Memory: Volume 3, How Far We Have Come, A Tale of Pride and Prejudice (Memory: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice) (93 page)

“She is not so loud now.”  Darcy noted.  “Mrs. Annesley reports that she stands quietly by Mr. Bennet’s side and does not venture near the groups of women.  When they attend dinners, she stays near Jane and Lady Lucas.  She thinks that the fight has gone out of her.”

“Really?  That did not take long.”

“When you have been the centre of attention for so long, you can imagine the shock of having it all taken away would be great.”  Fitzwilliam said thoughtfully.  “Look at Aunt Catherine.  She has become a shell of her old self since moving to the dower house.  Only Mrs. de Bourgh visits regularly, and she does not tolerate any bad behaviour.  Her old friends have abandoned her, I understand.  She will just fade away in her self-imposed prison.”

“I have no sympathy for her.”  Lord Matlock shrugged.  “Helen writes to her, and the letters she receives are so full of hate.  Maybe that is where her strength remains?”

“I wonder what will become of Mrs. Bennet.  Perhaps she will revive when the Lucas child is born.”  Darcy mused. 

“Back to Catherine, surely she does not mean to stay on?”

“No, she will leave for London at Christmas with the Gardiners.  Mr. Bennet insists that she go.” 

“A changed man?”  Lord Matlock nodded.  “I hope that it sticks.”

The sound of women’s voices made them all sit up, and the squeals of children brought them to their feet.  In the hallway Frederick, Annabel and Rosalie were chasing a hoop being pushed along by Margaret who was wielding a stick.  Their weary governesses were trying to catch their breath.  The men laughed.  “Come on Freddy, go get your sister!”  Layton cried as Frederick crawled furiously after Margaret.

“Too young yet.”  Lord Matlock leaned against the doorframe and smiled.  “Give him a few years and some more weight . . .”

“Just wait until I have him on his first pony.”  Layton said proudly.  “And get him in breeches.”

“I am afraid that our girls are just a might too young to understand what is happening.”  Fitzwilliam turned to Darcy.  “I think that they are in it just for the noise.  Annabel only started walking a few weeks ago, after all.”

“Rosa certainly is loving having other children to play with.”  He crossed his arms and chuckled at her, then raised his eyes to the top of the stairs where the ladies hung over the banister and watched.  Elizabeth was laughing at them when she noticed him watching her.  She caressed over the baby and nodded at him, having the same thought, then looked to the rambunctious children. 

“Perhaps this game could be confined to the ballroom?  Where there is nothing to be broken?”

“My very thought, love.”  Darcy looked to the governesses, who immediately began shooing the children along.

“Will you join us, gentlemen?”  Elizabeth called.  “Or do you have plans?”

“Of course they have plans.”  Lady Matlock sighed.  “What are you going to do, Henry?  Fencing, cards, shooting?”

“Actually Aunt, I was going to suggest that we go and play with the children.”  Darcy smiled to see her eyes widen.  Elizabeth started to laugh and put her hand over her mouth, and he laughed with her.  “What is wrong, we played during our picnic this summer, did we not?”

“What shall it be, Fitzwilliam?  Tops, nine pins, or perhaps marbles?”  Elizabeth called.

“You play with Rosa’s toys?”  Layton grinned.  “Tops?”

“Have you any soldiers?”  Fitzwilliam asked eagerly and followed Darcy off to the ballroom. 

“I have a daughter, Richard.” 

“Well, you should be prepared; Elizabeth is due in a few months . . .”  Their voices faded as they went down the hall.

Lord Matlock closed his mouth and waved at his staring wife as he hurried off after them.  “We are going to go play, dear!”

Chapter 29

“I
made a promise to you, a long time ago, and I intend to break it right now.”  Lucas stood behind Jane; his hands were around her waist, holding onto hers as they rested over the baby.  They were in the dressing closet adjacent to the bedchamber in their cottage, looking at their reflection in the mirror.  “You are beautiful.”  He kissed her cheek, and nuzzled her neck, kissing there.  “Absolutely the most beautiful, angelic woman I have ever known, and I am so grateful that you chose me.”

“Robert.”  She sighed.  “I am round and everything aches.”

“You have a baby inside of you.”  He smiled and rubbed over her.  “Look at those cheeks of yours!  So rosy and full!”

“Will I ever look like myself again?”

“Of course you will, Elizabeth returned to herself, did she not?  Even lovelier, I remember Darcy saying.”  He tilted his head.  “Or do you intend to become matronly at the ripe old age of two and twenty?”

“No.”  She rested her head against his shoulder.  “Do you truly not mind me feeding the baby myself?”

“I truly do not.”

“But our mothers . . .”

“Jane, we have decided to listen with only one ear to our mothers and enjoy our own counsel, correct?  Besides, they are afraid of us making good on our threats to keep the baby away from them.”  He smiled and squeezed her.  “We have the upper hand forever now, you know.”

“I will be at it constantly until he settles . . .”

“It is your decision, dear.”  Robert kissed her warm cheek.  “You have nowhere to be for six months until we go to Rosings, and this home is so small that you can easily manage it without leaving your rocking chair.  One thing that Mother said is correct though, it would be best for you to have the baby at Lucas Lodge so that she and the staff can look after you.  When your confinement is over, we will move back in here.” 

“I suppose that is the best plan.  Mama would be here constantly, at least at Lucas Lodge she would have to respect your mother.  She will complain that we chose Lucas Lodge over Longbourn.”

“She will always find something to complain about.  You heard her when Kitty left with the Gardiners.”

“She was not happy when Papa did not let Kitty spend her time at Mama’s beck and call.  She complained when she was here and now when she is gone.  Nothing suits her, does it?  Poor Kitty!  At least she and Papa have become closer, and Mrs. Annesley distracted Mama when she tried to butt in.” 

“I think that her time was well-spent.”  He looked to the sketch that hung in their bedchamber.  It was their Christmas gift from Kitty, and showed the sisters dancing at the assembly.  In this version, Jane was the featured dancer.  “I think that she will have to attend every wedding, party, and dance from now on, to be the official portraitist and chronicler of our lives.” 

“So she may never marry?”  Jane looked up at him and laughed.

“Oh, her husband may come along.” 

“How generous of you!”

He gave her a squeeze and they walked out to their room.  They had moved into the cottage just before Christmas, the walls were painted and papered; they had rugs on the floors and pots in the kitchen.  They had a pig and a flock of chickens.  The rooms were not all furnished, he planned to use some of the money his grandparents had left to buy some things in the spring, but the main rooms contained serviceable cast-offs from family and friends.  It was comfortable and most important to them, they were on their own.  Hearing the unmistakable sound of horses and wheels, they looked to the window and found not one, but two covered wagons approaching the cottage.  Looking at each other, they went downstairs in time to see the door opened by their maid. 

“Mr. Lucas?”  A burley man asked.  “I have a delivery for you.”

“A delivery?  Nothing has been ordered?”  He was handed a paper and read it quizzically.  “Chippendales?  This must be a mistake . . .”

“Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lucas, Bromley Cottage?”

“Yes . . .”

“Then this is the place.”  He turned and called, “Bring it in!”  Entering the house he walked right past the couple to the dining room.  “Oh.  What do you want to do with this, sir?”

“The table?”  Lucas stared at his mother’s worn table, carefully covered with a cloth to disguise the flaws, and looked at the mismatched chairs.  “I . . . What is this?”

The man pulled a wrinkled envelope from his coat.  “Here, this might explain.”  Ducking his head into the kitchen he returned.  “You could use this in here; I’ll just have the boys move everything.”  Disappearing, Lucas was left with the open letter in his hand and a look of absolute astonishment on his face.  “Good Lord.”

“What is it?”  Jane took the letter from his hand and read, her hand covering her mouth.  “Oh!  How wonderful!”  She cried and hugged him, then stood out of the way as men arrived to take the old dining room table and small buffet away to the kitchen.  Into the house was carried the finest table, chairs, buffet, and china cabinet that Chippendale made, along with crates of china and crystal.  “From Mary and Peter.”  Jane started to cry and looked up to Lucas.  In a flash the delivery was completed and a second letter was handed to him as the foreman and his crew headed upstairs. 

Calling down, he announced, “I’ll just move this old bed and chest into the empty chamber, shall I?”  Not waiting for an answer, they soon heard the sound of the tired furniture being moved.  Down the stairs they came and speechless, Jane and Lucas watched as a bed, twice the size of the small one they had taken from Lucas Lodge, a mattress, linens, canopy and curtains, and matching dressers and tables were carried up.  Next came two comfortable chairs, and into their parlour, two deep leather chairs and a sofa were arranged.  Last, a desk was carried in and placed into the room that Lucas was to use as his study, along with a chair worthy of the master of an enormous estate.

“From Lizzy and Fitzwilliam.”  She whispered and read from the letter.  “In celebration of our new home, and because we could not refuse the gifts if they just appeared from out of the blue.  These things are ours to take with us one day when we have another home.”  She looked up to her husband and laughed through her tears.  “What wonderful family we have.”

“Yes.”  He whispered, completely overcome.  Numbly, he signed the delivery slip and the men were gone.  “How can we ever repay them?”

“They do not want to be repaid.  I daresay they do not want to be thanked, either, but I am going to write to them right away!  I will . . . oh.”  She stopped and put her hand to her stomach.

“Jane?”  Lucas immediately snapped to attention.  “Is it worse?  The backache, is it different?”  She nodded and he pulled her into his arms.  “I think my dear; it is time to take a little ride to Lucas Lodge.”  He drew back and read the fear appearing in her eyes.  “Everything will be fine, and I will not leave you.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”  He kissed her and taking a deep breath, tried to smile bravely.  “Come on, Mama.  Let us go have a baby!”

“THANK YOU, CONRAD.”  Darcy handed his secretary a sheaf of papers.  “I think that is everything.”

“Yes, sir.  Nichols is waiting.” 

“Of course, send him in.”  He stood and walked to the window.  A flash of colour against the white background of the fresh dusting of snow immediately caught his eye.  Elizabeth was walking, but not at her usual brisk pace.  Craning his neck, he watched as she bent down to something.  Rosalie appeared from behind her skirts and ran forward a few steps, and turned to look at her mother before running ahead again, only to slip and fall. Darcy started, involuntarily reaching for her and watched as Elizabeth helped her up and brushed her off, then with a little push, sent her running again.    Smiling, he shook his head.  “Nobody ever picked you up, did they, Lizzy?  Rosa will be fearlessly walking all over this estate because of you, climbing trees and probably always muddy.”  Darcy chuckled.  “I will get to see my wife grow up through my baby.”

Elizabeth bent down and scooped up a little of the snow.  She must have called Rosalie because she turned around and received the little snowball on her coat.  The look of surprise was priceless, and she watched Elizabeth scoop up more snow and make a new ball to toss at her.  Soon Rosalie was doing the same, scooping up handfuls of snow and throwing them ineffectively at her mother, until she squealed and ran at her to press some on her coat.  Darcy laughed so hard his stomach hurt.  Elizabeth grabbed Rosalie’s hands and spun her around in celebration.  She spotted him at the window and showing Rosalie where he was, they beamed and waved.  He waved back and watched them make their way back towards the house. 

“Sir?”  Nichols cleared his throat again; he had been waiting patiently in the background. 

“Oh.”  Darcy sighed and returned to his desk.  “What can I do for you?”

“I have about collected all of the rents; there are a few stragglers, as usual.”  He handed Darcy the ledger.  “But I will be taking care of that this week.”

Darcy’s brow creased with concern.  “Any problems with their families?  Illness, anything to make them late?”

“No sir, it has been a remarkably kind winter so far, of course we are not in the thick of it yet.”  He looked out at the snowy view.  “Are you certain that you wish to make the trip to town?”

“I expect it has been a topic of conversation below stairs?”  Darcy smiled when Nichols’ face became blank.  “I see it has.  I know that everyone is concerned, especially with Mrs. Darcy due within the next three months.  If the wedding were any later, I would decline, but Mr. Bingley has done everything he can to schedule this as conveniently as possible, and this is one wedding I do not wish to miss.”  He looked at the ledger.  “We will only be absent a fortnight.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Your disapproval is noted.”  Darcy raised his eyes to him and said pointedly.  “Is there anything else?”

“No, sir.”  He stood straight.  “I will have the spring planting plans ready for you to examine when you return.  Everything is prepared for the morning.  Safe journey, sir.” 

“Thank you, Nichols.  I have no fears at all.”  Darcy nodded and watched him leave, then turned to the window to look out at the grey sky.  “Only for you, Bingley, would I leave here.”  He sighed and rubbed his face.  Giggling and running feet brought him up and around the desk, and into his study Rosalie flew.