Beginning, Previous Section, Section VII
Jump to new as of November 30, 2003
"You are awake, Em," Nathan said sleepily from next to me. "I would have expected you to be sleeping because of the way you constantly moved around last night." He stretched out and then leaned on his elbow, now lying on his side. He watched me intensely for a minute.
"Why are you staring at me, Nathan?" I asked him uneasily.
"You seem different today, sweetheart. I am also wondering when our baby is supposed to come. Is he not due soon?"
"I think he was supposed to be here at least a week ago," I replied with a sigh. Nathan smiled.
"We refer to our child as a 'he', Em. Do you not think that the baby could be a girl?"
"I am content with either sex," I replied. I stretched and managed to sit up, not without trouble, though. "I want daughters and sons, and I will only start to worry if I become like Mrs. Bennet."
"I think the Bennet girls turned out for the best," Nathan said softly. "The youngest is yet to mature, but I am sure that she will come around in time."
"Perhaps she will." Then I laughed. "I'm sorry, my love, but I cannot quite see you as the father of five daughters," I said with a grin. I watched as Nathan contemplated the situation.
"Five daughters? I knew there was something extraordinary about Mr. Bennet that I liked. Remind me to ask him how he survived his experiences." I rolled my eyes at my husband and shook my head.
"This had better be a boy," I told him, my eyes playful, "or I am going to have children until we have a son."
Nathan lay back and stared up to the ceiling. "I only hope that I have the ability to produce this male heir, my darling. Now I have this picture in my head of raising 15 daughters. Thank you."
I laughed.
"Fifteen daughters would keep you busy warding off the young men wanting to court them."
Nathan groaned. "I had not thought of that. Is it too soon to think about protecting one's daughter from men who look for beauty and wealth, but not for intelligence and liveliness?"
"I think you have some time to think about it," I replied. I turned to Nathan and said, "Darling, are you going to sleep all day? I feel like walking." Nathan turned his head to look me over.
"Walking?" He eyed me suspiciously again. "Do you truly feel like walking?"
"I am up for a walk," I answered him. "You would not deny me one tiny walk in my condition, would you?" I gave him my best persuasive expression, and he shook his head.
"For you, dearest, I cannot deny anything. It is a sad fact of life for me." His expression belied his words; he did not look forlorn at all.
"I will call for Henrietta, and then I will come down-"
"I will wait for you," Nathan insisted instead. He shifted toward me in bed and placed his hand on my stomach, feeling the baby move. "Boy or girl? I am anxious to meet our baby."
"It probably will not be long until you will meet our baby," I told him, a part of me wanting him to hurry so we could walk sooner. I let him enjoy himself for a couple more minutes and then sighed. "Nathan, I want to walk now." He sat up wearing a puzzled look on his face.
"I am merely absorbing this experience for the time after all our children are born," he told me. "You seem a little more energetic, Em. Are you feeling better?"
"I am well enough without you questioning me constantly, Nathan." I kissed his cheek, showing that I wasn't angry with him. I understood my husband's concerns for my health, and I was actually glad that he was the type of husband who would be concerned. I knew of too many people who had married for position and wealth instead of love, and I could just imagine the coldness that a husband would give his wife in my condition in that situation.
"Do you need help getting out of bed?" my husband teased me.
"I can manage," I answered with a sniff, though it became a little difficult. Finally, I held out my hand and Nathan helped me to stand. "Your child weighs a ton," I sighed.
"Maybe it was something you ate." I smacked my husband's arm.
"Emily, you are turning violent on me," he said with a kiss.
"Do not let my mother hear that," I whispered as he put both of his arms around me. After he kissed me once more, I remembered my walk. "Darling, we need to dress," I gently reminded him.
Nathan and I quickly dressed and then began walking toward the stairs.
"Good morning, Emily, Nathan," Georgiana called, coming toward us.
"Good morning, Georgiana," I replied.
"Are you feeling better? You do look better today." Georgiana noticed my attire and then asked, "Are you going for a walk?"
"Yes, I feel like a walk, and I am fine. How is my brother?" Georgiana frowned at my words.
"His leg is bothering him again today, and this cold spell does not help it. It seems that every time it gets colder, his leg aches more."
"Will the Colonel be down today?" Nathan asked her.
"I think so. We already ate breakfast in our room, so he might be down for lunch." Georgiana began walking with us toward the stairs as we fell into silence.
Then, I asked her, "Where are you going, Georgie?"
"Richard wanted me to read to him, so I'm going to the library. Your collection is almost as good as my brother's," Georgiana teased Nathan.
"I try to best Darcy," Nathan teased back, "but evidently he has a bigger house and now a grander collection of books."
"At least you have a house," Georgiana muttered.
"Georgie, what is the matter?" I asked her.
"You know that Andrew is to inherit Matlock and has his new wife, Lady Anna. And Matt has bought a home with Charlotte. Richard has been too ill to leave here, and so we live off the generosity of our family."
"What is family for?" I assured her. "I would not turn my brother and his wife, my favorite cousin, out of my home. Do you think me as heartless as that?"
"No," Georgiana laughed. "We both thank you for letting us stay. And I won't tell Fitzwilliam that he isn't your favorite anymore," she said with a wink.
"Thanks, Georgiana." I grinned.
"You are always welcome in our home," Nathan added as we finally resumed our walking.
Georgiana walked in one direction and Nathan and I in the other as we prepared to walk in the chilly fall air. Once we were outside, I closed my eyes happily.
"It feels wonderful!" I exclaimed, breathing in the fresh air.
"It feels cold," Nathan mumbled, putting his arms around me to get more body heat.
"I am in that stuffy room all the time, and I like the refreshing air," I countered. "You can go back if you are too cold, my love," I added.
"No, I am coming with you," he said with a sigh. So, we spent a half hour wandering about the land, making a few comments along the way. I began to feel achy a half hour later, and I told Nathan we should return to the house. "Are you feeling ill?" he asked me in concern.
"I am fine," I said, less assuredly than usual. We walked back inside and met Kitty who had just finished practicing on the pianoforte. We talked for a minute, and then Nathan returned, or more like ushered, me to our room.
"Why are you rushing me?" I asked him in a puzzled tone.
"I-" For whatever reason, my husband seemed mute now. "You need to rest," he finally said.
I was taken to my bed and there I stayed, bored, for at least an hour. Nathan had my breakfast brought up to me, though I hardly ate anything.
Georgiana and Kitty came in after that and talked with me while Nathan went down to his study. My brother had been in a lot of pain this morning, so he had been given some herbal medicine and was now sleeping.
It was not too much longer that I realized that I felt different today than I had before. I couldn't explain the feeling. I became uncomfortable as Georgie and Kitty talked with me, and then I felt some slight pains, coming so sporadically that I did not really think anything of them. It was a little later, when Kitty and Georgie had ceased their conversation, that I knew it was time.
"Georgie," I said quietly to her. Georgiana and Kitty both looked up from their books as soon as I spoke. "I think you should tell Nathan that I think we are going to have our baby soon."
"Soon?" Georgiana blinked. "As in immediately?"
"Very soon," I told her, nodding. My cousin stared at me as if she had no idea what that meant.
"Georgie, I think Emily is saying that she is having the baby now," Kitty told her, snapping her out of her stare.
"The midwife has to be sent for," I told them. I took in a sharp breath as I had a pain, and Georgiana took my hand briefly.
"Do you want Kitty or me to stay with you?" Georgiana asked me anxiously.
"I think it will only be my husband," I replied.
Georgiana gasped slightly and frowned. "Men do not generally stay with their wives when they are in childbirth. I doubt that your father or mine were with our mothers," she added.
"I know it is not the custom, Georgie," I told her, "but if he is not with me, I will lose all the sanity I have. I am mistress of this home, and I shall not be gainsaid."
"I predict a fight with the midwife," Georgiana muttered before leaving to return with Nathan.
It was not five minutes afterward that I could hear running footsteps and then Nathan entered the room, looking panicked.
"Emily? Is it already time?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed, facing me.
"Already? This baby is late!" I exclaimed. "Did you send for the midwife?"
"I sent for her," he replied. "Georgiana told me that it is not proper for the husband to be with his wife during this ordeal, but I want to be with you, my love. I shall go mad if I am not." He calmed a little and managed to give me a shaky smile.
"That is a relief! I would refuse to have the baby without you." Nathan caressed my face with his hand.
"You know that is not possible, Em," he chuckled. He sobered and then asked, "Are you in a lot of pain?"
"Not yet," I said softly. "They have been bearable so far."
"Are you sure that the baby is coming now?" he asked, wanting clarification.
"I think so, from what I have heard from my mother. I cannot explain it to you." I noticed Mrs. Evans from the corner of my eye and then turned my head to see her standing in the doorway.
"Yes, Mrs. Evans?" I asked.
"Mistress Emily, Mrs. Fitzwilliam and Miss Bennet informed me that it was time for the baby." I nodded. "Sir, you need not stay. The women will take care of your wife." I saw Nathan look to his long-time housekeeper.
"Mrs. Evans, we have known each other for years. This is something that I must do. I cannot leave my wife." Mrs. Evans shook her head.
"Whatever you say, sir. I only hope that your actions do not hinder your wife's progression," she said. Nathan frowned.
"Why would I hinder her? How would I do so?"
"Men are generally not too reliable in situations like these." That was all she said before she went to call several maids.
"Nathan?" I whispered before squeezing his hand firmly. I breathed harder and gave my husband a weak look. "That one was a little more painful," I admitted. Nathan brought my hand to his lips.
"I love you, Em," he told me.
"I love you," I told him back.
Before the midwife arrived, I saw a head peek into the room. "You are awake, Richard," I said in surprise. Nathan turned to see that Richard, leaning on a crutch, stood beside Georgiana.
"I heard that you are to have a baby today," he said with a grin. "And that my dear brother-in-law is so bold as to stay with you."
"You heard correctly," Nathan told him.
"Georgie, Kitty, and I will be waiting for the good news. Take care of my sister," Richard added to Nathan.
"I always will," Nathan replied.
My brother and Georgiana walked away (or limped in Richard's case) down the hallway.
It took a half hour for the midwife to arrive, and when she did, she too groaned when she saw my husband's presence.
"This is no place for men to be; they would only get in the way. Mr. Hillsborough, sir, why do you not join your brother-in-law and wait until we give you the news?" Nathan did not like the woman's tone.
"Madam, I am this woman's husband. I insist, as the master, to stay in this room!" Mrs. Evans hid a smile, and I asked her what was so humorous.
"I am remembering one time when the master was a young boy and did not get his way. He reminds me of that sullen boy at the moment." Her eyes sparkled at the memory.
"Sullen boy indeed," Nathan muttered.
"If you are to be in here, I do not want you in the way," the midwife warned. The midwife sighed but began to order the maids around, and as the hours crept by (for time seemed to move too slowly to me), my torture grew.
"Do you want to leave?" I asked Nathan, my breathing ragged after a particularly strong pain had struck me. I did not want him leaving me at all, but I noticed that he had grown pale in the last few minutes.
"Leave? I am too involved now," he tried to tease. When I moaned only a minute later, Nathan comforted me, soothing me with his words.
"How much longer?" he finally asked the midwife. "Has it not been hours?"
She huffed. "These things take time, Mr. Hillsborough." Apparently, a long time.
Hours later, I finally brought forth a tiny infant into the world. The baby's cry was very loud, and I greedily looked to the midwife to find out what sex the child was.
"Well?" Nathan asked, still in awe over the whole experience. "Do we have a son or a daughter?" I was still trying to catch my breath, and Nathan had his arms around me as we both looked up to the midwife.
"You have a son," she replied with a smile. Nathan hugged me tightly to him.
"Did you hear that, Em? Now we don't have to have 15 daughters." I laughed and put my head on his chest.
"Maybe not 15, but 10," I teased. "However, not for a while," I added. The midwife finally gave my son to me after examining him and cutting the cord. I took him in my arms and noticed how tiny and vulnerable he looked. I felt very protective of him. Nathan leaned over the small bundle.
"He is not very big, is he?" Nathan asked, looking him over.
"Looks are deceptive, my love. He will probably grow to be as tall as you are and be very strong." Our baby stared up at us with his bright blue eyes. I bent down to kiss his forehead. "Are you going to tell me the name that you have picked?" I asked Nathan.
"I think you mean the name that you picked," Nathan corrected me. "And here I thought we were going to have a son named after me." This time he was teasing.
"We will have a son named after you-someday." I leaned down. "I'm your Mama," I said softly, having joy in watching him. "Besides, darling, we are naming him after your grandfather and he will also have your name for his middle name."
"So, we are naming him Benjamin Nathaniel Hillsborough. No Fitzwilliam?" he joked, referring to a conversation we had a few weeks ago when I had joked to him that we could name a son after my cousin.
"I think my cousin will have a son named after him, but I would not wish that name on anyone, especially a young and impressionable boy." My baby made a cute sound, and I again whispered, "You are a handsome baby, my Benjamin. Your Mama and Papa are so happy you've come to join us." I talked in a higher pitched voice, and I saw that the baby recognized it. Soon, after everything was finished and cleaned, I snuggled up in bed with my baby in my arms and my husband next to me.
Going for the unconventional in my society, but natural, I decided not to use a wet nurse. I am not fond of copying society for society's sake, and knew I had no need of a wet nurse. I was perfectly content with the bonding I made with my baby that way.
Later that day, after I had rested a little, I had visitors.
"Come in!" I said to Georgiana once she knocked tentatively on the open door.
"Where is Nathan?" Georgiana asked, looking around the room and seeing only me at present. Kitty and Richard stood behind her.
"He is sending expresses to the family, saying that we have a new addition to our family."
"Is that him? Did you have a son?" Georgiana asked me excitedly.
"It is a boy. His name is Benjamin Nathaniel Hillsborough." Georgiana gushed over Benjamin, taking him and softly talking to him. "I am now his aunt since I married Richard," she said as my brother peered at him over her shoulder.
"You are also some sort of cousin to him, though I am very bad with family positions," I told her.
"Is he not the most adorable baby you have ever seen?" Georgiana asked Richard.
"My dear, I believe he is the only baby I have seen in many years, though he is adorable." Richard grinned. "I think the last baby I saw was my own sister."
I shook my head. "No, that cannot be. Did you never go see Georgiana when she was born?" Richard smacked himself on the forehead.
"That's right. My own wife was the last baby I saw. I forget that you are a little younger than Emily, Georgie."
"We are not so very far apart in age, Richard. I believe Emily was only a few years old when I was born, and you were only a young lad yourself."
"I believe I was about 14, dear," he said to her. After Georgiana was made to give up the baby, Richard sat down and held her for a while, and then the proud uncle passed the baby to Kitty, who was also somehow related to him, though it was a bit more complicated with her. I finally got my baby back, and the three of them told me they would let me rest.
Nathan returned a short time later, and he gently sat on our bed next to me. I let him hold our son again and lay back, tired.
"I need to sleep," I said with a yawn.
"Go ahead, darling." I felt myself slipping off to sleep when I thought I heard Nathan say something to the baby about shooting birds.
"Shooting birds?" I tried to keep my eyes open. "Nathan, what are you telling our son?"
"I told him that one day I would let him shoot birds with his grandfather, uncles, and me. Shooting birds is a gentleman's pastime," he replied. "Your mother is a woman and does not understand," Nathan explained to Ben.
"Men baffle me at times," I admitted. "Do tell him that we will teach him to ride as soon as he is able, though. I may let him ride Brannon someday."
"We will get him a horse all of his own," Nathan said proudly.
I fell asleep to the soft murmuring of Nathan's voice as he talked to our son. One of my last thoughts as I went to sleep was that my life was perfect for the moment and there was nothing that could change that.
Posted on Sunday, 17 August 2003
The first few months that our son was in our lives were times of happiness and contentment. Nathan managed to postpone his business even further until it was well into the first month of the new year before he was supposed to leave. During this time, family traveled to our home once again to welcome the new addition to the family.
My parents, in particular, doted on little Benjamin. The Earl was quite pleased with himself, in fact, when he and Nathan and Richard decided to teach him an early lesson of fencing-by using a stick. Coming into the study, I had seen Richard moving Ben's hand around, the stick pretending to be his saber. My husband promptly took the tiny stick clasped in our son's hand upon my glare and gave me a sheepish grin.
"Father, you are encouraging Nathan and Richard to teach my son things that are not meant for children, and especially young infants," I told him, my hands on my hips.
"It is never too early to learn, Emily," my father replied, a mischievous look on his face. I held out my hands as my father reluctantly gave his grandson over to me.
"Look, Em," Nathan told me, pointing to Ben's face. Our son looked as if he were on the verge of grinning. "He liked his fencing lesson." Richard and Father laughed, and I gave my husband a withering look, though I couldn't help but smile as well.
"William is the expert; he will teach our son the art of fencing-at a later age," I added to the three before shaking my head and leaving with my baby.
Along with my parents, the Darcys returned for a stay for a few months as well. Sarah and Lord Browning even managed their first journey to Ashford since I wed Nathan.
A slight problem called my father away to Matlock, and my mother, one never to part long with her husband, followed him home, promising me that she would return to see her grandchild soon. It was now around the time that Nathan was to go to London for another business endeavor, having put off going long enough, and I anxiously fretted over his departure.
Unexpectedly, William also had business in London, and he too would have to leave. Because of some unspoken ailment, Elizabeth was going to stay on with Richard, Georgiana, and me (the Brownings having left already). I was happy for my cousin-in-law's company, and with Georgie, Elizabeth, and Kitty, there was never a shortage of women fawning over my new baby. Or my brother, for that matter. Richard, even with his rickety leg, managed to toss his nephew around and talk with him whenever he got the chance. I even caught him telling Ben stories of his military plights.
We had an unexpected arrival when Aunt Catherine showed up with Anne once again. Granted, she had not seen my son yet, but I was surprised to see her, especially without writing first that she was to come.
"Aunt Catherine! What a pleasant surprise," I told her when she and Anne were announced. And, amazingly, I meant it. "Cousin Anne."
"Anne needed some air, and I found that your home improved her health for the better when we last came." Aunt Catherine lowered her voice. "Do not be angry, my niece, for I found it was time to escape from my clergyman as well. There is only so much I can take of him," she sighed. I tried not to laugh thinking how much my aunt disliked Mr. Collins. "Tell me, Emily, where is my great-nephew? I must see him at once!" she demanded.
"Please sit, Aunt, Cousin," I told them before ringing for Mrs. Evans. "My husband and Fitzwilliam, as you know, are in London, and only Richard is here to protect us women from..." I was going to say something alluding to bad men but refrained remembering Wickham. "Well, he is the only male here besides the servants."
"You rang, Mistress Emily?" Mrs. Evans asked, coming into the drawing room.
"Mrs. Evans, do you know where Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Fitzwilliam, and Miss Bennet are?" I asked her.
"Mrs. Darcy is feeling unwell, Ma'am. Mrs. Fitzwilliam is with her, and Miss Bennet is reading in the library."
"Could you tell Mrs. Fitzwilliam and Miss Bennet that my aunt has arrived?"
"Yes, Ma'am," she said and then left.
"Anne, do you feel like walking to the nursery?" I asked her. Anne looked pale and tired, and I was not sure she would want to go.
"I shall manage," she finally said, surprising me. I smiled and showed my aunt and cousin up the steps and then took a right as we stepped onto the second floor.
"Where is Fitzwilliam?" Aunt Catherine asked curiously.
"His leg tends to bother him some days more than others," I replied. "I am afraid it is the weather. Georgiana takes great care of him," I added, pushing open the doors to the nursery. A nursemaid sat reading next to the cradle, and as I walked in she smiled.
"Mistress Emily, Ma'am," she said with a curtsy.
"How is my son doing?" I asked her.
"He is sleeping very well. He is a heavy sleeper today." I eagerly walked over to his cradle and stopped. My son, maybe sensing I was coming, opened his eyes suddenly. I grinned in delight and picked him up, resting his head against my chest.
"Is that my great-nephew?" Aunt Catherine asked as she came over.
"This is my son, Benjamin Hillsborough, Aunt. Do you want to hold him?" I was almost hesitant letting my aunt hold my son, but she took him tenderly.
"I remember when my Anne was a baby," she whispered sentimentally. I glanced over to Anne, who stood looking in awe at the baby.
"He looks like Mr. Hillsborough," Anne said softly. I grinned proudly.
"He does take after my husband."
"I see the Fitzwilliam line in him as well," Aunt Catherine commented, observing his facial features. Ben, not liking something in my aunt, started to cry.
"Yes, well, my servants do that as well sometimes, my nephew," my aunt said with a smile. I bit down on my lip to keep from laughing out loud again as Aunt Catherine handed my son to me. I bounced him and kissed his head.
"Mama's here, my baby," I told him as he gradually stopped crying. I looked at the time on the clock in the nursery and told my aunt that the baby needed feeding anyway. First, however, I carried Ben on my hip and showed my aunt and cousin to their rooms. While they were freshening up, I knocked on the room that was given to Elizabeth and William.
"Enter," I heard. I opened the door cautiously and saw Elizabeth sitting up in bed, Georgiana sitting beside her.
"How are you feeling, Elizabeth?" I asked her.
"A little better," she replied. "I told Georgiana that I would not write that I was ill to Fitzwilliam. I am sure he would ride back as fast as he could from London. He is very protective of me."
"I should say so." I moved closer to both of them.
"Mrs. Evans told us that Aunt Catherine and Anne were here. Are you sure that is wise?" Georgiana looked to Elizabeth to see her expression.
"I was not the one who wanted to end the correspondence," she replied. "I hear she is changed, and I will talk with her if she is here."
"You are brave, Lizzy," Georgiana said softly. "Not even her own family likes talking with her at times," she teased.
"Aunt Catherine has changed substantially, and I am still trying to ascertain why." I glanced at Elizabeth and noticed her pale face. "Elizabeth, should I send for my doctor? You have been unwell for a few days, have you not?"
"I am fine," she insisted. "Mrs. Reynolds did look at me rather strangely the other day and then asked me some interesting questions, but I insisted that I was well. I am probably unwell because my husband is away." Elizabeth sighed.
"My husband is away as well, and I am perfectly fine in health," I muttered, but then I smiled. Georgiana was trying to take Ben from me.
"May I see him? He is growing so fast, Emily." I saw as Ben stared at Georgiana, and then he reached out and grabbed some of Georgiana's hair. "You like my hair, young man? I'm your Aunt Georgie, my liddle nephew," Georgiana said in her sweet talk.
"After I feed him, would you two like to watch him for a half hour? I am in need of fresh air, and I feel a walk coming on." Elizabeth gave me an envious look.
"I wish I could walk, but I am afraid I would become ill again."
"You are fortunate that I am not going to tell my cousin that you are ill," I said with a look to her. Elizabeth looked away.
"William is coming back in a week. I can cope until then," she said with an impertinent look. I shrugged and then took Ben to the nursery. After feeding him, I realized he was becoming sleepy. However, that was no problem because Elizabeth put him down on the bed next to her so that he could sleep there. Then I remembered that she felt ill and became concerned.
"If you are ill, I do not want you making my son ill as well," I told her, looking her over.
"Emily, I am fine," she insisted. "Georgiana and I are going to watch him as he sleeps."
"Alright. If there is a problem, ask a servant to come for me immediately."
Georgiana groaned.
"We will, Emily. Go!" I left the room with one more glance back at my sleeping son and then started down the stairs, not looking where I was going. I was halfway down when I collided into Richard.
"Ow!" I cried, my head aching when my forehead collided heavily with his.
"Emily!" my brother exclaimed.
"Richard." I felt my forehead to make sure it was still intact.
"Where are you off to and have you seen my wife?" he asked, rubbing his head as well.
"A walk and she is with Elizabeth and Ben." I pointed to the room.
"Do be careful," he told me before he slowly started up the remaining stairs. He turned back toward me once more. "Take someone with you," he added.
"Richard, it's been months and nothing of consequence has ever happened here. Do not be so worried about me."
"I told Darcy and Hillsborough that I would look after their wives-and you are my sister as well. I have a right to be protective, especially with fiends on the loose."
"Fiends? You have an army mentality, brother," I told him with a sigh. "I shall be fine. Go find your wife." As he walked up one stair at a time, I added, "And Richard, Ben is sleeping. If he wakes, be gentle with him." Richard grinned and continued on to the room.
I did not feel like stopping and talking with Kitty because I had started to crave the nice cold air outside. I wore heavy clothing for the cold weather, my gloves thick enough to keep out most of the cold.
My brother was a little overprotective-what man in his right mind would stir up trouble on a cold winter day like this? I admit that the master of the estate and Cousin William were both gone to London, but I was sure nothing would happen today. I tied my bonnet securely under my chin and then headed out of doors before Mrs. Evans could find me and berate me for not taking someone with me.
I sighed happily at the fresh fallen snow that had fallen overnight. When I exhaled, I saw my breath come out in puffs and I happily marched through the snow, loving the briskness of the cold. After walking a while, I did not even realize it was cold anymore-or that I had left the view of my home. I had been so happy just to get out-one of the first times without Nathan in a while-that I had become careless on watching where I was going. Then I remembered the tracks. Silly me. I stared at my tracks and then narrowed my eyes as I saw that there were some more prints in the snow. Were they from an animal? I hesitantly walked over and bent down, my heart beating harder when I saw that the imprint in the snow was definitely a shoe print-and not mine at that. Had it been a servant?
How far had I walked? It had to have been for at least thirty-five minutes. I pulled tighter on my heavy wool cloak and started walking as fast as I could through the snowdrifts. I stopped. What was that I smelled? Smoke? Wood burning? Who would be burning something in this weather? Suddenly, realization dawned on me, and I ran hard, my breaths coming out in gasps. As I came into view of my home, I saw smoke coming from a portion of it.
"Benjamin! Richard, Georgie, Elizabeth!" I gasped out. I was too out of breath to gasp out my aunt's name or my cousin's. I stopped only for one moment to catch my breath when I felt an arm grab me from behind.
"You finally found me, Lady Emily," someone sneered from behind me, his breath coming out in puffs as well.
I screamed in shock. Finally, I managed to speak. "George Wickham," I said grimly, trying to keep my heart from beating so hard. "Why is my home on fire? Do I presume that you have something to do with that?"
"You were always very intelligent, my Lady."
"As were you. Tell me, how does one elude the authorities for so long?" I asked, my jaw clinched tightly.
"Skill," he replied. I put Wickham to the back of my mind for a moment as I gazed at my home, smoke now billowing from the upstairs.
"I need to get my relatives and servants out of the house, Wickham," I told him harshly.
"You are going nowhere!" he told me roughly in my ear. "I should have finished you off before, Emily, and your stupid brother and husband. At least I crippled your poor brother for life."
Angry at his impudence, I spun around and was about to push him, when he slapped me to the snow. I felt my head reel and pain exploded in the side of my head. My energy gave out.
"Please!" I pleaded. "My son and family are in my home! He is just a few months old! And you remember Elizabeth, don't you? The former Elizabeth Bennet is in my home as we speak." I knew something was not right when I was seeing two of Wickham. I put my hand to my head.
"Elizabeth Bennet? She married Darcy!" he screamed. "I had her fooled and then you came along and ruined it all." Suddenly, Elizabeth's illness made sense and I felt sick. What if Elizabeth was with child? I couldn't bear to see William's face if his sister, cousin, wife, and child perished by Wickham's hands. He'd already suffered so much with his parents dying.
"I want my son and family!" I cried, trying to get up. Wickham grabbed my arm brutally and pulled me up on my feet.
"I think we should stand here until the whole house is burned down. Then I can do what I have always wanted to do with you," he growled. He acted inhuman, as if he were a beast.
"They will find the source of the fire and extinguish it," I said, trying to intimidate him.
"They might," he replied callously.
"Let me go! My husband will not tolerate this!" I yelled at him, tears starting to come into my eyes. I felt cold started to seep into my clothing, and I tried to stop my teeth from chattering.
"Your husband is a foolish gentleman who could not find me before this. How do you think he will after his whole family dies?"
"You are a beast, sir. You are not human!" I cried, my anger roused again. "Let me go to my family!"
"You are not yet strong, are you, my Lady?" he asked coldly. "I have watched your family from afar for at least half a year, and I knew when your husband and your family were in town. I could have acted then, but I bided my time until most of the men were gone and only your crippled brother remained to watch over your home." I was about to stomp on his foot when Wickham stared me down.
"I would not do that if I were you, Emily."
"Even with his leg the way it is, my brother could best you. You have no principles or morals, and you are nothing to this family. My uncle loved you, but it was for naught. He did not know who you really were."
I looked back to Ashford. Why was everyone still inside? If they stayed in too long-I did not want to consider what would happen if they stayed in too long.
"Kill me now, George," I told him, my voice hard. "I do not want to see my family and friends die! I did not carry my child all those months for him to die in this way-for his father and grandparents to mourn in this way. So, if you are insistent on killing my family, and you want me dead as well, do it now." Wickham's eyes flickered to my home before returning to my face.
"I wanted my way with you first, but now I see that maybe it is safer to bury the evidence." From out of his pocket, he took the pistol that had hit my husband over the head those many months ago.
"Is that the same gun that shot my brother's leg?"
"I had another for that. And remember that I aimed to kill, my Lady." I started shivering even more from being cold as well as scared.
"Do you want money? My husband will give you money. My father, brothers, cousin, aunt... They all can give you money." Wickham glared at me.
"I do not want their filthy money. The first time I followed you I was after a ransom, but that idiot Denny did not go by the plan. Now, I just want my revenge. Lord and Lady Matlock will be very surprised to find a grandson and daughter-and son and daughter-in-law dead. And I will have my revenge of Darcy as well. I was just the son of a steward, was I not?"
"You are crazy," I whispered, noticing that his eyes had grown completely dark and menacing. I looked up to my home again and cried out when I saw that the fire had spread. "My home! My son!" I cried, starting to sob.
"No one would have suspected George Wickham before you interfered, Emily," Wickham told me, the gun in his left hand. His right hand held me firmly around my waist.
"Fitzwilliam would have interfered," I snarled. "He, Richard, and Georgiana knew what you were as well!"
Wickham ignored me and said in a conversational voice, "How ironic that the dear Colonel married Georgiana. He wanted her as well, did he? Too bad Georgie couldn't have given herself to more than one man."
I was going numb by now and could not concentrate on what Wickham was saying. "It is time to say goodbye," he finally muttered, shoving the gun into my back.
"Goodbye, my love," I whispered to Nathan, wherever he was. "I love you, my Benjamin," I added softly before my knees gave way. I fell into the soft snow, defeated. I heard Wickham cock the gun and then a shot rang in the air...
And my entire world faded away.
Posted on Saturday, 6 September 2003
The gun that was in my back was suddenly gone. I opened my eyes, wondering if I had died. But I looked around me and saw that I was lying in snow-I was alive! Then who had shot the gun? My whole body cold, I managed to get up on my knees and look around. First, my home was still burning steadily. Second, Wickham was gone. Climbing to my feet, I did not wait for Wickham to come back; I ran to the house.
On my way back, I stopped short and gasped: two bodies lay in the snow, blood covering the area. I covered my mouth and tried not to scream as I saw Aunt Catherine sprawled out, a gunshot wound in her shoulder. I ran over to her and examined her before I sighed in relief; she was still alive. Next, I reluctantly examined Wickham and after a minute determined that he had been shot dead. Who had shot him-Aunt Catherine? I had no time to find out.
I ran all the way to the house, screaming for anyone to hear me. As I ran into my home, I saw that Georgiana, Elizabeth (who carried Ben), Richard, Anne, and Kitty were all downstairs.
"Richard!" I cried, panting. "The house is burning! And Aunt Catherine is wounded! We need servants to carry her to safety."
"I will get your housekeeper's attention." Richard, his mind working fast, added, "There are several men who are trying to put out the fire; so far it is contained to the wing that your husband was renovating. We should probably go to Matlock, Emily."
"I do not think Aunt Catherine will be able to be moved to Matlock," I said in frustration. "Also, Wickham is dead."
Richard grimaced in anger.
"Wickham! So he was the one who set the fire. How did he die?"
"I do not know. He was only moments from killing me when a gunshot rang out and I fainted."
Anne looked deathly pale. "My mother was muttering to herself about George Wickham before I saw her look for Cousin Nathan's gun collection."
"Aunt Catherine killed Wickham?" I asked in disbelief. I was still in shock, but finally realized that my son was still alive.
"Oh, my baby," I cried, taking Ben from Elizabeth and crying over him.
"Mrs. Evans, I need some able men who are not trying to put out the fire to carry my aunt and another man's body into the house from the grounds," Richard told her when she came by a minute later.
"Yes, sir," she said, leaving immediately.
A moment later, the butler appeared. He wore soot on his face and looked as if he had been near the fire. "Sir, the smoke is thick; I do not know if the upstairs is going to be available tonight," Mr. Lawrence told Richard.
"That is fine, Lawrence. Are all the servants who are not fighting the fire downstairs?"
Mr. Lawrence nodded. "Yes, sir."
"Is the fire contained yet?"
"No, sir. We are having a hard time controlling it as of yet. If I may, sir, I suggest that the Mistress and your family take a carriage to another home for the night."
"I am not sure if we will be able to do so with my aunt wounded," Richard said in thought. "I would like to see the women and my nephew go to Matlock, however."
Fifteen minutes later, the body of my aunt was carried into the house, and the body of Wickham was not far behind.
"Carry her into the drawing room," I told the men, not knowing where else to put her. I wanted Wickham's body gone from my home, though.
"Elizabeth, I want you to sit down," I heard Georgiana say a moment later. "Emily, help me get my stubborn sister-in-law to some chair! Fitzwilliam would scold me if he knew I was not taking care of her."
"Yes, Lizzy, you better sit down, or I shall write to Papa that you are not taking good care of yourself," Kitty chided her sister. Elizabeth gave her sister and sister-in-law exasperated looks.
"Let us remove to the library," I told them quickly, defusing a fight. Georgiana was going to help Elizabeth, but she shrugged her off.
"Georgie, I am able to walk myself," Elizabeth said, sounding annoyed. Once Georgiana, Elizabeth, and Kitty were situated, I told them I would go with Richard to assess Aunt Catherine's condition.
"I will take Ben," Georgiana told me before we were to leave the library.
"Oh, no, Georgie. I shall keep my son with me at all times now," I told her with a look. Georgiana frowned.
"That is not going to be possible, Cousin."
"I think it is," I replied back as I walked out the door. My son in my right arm, I gave my left to Richard so that he could have a crutch.
"Life is an adventure in our family, is it not?" he noted grimly.
"Always, brother. It is too bad Cousin Darcy and Nathan missed the excitement." Richard rolled his eyes.
"I think Darcy will be glad that Wickham has met his match-in our aunt." As soon as we were inside the drawing room, we saw my doctor standing over my aunt.
"Doctor," I said softly. He looked up at me.
"Lady Emily," he said with a slight bow. "I am afraid your aunt is in critical condition. I hear she saved your life."
"I am not sure what happened," I admitted to him. I paused, knowing my request would seem a bit trivial at this time. "When you are done with her, could you examine Mrs. Darcy?" I asked him, noticing he was already examining the wound in Aunt Catherine's shoulder. The doctor looked up absentmindedly.
"Mrs. Darcy? I will examine her when your aunt is stable," he replied. "I need cloth and water immediately; I am going to need servants too." He frowned and sniffed the air. "Is your house on fire?"
"I am afraid at the moment it is on fire." Ben was becoming heavy so I shifted him to my left arm, and fortunately all he did was make a slight sound. His eyes were shut as he rested his head on me.
"Emily, you can go to the others now," Richard told me firmly. "We will handle Aunt Catherine."
"Oh, Richard," I cried suddenly, wishing my husband were here. Richard enveloped Ben and me in a hug and then kissed Ben's head.
"I will send for Hillsborough and Darcy. We may have to travel to Matlock today anyway," he added softly.
"Thank you, Richard." I left the room, a little nauseous at the sight of my aunt's wound. When I returned to the library, Georgiana was writing a letter.
"To whom are you writing?" I asked her as I sat down, shifting Ben back again so that he was lying down in my arms.
"I am writing my dear brother and cousin to come here immediately. I knew my brother should not have gone."
"He said it was important, Georgiana," Elizabeth reminded her.
"Emily, you are soaked through," Georgiana said, looking up from her writing. "Kitty, come with me." She and Kitty quickly left the room together.
"I had not noticed in the excitement," I admitted, looking down at my wet clothing. "Lizzy, are you going to keep denying that you are ill?"
"I have always been healthy, and I am very ill in temper when I am ill in body," she said with a smile. "If only dearest Jane were with me now," she sighed.
"Dearest Jane and Bingley are at their home now." We both turned silent, and I began fretting about the fire going on above us. It was not long, however, before Georgiana and Kitty returned with one of my dresses.
"I managed to hurry upstairs and find a dry dress for you! I do not need you catching cold, Emily." Georgiana gave me the dress in exchange for Benjamin.
"Here, Lizzy, you take him," Georgiana told her. She put the sleeping baby into Elizabeth's hands. I changed fairly quickly, and I felt much better, though a chill still swept through my body. Fortunately, a fire was burning in the fireplace. I was a little distressed by the smell of smoke that was now wafting downstairs, but hoped it would not get any worse.
"I would like to give William a child," Elizabeth said wistfully, making me forget my thoughts and glance up to look at her. "He would make a wonderful father, do you not think so, Georgiana?"
"He was always so good to me, Lizzy. My brother would make a wonderful father." Georgiana and Elizabeth continued their conversation as I sat, shivering and reliving the moment when Wickham almost killed me. Kitty listened in interest.
Not long afterwards, Richard hobbled into the room.
"Dearest!" Georgiana said in dismay as she saw her husband come in limping. She immediately took his arm to steady him.
"Thank you, Georgie," he said with a quick kiss.
"What is the news?" I asked him.
"Aunt Catherine will live if she survives the night. The fire is contained at the moment, though there are some furnishings that are ruined. I suggest that I stay the night here while you, Georgiana, Kitty, and Elizabeth go on to Matlock with Mrs. Evans or some other maid."
"I am staying with you, Richard," Georgiana told him adamantly.
"Okay, darling," he replied, though he had hesitated briefly before saying that. "Emily?"
"I think that is wise. I do not think I am able to sleep downstairs. Elizabeth? Kitty?" I asked them. Elizabeth and Kitty both nodded.
"I think it a wise plan," Elizabeth added. So, a half hour later, Elizabeth, Kitty, Mrs. Evans, and I were on our way to Matlock. Anne had decided to stay with her mother. I watched with sadness as I saw smoke still come forth from my home and hoped that Richard would get everyone out if my home succumbed to the fire.
Benjamin had awakened and he had been a little cranky at all the moving around, but I finally got him to sleep with the rhythm of the moving carriage. We arrived at Matlock in the late afternoon, and I was only too glad to see my parents again. Both my mother and father were shocked when we were announced.
"Emily! What has happened?" my mother asked worriedly.
"I think I shall tell you later, Mama. I am very tired. Could you send these letters by express to London? Georgiana wrote to Cousin William and Nathan." My mother saw how fatigued Elizabeth, Kitty, and I were.
"Of course, dear. I will do so now."
"Oh no," I murmured. "I think you will need to write a letter yourself to say that we have removed to Matlock. They will go to Ashford Park if no one tells them otherwise."
"That is fine, Emily," my mother said softly. The housekeeper was asking questions to Elizabeth and Kitty, and so I thought it would be a good time to ask my mother for a doctor.
"Mother, Elizabeth needs a doctor to see her," I told her softly in her ear. In the excitement of the day, the doctor had not seen Elizabeth. "I think she is with child."
"I will summon the doctor immediately," my mother answered.
Not much later, after feeding Ben again, I fell asleep on my old bed in Matlock, Ben right beside me. I didn't even take time to eat since I was so fatigued. It must have been late that night-much later-when I heard a noise in the room and started awake. It was in my semi-dreamy state that I saw a shadow in the doorway, one which made me think it was a figment of my imagination. When I saw it move, I shielded my son a little.
"Who are you?" I asked, scared that it was someone coming to get me again.
"My love!" I heard and a moment later I was in Nathan's arms as he kissed me all over my face. "Where is our son?" he asked hoarsely.
"Here he is," I whispered, delighted and shocked to see him. Nathan felt for the baby and leaned over me to kiss him.
"My son!" he cried softly. He once again took me in his arms, and I noticed he was shaking.
"How did you know?"
"Your mother sent her express and one from Georgiana. Darcy and I rode away from London immediately. Andrew and Lady Anna are on their way; they will travel on the morrow. Oh, Emily, I thought you and our son were dead! I did not believe Georgiana when she said that you were well in the letter. I am happy that the scoundrel is dead," he added.
"I am as well," I whispered. "But, my love, you and Cousin William must have traveled all night to get here so soon."
"We rode through some rough roads as well," he said with a sigh. He lay back on the bed, pulling me to him. "Is our home ruined?" he finally asked.
"Wickham set fire to the wing that we were renovating, my love. A few furnishings and some paintings were ruined; however, the paintings of your family, so far, are spared. I cannot tell you what happened after I left this afternoon."
"And Richard and Georgiana are still there?"
"My aunt was somehow shot-I think by Wickham-and she could not be moved, so Richard wanted to stay."
"Darcy was not pleased to see that the doctor was summoned," Nathan murmured to me. "I thought it might be for you or Ben, but when Lady Matlock said it had been for Elizabeth . . ."
"Did Mother say what was wrong with Lizzy?"
"She said something about letting nature take its course. Do you know what that means, my dear?" I laughed as I gently pulled Ben onto my stomach, glad he was a heavy sleeper at times.
"I think that means that our son will have a Darcy playmate some months from now," I said with a smile. Nathan held me to him, his heart beating rapidly.
"Did I almost lose you and my son, my darling?"
"Wickham wanted revenge on me, and he did hold his gun up to my back. I know he would have shot me had not Aunt Catherine intervened. His first plan was to make me watch with him as the house burned to the ground, Richard, Georgie, Elizabeth, Kitty, Ben, and my aunt and cousin all perishing inside. Aunt Catherine foiled his plans, but I admit that I did think I was going to die. My last thoughts were of you and our son."
"I love you so much," he murmured into my hair. He gently rubbed Ben's back as well, savoring the closeness of his family. "That may be the last time I leave you and our children alone."
"Wickham is dead, Nathan. He cannot harm us anymore," I assured him. "Unless he was not really dead."
"Do not say that, my love," Nathan groaned softly. He started kissing me again when Benjamin woke and began crying.
"What's wrong with my little boy?" I asked quietly. Nathan leaned away from me so I could sit up and pick up our son. After Ben was comfortable again, Nathan took him from me, playing with him.
"I cannot believe how close I was to losing my wife and son today," he said with a strained voice.
"All is well now, sweetheart." I nestled into his side as he put his arm around me, and Ben eventually tired and fell asleep again. It had been a long day.
The next day I awoke with the image of Wickham on my mind. I gasped, and then when I recognized my old room and my husband and baby, I felt better. Nathan was still asleep, in fact. I crept out of bed, leaving Nathan to sleep a little longer and then dressed, fed, and changed my baby before bringing him downstairs. I saw William eating breakfast when I came down but my parents, Elizabeth, and Kitty were not in the room.
"Good morning, William," I told him, surprised that he was grinning.
"Good morning, Emily," he answered. He put down a newspaper he had been reading and leaned a little back in his chair.
"What has you in such a good mood?" I asked as he held out his hands to see the baby. Ben took to William well.
"My rival is finally dead and my wife and I are expecting a cousin for little Hillsborough."
I grinned. "I thought so. Congratulations, Cousin! I knew that Lizzy had been acting strangely lately." I sat down at the table and watched the baby stare at William in wonder.
"Elizabeth can be as stubborn as you," he said with a laugh. "Only when Aunt Matlock sent for her doctor did Elizabeth finally agree to see one."
"I thought you would still be in bed; Nathan is very tired so I let him sleep."
"I am going to ride out to Ashford Park today to see how Lady Catherine is doing and to relieve Richard. He is not as agile as he once was with that leg and I am sure he is supervising everything. Besides, I cannot wait to tell Georgiana that she will be an aunt again."
"That is a good idea. I am hoping that my home is in good enough condition so we can occupy it again. I love Matlock, but it is the future home of my brother and Lady Anna."
"They are arriving by noon, I have heard," William said, bouncing Ben. I bit my lip.
"Did I tell you that my father, Nathan, and Richard tried to teach him fencing by giving him a stick?"
William chuckled. "I believe it, Emily. Lord Matlock will be teaching him to ride by his first birthday," William teased.
"Not if I have something to say about it," I said with a shake of my head.
"Daughter, have I no say in my grandson's upbringing?" my father boomed teasingly from behind us.
"Papa! Why do you have to scare me with your loud voice?" I chided. "You will scare your grandson."
"Nonsense, my girl. My grandson knows my voice already. Darcy, give me that boy!" he added. William handed over Ben to my father.
"What was this that Nathan told me about 15 granddaughters, Emily?" my father asked curiously.
I looked at my father in puzzlement. "15 granddaughters? Oh! Father, I was being facetious. I just said that if we did not have an heir, I would try to have one until I finally had a boy." I blushed.
"Well, my girl, if you have the Fitzwilliam blood on my side, then you might have 15 grandsons instead," he joked. "After all, there were three boys before you came along."
"Father, really," I said with a shake of my head. "I think my next child will be a girl." My father gave me a knowing look and then turned to William.
"What say you, Darcy?"
"I will wait to see, sir," he said, not taking sides and evading a definite answer.
"I am willing to bet that you will have many boys before you give your mother and me a granddaughter." My father's eyes glinted with mischief, as usual.
"Father, you are not funny." I gave him a smile as I took Benjamin from him and then went back up to be with Nathan, all the while shaking my head. Before Nathan awoke, I stared out my window and remembered the times as a little girl when I would watch the snow fall or see the wind and rain blow across my window when storms came.
My thoughts came back to George Wickham again. I shivered when I realized that Wickham was finally dead-he would no longer hurt anyone ever again. He had tried to take away my home and my family, but he had failed.
The truth was, had Ashford Park burned to the ground, I would still have had many places to live, for my family would always take my husband, child, and me in to live with them. Watching my husband and son sleeping nearby, a soft smile lit my face. I was indeed blessed.
Posted on Tuesday, 11 November 2003
"Mama, tell me the story of Wickham again and how Great-Aunt Catherine saved you and Ben," my daughter Bethany asked me eagerly.
"Do you not want to talk to your cousins instead of listening to this story for the thousandth time, Beth?" I teased her.
"Let us hear it again, my love," my husband added, coming over to us and winking at our daughter.
"Do not encourage her," I moaned, giving him a sly look. It was not a moment later when our son joined us.
"Mother, Grandmother is asking to speak to you," Ben said as soon as he stood next to us. I reluctantly stood and looked at Bethany.
"It looks as if I will have to tell you later, young lady. Or, better yet, have your brother or father recount the story." I turned to go to my mother when Ben suddenly gave me a hug. Staring at my son and questioning his action, I asked, "What do you want, my son?" I was suspicious because my son was not usually known to hug.
"Do I have to want something to hug my own mother?" he asked in mock exasperation. I hugged him back.
"Of course not." I thought about how gentlemanly my son was and softly smiled. "Your grandfather would be so proud of the way you have turned out," I said softly. My father had died a few years ago, and I still missed him.
"I miss him," he sighed, echoing my thoughts.
"Give your grandmother a big hug before she leaves," I reminded him, though I knew he would do that anyway. As I walked away from my husband and children, I looked at all my relatives and friends gathered at my home.
I had been wrong about having a daughter as my second child; Nathan must have had an overabundance of male genes in the Hillsborough line and after six boys, we finally had three girls-quite a brood, in fact. As I continued to walk, I thought about all that had occurred in the 21 years since that horrible day that Wickham tried to burn my home down.
Aunt Catherine had lived, though she had had to take it easy for several weeks, and Anne grew a little stronger each day she was at Ashford. Our home was not destroyed, and the fire was eventually put out, though almost a whole wing of our home had to be redecorated and refurbished.
Richard became well enough to find himself a home exactly between Ashford and Matlock, and Georgiana liked it because she was closer to her brother and Elizabeth as well.
As for Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam, at summer's end they too were graced with a baby boy, and William had beamed over his infant son for days. I think they named him William, though I always wondered if they called him that for short and gave him the formal name of Fitzwilliam Darcy as well.
The household became normal again, and Nathan and I took an extended trip into town with our son that summer.
Since then, the Darcys had added four children besides their one son (three girls) to their home, and Richard and Georgiana had three children in all.
Jane and Charles had two angelic girls that looked just like their mother, Jonathan Bingley, now a little older than my Benjamin, and a five year old son who was the typical baby of the family. The Bingleys had not stayed long at Netherfield before moving to a place very close to Derbyshire, where both Jane and Elizabeth lived within a short distance of one another.
Mr. Collins and Mary had five daughters, but as of yet have not been able to bear a son. I would say it serves him right, but I don't want to be unkind. To make matters even more humorous (to me, at least), Mr. Bennet (and his wife also) was still very much alive, so Mr. Collins had not been able take over the Longbourn estate.
One summer, not too many years after the birth of my first son, Kitty met a nice young man of the clergy while she was in London visiting her family. He was in want of a wife, and Kitty became smitten with him soon after. I was happy to see that Mr. Thomas was nothing like Mr. Collins, and he has been able to provide Kitty with a simple but loving life for both his wife and their six children.
As for Lydia-well, that girl never learned her lesson of flirting with officers. She grew jealous of Kitty's close friendship with Georgiana and me, and so she decided one day to elope with an officer. Colonel Edwards was a Wickham in training, and he was a sly and charming man. So, when the news of Lydia's elopement came out, all of Longbourn was in an uproar. Charles and William had to interfere on their sister-in-law's behalf and finally found her in the outskirts of London-where she was made to marry Colonel Edwards.
Ever since then, Colonel Edwards provided Lydia with only a little income and so Lydia had to be constantly taken care of by her sisters and their husbands. Lydia was only able to produce one child, and after almost dying, was unable to have another. They named their son Christopher, and to this day I am glad that his uncles taught him the true behavior of a gentleman. So far the young man was a model gentleman and he was very amiable. In fact, Anna Darcy had her eye on the young man.
As for Lord Browning and Sarah, they also moved within a short distance of Sarah's childhood home while raising their four children.
Aunt Catherine recovered from her injuries, as I noted above, and she did the inconceivable-fell in love and married again! My aunt softened her demeanor and married a former military man (a little younger than she was), and they have lived happily these last eighteen years.
Anne grew stronger and eventually met a young man at a ball who brought out her personality, and they married soon after meeting. I felt sorry for my cousin because she had many failed miscarriages. She finally conceived and the family was surprised to see that she gave birth to twins-a boy and a girl. That was all she wanted, and her husband, Henry Taylor, said that he and his wife were content.
My dear brother Matthew and his wife Charlotte also had an abundance of children (granted, not quite as big as my family), but they had seven, five boys and two girls.
Andrew and Lady Anna moved into Matlock and supported my mother after my father's death, and I was glad that my mother was able to be close to her four grandchildren.
In all, 24 grandchildren were born to the late Earl of Matlock and his wife. Even though my mother missed my father dearly, she was a very content woman.
And on this cold winter's day that my husband and I were hosting my family at our home, I thought it couldn't get any better.
"Did you hear about Madeline?" my mother asked as soon as I greeted her.
"Madeline? What is she doing now?" I asked of young Madeline Bingley, Charles and Jane's oldest daughter.
"She has become engaged!" I grinned at my mother's exclamation.
"That is wonderful for Charles and Jane. I am happy for them." My eyes scanned the big ballroom that my family (and some friends) were congregated in. Ben, Jonathan Bingley, and young William Darcy were talking with Madeline, and it looked as if they were teasing her.
"When is your son going to find a sweet girl to settle down with?" my mother asked me, her smile big.
"If you are talking about my oldest son, Benjamin, then I am not sure he will settle down for a few more years yet. He is only 21, Mother," I told her.
"Was not Charles only a couple years older when he married Jane?"
"Perhaps," I answered back with a shrug. "However, I am not ready to give him up yet. I have already been longing for my younger sons since they went away to school."
"Young Robert is going to make some woman a happy husband," my mother said, pointing to my fourteen year old son.
"When I was ill with a cold last month, he brought me books to read so that I would not be bored. I tend to think that I raised my sons to act like gentlemen."
"And your daughters are already ladylike."
As if wanting to convey the opposite, a little girl's cry of "Mama!" and the hard hit of a little body into mine sent me off-balance for a moment.
"Umph!" I said as the air left my lungs. "Elizabeth Hillsborough!" I scolded as soon as my breath returned.
"Do I have to go to bed, Mama? Miss Brandon says it is time to go to sleep. I want to stay here and watch my cousins with their pretty dresses," she said with a pout.
"Lizzy, you need your sleep, my love. You will get to see your cousins on the morrow. Now, go kiss your father and brothers and sisters goodnight before you go with Miss Brandon to your room."
"Yes, Mama," my little girl said with a sigh.
"And no running!" I added before I bent down to kiss her forehead.
"Goodnight, Grandmother," she said softly as my mother hugged her goodnight.
"Goodnight, my Elizabeth," my mother said softly. Elizabeth walked demurely over to Nathan and then he picked her up and showered her with kisses, causing her to squeal in laughter.
"Papa!" I heard from across the room. I couldn't stop my smile, and then I saw my husband look across the room at me, giving me a special loving look. Elizabeth was set down, and her brothers and sisters each kissed her goodnight. Ben said something to her that caused her to giggle, and then she took Miss Brandon's hand before being led away from the ballroom.
While thinking of my wonderful children, William, both his parents, and Ben wanted to speak with my mother and me. I gazed at young William Darcy and noticed the striking resemblance to his father.
"William, you are a mirror image of your father," I told him. "I remember how dashing and handsome he looked and every female wanted to be Mrs. Darcy, Mistress of Pemberley." Elizabeth arched an eyebrow and possessively put one arm through her husband's.
"Thank you, Aunt Emily. I think that is a compliment, is it not?" William replied with a conspirator's wink. I rolled my eyes good-naturedly.
"Of course that is. What do you think, Lizzy-isn't he just like Fitzwilliam?"
"He is," Fitzwilliam answered instead, "except he has Elizabeth's eyes." I nodded, noticing that young William's eyes were a deep brown.
"Father," William said in embarrassment.
"Well, I know you will make your parents proud, Mr. Darcy," I told him. "Just as long as you and my son stay out of trouble," I added with a look to both. Ben, William, and Jonathan had grown up together with John Fitzwilliam, Richard and Georgiana's first son, and all four had gotten into trouble constantly (mostly playing pranks on their younger siblings).
"My poor grandson," my mother murmured. Ben snickered and then stopped as soon as I sent him a motherly look.
"It was cruel of John to hurt Alex," I added. Alexander Fitzwilliam was John's younger brother, and there had always been a brotherly rivalry between the two.
"Uncle Richard and Aunt Georgiana were none too pleased about it," Ben said ruefully. "However, it was a joke."
"Knowing your cousin had a crush on that poor girl and then telling him that she liked him in return was not nice, Benjamin," I told him.
"How were we to know that he was going to talk to her? He was too young to propose. At 16, he is still young," William added.
"Boys, that's enough," Fitzwilliam warned them. "What is done is done and now your cousin has yet to talk to the four of you for any length of time."
"He cannot sulk forever, Uncle William," Ben told him. "We apologized. Even Cousin Bingley apologized, and he was not involved," he added.
"Speaking of Alex, where are Uncle Richard and Aunt Georgiana?" William asked his parents.
"In London," Elizabeth replied to her son. Elizabeth looked to my mother or to me to explain it further to him.
"Georgiana was feeling ill and so the family decided to stay in London until she was better," my mother explained.
I gazed around the room and saw Lady Anna talking with Charlotte, Jane, Sarah, and Kitty, while the men were all talking with one another.
When the conversation grew lax, Ben had a suggestion. "Why don't we have Cousin Madeline play for us?" he asked. "I would like to hear some music. I long for a dance." Thinking my son sounded a bit too much like Lydia, I had to stifle a groan. In his defense, however, he was a gentleman and he did like to dance. He and William immediately sought out Madeline Bingley to play for them. She grinned and graciously accepted, and a moment later music filled the room.
Seeing Charles and his family made me think of that time long ago when Caroline tried to keep me away from her brother. I was curious to know what she had done lately. I think the last I had heard she was married but had no children.
"What are Caroline and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst doing now?" I asked William and Elizabeth.
"Caroline and the Duke went to Scotland for the winter," Elizabeth replied.
"Did they? I have to say I was surprised that the Duke married her. You would think with her personality that men would run away from her."
"Maybe he didn't know to run away from her before they married," Fitzwilliam suggested.
"Cousin, you are too cruel to the former Miss Bingley," I teased. He grinned.
"As for the Hursts-she had one child and Mr. Hurst is constantly ill," he added.
I snorted in an unladylike way. "Of course he is. That man was always inebriated when we had gatherings." The others smiled in remembrance, and we eventually talked about other topics.
Not too much later, I heard a voice from behind say, "My Lady, I am sorry to interrupt, but may I have this dance?" I turned around and saw Nathan-22 years older than when I married him, but still youthful in looks.
"Of course, Mr. Hillsborough." He took my arm and escorted me to the middle of the floor. My son had already started the trend as I saw him dancing with Miss Emma Morgan, a friend of Madeline's, but after Nathan asked me to dance, I saw the Bingleys and Darcys begin to dance as well.
"You are as beautiful today as the day I met you," Nathan whispered to me as we danced. As we turned around on the floor, I saw Ben and Emma. William danced with another of her friends, the daughter of my good friend Emma Knightley-Isabella.
"I am just happy that we have our wonderful family. Even through the rough times we've had, Nathan, I've always loved you."
"I know, my love. I have always loved you too."
We finished dancing, and then we mingled with our family until we were all tired that night and wanted to go to bed. After making sure to say goodnight and hug all of my sons and daughters (even the older ones got kisses), I retired to bed with my husband.
"Time has gone by so fast. Before we know it, we will have no children left because they all will be married with their own families," Nathan sighed.
"Do not say so, my love. Our oldest son is not yet old enough to marry," I said firmly.
"I think he caught the eye of Miss Gray, do you not think so, my love?" I stuck my tongue out in the air, knowing he would not be able to see it in the dim candlelight.
"I do not like Miss Gray. She seems snobby to me. She is from one of those aristocratic families who have nothing but legacy to recommend them. I do not think our son would want her for a wife."
"I thought she was nice, and they seemed to like one another." I rolled my eyes again.
"I think Miss Morgan likes him more than Miss Gray. Emma is a very sweet girl." Nathan mumbled something about Miss Gray, and I covered his mouth with my hand. "Nathan, my dear, go to sleep." I heard him chuckle before he blew out the candle and pulled me into his arms.
Before I drifted off to sleep, all the events of the past two decades went through my mind. I was still observant to this day, my skills sharper since I have had children (and nine children at that). I was once a matchmaker (Cousin Darcy and Elizabeth deny it), and I was planning to help my sons and daughters find matches as well (though I would never be as good as Mrs. Bennet). I, Emily Anne Fitzwilliam Hillsborough, would pass down the story of my cousin's plight and our troubles with Wickham to my children so that they could learn the lessons that my family did. I was satisfied that the Fitzwilliam/Darcy adventures would be told to many generations for years to come.