Decisions

by Ola Wegner

  ***

  After three days spent in the bed, Elizabeth thought that she was about to go mad. She regretted deeply that Darcy had learned of Mrs Clarke’s visit. He acted as if his wish was to keep her closed up until the moment their child was to be born.

  When after her forced detention she walked outside into a sunny spring day and breathed fresh air, she felt like the happiest woman in the entirety of England. Several days later her spirits reached their pinnacle when one day a very unexpected guest arrived. Elizabeth was on her way to the library where an ever-growing pile of letters was awaiting her attention when she heard commotion in the foyer. Curious about who came to visit them, she stood in her tracks as she saw the tall blonde being greeted by Darcy and Georgiana.

  “Jane?” she whispered, disbelief in her voice. Her elder sister was removing her bonnet and gloves. She smiled at something which Darcy said to her then her gaze wandered off, stopping on Elizabeth.

  Elizabeth did not know how, but the next moment she was in Jane’s arms, holding her with all her might. Tears were running down her face and she could not even care that she was making such an unseemly display in front of all the servants.

  Only when she felt Darcy’s gentle hand on the small of her back did she take a step back. She put a hand on her midsection to calm her breathing, which instantly brought a reaction from Darcy.

  “Are you well?” he asked, his eyes viewing her with concern.

  “I am well, I am well.” She nodded, holding tightly to Jane’s hand.

  “Let us go to the drawing room,” Darcy proposed. “Unless Miss Bennet is tired and wishes to rest.”

  “I am not tired,” Jane assured. “I slept well last night and today we have travelled for three hours only.”

  Elizabeth nearly dragged her sister to the drawing room, asking so many questions that Jane had barely time to answer them.

  Darcy and Georgiana stayed behind, allowing the sisters to enjoy each other’s company.

  “Lizzy is very pleased with her sister’s arrival, Brother,” Georgiana observed.

  “I should have informed her about Jane’s upcoming visit. She became very agitated upon seeing Miss Bennet. Such emotional turmoil is not beneficial for her at the present time.”

  “She is simply happy to see her sister,” Georgiana said. “It was very good of you to invite Miss Jane here.”

  Darcy smiled. “I knew how much Elizabeth missed her.”

  They entered the drawing room to see Elizabeth and Jane seated together on a love seat, being entirely lost in their own world. Darcy suspected that from now on there would be one more person he would have to share his wife with.

  ***

  It was about a fortnight after Jane’s arrival to Pemberley when Elizabeth, Jane and Georgiana came upon a decision to travel to Matlock for a day-long shopping trip.

  Darcy was not particularly pleased to have his pregnant wife out of his sight for even one day, but he could hardly refuse her. Instead, he could send with her some additional men who were instructed to keep a very close eye on all three women.

  The ladies began their journey quite early in the morning. They made a short stop in Lambton where they left Drew, who was to spend the day with her son. They reached Matlock uneventfully well before midday and began their adventure by enjoying a light meal at the large inn which came highly recommended.

  As they strolled through the main street, they bought a variety of goods, some needed while others not so much. Amongst hats, shawls, gloves, silk stockings there were also bottles of perfumes, bathing salts, books and music sheets.

  After such a laborious afternoon, they visited an elegant teahouse where they enjoyed some delicious cupcakes. Elizabeth might have eaten one or two too many. She was already feeling her dresses being too tight, and the baby had not yet begun to visibly grow. She truly needed more exercise. Nevertheless it was rather difficult to accomplish with Darcy breathing behind her back every time she went for a walk.

  As they were leaving the teashop and walking to the carriage, Elizabeth heard her name being called.

  “Mrs Darcy!”

  She turned her head to see a tall man coming in their direction.

  “Earl of Northumberland!” she exclaimed softly.

  “At your service, madam,” he greeted her.

  Elizabeth was so confounded with this unexpected meeting that she could only stare at him for a moment. Once again she was taken with his beauty. She recognised him instantly even though she had seen him once only and for a rather short time. As she glanced at her companions, she could see that both Jane and Georgiana were equally awed by the man who stood in front of them.

  At last Elizabeth recollected herself and made introductions.

  “Your lordship,” she spoke with a smile. “May I introduce to you my sisters, Miss Jane Bennet and Miss Georgiana Darcy.”

  The man’s eyes rested curiously on the two blondes. Georgiana and Jane were of equal height, both having fair hair and blues eyes. While Georgiana’s face was still childishly rounded, betraying her young age, Jane’s classical features were fully formed, giving her an air of youthful sophistication.

  “Ladies,” Elizabeth continued, “this is Mr George Percy, the Earl of Northumberland. Mr Percy is an old school friend of Mr Darcy.”

  “Delighted to meet you, delighted.” Percy bowed deeply in front of first Georgiana, then Jane. He reached for their gloved hands, giving them a gentle squeeze in turn.

  While Jane greeted the man with calm politeness, Georgiana went instantly red in her face, staring at the man as if he were Apollo descended to Derbyshire from the heights of Mount Olympus.

  “I am on my way to Scotland,” Percy explained. “I did not expect to see a familiar face in this town. May I ask what brings you here, Mrs Darcy?”

  Elizabeth glanced back at the two footmen who stood behind them, carrying numerous parcels and packages.

  “Shopping,” she explained.

  He smiled. “I see.” His curious eyes rested on Georgiana. “May I ask you one question, Miss Darcy?”

  “Of course,” the girl whispered, blushing even more at his attention.

  “How old are you?”

  Georgiana looked over at Elizabeth, rather confused with the question.

  “Georgiana is seventeen,” Elizabeth said.

  “Seventeen,” Percy said, shaking his head with an amused smile.

  “Is there something wrong with my age?” Georgiana whispered, leaning towards Elizabeth.

  The earl heard her, though, and answered, “I simply thought that you were much younger, nine or ten at the most.”

  Elizabeth forced a smile. She wondered how her husband would explain his lie to his old school friend when they met next time.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Mary Drew was the happiest woman in all Derbyshire that day. She had her boy beside her, his small hand encompassed within hers, as they walked the main street of Lambton. He spoke to her about everything which he had done for the last few days since she had seen him on Sunday. They stopped at some shops to admire the window displays. Before long, though, Mary noticed him looking longingly towards the small square near the blacksmith where a few boys his age were playing cricket.

  Mary perched herself on the bench, watching her boy playing with his peers. It was a delight to watch him, so carefree and smiling.

  She was so taken with observing her son that she barely noticed when a man took a place beside her. Looking up, she saw that it was Mr Harrison, one of the wealthier farmers in the neighbourhood. He resided somewhere between Kempton and Lambton. She had seen him at church a few times.

  “Mrs Drew.” He nodded at her.

  “Mr Harrison.” She nodded back, offering him a reserved but polite smile. She looked away from him, her gaze following Tommy. The boys abandoned the cricket game and were simply running around in circles. It was difficult to guess the purpose of this new activity.

  “Which one is your boy?” he ask
ed.

  “The one in the blue jacket,” she revealed proudly.

  “He is small but seems fast,” the man evaluated.

  Drew said nothing. She did not like that this man was speaking of her son without being invited to do so.

  “I have two daughters,” he offered.

  She did not comment, hoping that he would be gone soon if she ignored him long enough.

  “Mrs Drew, I will not beat about the bush,” he said. “You may have heard that I have been widowed for nearly two years now. I could have remarried a while ago but I waited. I wanted someone worthy, someone I liked enough to share my life with, someone with a good head on her shoulders, not just a pretty face. Since you came to Pemberley, I saw you enough times to know that I liked what I saw. I also made enquiries about you. I was not disappointed with what I heard.”

  Drew stared ahead of herself, not even once glancing at the man seated beside her. She could hardly believe what she was hearing.

  “I need a son and you and your boy need protection, which only I can ensure you,” Mr Harrison added.

  “I am very pleased with my position at Pemberley,” she said.

  “The Darcys are good people,” he admitted. “I hear that young Mrs Darcy is as kind and good-hearted as Lady Anne was before her. But you are only a servant there. I offer you your own home. My daughters are still very small. They cannot even remember their mother. They shall welcome you with open arms.”

  Mary looked at him, allowing their eyes to meet. “Mr Harrison, I must be honest with you. After my husband’s death I never considered, even for a short moment, that one day I could remarry.”

  “Your late husband was a good man. You were attached to him. I understand that. I will not harm you. Ask anyone about me. I am a reasonable man. Your boy needs a father while my daughters crave a mother. Our union will be mutually agreeable for both parties.”

  Drew looked towards her little boy. Mr Harrison had taken her completely by surprise. She’d told him the truth. She was a widow and not looking for a man. With the death of her husband, something had died within her. She lived for her son.

  “I cannot give you my answer now, Mr Harrison. I need time.”

  He nodded. “I can wait two weeks. I hope that is enough time for you.”

  Drew rose to her feet. “You will have your answer before that, Mr Harrison,” she promised him. “Tommy, Tommy, we must go,” she cried out.

  “So soon, Mama?” the boy whined a little.

  “Come to me.” She waved at him. “You must be hungry.”

  Tommy ran to her side, looking up at the man standing beside his mother.

  “Tommy, this is Mr Harrison,” she introduced the stranger.

  “Good morning, sir,” the boy spoke.

  “Good morning, Tommy,” the farmer responded, lowering himself to be at child’s level.

  The boy looked at him curiously with wide eyes. “Who are you?” the child asked.

  “I am your mother’s acquaintance. I also know your uncle. I live not far from Lambton. I am a farmer.”

  “Have you got cows?”

  “Yes, and quite a lot of them.”

  “Let us go, Tommy,” Drew said. She did not like that Mr Harrison was already trying to befriend her son. “Aunt Martha is waiting for us.”

  The boy took his mother’s hand but his eyes stayed on Mr Harrison. Drew nodded her head at the farmer.

  “Goodbye, Mr Harrison.”

  The man removed his hat. She could clearly see his balding head. “See you soon, Mary,” he said.

  Drew pulled at her son’s hand, walking quickly away from the square. She did not like in the least that Mr Harrison had the audacity to use her first name.

  ***

  Elizabeth was settling herself in bed, plumping the pillows, about to retire for the night. It had been an enjoyable but also quite tiresome day. She was about to close her eyes and drift into peaceful sleep when the door opened and Darcy marched him. He began pacing the room, which usually was a sign of his deep discontent.

  “Why did you bring him in here?” he demanded.

  “The Earl of Northumberland?” Elizabeth asked, lifting on her elbow.

  “Who else? You leave in the morning with our sisters and the maid to go for a shopping trip to Matlock. You return with the biggest rake in northern England. Moreover, Georgiana looks at him as if he was a star on the sky.”

  “What other choice did I have?” she questioned him. “He all but invited himself.”

  “What was he doing there?”

  “He told you already that he was on his way to Scotland. He saw us as we were leaving the teahouse. He recognized me. How should I have acted, in your opinion? Pretend I did not remember him?”

  “For instance.”

  “That would be very rude. He was so kind to us last autumn. Have you forgotten how he gave his room to us at that horrible inn? I certainly did not.”

  Darcy sat on the edge of the bed. “You should not have invited him here,” he persisted.

  Elizabeth lay back on her side, pulling the covers over her. She refused to continue this ridiculous discussion.

  She heard him stepping out of the room. She even thought that he would sleep separately from her but soon he returned, dressed in his nightclothes. He added to the fire and climbed in bed.

  Elizabeth closed her eyes, pretending that she was asleep. Darcy spooned behind her, placing his arm around her middle.

  “Are you sleeping?” he asked, kissing her temple.

  She sighed and turned on her back to face him. “I truly do not understand why you are so upset about the earl’s visit.”

  “I never wanted Georgiana to meet a man like him. You could have avoided that.”

  Elizabeth rolled her eyes. “He saw her. She was standing right there next to me.”

  “You could have introduced her as Miss Katherine Bennet,” he said, proud of his brilliant idea.

  Elizabeth stared at him, barely believing what she had just heard. “What about Georgiana? Do you think that she would have simply accepted that I had given her a completely different name?”

  “If you had said your goodbyes quickly enough she would not have been able to ask questions while he was still there.”

  “You are utterly unreasonable.”

  “If Georgiana falls for him, it would be your responsibility.”

  “I refuse to accept that!” she exclaimed softly. “I know that you care deeply for her well-being, but she is still very young and the earl is considerably older than she is.”

  “You are seven years my junior, while Georgiana is only four years younger than you. It is entirely possible. What worries me the most is that she displays this strange affinity for dashing bastards.”

  She placed her hand on his cheek. “Fitzwilliam, I do believe that what happened with Mr Wickham had taught Georgiana a great deal. As for the earl, he has acted like a perfect gentleman today. He might have changed his ways.”

  “Your faith in people always astounds me. Do not forget I roomed with him for six years. Please believe me that I am perfectly aware of what he is truly capable of. I will talk with him, making him understand that he is not the man I expect my sister to marry.”

  “I advise you great caution on the subject. After all, a man of his status would be a great match for Georgiana. You would not like to do something which you may regret in the future.”

  “I know what I am doing,” he murmured, slightly offended with her suggestions.

  Elizabeth nestled closer to him, placing her head over his shoulder, her arm draped over his chest

  “I hope that our child is not a girl,” he said. “I would not want to go through this one more time.”

  Her eyelids were drooping. Her fingers touched his chin, which by the end of the day was always covered with hard stubble. “Do you think that you would worry less about a boy?”

  His arms around her tightened. “I will have a talk with Percy. He should know my opi
nion about him.”

  “Yes, Fitzwilliam,” she murmured. “You should talk to him. Tomorrow.” Having said that, she drifted to sleep.

  ***

  “Your bath is ready, my lady,” Drew announced.

  Elizabeth took the last sip of her tea and stood to her feet. “Thank you, Drew.”

  She followed the maid into the dressing room where the bathtub was already filled with water. Elizabeth climbed in carefully. Drew was hovering above her until she was nestled safely inside. The water was not as hot as Elizabeth would like it to be. However, according to Mrs Clarke, it was bad for her to take very hot baths in her condition.

  Elizabeth leaned back, her eyes closed, inhaling the rose-scented bath salts. It was so quiet. Too quiet. It was unusual for Drew to speak so little. Elizabeth had become accustomed to the maid’s constant chatter.

  She looked around the dressing room to see that Drew stood in front of the open closet.

  “Which dress would you like to wear today, my lady?” she asked.

  “Nothing too delicate. I do believe that the Earl of Northumberland wishes to take the barouche and travel around the neighbourhood today. My sister, Jane, will surely join us, as she has not yet seen much of the grounds.”

  “I think that light wool should be most suitable, then,” Drew said, reaching for a green plaid dress.

  “Is there something the matter, Drew?” Elizabeth asked, watching the maid as she moved around the room, completing the elements of her mistress’s outfit. “You have been very quiet in the recent days.”

  “All is well, my lady.”

  Elizabeth was not convinced with her assurances.

  “Is your son well?”

  The mention of her son brought a smile onto her face, but only for a short moment. “Tommy is well,” she said.

  “Is it Clayton? I know that at times his behaviour is rather peculiar, but Mr Darcy is very attached to him. If he is unkind to you, I will discuss it with Mrs Reynolds.”

  “Clayton has his moods, but I am perfectly capable of dealing with him.”

  Elizabeth lathered the washcloth and began running it down her arms. If Drew did not want to talk, she had to respect it. She finished her bath, and while she was climbing out with the maid’s help, Drew decided to open up.