Her mother and Aunts Maddie and Elaine would arrive towards the end of May, and the rest of the family was joining them in mid-June. As much as she loved having family around, she had a feeling, as she neared her lying in, she would not be too social.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
After what seemed like the longest five days in her young life, Elizabeth was very relieved as they crested the hill, and she could see their magnificent home. When the carriage came to a halt at the entrance, Mrs. Reynolds and Elizabeth’s lady’s maid were there to help the master assist the mistress into the house.
“Welcome home master and mistress. Good Lord above mistress, your belly has got so much larger in the five weeks since you left.” Mrs. Reynolds looked at her in surprise.
“I agree with you, Mrs. Reynolds. I thought twins were normally smaller than a single birthed babe, but maybe these will be large babes as their father is quite tall,” Elizabeth agreed with a thin smile.
On the way up to the master suite, they had to pause four times for the normally energetic Mrs. Darcy to rest and get her wind back. Once they reached the mistress’s suite, Jacqui helped her mistress change out of her travel attire and then, along with her husband, she was gently lowered into the oversized bathtub to soak and relax.
After she was dried off and dressed, her husband assisted her to their private sitting room. He helped Elizabeth lower herself onto a very comfortable settee and then lifted her legs and placed them on the settee as well.
“Lizzy, we need to talk,” Darcy stated gravely.
“I love to talk to you, my dear husband.” Lizzy offered a smiling reply. She had a very good idea of what he wanted to talk about but refused to make it easier on him.
“You know what I mean, my love. I think the time has come for you to no longer negotiate the stairs. Even with assistance, I do not believe it is good for you, and heaven forbid something happens and you fall, and the babes are hurt, or even worse…something happens to you.
“You know I could not live without you, my dearest, loveliest Elizabeth, so I beg you to agree with me. Before we married, I promised you a partnership and I will always keep that promise. In keeping with my oath to you, I am asking you, not demanding your obedience.” Darcy asked softly.
“Under normal circumstances, I would rebel against restrictions such as the ones I have to live with until I birth our babes, but after my battle today, with the help of three people mind you, I believe you are correct William my love, it is time,” Elizabeth agreed easily.
“Thank you, my Lizzy, you do not know how much it relieves me that we are in agreement about this.” Saying this, Darcy rewarded his wife with a long and passionate kiss. “If you desire exercise, you can walk in the halls. The house is big enough that you can walk without ever having to go up or down stairs.”
“What about our meals, William?” she asked, not wishing to cause a problem for the staff.
“That is easy, my love. We will take our meals in these chambers. You did not think I would eat in the dining room while my beloved wife dines here alone, did you?” he responded, so relieved she had agreed he would do anything to reward her.
“I knew you would not, William, I just needed to know what you thought was the best plan for us while I am confined to this floor of the house.” Elizabeth smiled sadly. She knew it was the right thing to do, but she would miss her freedom.
“If it would please you, I can have Mrs. Reynolds turn one of the unused chambers in the family wing into a dining room so when we are more than the two of us, you will be able to dine with more people at a time. Does that meet with your approval Lizzy?” he asked thoughtfully.
“Oh yes, William, that would be perfect!” She rewarded her husband with some more very deep kisses.
“Be careful,” he winked at his extremely pregnant wife, “kissing me like that is what got you into the state that you are now in.”
“And all the while I was under the impression it was the actions that followed the kissing that got me like this!” His impertinent wife stated saucily with a look of feigned innocence.
“You are lucky you are so heavy with child, or I would tickle you mercilessly now if you were not,” Darcy replied huskily.
“Then I will thank God for small mercies like you not tickling me in this state,” she teased.
He kissed his wife again then went into his room to pull the bell to summon Mrs. Reynolds. In a very short while she arrived, and Darcy informed her of the decision regarding his wife and the stairs.
He added they would be taking all of their meals in the private sitting room until after Mrs. Darcy’s lying in and recovery after the birth. At the news about the stairs, both of the Darcys could see the housekeeper’s obvious relief. He then proceeded to outline the plan to convert one of the large, unused suites into a dining room for when it was more than him and his wife dining.
Once he was done explaining what he wanted, Mrs. Reynolds bobbed a curtsy to the Darcys and then left the sitting room to start implementing the instructions she had been given.
Chapter 28
The days sped by, and the Friday after the Darcys arrived back at Pemberley the accoucheur and his two nurses arrived. Darcy was paying a small fortune to have him and his nurses in residence until his wife delivered her babes, but to a man of his wealth it was a pittance and the peace of mind it brought him was priceless.
Sir Fredrick was not a tall man; he was maybe five foot seven inches and was rotund. He was balding on his crown so the circle of baldness on the top of his head looked like that of a monk, except his baldness extended to where is forehead met his former hairline. Darcy bowed to the accoucheur which was returned, and then the men shook hands.
He requested Mrs. Reynolds take the accoucheur and his two nurses to chambers in the family wing. He wanted them very close to his wife at all times. Sir Fredrick stated after he had washed and changed he would like to examine Mrs. Darcy.
Darcy was restlessly sitting in the shared sitting room while the accoucheur, with the help of his nurses, examined his Lizzy.
