“Now I understand why she went from cold dismissal to abject hatred the next time that she saw me,” Elizabeth exhaled slowly as the ramifications of his statement started to become clear to her.
“I am so sorry…” He swallowed hard as he tried to again come to terms with the fact that his love of her had almost brought her to harm. “I had already regretted that I said anything to that harridan, as it was after that admission that she took to abusing you at every turn. I finally admitted to myself that I had lost my heart to you as you walked into the breakfast parlour at Netherfield when you arrived to take care of Jane. Your eyes were shining, your cheeks rosy from the exercise and if I could have, I would have enfolded you in my arms right then.
“I, who knew that I loved you, stayed silent during those vile attacks on you and your family during your sojourn at Netherfield Park. My pride was warring with my heart. As much as I loved you, I repeatedly told myself that it could never be. You know why from my Hunsford proposal which still mortifies me when I think on it.” Darcy flushed in shame and Lizzy kissed her husband to ease his anger at his own person.
“It all worked out in the end.” She reminded him. “We are married as we should be, and we will be parents, evidently of more than one babe. No more apologies, William, there have been more than enough between us. We have canvased the past far too much, do not forget the pledge we made,” she challenged him.
“We did make that pledge my love,” he agreed as he kissed her and deftly changed the subject. “Are you sad that you are restricted from riding Mercury?” He watched her expressions to determine how sad.
“Of course, but when we are at Pemberley, I will make sure to visit him often and spoil him with treats. My displeasure is at the restriction to my private walks that I love to take at our estate,” she frowned as she thought about the loss of independence.
“I know you like your solitude sometime, but Sir Frederick was clear and I am sure that you do not want to risk yourself or the babes. I do not want to think about going on without you if something were to happen to you, my beloved wife.” He kissed her hand.
“I will be well, and at least it is Biggs who escorts me when you are not available. I will be forever grateful that Papa allowed him and his brother to stay with me after we married.” She kissed her husband with a much deeper kiss indicating that the time to talk was over Soon, their natural passion became a roaring inferno.
Chapter 40
The Little Season was in full swing and in early November and Lady Mary Rhys-Davies, was sure that she was with child. It was her third month with no courses, and recently she had started casting up her accounts in the morning and felt tired during the day even though she was sleeping well. Another indication was that her breasts, never as large as some of her sisters, had started to grow in size. Her maid, Miss Reid, had kept her mistress’s confidence, but both knew that the master suspected that there was something amiss with his young wife. Rather than keep him guessing, Mary headed to her husband’s study to go and talk to him.
“Come,” was heard in her husband’s deep bass voice when Mary knocked on the study door at Birchington House.
“I need to talk to you, Hugh,” Mary told him as she closed the door.
“You know that I always have time to talk to the woman that I love.” He came around to the chair that she seated herself in and kissed her lightly. “I am yours, my love. What would you like to talk about? Perhaps you are ready to share why you have been sick in the morning and so tired?” He arched a brow as he assessed her for any illness.
Mary laughed softly. She should have known that nothing escaped her beloved’s attention when it pertained to her. “It has been three months since I last had my monthly trouble,” Mary stated calmly, now the one with the arched brow.
Birchington sat stock still in his chair for a few moments and then his face broke out in an enormous grin that lit the room like the rising sun. “I suspected as much, but are you saying what I think you are saying?” Asked an extremely excited Marquess.
“Yes, Hugh, I believe I amenceinte,” Mary informed her husband. No sooner had she said the words; her husband had stood, pulled her up and enfolded her in his arms, raining kisses down on his wife.
“Have you been seen by a physician for confirmation yet?” asked her husband with no little concern in his voice.
“I have not yet, but I would like to make an appointment with the accoucheur that both Jane and Lizzy saw. He has the best reputation in Town,” Mary told him.
“Then we shall make an appointment, my love,” Hugh stated emphatically.
“The accoucheur told Lizzy that he believes she is carrying more than one babe. Before I forget, when I saw Jane a few days ago she told me that she has recently felt the quickening,” Mary smiled in happiness for her sister.
“Do you prefer that we wait to tell our family until after Sir Frederick has confirmed your state, love?” Hugh asked, wanting to shout it to the whole world.
“I do prefer we wait until we see him,” she nodded. Then she added, “Unless we see my Mama first; I am shocked that she has not noticed yet.”
That afternoon the Marquess and Marchioness of Birchington took the carriage to Sir Frederick’s house on Berkeley Square. While Mary waited her husband gave his card to the butler and was admitted. He returned shortly and told Mary that she was now scheduled for an appointment on the morrow at ten o’clock.
The next morning the Birchington carriage arrived at the accoucheur’s house ten minutes before the appointment. While he waited in a parlour, a nurse led his wife into the chambers where the examinations were done.
About half an hour later, Mary re-joined her husband, and after he left the ‘gratuity’ in the appointed place, they left the house and climbed into their town carriage, where Hugh could wait no longer since he was bursting with curiosity.
“Well, my love?” he asked softly, tucking her into him and looking down into her eyes. Mary simply nodded as he enfolded her in his arms.
“He said that I should enter my lying-in in five to six months, so in late May or June next year.” She snuggled into him.
“Thank you for this wondrous addition to our family.” He kissed the top of her head over and over.
“It was not all me, Hugh,” Mary blushed happily, “you were integral to the process.”
“Yes, I suppose that I was,” he agreed with a smug chuckle. “Would you like to speak with your mother, my love?”
