The Only Way: A Tale of Pride and Prejudice

by Ola Wegner

  “You must be quite pleased,” she said archly as she considered him.

  He shook his head, sitting down next to her. “I do not comprehend...”

  “Now it is certain that I cannot attend Jane’s wedding to Mr. Bingley,” she explained.

  Placing both hands on her belly, he said. “You gave us quite a scare, Son.” He kissed the top of the hard bulge, before burying his face in Elizabeth’s neck and kissing her. “I love you and I do not know what I would do if anything happened to you.”

  Combing her fingers through his hair, she gave it a light tug just as he liked. “We are fine. Mrs. Harris claims that such early pains are perfectly normal and happen quite frequently.”

  Darcy pulled back to look at her. “I will grow completely grey before this baby comes.”

  “I think that I can see a few already.” Her tone was playful.

  “You must feel better if you are teasing me.”

  “Come here,” Elizabeth whispered, patting the place beside her.

  Darcy lay down next to her, his head on her shoulder, one hand draped over her belly. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She was safe and sound in his arms—for now at least.

  ***

  It was a late afternoon when Elizabeth awoke from her nap. The baby was kicking her ribs again and she could not sleep when it was so active. Moreover, she needed to use the chamber pot badly. Having dealt with that necessity she returned to bed.

  Situating herself comfortably, she palmed her stomach. Fitzwilliam thought that the baby was a boy, but she knew that he would be just as pleased with a girl. Nevertheless, she preferred a boy. After all, it was her duty as Mrs. Darcy to produce an heir for Pemberley.

  With her earlier pains now completely gone, she was thankful to God that the baby would not be born early. Her husband had been terrified earlier today; she had never seen him so scared. Now she worried how he would deal with the situation when her time came in a few weeks. Mrs. Harris might have been quite right about him fainting.

  Glancing about the room, she wondered where he had gone. He had stayed by her side, holding her hand till she had fallen asleep earlier that day. Perhaps, she reasoned, he has gone to finish his letters. After all she could not expect him to sit by her side for the entire day. As soon as the thought was finished, his handsome face appeared in the open door.

  “How are you feeling?”Darcy asked tentatively.

  She gave him a blinding smile. “Very well, thank you.”

  He made his way to the bed, his steps careful. “I need to tell you something, but you must promise that you will not become overexcited.”

  “Has something happened?” Worry instantly tugged at her heart.

  “No, no, it is nothing very disturbing—at least I hope that it is not. It is, however, unexpected.”

  She rolled her eyes, becoming impatient. “Can you simply tell me what is happening?”

  “Yes, of course.” He nodded, before turning his head in the direction of the door. “Your sister is here to see you.”

  With a frown, Elizabeth observed as Jane entered the room, her face flushed with embarrassment.

  “Jane?” she whispered almost in unbelief.

  “Lizzy!” her older sister cried, rushing to the bed where they fell into each other’s embrace.

  “What are you doing here?” Elizabeth began. “You are supposed to be preparing to wed Mr. Bingley.”

  Jane pulled away. “That will not happen.”

  “You broke the engagement?”

  Jane bit her lip, before explaining, “I eloped with Colonel Fitzwilliam five days ago. We are just now returning from Gretna Green.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes widened as she stared at her sister for a long moment, her mouth open, not saying a word.

  “Are you very disappointed in me, Lizzy?” Jane enquired.

  “No...” Elizabeth began, her voice unsure. “But what about Mr. Bingley?”

  Jane lowered her eyes. “I must confess that I feel more relieved than guilty. I wish him all the best, but I think that what happened is better for the both of us. Although I am quite certain that Mr. Bingley does not share my opinion at this very moment.”

  “Where are you going to live?” Elizabeth asked. “When Lady Catherine hears about this...” she started but Jane interrupted her.

  “Lady Catherine has already signed the documents stating that Richard is the owner of Rosings Park. She is moving to Bath,” Jane explained. “My husband says that it is too painful for her to stay any longer in the place where her daughter was born and spent her childhood.”

  “Will she not change her mind about giving the estate to Colonel Fitzwilliam once she learns he is married to you?” Elizabeth fretted. “Lady Catherine hates me and you are my sister.”

  Jane shook her head. “Richard claims she is a different woman now, so grief stricken that she cares little about the world or the people around her.”

  Elizabeth was silent for a moment before taking her sister’s hand in hers. “I am truly happy for you Jane; it is all very surprising but I am pleased if you are.”

  Jane squeezed her hand in return, speaking with great emotion. “Thank you, Elizabeth. You know that your approval is of the utmost importance to me.”

  “Colonel Fitzwilliam is a good man and at least you will not have Caroline Bingley for a sister.

  Jane laughed. “That is very convenient indeed.” Her expression sobered as she placed her hand on her sister’s belly. “Now, tell me how you are feeling. Mr. Darcy told us that you were in pain earlier today.”

  ***

  Darcy entered the bedchamber late in the evening fully expecting to find his wife sleeping soundly. Thankfully the pains had not returned and on her second visit Mrs. Harris assured them that it had been only a false alarm. Instead he found the bed empty.

  “Elizabeth?” he asked softly, thinking that she must be in the dressing room.

  “I am here.” Her voice came from the balcony.

  “What are you doing out here?” he asked, stepping out next to her. “You will catch a cold.”

  “I will not; the night is quite warm, and I have this,” she answered, wrapping a woollen blanket tighter around her body.

  “Feeling well?” he asked, touching the bulge of their baby.

  “Yes, but I cannot sleep.”

  He smiled. “Kicking again?”

  “It likes to sleep during the day and become active in the evening.”

  Cupping her cheek, he ventured, “It was quite a day, was it not?”

  “I still cannot believe that my sister is now married to your cousin.”

  “I am pleased for them, but worried for Bingley. It must have been quite a blow to him.”

  “Yes, I feel so sorry for him. He was such a good friend to us and helped me so much during your illness.”

  “Nevertheless, I would do the same if I was in Richard’s shoes and you were engaged to another.”

  “Would you capture me and carry me away?” she asked, looking up at him with warmth in her eyes.

  “Always love.”

  Taking Elizabeth in his arms, he kissed her tenderly under the star lit night. And as he held her to his heart, he was thankful that he had had the foresight to marry for love instead of following his peers and entering a marriage where there was neither affection nor a clear understanding of mind.

  “Come love, let us return to bed. The cock will crow soon enough announcing yet another day.”

  They walked back inside, closing the French doors behind them.

  Epilogue

  Thomas George Darcy was born on May 10th 1813. He announced his arrival with a set of strong lungs, putting everyone on notice that the new heir to Pemberley had arrived. Nevertheless, his father’s joy at the birth of a healthy son, with his mother’s beautiful eyes, was short lived. After the strenuous birth Mrs. Darcy developed a fever which held her in its grip for three days.

  Even though she overcame the illness and in the space of a mo
nth returned to good health, her husband swore that Thomas would be their last child. He would never again put her through such suffering or risk losing her forever. He was of opinion that his son would benefit more from having a mother than from having a sibling or two.

  Despite his resolution, he did not take a separate bedroom, and only applied every precaution he knew to prevent another conception. As a result of his actions, around the time when Thomas was learning to sit up by himself, Elizabeth gave him the news that she was again with child. It was then, he was convinced , that the grey hair appeared more markedly at his temples.

  The second pregnancy mirrored the first with the only difference being that when the pains came about six weeks early, they were not false. Another boy was delivered, much smaller than his brother, but healthy and breathing well on his own. They named him John Edward.

  Mrs. Darcy lost a lot of blood, additionally once again developing a fever. For almost a week the entire estate of Pemberley prayed for her recovery. Her return to health this time was very slow. But most upsetting was that, according to both doctor and the midwife, the birth was so difficult that she would not be able to have any more children.

  In contrast to his wife, Darcy was relieved with the news, though he never admitted it aloud to anyone. Seeing how dangerous each birth had been, he silently thanked the God for this development. He felt relieved that he could enjoy his wife without the threat of another pregnancy. And though Elizabeth wished for a daughter, he believed they should be grateful to be blessed with two strong, healthy boys—even more so, as they would have their mother well and living.

  By the time John was one and Thomas two, Mrs. Darcy had recovered from her melancholy, and devoted herself completely to raising their sons. Contrary to the practice of many of the women in her social circle, she never left her children to the sole care of a nursemaid. It was her face they saw every morning, and it was their father who put them to bed every evening. When Darcy was busy with estate matters the children were with their mother. And when Elizabeth was occupied with her duties, visiting tenants, or calling on neighbours, Darcy or Georgiana kept a close eye on them. Practically the only time the boys were with their nursemaid was when both of their parents and their aunt had social functions or were not at home.

  Such an approach to child rearing raised a lot of eyebrows, and more than one person criticized it. Those voices of disapproval died down once the boys began to grow into fine young men. In fact, the entirety of Derbyshire admired how decent, honourable, polite and handsome Thomas and John Darcy were.

  Colonel Fitzwilliam and Jane moved to Rosings Park. Lady Catherine never acknowledged her nephew’s marriage; nor did she make any attempt to disrupt their happiness. She remained indifferent, lost in her grief, living alone in Bath for the rest of her life.

  Mr. Bingley terminated the lease of Netherfield Park and on the invitation of the Darcys, he came to spend time at Pemberley after being solemnly assured that Colonel Fitzwilliam and his wife were not there, nor did they intend to visit.

  After six months spent sleeping late and drowning his sorrow in drink inside Pemberley’s library, Bingley began to return to his old self. Darcy convinced him it would be good to buy an estate in Derbyshire, only twenty miles from Pemberley. The constant admiring glances and blushes from Georgiana Darcy did a great deal to heal his bruised ego and they fell in love and were married on her twentieth birthday.

  Elizabeth maintained a close relationship with Jane, though mainly through letters as the sisters saw each other rarely. Elizabeth and Darcy made a point to travel to Kent once a year as it was easier than inviting the Fitzwilliams to Pemberley. The Bingleys and their children were frequent guests and he had made it perfectly clear that he had no wish to see Jane or her husband ever again. His wish was, nonetheless, not to be granted. Years later, his eldest son, while staying for a weekend at Pemberley, met a beautiful blonde girl strolling in the park. He fell instantly in love and was adamant about courting her, eventually asking for her hand. He did not mind in the least that her name was Elizabeth Fitzwilliam—the only child of Colonel and Mrs. Fitzwilliam of Rosings Park in Kent. This explains how, nearly thirty years after they had parted, the former Miss Jane Bennet and her first love, Mr. Charles Bingley, ended up having a civil conversation while they attended their children’s wedding.

  As for the two unmarried Bennet sisters, they were more than eager to leave Purvis Lodge and their mother’s company. Mary accepted Jane’s invitation to stay at Rosings Park and eventually she married the new parson at Hunsford. Kitty spent a few months at Pemberley, but when she received an invitation to stay with the Gardiners in London, she chose the hustle and bustle of town over the peacefulness of the country. There she met her uncle’s business partner, a wealthy widower with three young children and they married soon after.

  As for Lydia, she ceased contact with her sisters and for nearly two years there was no news from her. Just when Elizabeth lost any hope of ever seeing her again, she showed up at Pemberley one night with a little girl hiding behind her skirts. The child was small, no more than four, as well as undernourished and dressed in mismatched, thin clothes. However, she was strikingly beautiful and anyone who had ever seen Wickham had no doubt that she was his. She had violet-blue eyes, pale skin and black hair.

  Lydia asked to stay for the night before continuing her journey. Elizabeth tried to gain more information, but her sister said only that she did not know where her husband was and that her little girl, Emma, was almost five. The next day, as Elizabeth entered the bedroom assigned to her sister, she found it empty. Lydia had left early that morning without a word of explanation or a simple goodbye. A few hours later, the maid who was cleaning the room found the little girl sitting in one of the wardrobes.

  Elizabeth’s heart broke when she learned that little Emma had been abandoned by both of her parents and the Darcys decided to take her in. For Elizabeth she was the daughter she could not have, while for Darcy, helping Emma eased his guilt over doing so little to help Lydia when she eloped with Wickham.

  The beginning of Emma’s life at Pemberley was difficult. She kept Elizabeth on the verge of tears with her behaviour which reflected the mistreatment she had suffered in her short life. Given Georgiana’s old childhood bed, it was brought from the attic to the nursery and placed next to the boys’ beds. Elizabeth planned to give her a separate room when she was older, but for now she thought that having company might be better. Even though they put her to bed every night in the same manner as the boys, covering her with a blanket and kissing her forehead, in the morning the bed would be empty and she would be curled under it, holding the blanket tightly. They tried to explain to her that she did not have to hide under the bed, but the child repeated this routine for the first two weeks. The boys must have taken it for an invitation to play, because one day Elizabeth entered the nursery to find all three children asleep on the floor, each under their respective beds.

  Emma spoke not a word for the first year she was at Pemberley and Elizabeth had begun to believe that she was mute. The boys bonded quickly with her though, treating her as a sister and including her in their daily activities. Elizabeth noticed that Emma had no difficulty in communicating with her cousins, using her hands and facial expressions, even though she was still not speaking. She spoke her very first words when Darcy took her for a pony ride—thank you.

  Despite the unhappy beginning of her life, Emma grew into a beautiful, kind-hearted girl, never showing any of the bad traits of her father or mother’s character. She married surprisingly well to a good man with a large fortune. One who did not mind the fact that his bride’s mother, Lydia, was still a courtesan, famous among the leading peers in London’s elite circles, having had many prominent lovers over the years.

  Emma was always most grateful to her aunt and uncle for taking her in when no one wanted her. She considered Darcy and Elizabeth her parents and Thomas and John, her brothers. When John, as the second son, was loo
king for his place in life, she convinced her husband to admit him to his ship building company. In time John became his partner, earning quite a fortune for himself which allowed him to live a very comfortable life. His fortune was not too far beneath that of his elder brother, Thomas, who took his rightful place as the Master of Pemberley.

  Mrs. Bennet alienated herself from her children, as well as from the rest of her family both in London and Meryton. Her daughters avoided her and she never met all her grandchildren, though she had ten.

  As her sons and daughter got older and left for school, Elizabeth began to feel restless not knowing what to do with her long days. She returned to a habit from her youth, writing short stories about fairies. After reading them, her husband encouraged her to send the manuscript to a publisher in London. They were published under a pseudonym and only her closest friends and family knew that Elizabeth Darcy was the author. The stories turned out to be an instant success among children, as well as their parents, and became the standard for children’s literature for many generations.

  The Darcys kept a close friendship with the Gardiners their entire life, always grateful for everything that they had done in bringing them together.

  The End