Well, Mr. Moore, you are in my home. I believe you have heard of Pemberley before? And my father, certainly?” Moore nodded. “And do I look like a scullery maid to you tonight? Are the Fitzwilliam jewels I wear insufficient because I have not decorated my hair with ridiculous plumage?”

  Moore gulped, and Teddy tensed, but Darcy and Elizabeth could only barely keep themselves from laughing. Moore looked down to his feet for a moment and then met Anne’s eyes.

  “No, madam, you are easily the handsomest lady in this room.” She blushed and gasped, but he continued. “Pray, forgive me. As I said, I was in a foul mood, and I only said what I knew Lucy desired to hear so she might leave me alone. Your hat was lovely, but I do think it was due more to the lady wearing it than the construction.”

  Anne held his eye for a long moment before smiling brightly at him. Of the observers of their interaction, only she was oblivious to the effect it had on him. Standing
a little taller than he had before, Mr. Moore came to his point at last. “Miss Darcy, might I have the pleasure of your next available set?”

  Anne seemed to accept with true gladness and was soon led to the floor. Straining their ears, Darcy and Elizabeth heard Moore ask their daughter, “What think you of books?”

  Moore was easily a handsome man, but upon hearing Anne’s laughter, his smile stole the breath of nearly every lady in the room. “Oh, Mr. Moore! I can never speak of books in a ballroom!”

  At that moment, Darcy and Elizabeth knew their daughter was lost to them and would not long bear the name Darcy.

  *****

  May 30, 1842

  The formal wedding breakfast was over, and many of the guests had departed. It was well past time for Anne and her husband to leave, but she clearly lingered.

  Anne had said goodbye to her parents but still seemed to look around the house as though she could not bear to leave, when her eye was caught by a nursemaid descending the steps with a baby in her arms.

  As only family remained, the nurse handed the baby to Anne’s sister-in-law. Teddy had married nearly a year ago and had very recently been blessed with a baby girl. Teddy managed the family estate in Lincolnshire, and the little family had only arrived that morning.

  Anne tugged on her husband’s arm and said, “Come, love. I have an introduction to make.”

  Taking the precious bundle from her sister-in-law’s arms, she looked to her husband for a moment. “May I present Miss Darcy?”

  Anne Moore’s smile outshined all others she gave before as she met her parents’ eyes and soon passed the baby back. After one final kiss and hug to her family, she left her childhood home on the arm of her husband, and although she did not see it, her mother’s and father’s smiles finally met their eyes for the first time all day. Pemberley was presented with a new Miss Darcy.

  The End

  The Forget Me Not State

  In the autumn of 2013, I participated in a short story challenge from a list of “wacky holidays.” One suggestion was “marooned without a compass.” I had this story in my head partially based on similar experiences I had traveling in Alaska and Canada, but I couldn’t figure out how to end it, and it just sat for over a year until finally inspiration struck again.

  Somewhere on the Alaska-Canada Highway

  “Beautiful Lizzy. So beautiful. Don’t forget me…if only…” The handsome man in Elizabeth’s dreams murmured in her ears and gave feather-light kisses to her eyelids, cheeks, and nose.

  She turned into them, seeking his mouth, and let out a moan, but suddenly he was not there. Her consciousness sharpened when she heard a throat clear. She opened her eyes to see Will Darcy sitting at the nearby banquette of her fifth wheel and looking at her with an expression she could not make out.

  First meeting three months ago, the duration of their acquaintance did not improve their relationship. He was rude and condescending the first night they met and nothing had changed since. If Elizabeth didn’t love her sister, Jane, so much she would be angry that she had invited her new boyfriend, Charlie, on their annual trip. Especially as it seemed where Charlie went so went his sister, Caroline, and best friend—the annoying Will.

  “Good morning, Elizabeth. Are you feeling better?” he asked with what appeared to be genuine concern.

  Sheepishly, Elizabeth began to rise. She was sure her face was covered in drool and her hair a disheveled mess. She had some odd reaction to some weeds she walked through the day before when they stopped at Kluane Lake, her favorite place in the world. Benadryl always made her sleep hard, but she did feel better.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  She looked around the room and noticed that Caroline was not present. Elizabeth soon heard her shrieking, “Lost! Charles, what can you mean, we are lost? It is not as though we are in a metropolitan area where there are also moose and buffalo crossing signs!”

  “I…I was distracted.” Elizabeth barely heard Charles Bingley’s reply but imagined his distraction was due to her angelic sister Jane.

  There was nothing to be done for; she was going to have to go out there and take the situation by the horns. She made for the door to the fifth wheel and collided with Will.

  Elizabeth huffed, and he allowed her to leave first. Outside, Jane met her with apologetic eyes.

  “I’m sorry, Lizzy. I know you trusted me while you slept, but I must have dozed for a bit, and when I awoke, I had no idea where we were. I hadn’t thought we were lost until Charles mentioned he was unsure, and then I realized the last few townships seemed unfamiliar. We tried guessing on the map, but you know…”

  Elizabeth tried not to sound too disappointed or angry. “Jane, we have travelled the Al-Can every year for our sisterly trips for four years now. How could you get us lost?” She looked first to Jane and then to Charles. The yearly fifteen-hundred-mile journey from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Dawson Creek, British Columbia, was very straightforward.

  “I…um…was distracted,” they replied simultaneously.

  Elizabeth looked toward Will, and they both rolled their eyes. Elizabeth loved Jane and thought Charles seemed nice, but acting like stupid teenagers was ridiculous. And the last thing Jane needed after last time. Her sweet sister had survived a fairy tale romance turned abusive relationship.

  Caroline looked at her phone and began to wail. “I have no service. We have no service, no 4G or even 3G. We’re doomed!”

  “Uh, yeah, Carrie, moose don’t really need 3G service,” Elizabeth cut into her theatrics.

  Caroline caught sight of Will with her barracuda eyes. “Will, darling, I just knoooow you will sort this out.”

  “Actually, Elizabeth has the best chance since she’s familiar with the Al-Can.” Elizabeth thought she almost heard a compliment from the hateful man.

  Caroline let out a huff. “Maybe. But you’re the Eagle Scout and the hunter and used to taking command with your job as a…” Caroline trailed off. She could never pay attention long enough to the miniscule details like Will’s job, just the salary figure.

  “I’m a…” Will was cut off by Caroline again.

  “OMG, what if we’re stuck out here, and a bear attacks us! Or-or-or a psycho killer comes! We’re all alone in literally the middle of nowhere.” The girl genuinely seemed panicked.

  “We’re going to be fine. Charlie, how much gas do we have?” Elizabeth intervened.

  “We’re almost on E; that’s why I stopped.” Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide, suddenly understanding the situation was a bit more serious than they first thought.

  “So let’s use those can thingies and go,” Caroline said.

  “Um, I used them already.”

  “Any idea how long it’s been since there ws a stop?” Elizabeth asked.

  “It’s been at least forty miles.”

  Jane chimed in, “Well, that isn’t so bad since there is usually something every sixty miles or so. We can check the Milepost.”

  Elizabeth somewhat testily explained, “That does us no good when we aren’t sure if we’re still on the Al-Can or on another road.”

  Surely they must be on another highway, for they should be within a few hundred miles of Dawson Creek, and there were settlements about every twenty miles on that leg of the road.

  “Oh,” Jane and Charles responded in kind, staring at their feet.

  “What does that mean?” Caroline’s voice was very high.

  “It means…” Will’s voice was loud and angry, but Elizabeth broke in. It would do no good to alarm the others, especially Caroline.

  “It means,” Elizabeth glared at Will to silence him, “we need to decide between waiting here for someone to happen by or walking and hoping for a house or, if we’re lucky, a town.”

  “I can’t walk for miles and miles!” Caroline screeched. Elizabeth wondered what all the Pilates classes Caroline supposedly missed attending did for her then.

  “We’ll break up into two groups. Charles, you stay with Jane and
Caroline. Elizabeth and I can walk in search of a town or house,” Will compromised. Begrudgingly, Elizabeth noted the wisdom in it.

  Caroline was unconvinced, “Wiiiiilll, you can’t leave me here!” She clutched his arm desperately. She apparently had not gotten the memo that she was not his girlfriend—she was about five minutes older than his baby sister —and the poor guy actually had to shake her loose.

  “I think I should go with you, Will,” Charles suggested.

  “Caroline and Jane are not up for what could be a very, very long walk.” Elizabeth acknowledged privately that it was likely more than twenty miles, and it seemed Will understood as well. “Help might come by, and someone should stay with the vehicle anyway. But no one should be alone, and I think it would be best if you stay with the ladies. I’m sure the walk will not even challenge Elizabeth.”

  Elizabeth narrowed her eyes. Another almost compliment, but it also sounded like he was being chauvinistic in insisting that the ladies needed a man to stay with them. Then again, it would be chauvinistic to insist that none of them could manage the distance. It seemed unlike Will to be so aware of potentially saying the wrong thing or giving offense. Elizabeth finally settled for the fact that Caroline needed to stay put, and Will did not want to be the babysitter.

  Will and Elizabeth each took one gasoline can with them. Elizabeth also packed some snacks, water, an extra blanket, and a first aid kit in her backpack, to which her emergency pop up tent was tied. Will carried his own backpack. To the inexperienced, they looked quite prepared for any misadventure. They eyed each other warily, and Elizabeth tried to not think about the fact that they were walking unprotected in uninhabited wilderness where large and dangerous animals roamed.