Mr. Darcy's Decision: A Sequel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Page 18

  “You see, Mrs. Bennet,” said her husband in confidence, “this young man is either uncommonly kind or tone-deaf that he makes such a convincing portrayal of enjoyment.”

  Mrs. Bennet silenced her husband with a harsh look. For most of the evening she indulged in self-congratulation. For had not she known, and ensured to some degree, that her daughters would all end well? “Of course poor Lydia has had her share of troubles, but that is your fault, Mr. Bennet,” she said in a whisper and having so shamelessly disowned responsibility for any familial ills and so greedily taken all credit for familial success she settled to her needlework with satisfaction.

  Elizabeth was astonished to read of Mary’s news. “This is all so sudden. Mary has quite surprised us all I am sure. But what of Lady Catherine? Poor Anne, they will waste no time in seeking out a replacement. Lady Catherine cannot be expected to exist without adulation,” she said to Lydia.

  “Well I hope he is fond of sermons,” said Lydia of Robert Price,“for I do not imagine Mary shall think of giving them up.”

  “Certainly not! Oh, wait! Mama wants me to arrange a suitable match for Kitty now! That is just like her. I am barely strong enough to give time to all the particulars of my own life, but no, it is here, she wishes me to arrange Kitty’s too.”

  It had been too long since the sisters had enjoyed light conversation and merriment and their mother’s letter provided an ample source of diversion. Elizabeth entertained her sister with chosen excerpts. “Oh Lydia, listen to this, mama writes that he, Mr. Price, wears spectacles also, so he is perfectly acceptable to Mary. There Lydia, success in marriage is entirely due to both parties having poor eyesight!”

  “Well it does not surprise me in this case,” said Lydia mischievously, “a man with good eyesight would never marry Mary.”

  “Lydia, do not be cruel,” said Elizabeth smiling.

  “You only scold me because you think you should.”

  “It is the way of we older sisters, whether our knowledge be greater is debatable, but our age, which is certainly superior affords us the opportunity to reprimand you younger siblings as and when we please.”

  Lighthearted of mood the sisters passed their afternoon, as if no worry or trouble could touch them. They gave no voice to any serious concerns.They chose, one consciously, one not, to give way to frivolity and enjoy talk of an inconsequential nature. At the point in their conversation when it seemed their laughter would not cease, Lizzy became aware of the first signs that her child might come. Lydia did not, in all her rapture, see any difference in her sister though Elizabeth’s face had paled and her laughter had stopped abruptly. She made an excuse of sudden tiredness. “Oh Lydia, you will excuse me, I fear our merriment has quite fatigued me, I must retire.”

  The girl watched her sister make to leave the room. “We were having such a lovely time though, Lizzy,” she complained. “Can you not send Kitty or Maria to keep me company, or Georgiana?”

  Elizabeth managed a quiet reply. “They are in town with Mr. Hanworth and the Colonel at Lady Metcalfe’s pleasure.”

  On finding her mistress in the hall and seeing her so pale and shocked Mrs. Reynolds decided upon immediate action.

  “I shall call for Mrs. Quinn directly, ma’am,” she said.

  “Oh no!” Elizabeth protested.“I am quite well, just a little tired, I have stayed too long with my sister.”

  Mrs. Reynolds took a long look at Elizabeth, knowing the truth but not wishing to alarm her mistress she said, “If you are sure, ma’am.”

  In that instant Elizabeth wished to declare her good health and settle the woman but she was taken up with the strongest of feelings. Quite overtaken with the suddenness of the discomfort she let out a cry of, “Oh Lord” and held herself against such pain should it come again.

  The nurse was quickly called and after a moment’s examination of her patient she offered assurance. “I shall be but a moment, ma’am, do not worry yourself.” She left calmly but made rapid progress to find a manservant. On doing so, she gave her instructions for the surgeon to come.“Tell him to make haste, it is upon us so suddenly,” she said.

  Elizabeth had the feeling of being between worlds. The time had now come, her endurance was tested like never before but she was determined not to cry out or protest.

  “This is no time for bravery, ma’am,” said Mrs. Quinn on her return.“You let it out, my love.”

  All the while she cried, Elizabeth thought of Darcy. Oh, if he could hear her torment all the way in town he would surely return to her.

  When Mr. Drummond had arrived the fullest part of an hour had passed. He sought a report from the nurse. “Mrs. Quinn?”

  The woman, mindful of her mistress, whispered her account to the surgeon. “Very fast, sir, it will be very fast, she suffers so. It is a willful child to be sure!”

  “Impatient! Like the father!” said Drummond in good humor. He approached his patient in a calm professional manner. “There now, madam, do not be fretful. You will have your child before very long.”

  “Can you help her, sir?” asked Mrs. Quinn. “She is a strong girl to be sure, but I cannot bear to see her in such agony, what have you brought that might ease her suffering?” she asked with a glance at the doctor’s bag.

  Mr. Drummond raised his eyebrow at the nurse. “Do not get flustered, Mrs. Quinn. Good Lord, you have done this time and time before, I did not expect you to be so gathered up in it. Mrs. Darcy will do very well as nature intends.”

  Elizabeth could only allow the pain to conquer her. Mrs. Quinn argued with the doctor. “Help her, sir, I insist. I have seen many a child into the world, as you rightly say, and this woman is tortured, relieve her, I beg you.”

  The surgeon looked kindly upon his patient. “She does not urge me, she does not create,” he concluded.

  The nurse was again willing to risk her position.“Help her, sir, I insist that you trust my judgment above your own.”

  Drummond now wiped Elizabeth’s brow and spoke to his nurse. “But you see she is quiet, Mrs. Quinn, why can I not trust my own judgment, is my experience of thirty years insufficient? Must I instead rely upon yours?”

  Elizabeth cried out again. Mrs. Quinn stayed devotedly by her but she implored the surgeon. “You could see a thousand children into this world and never have my experience, Mr. Drummond. I am a mother and I command you to alleviate this woman’s pain.”

  The surgeon could conceal neither his shock nor his shame. He busied himself in the office of searching the contents of his bag.

  Mrs. Quinn spoke closely in her mistress’s ear. “Thank heaven, ma’am, he has henbane.”

  Darcy arrived back at Pemberley that afternoon. A man took his overcoat, hat, and cane and Mrs. Reynolds summoned him to the drawing room.“I am so glad you are returned, sir, Mr. Drummond wishes to speak with you, I shall get him directly.”

  Darcy found himself unable to stay in the room; he left hastily, brushed briskly past the housekeeper and ran up the main staircase. Drummond, hearing the master’s heavy footsteps, met him at the top.“I am dulling the pain for her, sir, she has taken spirit of hartshorn and henbane, this is a mighty strong labor, the nurse is by her.”

  “Let me to her!” Darcy demanded, but the surgeon put a firm arm on Darcy’s. “No, sir, it is no place for a gentleman, Mrs. Quinn would have a fit,” he said, “besides, you would be best engaged by your own wife’s bedside, Fitzwilliam.”

  Darcy took a breath and closed his eyes for a moment.“I thought you were talking of my wife, sir,” he said with slight irritation.

  The surgeon smiled. “Congratulations, Darcy,” he said, shaking his hand.“You have a son, not a half hour into this world.”

  “Thank you,” said Darcy coolly. “But explain, am I to take it that Mrs.Wickham is in labor also?”

  “As we speak, sir. Quite a situation, is it not? One set the other off perhaps, it would not be the first time.”

  Darcy wasted no time and headed directly for the roo
m where his wife rested, he turned to the surgeon.“What of Mrs.Wickham, can you assure me she will be well?”

  “We are doing all we know. Oh sir, with Mrs. Quinn otherwise engaged should I call Mrs. Reynolds to attend Mrs. Darcy?”

  “No, damn it!” said Darcy.“I shall attend her myself.”

  Drummond shook his head.“Singular.”

  Elizabeth at first thought she had a waking dream on seeing her husband by her bedside. He took up her hand. “Oh, my darling girl,” he said,“I am here now.”

  “It is not a moment too soon,” she said weakly,“but pray do not look at me, the nurse has not finished with me yet, she was called to Lydia urgently.”

  Darcy nodded.“We have a son, Elizabeth,” he said.

  “As you see,” said Elizabeth, glancing to the crib. All the while she prayed he would go and take one small look at the infant. But he remained by her side.

  “You are well? Do you need anything?” he asked.

  “Little more than rest,” she said, “for all my endurance and country walks I was ill prepared for this.”

  Never tearing his eyes from Elizabeth, Darcy stood and unfastened his cuffs and rolled the sleeves of his shirt to his elbows. He loosened his neckcloth and waistcoat, then discarded both on a chair.

  “My love,” he said,“let me take my kerchief and cool your face.” He went to the washstand, took up the jug and dampened the cloth.

  “You would have Mrs. Quinn out of a job, sir,” said Elizabeth teasingly.

  Darcy smiled. “Of all the times to be lively, Elizabeth, you choose now,” he said, mopping her face tenderly.

  “I am happy,” she explained and daring to prevail upon him, she said, “and you, what feelings have you now? Knowing he is here, can you bear not to acknowledge him?You know, my sister may well have a girl, if so you already know the identity of your child.”

  Darcy bowed his head, daring not to look into the crib, tears came rapidly to his eyes and half due to anger and half due to pure emotion he spoke, his voice shaken.

  “You know I could not have borne it, Elizabeth, that I have been such a fool causes me shame, I can no better hide him from my eyes than I could you.” He stood now, relieved but vulnerable as if something of his soul had become raw and exposed. He looked again at his wife before walking to the crib; he stood a moment then bent gently to peer in. Their precious infant was sleeping. He leaned close over the crib.The child’s soft sweet breaths were at once intoxicating and such a feeling of tenderness came over Darcy that his tears were unstoppable. For many moments Elizabeth watched her husband sob unashamedly, while their son slept peacefully.

  Finally, he could cry no more. “Forgive me, Elizabeth, forgive me,” he urged.

  “What am I to forgive, Fitzwilliam? Have your tears wronged me?”

  Darcy regained his composure. “The only wrong is that they were not your own, you have been given more reason to shed them than I. How you must have suffered, my love. How selfish I have been. I beg you to have mercy on me. I did not know what I was doing. I acted in an ungenerous way and I apologize.”

  Elizabeth smiled and held his hand tighter. “It is all forgot,” she said through tears.The infant began to stir in the crib.“Bring your son to me, Fitzwilliam, I must feed him.”

  Without knowing how strong or how gentle his arms should be Darcy held his son for the first time and placed him tenderly beside his wife.

  Then came a knock at the door and upon being summoned Mrs. Quinn entered. She looked surprised to see Mr. Darcy sitting comfortably on her mistress’s bed.The infant suckled contentedly.

  Mrs. Quinn made straight to the bedside; she looked at Darcy with astonishment. “Oh! If you do not mind me saying, sir, the usual manner of husbands on these occasions is to take a glass of brandy downstairs, this is no place for a man,” said she.

  Darcy did not move from his position but kept to it and fixed his eyes on Elizabeth, he addressed the nurse without looking at her.“What a silly notion.A stuffy view in my opinion. Of what are you afraid, Mrs. Quinn? Do you imagine that I have not seen my wife’s breast before?”

  The nurse was at once shocked and silenced.

  Elizabeth saw on her husband’s face a self-satisfied expression. “Fitzwilliam!” she scolded quietly.

  Mrs. Quinn made another attempt at composure. “I came to announce, sir, madam, that Mrs. Wickham was delivered of a daughter not a quarter of an hour ago.”

  “Oh, I am happy,” cried Elizabeth, “send her my love and congratulations, she will understand that I do not go to her.”

  “Of course, madam, mother and infant are both well. They rest now.”

  Darcy dismissed the nurse. “Would you return to attend my wife in a few moments, Mrs. Quinn?”

  When the woman was gone from the room, Darcy turned to Elizabeth. “I must go directly to Lambton, my love, but I will, I promise you, be back before long.”

  Elizabeth sighed.“Well Mrs. Quinn will be glad to have you out of the way, you shocked her.”

  “Yes I did and I rather enjoyed it,” said Darcy.

  “But why must you go, is there unfinished business?”

  Darcy shook his head. “This is not a matter of business, it is a matter of life.”

  Elizabeth was puzzled. “Should you not be here for our announcement, when are we to reveal we have a son and a daughter?” she asked.

  Darcy held her gaze firmly.“I implore you, Elizabeth, do nothing until I am returned. Trust me.” With that, he was gone. Elizabeth heard the carriage that took him, once again, from Pemberley.

  “I do trust you,” she whispered, but she wondered, for the first time since their marriage, if she was right to.

  CHAPTER 25

  “Pray do not talk of that odious man.”

  William Collins had received a letter from Lady Catherine. He at once summoned his wife.“Charlotte my dear,” he said with superiority, “Lady Catherine de Bourgh has at last condescended to have us back at Hunsford.” His wife was astonished. Her husband explained. “Yes, my dear, it is true, we must oblige her by returning posthaste. She writes that Anne is in a state of distress about Mary’s departure.”

  Charlotte’s response was to touch upon the happy circumstances of Mary’s engagement. “When I called yesterday at Longbourn I admit I did not recognize Mary, she is so full of life, I am very happy for her.”

  “Charlotte, that is beside the point. The matter in hand is that we are once again to receive the gracious condescension of Lady Catherine. She has made a wise choice in requesting my return.”

  “A second choice is not always made through wisdom, Mr. Collins,” said Charlotte with the immediate feeling that her observation would not be appreciated by her husband.

  “My dear Charlotte, I think it will do you good to be reacquainted at Rosings, it seems you quite forget yourself these days. Lady Catherine would be astonished to hear you speak so, to your own husband. I shall pray for you, Charlotte, that this deviance in your nature will cease.To be possessed by such irreverence! For now though, my dear, it will not do to be at odds. I shall inform your father of our intended departure. He will, I daresay, be as happy as he will be sad. I flatter myself, but I think he has enjoyed my company and may well miss it when I am gone again to Hunsford.”

  As he had promised, and as Elizabeth had trusted he would, Darcy returned to Pemberley some hours later. He went straight to his wife and kissed her cheek. He looked weary but somehow free, confident, and assured.

  “Elizabeth,” he said softly, “I must make a confession to you now and pray you will hear me out.”

  Elizabeth, surprised by her husband’s declaration, teased him. “Pray do not tell me you have taken a lover, for I have not the strength to berate you.”

  “I have a lover in you,” he said tenderly. “I find nothing wanting.”

  “Oh, Fitzwilliam, please do not tell me you have embarrassed Mrs. Quinn again, I never saw a woman so red-faced.”

  Darcy stood.“Hea
r me out, Elizabeth, I do not speak in jest and beg you not to resort to doing so at present. I cannot easily find a way to begin my discourse but I must delay no more.” He paced the room and was silent for a moment. Finally, he went on. “You know that you have been my redeemer, Elizabeth. I never acknowledged how much I needed salvation until you had saved me. Before that time I would not have thought redemption would have come in the form of a lively spirited young woman! But, there it is, from the unlikeliest of events a man is made. Not through his birthright or his proud manners, nor his mistaken beliefs in his own superiority.”

  Elizabeth laughed but was confused by her husband’s sudden sentimental discourse. “You flatter me, Fitzwilliam, but I do not know why you do so, I know of the changes in you, but they are not all my doing, I could not have made you good if you had not the least capability of being so. I am honored to think you attribute all your compassion to me, but I cannot accept the accolade. I may have been the means of revealing your decency and that is all. I did not create it but perhaps uncovered it when you had kept it so well hid.There is no mystery to me.”