Lizzy was beyond excited at the news as not only would the rest of the Fitzwilliams all be in Hertfordshire, but she would be there for Jane’s lying-in and Jane for hers. The sisters hugged, both sobbing uncontrollably, more than likely happy but no one was willing to take his or her life in their hands by suggesting that the crying may be because of one of those side effects of being with child. By the time the two had cried themselves out, the primary emotion they felt was joy at being close to each other as they birthed their first babes.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
On the fifteenth day of February, Richard and Jane arrived at Bennet Fields. They had remained in town to see their two sisters and cousin presented to Queen Charlotte and to attend their coming out ball where Richard as brother to two, did his best scowling Darcy impression to scare young men away from Tiffany and Kitty. Loretta was well protected with her family and especially her brother. The Earl and Countess of Matlock and the Viscount and Viscountess of Hilldale were in Town with the newly out in society young ladies and would accompany the girls to functions then bring them to Hertfordshire in March. Lord and Lady Longbourn would depart Town a fortnight ahead of the Fitzwilliams, leaving Kitty under their protection. Georgie was in London with her sister Kitty and would return with their Fitzwilliam brother and sister.
The first thing the Fitzwilliams did after a bath and changing clothing was make the short trip to Longbourn. “My, my, Jane, have we not increased!” Elizabeth exclaimed when they entered the library as they had been informed that was where the Darcys were.
“Speak for yourself, sister!” Jane teased right back. “Yes, Lizzy, I am much larger than I was, but I am thankful that I was able to be at the coming out ball. The young ladies looked magnificent and had the best time, even with my overprotective husband and the other men in the family there to scare off all the young men,” she said playfully as she looked lovingly at her husband.
“Yes, well, it was my duty. You forget that I was ably assisted by Andrew who was practicing for when Gillian comes out, at least there is time before that eventuality,” Sir Richard said as he looked lovingly at his wife.
“You look well Lizzy, and your size makes my belly look like it is hardly swollen. When does the accoucheur arrive to examine you?” Jane asked while she looked at her sister who was almost as round as she was tall.
“He will be here on Wednesday,” Elizabeth said as she rubbed her stomach gently.
“Do you think he will check Jane for us?” Richard asked anxiously.
“I am sure that he will not object, just be here before midday and you will be able to make your request of him in person,” Darcy suggested.
With that the ladies repaired to a drawing room for tea while the men remained in the library to discuss what men like to discuss: hunting and horseflesh.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
On Wednesday Sir Frederick and his nurse arrived shortly after midday. He agreed when the request was put to him to examine Lady Jane after he completed his examination of her sister. He asked the Countess of Pemberley to prepare and she was assisted up to their suite by her husband and the nurse where her abigail was waiting to assist. When she was ready, the accoucheur was called into the chamber.
He requested silence and then he placed his listening device on various points of her much-enlarged stomach. After what seemed like a very long time, he stood up and placed the device on a side table. Rather than keeping the Darcys in suspense he did not wait for them to ask him the results. “It is as I thought, I detected three distinct heartbeats.”
“Oh my, I thought I was prepared to hear this, but it is still a shock to know that it is a reality and not a supposition,” the Countess said as tears of apprehension rolled down her cheeks.
“You are a very healthy woman, your Ladyship. I understand that you are a great walker and that you rode for exercise too. Your fitness will be an asset when it is your time,” Sir Frederick assured them, as Darcy looked a little pale at the news. “You are in as good a shape as could be hoped for Lady Pemberley, so there is every reason to expect a good outcome.” The accoucheur left the chambers to allow the couple some private discussion.
“William, I want you to make me a solemn promise, you must swear it on our love,” she looked up at beloved husband as she held his hands and stared into the cerulean orbs that were staring back at her with fear and apprehension.
“What promise do you require, my love?” he choked out.
“If the worst should happen and God takes me to Him,” she placed her fingers on his lips to stop the retort that was on the tip of his tongue, “and we have a living child or children, I need to be assured that you will not withdraw from the world as your own dear father did after your beloved mother passed.
“I will not be able to face this ordeal unless I know for certain that you and our child or children will be well. My demise is not something that I want to contemplate, but we all know that there is always a risk with childbirth, and in our case, even more so. Promise me,swearto me, that you will be strong for our children should it come to that. Please William, I need to know this before I commence my lying-in,” she pleaded with large teardrops falling from her very fine eyes.
He was deep in thought for a while, as she knew that whenever he had weighty issues to consider he would look at every possible angle before making a decision. After what seemed like hours, he cleared his throat and met her eyes again. “I will give you my word as your husband who loves you beyond all others that I will do as you ask if God takes you from me. If He does, I will never forgive Him, but it will be as you ask.” As he spoke, he had a look of utter dejection on his countenance at just having to think about the loss of his beloved Lizzy.
For the next hour or two they did not leave their suite, they just lay in each other’s arms drawing strength one from the other. Later, when they joined Jane and Richard to eat dinner, it was reported by the Fitzwilliams that Sir Frederick imparted to them that everything seemed to be normal and was proceeding as expected with Jane’s pregnancy.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
As the days continued to march by, Thomas and Fanny Bennet arrived home as scheduled, and although they worried for the health of their second daughter, the news of three babes was not too shocking, as they had been prepared for it.
Two weeks later, the Fitzwilliams and Jerseys arrived with the younger set in tow. Lady Sarah wanted to be on hand when her goddaughter gave birth. The three young ladies back fresh from the ball and of their first, if shortened season, were full of tales of balls and beaus.
Timothy Jacobson returned to Janet’s Well from Town to take up the reins of his inheritance that became his as he reached his majority on his one and twentieth birthday in December of 1812.
On the agreed-upon date, the accoucheur with the two additional nurses arrived to reside at Longbourn. He advised the Earl and Countess of Pemberley to find two wet nurses as even if her Ladyship chose to feed the babes herself, she would not be able to feed all three. The local midwife was applied to and she reported that she would have wet nurses for them to interview soon. Jane did not require one as she planned to feed her babe and expecting only one made it a much easier proposition.
On the tenth day of March, after a relatively short labour for a first child, Lady Jane Fitzwilliam gave birth to a perfect baby girl who, according to Lady Longbourn, was an exact copy of her mother at birth. She was delivered by the same midwife who had delivered her mother, Mrs Richardson. Sir Frederick was standing by in case he was needed, but as it happened, he was not. Jane had a little more bleeding than most, but it soon ceased and she was able to feed her daughter for the first time after both mother and child were cleaned and changed.
After the elated mother and father cooed over their perfect daughter—the most beautiful ever in their humble opinions—they decided on the name Elaine Fanny Bennet Fitzwilliam. They honoured both grandmothers and they would call her Elly.
“There is no Viscount Meryton yet,” said an overjoyed first-time grandmother, “but is it not apropos Thomas that our first daughter’s babe is a little girl that looks just like she did as a babe?”
