Responsibility and Resentment: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Melissa Anne

Author:Melissa Anne [Anne, Melissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2023-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

21

Chapter 20

Fitzwilliam Darcy was a man torn. Last night, he had been elated to learn his wife of five months believed she was with child, and they only had to wait for the quickening to be sure. This morning, he was standing beside her as she emptied the contents of her stomach into the wash bowl after startling him when she leapt out of bed and rushed to her dressing room. He knew enough to believe this was related to her condition and immediately began worrying about her health.

He handed her a wet cloth to wipe her face when she was done. She cleaned her teeth with toothpowder and took a sip of water from the cup he produced before he led her back to their shared bedroom and eased her back onto the bed.

“Are you well, Elizabeth?” he asked, concern lacing his face and voice.

“I believe so, William,” she replied, reaching up to trace the worry lines creasing his forehead. “My aunt told me this might happen, especially in the mornings, and it may continue at least until I feel the quickening. Every woman and every pregnancy is different, so I cannot predict how long it might last. Although I have experienced queasiness several mornings of late, this is the first time I have felt this biliousness. Perhaps my aunt or Mrs Reynolds will have some suggestions for settling my stomach.”

Darcy nodded in reply. “Do you need to rest more, my love? Or is there anything else you might need? More water? Tea?” he asked anxiously.

“Dry toast might help,” Elizabeth said and then thought for a moment. “And peppermint tea. Mrs Hill always brought those when any of my sisters were ill.”

After arranging for a servant to bring dry toast and peppermint tea to his wife, Darcy held her as they lay in bed and spoke about the future. Elizabeth’s stomach eased by the time her tea and toast arrived, and she was hungry now and suggested they go down to breakfast. Darcy was surprised but agreed, and they went to their dressing rooms to prepare for the day.

The couple arrived in the breakfast room and, after fixing their plates, joined the Gardiners at the table and discussed plans for the day. Mrs Gardiner wanted to visit friends in Lambton, and Mr Gardiner preferred to fish at Pemberley. Darcy would join him, and Elizabeth, Jane, Mary, and Georgiana would accompany Mrs Gardiner for some shopping. While they were talking, the other girls joined them, and the conversation drifted to additional plans for the Gardiners’ stay. A picnic was planned in a few days, and Darcy had a few ponies ready in the stables for the children to begin learning to ride.

After breakfast, Elizabeth spoke to Mrs Gardiner, who confirmed peppermint or ginger tea and toast would help settle her stomach in the mornings and suggested Elizabeth keep something beside her bed to nibble on before she got out of bed in the mornings.

* * *

The Gardiners’ visit passed quickly, with everyone enjoying their time together.

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