Elizabeth had loved exploring Rome and all the churches of the Papal States. She had found St Peter’s Basilica fascinating and loved exploring the catacombs below the city. The highlight was seeing the Sistine Chapel and marvelling at the work of Michelangelo on the magnificently painted ceiling.
The ship was tied up to the dock, and they smiled when they saw the Darcy carriage waiting for them on the street above the dock. It was less than five hours to Broadhurst in Essex, where their family was currently staying. With Biggs and Johns carrying most of their trunks between them, the Darcys were soon ready to set foot on England’s soil after almost six weeks of traveling abroad. Before disembarking, they thanked the captain profusely, then made their way to the quay.
Both laughed at the feeling that the ground was moving under their feet, for when they had reached Licata on the Island of Sicily after six days at sea and felt the sensation for the first time, both had been concerned until the smiling captain, who had accompanied them ashore, explained that it was a natural occurrence when one who had been on a ship for any length of time walked on dry land again.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
When the conveyance halted at Broadhurst, Elizabeth and Will had barely alighted when the family mobbed them, with Georgiana leading the charge.
“Were you surprised, Lizzy?” Georgiana gushed after she hugged both her brother and sister.
“I was, Gigi. It was the best of surprises,” Elizabeth told her sister.
“How well you look, Lizzy,” her mother said as she enfolded her daughter in a hug.“It seems that married life agrees with you.” By the blush that her daughter answered with, Lady Elaine did not doubt the veracity of her supposition.
“Welcome home, sister and brother,” Alex said as he shook his brother’s hand and kissed his new sister’s hand as a young gentleman might; then the boy re-emerged,“Did you bring many gifts home?” he asked hopefully.
“We did, little brother. Mayhap you will allow us to change and wash before you demand your presents?” Will said as he ruffled his brother’s hair, who scowled back as he tried to flatten it back into place.
Next, they were hugged by Lady Anne and George Darcy.“Welcome back to England, Son, and Daughter,” Lady Anne kissed both on their cheeks while her husband hugged his son and bestowed a kiss on his new daughter.
“This dullard is treating you well, is he not?” Richard drawled as he looked at his brother-in-law.
“Itch! I mean Richard, Will could not treat me better if he tried. And you, brother? How are you and Retta with only three days to go before you join the blissful state Will and I now inhabit?”
“We are both excited, Lizzy,” Loretta said as she gave her betrothed a warning look that it was enough teasing—for now.“I am so pleased that your arrival was not delayed, and you are here to be with us for our wedding day.”
“As we are happy to be here, my soon-to-be sister,” Elizabeth promised.“Andrew and Marie! I almost did not see you hiding there. My, how much bigger little Reggie is, and Tiffany also. We were away for less than two months, and my niece and nephew…oh, I am so ashamed I did not ask sooner; did Jane she deliver her babe safely?”
“She did, Lizzy,” Marie informed her sister.“But it was babies, not babe, and Jane, their son, and their daughter are all well and healthy. They will arrive on the morrow with the Bennets, who have been at Longfield Meadows since little Sed and Beth made their entry into the world, on the day of your wedding by the by.”
“The day of our wedding and Beth?” Elizabeth asked in wonder.
“Elizabeth Marie Rose Rhys-Davies,” Andrew added.“For some reason, Jane wanted to name her daughter after you. Jane sent an express to the inn near Bedford; I assume that by your questions, you did not receive it.”
“We did not,” Will confirmed.
“Mayhap, it is time to allow Will and Lizzy to repair to their chambers,” Lady Sarah de Melville suggested.“They will be here until after the wedding, so there will be ample time to see them.”
“Is Bingley coming?” Will asked Richard as they made their way into the manor house.
“Unfortunately, his wife has been having a tough time with illness associated with increasing, so he will remain at Netherfield; being in a carriage exacerbates her symptoms,” Richard explained.
“Let us hope that all will be well for young Mrs Bingley and the babe that she is carrying,” Will replied.
~~~~~~~/~~~~~~~
The Bennets and Rhys-Davies arrived before midday the next day. Elizabeth could not wait to hug Jane and see her niece and nephew as they entered the drawing room. After the sisters hugged for a long while, Jane turned to a nursemaid holding a squirming bundle and handed little Beth to the aunt after whom she was named.
“She is perfect, Jane. She has your blond hair and eyes and so much hair!” Elizabeth exclaimed.“We never received your express; I am so sorry. I would have loved to have known before we sailed.”
“She seems to have claimed all the hair that was available for the both of them,” the proud papa joked as he held his son close by, allowing the sisters to reconnect and take a moment with his daughter. If she were even half as amazing as her mother and aunt, she would be a force to be reckoned with indeed.“As you can see, Sed is still bald.”
“He has Jane’s eyes as well!” Elizabeth gushed as she held her niece.
“Do not forget, Lizzy, that a babe’s eyes can change up to the age of six months, so we will not know the true colours until they pass that milestone in a little more than four months,” Lady Rose said.
“Father Bennet and Mother Tammy, it is good to see you again,” Will welcomed them while his wife was lost in the world of babies.
