Late Evening
After Georgiana went up to her room and Anna was put to bed, William and Elizabeth retired to their sitting room where they often spent time together talking over their day before retiring. This evening Elizabeth was stretched out on the sofa,with her slightly swollen feet in William’s lap where he gently massaged them.
“William, that feels so good. I think once our babe is born you may have to continue your excellent care, if I am to remain a contented wife,” she teased.
“It will be my pleasure. After all, I am not the one who is giving birth. I shall gladly do whatever it takes to ease your way, my love.”
“I know you will.”
Looking to the table, he said, “May I assume Anna brought you more violets this afternoon?”
“Yes, she did. I love them, even though they do not last long.”
“This morning when we were working with her pony, she told me how much she enjoys her walks with Georgie because it gives her a chance to collect bits of nature to cheer you, since you can rarely leave the house.”
Elizabeth smiled, reaching for William’s hand. “And ‘cheer’ me she does, in so many ways. Between you and the girls, I could not ask for anyone more thoughtful. You all have such generous hearts. After our child is born, I know the girls will continue to be a great help.”
“Yes, they will. I wonder….” He paused. “After Anna’s earlier observation today, should we not begin to refer to our child as babes or children?”
Elizabeth chuckled. “I suppose we should.”
“She was so serious when she told me about her time with you and Georgie in the music room and how she discovered three feet pushing against your stomach. ‘One, two, three,’ she counted again and again on her little fingers. ‘Two were big, and one was small.’” He chuckled. “I wish I had been there to see it.”
“It was a special moment to be sure, and one which Georgiana also took great pleasure in, especially when Imentioned my father was a twin and that the possibility of my carrying two babes was very real.”
After asking William to help her sit up, Elizabeth continued, “I only pray our children will both be healthy when it is time to deliver.”
Holding her close and tenderly kissing her, he murmured, “That, too, is my fervent prayer, my love.”
“William, I do not mean to upset you, but there is something else I wish to tell you,” she said, changing the subject.
“There is?” he asked with concern.
“Yes. This afternoon when Anna joined me before we went to the music room, she was carrying Anne’s picture. When she showed it to me, she had tears in her eyes, saying that she could not remember being with her first mama and that there was no picture of baby Lewis in her room. She wanted to know why she could not remember Anne brushing her hair, or singing to her and reading stories to her like I do. William, she told me that she is afraid I will leave her like her first mama did.”
William closed his eyes, unable to say anything for a moment, the anguish evident on his face. “My poor child. I wonder if she has overheard something that would make her say so.”
“Possibly, or it could just be that our five-year-old daughter is an astute little girl and thinks a great deal about things, just like her papa does.” She lovingly touched his face. “Of course I reassured her that I would not leave her, and I told her how important it was to pray for our family and the new babe every day.”
“Elizabeth,” he said, pulling her close, unable to say more.
“William, I know you have had similar thoughts, and I beg of you to do your best at putting them aside. God brought me to this family for a purpose, and He gave you and Anna andGeorgiana to me. I truly believe He has many more plans for all of us.”
“Elizabeth, I thank God every day that we have you. You make us feel loved, and we are devoted to you and your wellbeing.”
“I know you are, and I am more grateful than I could ever say. When the time comes, I promise you I will do my best for the children I carry, but you must be the one who is strong for Anna and Georgiana and for yourself.”
“My dearest love,” he said, pulling her to his chest and kissing her without reserve. “I admit I am fearful. How could I not be? What I experienced with the death of Anne and my son was a very dark time for me.” Caressing her face, he said in earnest, “I promise you, I shall do everything within my power to do as you ask when the time comes.”
“Thank you. Please, will you hand me the family Bible?” She opened the pages to the front where they had recently updated it with the deaths of Anne and Lewis, Anna’s birth and their marriage. “My husband, soon we will enter our children’s names here, and it will be a glorious day for our family and all of Pemberley.”
“Yes, my love, it will.”
“Oh my,” Elizabeth startled, putting her hand on the swell of her stomach and arching her back. “I have been feeling something all day, little pinches if you will. But this time the tightening of my muscles was much stronger and lasted a bit longer.”
“If that is the case, I think it best we get you to bed. You should try to get some proper rest before your lying in begins.”
When William helped Elizabeth to her feet, she felt something more which caused her to squeeze his arm and look at him with her mouth agape. “William, it has started. I can feel warm water trickling down my legs.”
