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The next day the three couples departed Pemberley for Longbourn with a stop at Snowhaven. Even though Lizzy was at least a month behind Jane in her pregnancy, both Elaine and Marie Fitzwilliam took one look at the two and knew that they wereenceinte.
Lady Matlock was beside herself with joy that both of her daughters in law were pregnant. Tiffany who heard the exclamations of joy, was a very happy aunt as the number of her nieces and nephews was to grow substantially. It was when Ladies Matlock and Hilldale saw that they were with child right away that the former Bennets realised that their mother would know as soon as she saw them so there was not much point in trying to hide their news from the family.
Two and a half days of travel later, their supposition became fact as they stepped out of the carriages. Lady Longbourn took one look at her two older daughters and simply asked, “When?”
“We were not going to say anything yet, Mama,” Elizabeth said as she held onto her husband’s arm for support. “We realised when Aunt Elaine and Marie knew as soon as they saw us that you would know as well, and you did.”
“Know what?” Lady Georgiana, asked innocently looking between mother and daughters.
“They are both with child…” Tiffany offered before anyone could answer as she joined the three younger Bennet daughters, clapping her hand over her mouth, “Sorry Lizzy, and Jane, I should not have answered before you.”
“No harm done, Tiffany,” Jane smiled sweetly at her little sister. “Mama guessed as soon as we stepped out of our conveyances.”
The four younger girls allowed their exuberance free reign as they congratulated their older sisters. When they looked at Mary, she shook her head. “Shall we move this party inside the house?” The Earl of Longbourn suggested. He kissed each of his arriving daughters on their foreheads as they passed by him and went within. “Welcome back to Longbourn my Jane, Lizzy, and Mary.”
The arriving guests were shown to suites in the expanded family wing. Tiffany was the only girl who did not have someone sharing her suite, but that was just for the night as Lily would arrive with her parents and siblings on the morrow.
After everyone washed and changed from the road, they met in the largest of the drawing rooms where they were informed that there would be a dinner for the neighbourhood honouring Charlotte and Patrick Elliot’s nuptials that night. Those who had not met his parents and family prior would meet them at dinner.
In the afternoon, the younger people, including the three married Bennets, took a walk to Oakham Mount. When Lizzy had been younger, she would walk or ride to the top of the mount, which was actually a hill, to watch the sun rise. Darcy asked her if she would like to walk with him on the morrow to relive her younger years and watch the sunrise with him. As much as she loved to ride Mercury, as soon as the physician had confirmed her state, she had reluctantly given up the pleasure until after she delivered her babe and had been churched. While at Pemberley she had visited her stallion with treats in hand every day until the day that they departed. Her trusted and long serving groom would make sure that he was exercised regularly.
“It seems from that chatter in this drawing room,” Bennet said looking at the five youngest ladies, “that I am to be a grandpapa sometime next year.”
“If things go according to the normal length that a babe is carried, then I should enter my lying-in sometime in March or April next year, Papa,” Jane informed him.
“I should enter mine in April or May next year Papa.” Elizabeth was feeling a lot better already, her sickness in the morning seemed to be passing even faster than her mother’s. She still could not countenance the smell of fish, but other than that she was almost feeling like herself again. That morning she had felt a little sick, but it had not resulted in casting up her accounts. Some ginger and camomile tea and a slice or two of dry toast in the morning when she woke seemed to be helping settle her stomach. If Mrs Reynolds was present she would have kissed her for making the suggestion of the tea and toast to be consumed even before dressing.
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Dinner that night was a joyous occasion. The group that had arrived that day made the acquaintance of the Elliot family. Darcy had met the parents and the oldest brother, but this was the first time that he met the barrister based in Liverpool. Even though her best friend May Gardiner would not arrive until the morrow, Grace was in her element with a plethora of grandparents, aunts and uncles in attendance. She already considered the Lucases grandparents, much to Lady Lucas’s deepest gratification and happiness. Like her sister Fanny, Hattie Phillips saw right away that her two oldest nieces were with child. Their Aunt Phillips did not blurt anything out or make a vulgar utterance. She waited until she had Jane and Lizzy alone and congratulated them in a soft voice which meant more to both than anything she could have announced to the room.
Charlotte was glowing. She was so obviously happy and very much in love with her betrothed, but she was also deeply relieved that in but a matter of days she would no longer be tied to the name Collins. The Longs, Gouldings, Jones, Glenfields and the rest of the four and twenty families of the neighbourhood were present. John Lucas missed his good friend James Gardiner and was waiting expectantly for him to arrive with his family. The three girls who were supposed to start at Greenlake School for Young Ladies were not unhappy that their enrolment for the new term had been delayed until after the wedding when Georgie would return to Darcy House with her brother and sister. At the end of the evening Sarah Lucas pulled her oldest friend aside.
“We cannot thank you enough for all of your help, Fanny,” she said quietly to her best friend and erstwhile rival.
“There is nothing to thank me for, Sarah, it is our pleasure. We have always felt close to all of you, especially Charlotte as she, Lizzy, and Jane continued the bond we started. Even when I thought that she would displace me as the mistress of this home, I still loved your daughter, more than I could admit because of the fear I could not manage.”
“It was reasonable, if not always contained. But nothing to thank you for? You are hosting Patrick and his Family at Jane’s estate; you are hosting the wedding breakfast, and if it were not for her friendship with Eliza, Charlotte would not have met the love of her life.” Lady Lucas held her breath to ensure her emotions stayed appropriate for the company as she had cried more than enough in thanks. “We have much to thank you and Thomas for, Fanny, so please accept our, my sincere appreciation.” Both women, choked up with emotion, hugged. The guests departed after enjoying a bountiful table set by Fanny Bennet. Her elevation to the peerage had not changed how she always set a fine table for her friends, with respect to all their likes, and more importantly their dislikes.
The next morning the Earl and Countess of Pemberley departed for their walk alone after begging off company who wanted to join them. They walked out just as the first fingers of the dawn were reaching across the sky in the east. Their pace was not rushed and they ascended the path to the top of Oakham Mount twenty minutes before the expected time for the sunrise. They reached the summit just as the first tendrils of the orange and red of the sun rise illuminated the sky. The few clouds that scudded across the horizon took on the colours of the first rays of sun. It was not long after that the sun peeked above the horizon, shooting out rays of bright light that turned the clouds from red to silver to brilliant reflectors of the morning’s sun as it continued to rise above the horizon. They held onto each other as they watched the wonder of God’s creation at the birth of a new day.
They could see some tenants already at work in the fields of both Longbourn and Bennet Fields. They spied a group on horseback that they recognised as Hugh, Mary, Richard, and the five girls. They could see that both Kitty and Helen had improved their riding skills significantly as the group of eight gave their mounts their head and galloped across an open field trailed by two grooms and some footmen.
“Thank you for giving me a second chance and loving me, Elizabeth.” Darcy pulled his wife close to him and kissed both her cheeks then her lips. The kisses became more urgent, passionate, and hungrier, and had they not been afraid that they may be discovered, there would have been a lot more pleasure had on the mount that morning.
Chapter 38
A day later Mr Hastings, who held the livings of both Longbourn and Meryton All Saints Church, announced Charlotte and Elliot husband and wife. Lizzy had stood up for Charlotte while his oldest brother stood up for Elliot. The couple and their attendants were led by the vicar to the registry where they signed the register. As much as Charlotte hated signing ‘Collins’ on this happiest of days, when she signed “Charlotte Collins, neé Lucas,” she felt the weight of that nightmare lift as she would never have to hear that appellation attached to her name ever again. Mr and Mrs Patrick Elliot joined their families still waiting for them in the nave of the church. Grace broke free from Grandmama Elliot to give Charlotte the biggest hug she could give followed by a very wet kiss on her cheek.
“Now you are my Mama forever, are you not?” she asked as she looked up at Charlotte with big, hopeful eyes.
“Yes, Gracie, I am your Mama forever. Your Papa has always loved you and I love you, so very much.” Charlotte bent down to wrap Grace in her arms, teasing her with a couple of spider fingers to lighten the moment so she too would not cry from sheer joy.
“When will my baby sister arrive?” Grace asked in grave seriousness. The innocent question caused a wave of laughter from the assembled family.
“That is in God’s hands Gracie, both the when, the if and the gender,” Charlotte told her daughter with much amusement. “Are you sure you want a sister? If you have a brother you can get muddy chasing frogs and I cannot be mad because you were playing with him,” she teased.
