“My love, I am very worried about you.” He raised his hand to stay her as he saw that she was about to object. “It has not escaped my notice that you have been sick every morning since the day we left for Brookfield. You may not agree Elizabeth, but I am summoning Pemberley’s physician, and unless he says that you are able to travel, wewillbe staying home.”
“William I am well, my love,” she said weakly without much conviction.
“Please, love, understand that I do this for you but also for my own peace of mind. You have to know that I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you and I did not do everything in my power to help.” He gave her a look that told her that he would brook no opposition as he yanked the bell pull, he asked the maid who responded to summon Mr Douglas.
Douglas entered the chamber and bowed to the master and mistress. If he was surprised that they were still in their nightclothes, he did not show it.
“Summon Mr Wentworth and have him here to see the Countess as soon as may be,” the Earl commanded.
“Yes, my Lord!” The butler bowed again and left the room to execute his master’s instructions as expeditiously as possible.
Less than an hour and a half later Mr Wentworth presented himself at Pemberley. The Darcys were dressed as were the other two couples. Mary, like the men, looked worried, while Lizzy and Jane, for whatever reason, did not share in the concern or fear and sat looking quite smug. Knowing that Jane would take on Mother Nature if one of her sister’s was inconvenienced on a walk by a drop of rain, Mary took a few moments to consider the situation and the realisation dawned on her as she watched Jane rub her stomach and Lizzy protective of her own, both sitting in positions they never had before.
The panic on Darcy’s expression amused Richard, as Darcy had not added up anything nor had he used his vaunted intellect because it was his Lizzy. She would be taking him to task later for not thinking things through as it could lead to negative consequences in another situation. All were relieved when Wentworth was at last shown into the family sitting room.
“Lord Pemberley, may I take this opportunity to congratulate you on your elevation to the peerage, and Sir Richard you have my congratulations as well.” He bowed to both gentlemen. “How may I be of assistance today?”
“Wentworth, please meet my wife, Lady Elizabeth Darcy, the Countess of Pemberley.” He then gestured to Jane. “Lady Jane Fitzwilliam, Sir Richard’s wife. The other couple are Lord Hugh and Lady Mary Rhys-Davies, Marquess and Marchioness of Birchington. Ladies Elizabeth, Jane, and Mary are all sisters. Everyone, this is Pemberley’s physician, Mr Wentworth.” With the introductions over, Darcy got serious. “I would like you to examine the Countess. She has been ill for about ten days now.”
“Of course, your Lordship. Lady Pemberley, could we retire to your bedchamber? If your sisters would like to accompany you, I have no objection.” He saw Darcy getting ready to follow the ladies who had all stood to walk with his Elizabeth to her chambers. “Sorry, my Lord. As soon as I am done, I will meet with you about my findings.”
About a half hour later Wentworth returned and Darcy jumped to his feet.
“Well man, what is wrong with my wife?” Darcy blustered driven by his worry as all he imagined got worse the more that he imagined what it could be.
“The malady that she has will pass, my Lord. She has requested that you join her so that she can inform you what this particular malady is and how long it will take to pass.” The physician had a cryptic smile as Darcy all but ran out of the door towards the master suite.
In the hall he passed his sisters who were returning to the sitting room and almost screamed with frustration. ‘Why are they all smiling when my beloved wife has a malady.’ He growled, frustrated by the nonchalance and amused faces watching his frantic actions. “Being ill is not a joke!” He exclaimed as he marched through the door and closed it. She was sitting on the bed, and she too was smiling, and looking radiant.
“Elizabeth what is this malady that you have and why is everyone amused by it?” he demanded, done with being understanding and patient.
“We are smiling because you are the cause of this indisposition you are so concerned about, and by the by, it will only take another seven months or so to pass.” She shot him a saucy, self-satisfied look.
“What did I do…” He was silent as the words sunk in. “LIZZY? Are we with child?” Darcy gaped at her.
“Weare not, my love, but I certainly am.” She smiled at him with all of the pleasure that had come when Jane’s and her suspicions had been confirmed.
“We have been having marital relations; did we hurt the babe? Will you be sick the whole time? Why…” She put her fingers on his lips to cease the babbling stream of questions.
“Calm down, William. I am but with child, which even Queens have done for entire nations, to include our cousin, and more than once. It is something women have endured since our Creator endowed us with life. We can have marital relations freely unless and until it gets too uncomfortable for me, and certainly as we get close to the lying-in. We will decide what is best for us as the situation warrants. As with all we have done, I promise to tell you if I am either uncomfortable or in unnecessary pain when we do.” She exhaled slowly to collect her thoughts. “Jane is not sick at all. Mama, however, got sick very early as I have, but it did not last more than a fortnight with some of Mama’s pregnancies. Some ladies are sick for three months and in rare cases longer. Let us hope that I continue to take after my mother. Oh William, I am so excited that we are to be parents,” Elizabeth told her husband as she squeezed his hands.
“I am as well, but…” he swallowed painfully.
“What is it, William. Did you not want a child already?” Elizabeth asked what she knew he would not say as she too wished they had had just a few more months to enjoy the start of their marriage without all this getting sick business.
“It is not that, my love, just…my mother.” He winced as he thought about how often she hoped and fell into despair. “She had so very many miscarriages, and then after Georgie she never regained her strength and passed three years later having never been well again.”
“I am not your mother, William. Worrying about that over which we have no control, presuming the worst when there is no indication of it, and knowing our Heavenly Father is the only One who can decide what will happen, does nothing but disturb your equanimity and our pleasure. Making yourself sick with worry willchangenothing. Have faith husband, and keep very clearly in your mind that my mother had five confinements without a problem and is with us today to tell about it. We Bennet-Gardiner women come from strong stock.” While she spoke, she held his hands in her own and gently ran her thumbs along the back of them even as he gripped hers.
“I will try to remember that my love and I will try not to smother you with my worries. It is just that I love you so very much, my Lizzy.” With that he began to kiss her, slowly at first and then much faster and deeper as the urgency that he felt built in him. It was not too much longer that they were engaged in the activity that had brought his wife to the state that she was now in.
When the family gathered for dinner, Mary asked Lizzy how long they had. In hearing it was almost one full half hour she looked directly at William and he swallowed dryly as there was no amusement in her eyes as he normally found.
“Lizzy, I will be borrowing your husband for a couple of minutes in your study,” she informed her sister.
“Please return him intact, Mary,” Elizabeth teased, hoping to gain the smile she expected and was alarmed when one did not come.
“That will depend on your husband’s responses,” Mary stated evenly and Darcy looked at Hugh who was grinning at him.
