When they had completed their discussion of business, the parson who knew his friend well could see he wanted to discuss something else with him, but possibly did not know how to broach the subject.
“Out with it, Darcy, I can see you have something to tell me.” The intuitive friend gave his patron an opening to breech the subject he wanted to.
“Remember how you told me that you felt you were open to seeking a new wife and a mother for Gracie?” Darcy began tentatively.
“Yes… I remember, please tell me that you are not trying to be a matchmaker, Darcy!” the rector said with amazement knowing to do so was very far out of his friend’s comfort zone.
“No, that is not my, our, intent at all. My wife has a very good friend, in fact one of her best friends, from her former neighbourhood who will be joining us after Christmas as she wants to celebrate the Lord’s birth with her family before she travels north.
“All we want to do is facilitate a meeting, what you two do or do not do after that will be in your own hands. We will not push or try to interfere in any way.” Darcy managed to get out before he was too mortified.
“Tell me a little about the lady, the fact she has Mrs. Darcy’s friendship is already a recommendation as I know your wife would not befriend anyone unworthy.”
“In that you are correct Elliot. I believe she is seven and twenty, no fortune to speak of, but I know that is not an issue for you,” he paused as his friend nodded in agreement, “I do not know her as my Elizabeth does, but what I have seen of her indicates she is of the highest moral character. She is not a beauty like my wife, but she is also not at all homely. She is very intelligent and has a good and quick wit from what I have seen. She helps her mother run their home so she will have no problem managing a home of her own.”
“Just being your wife’s particular friend would be enough for me to want to meet her, but what you have told me increases my desire to know the lady. I appreciate the chance. I thank both of you for the opportunity.”
The friends stood and shook hands and Elliot returned to the parsonage at Pemberley where he resided with his daughter, Grace, who would be departing to be with his parents before Christmas as she did each year.
Darcy returned to his enceinte wife and reported the results of the conversation that he had with the parson. Elizabeth was well pleased with the results.
Chapter 25
For the Darcys, it felt as though the months had flown by. The love both had thought could not deepen had done so every day.
After the Bingleys took up residence at Longfield Meadows in September, at least once a week either the Darcys visited the Bingleys at their estate, or the Bingleys visited the Darcys at Pemberley.
Letters flew back and forth between Derbyshire and Hertfordshire keeping the Bennet, Bingley, Fitzwilliam, and Darcy couriers very busy. Even Tom and James wrote letters occasionally.
A month after moving into the Meadows, Jane shared her suspicion with all her sisters at Pemberley that she was with child, and a week later Mary Fitzwilliam had shared she suspected herself and Richard were soon to be parents as well.
The morning of the twentieth of December as Mr. and Mrs. Darcy were taking a walk around the lake; Darcy marvelled at how soon in her pregnancy his Lizzy was visibly larger. With no prior warning, his wife stopped walking and grabbed his arm while her other hand covered her swelling belly, which immediately caused Darcy much alarm.
“Lizzy are you well? Is there a problem with our baby? Should I summon help?” he asked, bending so he was able to see her face clearly to determine if she was in pain or scared.
“William, calm yourself.” Elizabeth captured his face in her hands to soothe him. “Look at me. Do I look like I am in pain?” she asked gently, caressing his cheeks with her thumbs as she waited for him to calm.
“I am sorry.” He hung his head.
“Sorry for loving me as you do? I will pretend I did not hear that and demand you strike the thought from your memories, so it is never said again,” she countered, the teasing intentionally making him laugh.
“Then I am not sorry for panicking like a boy of twelve who could not catch his breath after falling out of a tree, certain he was about to meet his maker and would get a thrashing for dying so young when he got home,” he chuckled, causing his Lizzy to loose one of her tinkling laughs he loved to hear.
“What tree?” she grinned up at him and he pointed to the one only ten paces away.
“Are you well, my love?” he asked huskily, searching her eyes.
“I apologise if I gave you cause for concern. No, William, nothing is wrong. In fact, all is perfect. I just felt a fluttering matching what Pemberley’s midwife told me I would feel soon. Our baby just moved. I have just felt the quickening,” Elizabeth reported as she smiled up into his eyes.
“This is the best of news, Lizzy. Now we can share the news with your parents and everyone who will be arriving starting on the morrow. Our local physician who confirmed your state when we arrived home, has full confidence in the midwife. He himself has very high cleanliness standards, and she is one of the few he approves of.” Darcy reminded her why he would only allowed the two of them to attend her.
“Let us return to the house so we can tell our sisters. They have suspected for a while, but have not asked me anything yet.” Mrs. Darcy slid her hand into Mr. Darcy’s and squeezed it gently.
The Darcys walked back into the house and asked Douglas to summon Mrs. Reynolds to join them in the music room where Georgiana and Kitty were playing music. On seeing their brother and sister enter the room, the two ceased the duet they were playing on the pianoforte and looked questioningly as the housekeeper and butler joined them.
“Sisters, Mrs. Reynolds, and Mr. Douglas, Elizabeth and I have the pleasure of informing you there will be a baby born at Pemberley and should make his or her debut in late May or early June of next year,” Darcy announced with pride.
“Mr. Darcy and I would like for you, Mrs. Reynolds and Mr. Douglas, to inform the staff so there will be no speculation,” Elizabeth smiled as Mrs. Reynolds was bursting with the pleasure of permission to share the news she had known for months.
