Page 88 of A Different Impression

As Elizabeth caught her breath, the accoucheur examined her once more. His hands paused over the still-rounded curve of her abdomen, and his expression changed.

“It is not quite over, Mrs Darcy,” he told her. “There is one more yet to come. It appears this little one will have a sibling very soon.”

Elizabeth and Darcy looked at each other in surprise and then looked down at the child in her arms. “How soon?” he asked.

“A few more minutes,” the accoucheur told them. “Mrs Darcy, you must push again in a few minutes, but you have a moment or two to rest.”

For one stunned moment, Darcy could only stare at the accoucheur. He had scarcely begun to comprehend the existence of the child in Elizabeth’s arms, and now there was another. Bending close, he gently caressed the infant’s cheek before another pain seized Elizabeth and Lady Matlock took the child.

A little more than half an hour later, a second newborn’s cry filled the room. This time, Darcy could not contain a broken laugh of relief and wonder as the monthly nurse bathed and wrapped the child.

Once Elizabeth had been made comfortable and both infants had been washed and dressed, Darcy carried his exhausted wife into their bedchamber and settled her against the pillows, sitting down next to her. His aunt brought in their firstborn whilst Mrs Gardiner held the second, and the two children were presented to their parents.

“You have a son, Darcy,” Lady Matlock said as she presented the child to his father. “Already, he looks like you—look at that scowl.” Too happy with the outcome, Darcy ignored the tease and took the babe in his arms.

Mrs Gardiner brought the second child and handed it to Elizabeth. “And this one takes after you, Lizzy. You have a daughter, and I can discern your own impish look upon her face.”

Both new parents laughed at this comment as they stared down at their children. “One of each, William,” Elizabeth said quietly to her husband. “We never considered the idea of twins, but I suppose that means we can use both of the names we selected.”

Darcy nodded. “This is William James Alexander,” he said, indicating the child in his arms. “Elizabeth wanted to name him after me, but I did not want to saddle another generation with the name Fitzwilliam. We settled on William.” He grinned broadly. “And the little lady there,” he continued, indicating the child Elizabeth held, “is Roseanna Elizabeth, named for her exceptionally beautiful mother.”

When Elizabeth reached up to caress his cheek, everyone else receded from Darcy’s awareness. He bent and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips, only recalling their audience when his aunt cleared her throat with unmistakable amusement.

The accoucheur completed his final examination and pronounced Elizabeth and both children well before withdrawing to rest. Lady Matlock and Mrs Gardiner each embraced Elizabeth, then offered to carry news of the twins to the family waiting below.

“You should have a little time alone with your children,” Mrs Gardiner said. “We shall keep the others from laying siege to your door until morning.”

The monthly nurse lingered long enough to ensure that all four were settled comfortably.

“I shall be in the adjoining nursery,” she told them. “You need only ring if you require me.”

When the door finally closed behind her, the room fell quiet. Darcy looked down at the son nestled in his arms, scarcely able to comprehend that, after so many hours of activity and anxious voices, the four of them were at last alone.

The child in Elizabeth’s arms began to fuss, and she brought the little girl to her breast. It required several attempts, but at last Roseanna began to suckle. Darcy watched them in awe.

“How does it feel?” he asked.

Elizabeth laughed softly. “Rather interesting—and not at all as it does when you suckle me.” Her eyes danced despite her exhaustion. “We may need the wet nurse more than we had planned. Feeding two children will surely be considerably more demanding than feeding one.”

“You are probably right,” Darcy admitted. “I had begun to wonder the same, but I thought this was hardly the moment to raise it. You will be a wonderful mother, Elizabeth, and I already love our children more than I can express.”

“I suppose our aunts have told our sisters and Anne by now?” Elizabeth asked sleepily.

“I am certain our aunts have mentioned it, as I believe they were nearly as excited as we. I am somewhat astounded that none of them has arrived at our door and attempted to demand entry yet,” Darcy replied.

“What time is it, Will?” she asked when they traded babies so Elizabeth could feed baby William.

Still holding his daughter, Darcy drew his watch from his pocket and checked the hour. “Good Lord, Elizabeth, it is two in the morning. I had no notion it had grown so late. That must be why our sisters have not yet laid siege to the door. They will likely do so in the morning.”

Elizabeth chuckled. “It has been an eventful day,” she said wryly as her son finished eating, and she adjusted her nightgown to cover herself.

Darcy returned to his position next to Elizabeth and wrapped the arm not holding his daughter around her shoulders. The four of them sat together on the bed, the two new parents staring down at their children. Soon, Darcy felt Elizabeth sag against him and realised she had fallen asleep. He could not sleep yet; his heart was too full of what the day had held.

With Roseanna cradled in one arm and Elizabeth sleeping against the other, Darcy contemplated the two lives suddenly entrusted to his care. If Anne carried out her stated intention, his daughter would one day inherit Rosings, whilst his son would eventually bear the responsibility of Pemberley. Both would require guidance, love, and preparation for burdens they could not yet imagine.

Looking at William, Darcy remembered how abruptly Pemberley had fallen upon his own shoulders. Although his father had prepared him well, Darcy had often felt unequal to the responsibility during those first years. He prayed that he would live long enough to guide his son through that transition—and that Roseanna would receive no less of his time merely because her responsibilities would be different.

Some hours passed in the quiet room before Elizabeth stirred against him. “Will,” Elizabeth murmured, “we are parents, love—twice over.”