After the doctor washed his hands, he called Darcy into his wife’s bedchamber. “Mrs. Darcy looks very healthy, and I applaud you for making the decision to no longer use the stairs. I am not sure there are twins...” Sir Fredrick hedged.
Then why is my wife’s belly so large?” Darcy tensed, worry flooding in.
“As I was about to say, I am not sure there are twins, I suspect that there may be three babes that your wife is carrying,” Sir Frederick announced.
“THREE!!” both Elizabeth and Darcy exclaimed simultaneously.
“Possibly. When I listened to the heartbeats, I heard two clearly, and then I thought I heard a third, fainter heartbeat. Before you start to worry, that is not an indication of the health of the babe, it is more than likely position; his or her womb mates are making it hard for me to hear the third babe,” the accoucheur explained gently.
“Good Lord above, I knew you were needed here, Sir Fredrick.” Darcy tried to absorb this new, and troubling information.
“I believe God does not give us more than we are able to deal with. I will leave you two now and go and rest before dinner.” He nodded at them both and left their chambers.
After Sir Frederick left, a flabbergasted Mr. and Mrs. Darcy tried to absorb the news. The possibility of triplets did explain a lot. Mother Bennet had observed her daughter was a lot larger than she had been at the same point in time when she was carrying Tom and James.
“As much as I do not like being restricted, I am very grateful you had the foresight to ask me to stop using the stairs, my beloved husband. If I had been my normal obstinate self and had fallen...” she tried to collect herself.
“Lizzy, you are berating yourself for something that never did and will not happen. You did not fight me at all, so deep down you knew it was the right thing for you to do. Under normal circumstances, I would never suspend any pleasure of yours, but I have seen how hard it is for you to negotiate stairs, so there is no good reason for you to put yourself or our babes at risk.
“Your motherly instinct ruled your decision-making even before our babes are here. You will not be bored; Charlotte will visit you and bring Grace with her, and the Bingleys will come as soon as they are notified of the situation,” Darcy soothed.
“Will you please bring my portableescritoireto the bed so I can write to Mama and the rest of our family to prepare them in case Sir Frederick is correct in his assertion?” she asked playfully, his words having the hoped-for effect. Once she was comfortably situated with some pillows behind her back Elizabeth Darcy started to write her missives, the first one to her mother.
16 May
Pemberley
My dear Mama and Papa,
I need to share some potential news with you, so you are prepared when you arrive here to join us for my lying in.
Please do not be alarmed it is not bad news, just very surprising, and William and I are still coming to terms as Sir Frederick Gillingham has this very afternoon shared his suspicions with us.
He examined me today, using his listening device to listen to the babe’s heartbeats. He related that besides the two babes we have been told that I am carrying, he believes he can hear the faint heartbeat of a THIRD babe. Yes, Mama and Papa, I did not write in error, he thinks he heard three, not two.
Before you start to worry, the fact the third one is faint is not indicative of the health of the babe, but more than likely the positioning vis-a-vis the other two babes. He also told us it is very likely with two or more babes I will deliver earlier than the date range we were given originally after my first examination by a physician.
If you are able, please leave for Pemberley earlier than you had planned. William and I ask you bring Kitty and Georgie from Town with you.
Your loving daughter,
Elizabeth Darcy
Similar letters were written and sent by express to all the extended family.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
It was two days later in the evening when the Darcys’ courier delivered the missive to the Bennets. On reading the missive, Fanny Bennet almost had an attack of her long-banished nerves, but as it had been for these many years, her rational mind prevailed.
She knocked once on her husband’s study door and entered without waiting for his summons. Once he read the missive, he agreed they would leave at dawn on the morrow for Town to collect the girls and then for Pemberley. Bennet wrote missives he sent by his express rider to the Inns they would stay at, and to make sure there would be horses available for changes along the way.
The Bennets called the Hills and informed their long-serving butler and housekeeper they would be leaving on the morrow so the couple could issue the necessary orders for all to be ready and the Bennets could leave without unnecessary delay in the morning.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Bennet carriages and outriders arrived at Matlock House a little after eight in the morning. To their surprise, they saw much activity and two coaches being prepared in front of the house. Once they alighted, they were shown into the house by the butler and were met by the Countess.
“Welcome Fanny and Thomas, we expected you as we assume you received Lizzy’s missive yesterday as well.” Elaine smiled as she hugged Fanny and accepted a kiss on the cheek from Bennet.
