“He will grow into it, never fear,” said Bingley, who looked at his son with adoration.
“I did not expect to find you up,” said Elizabeth to her sister. “I thought you would still be lying in.”
“And so I would be, if we were still at Netherfield, for Mama would have been scandalised otherwise, but here I am mistress in my own home. I felt well enough to rise this morning, although I must admit the birth was very tiring.”
As the conversation seemed to be in danger of moving into realms that Bingley and Darcy would rather know nothing about, the two gentlemen excused themselves, whilst Elizabeth settled down for a long and interesting conversation with Jane about the birth of little Charles.
“Well, what do you think?” asked Bingley as the two men went downstairs.
“I think it is a very fine house,” said Darcy. “You have done well. You remembered to ask about the chimneys, I hope?”
“Oh, the chimneys!” said Bingley. “I did not mean the house, I meant—”
“I know,” said Darcy with a laugh.
“Of course! I had forgotten that Elizabeth has taught you how to tease people! Well, what do you think? Is he not the most handsome baby you have ever seen? Is he not the strongest, the healthiest, the happiest baby it has ever been your pleasure to meet?” he asked as he led Darcy into the drawing-room.
“I have met very few infants and so yes, I can say he is.”
“Darcy!”
“Very well then! I agree with whatever you say. He is a very fine boy. I can say this in all sincerity: he is lucky to have such a father.”
“Do you really think so?” asked Bingley. He beamed whilst looking anxious at the same time. “I was elated when he was born. When I first heard him cry I felt an enormous sense of pride—”
There came a snort from the sofa, where Mr. Hurst, Charles Bingley’s brother-in-law, was lying, apparently asleep.
“Ah, yes,” said Bingley, momentarily diverted. “My family are here. Caroline arrived a month ago to run the household whilst Jane was indisposed, and Louisa arrived with her husband last week. My brother-in-law, as you see, is resting.”
Darcy raised one eyebrow. Mr. Hurst spent most of his life on the sofa and Bingley knew, as well as Darcy, that indolence, not the need for rest, was the reason.
The snort resolved itself into words as Mr. Hurst opened one eye.
“Felt an enormous sense of pride?” he asked. “Thought nothing of the sort. As soon as you heard that cry, you said, ‘I’ve killed them!’ and strode around the room like a man demented, moaning, ‘They’re dead. It’s all my fault!’”
“Nonsense!” said Bingley, but his laugh was a little sheepish.
Darcy smiled, but beneath his smile was a sense of understanding. He had been elated when Elizabeth had told him that she was expecting a child, but he had been anxious too and, try as he might, he could not rid himself of the anxiety. If anything should happen to her…
He was luckily saved from further reflections by the appearance of Caroline, who, together with Louisa, now entered the room.
“Mr. Darcy,” said Caroline warmly.
She had at first been incensed when she had discovered that he meant to marry Elizabeth Bennet, but she had quickly come to realise that unless she put on a glad, or at least a polite, face, she would lose Darcy’s friendship, and she would never be invited to Pemberley.
“You have brought the bad weather with you I fear,” said Caroline.
It was true. The snow, which had been falling lightly in sporadic showers, was now falling thick and fast outside the window. It was melting as it hit the ground, but here and there, patches were settling and the lawns were already white.
“I do hope it will not discommode your mother-in-law,” said Louisa.
“No, indeed,” said Caroline in a droll voice. “It would be a tragedy if she was delayed and did not manage to arrive tomorrow as expected. But where is Elizabeth? You cannot have left her behind?”
“She is upstairs with Jane,” said Darcy.
“It quite reminds me of old times, when Jane was taken ill at Netherfield,” said Bingley. “She had a cold, I remember, which she had caught from riding in the rain. Elizabeth sat with her upstairs and then the two of them came down after dinner.”
“Dear Jane will not be well enough to come downstairs today,” said Caroline. “She needs her rest.”
“She was talking of it only this morning,” Bingley contradicted her.
“My dear Charles, you must not allow it,” said Caroline. “It will be too much for her. I am at your disposal for as long as you need, you know that. I have managed the household not too ill this last month, as I am sure you will agree. Dear Jane need do nothing more than remain in the nursery until she is quite recovered.” She turned to Darcy. “I kept house for Charles before his marriage and as soon as Jane was no longer able to manage affairs, owing to her condition, I arrived at once to care for the household.”
“That was very good of you!” remarked Darcy with a speaking glance at Bingley.
“Yes, was it not?” said Bingley. “Caroline did not even wait for an invitation.”
“I thought it my duty to come. The inconvenience was nothing to me, and family, you know, never wait for an invitation,” said Caroline.
She walked across the room, displaying her figure, and then seated herself at the pianoforte and began to play.
“This is your favourite song, is it not, Mr. Darcy?” she asked.
He was forced to admit that it was, but he was saved from further attentions by Bingley saying, “I still have not shown you the billiard room, Darcy. Would you care for a game?”
Darcy agreed with alacrity and the two men left the room.
“Why did you not tell Caroline that she was not needed?” asked Darcy. “You have a house full of servants to look after you, and I am sure Jane does not want her here.”
“Oh, you know, Darcy, Caroline is not so bad. She is very efficient and she frightens the servants into honesty.”
“Honesty?” asked Darcy in surprise.
At that moment, a movement caught his eye and he saw Elizabeth coming down the stairs. She had evidently overheard their conversation for she said to Bingley, “So my father was right! He said that you and Jane were both so complying that nothing would ever be resolved upon and that every servant would cheat you.”
“Yes, well, perhaps we are too easygoing,” admitted Bingley. Then he asked eagerly, “How is Jane? Do you think she is looking well?”
“I think she is looking very well,” Elizabeth assured him. “And very happy.”
“And the baby?”
“He is contented. He is sleeping. Jane is resting now, but she hopes to join us in the drawing-room after dinner.”
“There you are! What did I say?” asked Bingley in delight. “I knew she would join us. Darcy and I were just going into the billiard room, but we will gladly return to the drawing-room with you if you wish.”
“Caroline is in the drawing-room,” remarked Darcy.
“Ah!” said Elizabeth. “Then I will come and watch the two of you play.”
They went into the billiard room. Darcy and Elizabeth commented on its fine proportions and remarked on the beauty and elegance of the house.
“It took us a long time to find it, but it has repaid our efforts,” said Bingley. “Jane and I are both settled here and we mean to make this our ancestral seat. Perhaps one day it will be as renowned as Pemberley.”
Darcy and Bingley began to play and Elizabeth looked around the room, thinking that Jane had chosen very well. The house was comfortable and elegant, and she knew that Jane was very happy with it. It gave her great pleasure to think of Jane being so well settled, and within an easy distance of Pemberley.
The three of them exchanged news as the two men played. When the game was over, Elizabeth and Darcy retired to their suite of rooms to dress for dinner. Jane and Charles kept country hours and dinner was served, in the winter, almost as soon as it was dark.
