Second Glances: A Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice Continues (Tales of Less Pride and Prejudice)

by Alexa Adams

  After a shocked moment, during which the implication of his words sunk in, the happy father was

  surrounded by joyous congratulations. Obviously relishing the attention, it was with no small degree of elation that he answered the string of questions thrust upon him.

  “Mr. Messling predicts it will be sometime in September.”

  “Is this why Lizzy has grown so plump?”

  He laughed. “I do not think she believed anyone had noticed. Is it not like her to believe no one as acute as herself? I began to be suspicious a few weeks ago, but Elizabeth seemed to want to be sure before she shared her thoughts with me.”

  “What is she doing now?”

  “Resting, as ordered. I am charged with inviting the Gardiners to dine so we may share the news. If only the Bingleys were unengaged! We then could have a real family party!”

  “And I only just sealed a letter to Lydia! If I had waited I could have shared this wonderful news, to the great improvement of my letter,” Kitty mildly complained.

  “I think Elizabeth would like to spread word through your family in her own way. She will write to all concerned when she is ready.”

  “Do you want a boy or a girl, Fitzwilliam?”

  “I will be happy with either, so long as the mother and baby are safe and healthy.”

  “Have you thought of any names?”

  He laughed again. “I believe we have some time to consider that, Kitty, but we will be sure to let you know when we do. Now I am off to Gracechurch Street. Georgiana, if you would make the arrangements for a special dinner, though I am sure the staff already knows and has begun their own preparations. We will be celebrating this night!”

  Calling for his coat, hat, and carriage, a few rapid minutes saw Mr. Darcy on his way. The ladies tried to resume their normal activities, but their enthusiasm would not let them focus on their work. Instead, they made great plans as to the baby’s clothes, entertained themselves with thinking of names and deciding which characteristics of each parent the child would inherit. The remains of the day passed quickly in this manner, and it was not long before they were dressed for dinner, congratulating Elizabeth, and waiting for the arrival of their guests, whose appearance sparked off a fresh round of the same ideas and notions already so well canvassed. The residents of Curzon Street were quick to learn that these were subjects with which they could never tire. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were as excited as the others, and while their questions were of a more mature nature, coming from the perspective of parents, than were Georgiana and Kitty’s, all at the table exhibited equal joy. Elizabeth and Darcy were left in little doubt of the support and love of their collected family.

  Once the ladies left the table, Mr. Gardiner smiled knowingly at Darcy, in a manner intended to invite those confidences and questions which the younger man undoubtedly had, but as his silent overture was met with no response, he decided to verbally initiate the conversation. “Well, Darcy, I remember how I felt when I first learned I was to become a parent, and I have to imagine your emotions are rather similar.”

  “I do not know what I feel, or at least I have no means to express it. I am part thrilled, part terrified,” the proud man confessed.

  “Generally overwhelmed?”

  “To put it rather mildly, yes.”

  Mr. Gardiner nodded, “I remember the sensation well. It isn’t comforting, but it is honest, when I confess that your life shall never again be the same.”

  “I thought marriage had taken care of any chance of monotony?”

  “Oh, son, you have no idea,” laughed Mr. Gardiner. “If marriage brings diversion, parenthood ushers in complete chaos. No amount of planning can prepare you for the adventure on which you embark, but nothing in your life will ever bring greater satisfaction.”

  To this Darcy responded defensively, “I am very fortunate to have the means and staff that should make our transition into this new stage of life as seamless as possible.”

  “Do you think you will be the kind of father to consign your child to the hands of a nurse and never intervene?” Darcy frowned. “Darcy, I have now known you for well over a year now, and in that time I have had the privilege of observing the manner in which you conduct your life. You are an exemplary landlord, and will, no doubt, be a similarly stupendous father, but the careful plotting and planning that has been your guide in ordering life is about to be rendered null and void. I do not mean to frighten you, only prepare you. Think about it in these terms: no matter how dedicated you are, no matter how much you have devoted to your land and tenants, surely the weather has sometimes interfered, rendering an entire planting season virtually pointless, or a disaster has struck, of which you had no hope of preventing, correct?”

  Darcy rose and began pacing the room contemplatively. “We once had a fire at Pemberley. Several of the tenant’s houses burned down. It was one of the worst moments of my life.”

  “But when the emergency arose, surely you handled the situation directly, doing your best to negate the adverse effects and, eventually, you overcame the challenge.”

  Darcy nodded, but barely perceptively.

  Mr. Gardiner pressed on. “Well, that is sort of what it is like being a father. You never know what will happen next. At one moment you are at the pinnacle of human happiness and the next in the pit of despair. Tiny things, the like of which you would never imagine could concern you, will appear the most dire emergencies. An innocuous sneeze or cough will send you into panic. But you confront the situation, do your best to manage it, and while you will not sometimes do so as well as you would like, you learn from the experience and move on. My best advice is to let the child teach you, as much as you strive to teach the child. They have infinite wisdom to bestow.”

  Darcy resumed his seat, took a deep sip of his cognac, and tried to smile, “And I thought I need only be concerned about the safety of Elizabeth and the child!”

  “Just love and dote on your wife, as you already do, and I am sure she will be fine. Her mother bore five healthy children with relative ease, and Elizabeth has always been of a robust constitution. Here is a place where your finances can be of assistance, as you will undoubtedly procure the best care money can buy.”

  “Mr. Messling has recommended a doctor in Derbyshire, whose reputation I am familiar with, and we also have a midwife of strong repute, but I am considering bringing Elizabeth back to London for her confinement.”

  “Have you considered that the country air would be far more beneficial than that of town?”

  “Messling made the same argument.”

  “I would think on it seriously.”

  “Elizabeth and I will consider all our options. I will be happy for her confinement to take place wherever she is most comfortable. If you are finished your drink, sir, I would like to join her, unless you have some further words of consolation to impart?”

  “No. I am done terrifying you, though it was not my intent to do so: just prepare you.”

  “I appreciate it, Gardiner. If I have questions or concerns, would you mind if I consulted you?”

  “Anytime, son. We fathers must stick together, you know!”

  When the gentlemen entered the drawing room, they found Kitty and Georgiana occupied at the pianoforte, while Elizabeth and her Aunt had sequestered themselves on a sofa at the far end of the room. Mrs. Gardiner had her arm around her niece, suggesting that their conversation had been along similar lines to the one transpiring in the dining room. Upon seeing her husband, Elizabeth rose to her feet and stepped towards him, a timid smile gracing her countenance, and Darcy proceeded in kind, his long strides quickly traversing the room until he found himself by her side. They took seats next to each other, positioned in such a manner that they could surreptitiously hold hands.

  A mere glance between the Gardiners confirmed their course of action. Waiting for the ladies to finish their piece, they complimented both on the performance before exclaiming at the lateness of the hour and taking their leave. During
the carriage ride back to Gracechurch Street, they shared impressions of their mutual conversations.

  “Elizabeth is a little frightened, as every new mother inevitably is, but I think she is prepared to handle the situation.”

  “Hmmm, very interesting. I used my time with Darcy to impress upon him how futile such preparations are.”

  “That’s very appropriate advice for a new father, dear, but a new mother is in need of strength and bravery. Her task is a very different one.”

  “I do not doubt it. I hope we did them some good.”

  “Have faith in the power of their love, Mr. Gardiner. They are extremely attached and will support each other through all that the future might bring, I have little doubt.”

  Alone in Elizabeth’s dressing room that night, Darcy recounted much of the wisdom Mr. Gardiner had sought to impart, but to his surprise, Elizabeth did not seem intent on providing similar confidences.

  “There are some things that are best left between women, I think.”

  “But you looked so unsure when we rejoined you this evening, when you had been all elation earlier. Are you sure you do not want to confide your concerns in me?” he asked, his voice expressing his sense of hurt that she would keep anything from him.

  “My aunt told me nothing which I was unprepared to hear, and certainly nothing that you do not already know. I, too, knew most of it already, but I do admit that her firsthand account of childbirth was unsettling. Do not worry for me, Fitzwilliam, for I shall be perfectly alright, but I do feel a bit overwhelmed.”

  “Overwhelmed. That’s how Mr. Gardiner expressed it.”

  “I can think of no other word to describe my current sensations.”

  “Are you sure you are up for all the social activity of London? With two young ladies to chaperone, you shall have a very hectic season.”

  “Oh yes. I am quite certain. I feel perfectly well, as if I had an excess of energy. It was most difficult to obey Mr. Messling’s dictate to rest today.”

  “You will be sure to take it easy should you feel the need?”

  “Most certainly. I will not risk our baby, Fitzwilliam. And if I do find myself run down, I will ask Jane to take over the chaperoning duties.”

  “What if Jane is similarly incapacitated?” he asked slyly.

  “Fitzwilliam! What do you know? Jane has not said a word.”

  “Has she not complained to you of malaise?”

  “Why yes! She has!” declared an astonished Elizabeth. “How could I not put two and two together? Did Charles figure it out all alone?”

  “You do not image that husbands are so very oblivious, do you my dear? I was pretty certain of the true reason for Mr. Messling’s visit today.”

  “How could you bear to not say anything?”

  “I did not want to let on when you seemed so determined to keep it from me. And besides, I could ask you the same question.”

  “I just did not want to disappoint you if I was wrong,” she confessed sheepishly.

  Darcy laughed, “I understand perfectly, Elizabeth. Women will have their secrets, as you indicated, even if they are not so terribly adept at keeping them as they think.”

  “Be careful, Fitzwilliam! You imply that men are superior in this capacity, and such arrogance begs to be squashed.”

  Chapter 12

  Sir James Stratton smiled on the pretty vision that was Longbourn as the structure came into view. Built in the old style, nestled into a cozy grove, he was of a humor to find the mild disrepair of the place romantic. Had he seen its condition just a few years before, he might not have been so lenient in his judgment of the owner, being rather fastidious in that regard himself. Mr. Bennet had expended a reasonable amount of motivation improving his property the previous autumn, and his time now being newly devoted to his books, he was content, for the time being, to be satisfied with picturesque results.

  Yet it was precisely how Sir James had imagined. The ivy covered edifice had a decided aura of being well-loved and thoroughly lived in, just as one would expect in the dwelling of a large family. Sir James adored Teggington, but the house boasted a dignity sometimes oppressive. As a child he had been afraid of certain rooms, so filled were they with irreplaceable family heirlooms. His vision of the future was one in which the family’s heritage would still be on display, but that comfort would be the dominant sensation experienced upon entering the house. He hoped, should things transpire as he desired, that children running all about the old place would soon provide him with excuse enough to remove the suits of armor currently lining the halls.

  If Mrs. Westingham could see him now, riding lovelorn across his fair maiden’s native soil, she would be pleased as punch, but it was Mrs. Bennet, not knowing her good fortune, who spotted the unknown gentleman wandering up her drive at a distance, his pace far too lackadaisical for her curiosity’s endurance. There was a time when such a man would have caused the house to erupt into chaos, as she ordered her daughters to make themselves presentable just in case he should prove eligible, but with no such troops to muster, Mrs. Bennet was left instead to her thoughts. These were dominated by only one concern, and in spite of the lack of urgency in the visitor’s approach, she convinced herself that he must be the bearer of bad news regarding her pride and joy. Insisting that he be shown into the parlor immediately, she waited only for his announcement to accost him thusly: “You are most welcome, sir! Do not think I am in ignorance of your purpose here – surely you are some representative of Lady Catherine’s, perhaps a nephew on the de Bourgh side, bearing sad tidings of my dear grandson! Please do not hold me in suspense any longer! I told Mary that she would do better to keep young William inside,” she sniffed, tears coming to her eyes. “Lady Catherine would insist on his need for fresh air! He has caught cold, has he not? I just knew how it would be!”

  “My dear lady,” broke in a surprised Sir James, recalling too late that Miss Bennet had termed one of her parents eccentric, “you mistake me entirely! I am no relation of Lady Catherine’s and bear no messages from Rosings. As far as I know, Master Bennet-Collins remains in fine health. I am a friend of Mr. Darcy’s, and I came hoping to discuss some business with your husband.”

  “Mr. Darcy!” Mrs. Bennet’s face turned pale as her building panic redirected towards her second favorite. “Why, he is alright, is he not? Oh my! There has not been a carriage accident, has there?”

  “No indeed, ma’am. I carry no ill tidings at all. On the contrary, my business,” he continued, the hint of his usual grin gracing his face, “regards what I hope will be deemed quite pleasant, indeed.” Seeing a vacant look of incomprehension in Mrs. Bennet’s eyes, which were consumed by fear, he become more explicit than he would have liked to be, “I want to speak with M. Bennet about your daughter: Miss Bennet.”

  “Kitty?” Mrs. Bennet asked in momentary confusion, pausing just long enough for her to inspect the visitor’s person with greater care than she had previously paid it. Being quite quick in such matters, the truth now dawned upon her. “You are here to speak with Mr. Bennet about Kitty!” she reiterated in delight, and warmly invited Sir James to sit down, exclaiming on what quick work Kitty had made of her time in town. She began to interrogate him while ringing the bell at the same time, demanding both refreshments for the visitor and Mr. Bennet’s instant appearance from a bewildered Hill, all while possessing herself of such details as “Teggington”, “Cornwall”, and “baronetcy”. No more was needed, Sir James perceived, to gain the lady’s blessing, and he inwardly considered how a sensitive and passionate girl must have fared in such hands.

  When Mr. Bennet entered the room, his wife rushed up to him in eager frenzy. “Mr. Bennet! What took you so long? This is Sir James Stratton, a friend of Mr. Darcy’s, and he wishes to speak to you about my dear, dear Kitty! I knew how it would be if she had a season in London! He has a fine estate in Cornwall, and such a handsome man!”

  A quelling look from her husband hushed Mrs. Bennet’s raptures, and Sir J
ames, though rather shocked at the sudden transformation of the excitable lady’s manners, maintained his wits enough to display some appropriate embarrassment at such an introduction. “Mr. Bennet,” he said with a bow. “I was hoping you might spare me a few moments of your time, sir.”

  Mr. Bennet had not married three daughters off without learning how to make the most of the highly gratifying spectacle of a young man in love, and he quickly determined that the following encounter should be most diverting. Catching the intelligence behind Sir James’ eyes, he calmly invited him into the library, schooled his features into as unreadable an expression as he could contrive, and asked the gentleman to state his purpose.

  “I fear it is all too obvious,” said the suitor, claiming the offered chair. “Your wife is remarkably penetrating.”

  Mr. Bennet’s lips betrayed his amusement at this description, unwittingly returning the uncomfortable Sir James to his more accustomed state of confidence. “Penetrating is one word that might be used in her description.”

  “Perhaps I should say she is relentless?”

  “That is probably doing her a bit more justice,” conceded Mr. Bennet, “but we are not here to analyze my wife’s virtues, are we Sir James?”

  “No indeed, sir,” he grinned. “I would far rather discuss Miss Bennet’s.”

  “So I gathered. What are they?”

  Sir James looked puzzled. “Excuse me, sir?”

  “What are Kitty’s virtues?”

  Sir James bristled slightly, much to Mr. Bennet’s delight. “As her father, sir, I assume you are well-acquainted with them!”

  “Yes, of course I should be, but as parents we are inclined to see our children through the opacity of prejudice. Here you are, presenting yourself as my daughter’s admirer – who better to have made a study of the topic? Please, Sir James. Enlighten me!”