Darcy's grandmother passed away long before he was born, some one year after his parent's marriage. James Sr. then chose to follow his dream, a dream Lizzy could easily envision her husband someday fulfilling. He completely relinquished the management of Pemberley into the hands of his vastly competent son and devoted all his efforts to the breeding of Pemberley's horses. James Jr. was Master of Pemberley in all but name, while James Sr. exponentially increased the breeding program and training of their thoroughbreds. Within five years of this arrangement, the wealth of Pemberley had doubled.
Anne embraced her role as Mistress of Pemberley while attempting to produce an heir. After two miscarriages, Anne finally carried and delivered a daughter, Alexandria. The pregnancy and birth were uncomplicated, Anne was robust, and the baby was fat and healthy. Tragically, when the vigorous toddler was just over a year, and Anne was again with child, she suddenly became ill and within a week had died. The doctors diagnosed it as scarlet fever. The family was grief stricken. Luckily, Anne's second successful pregnancy progressed as smoothly as the first and on November 10 of 1787, Fitzwilliam Alexander James Darcy was born, weighing well over nine pounds and screaming loudly.
Almost from the time Darcy could walk, he spent hours in the stables with his grandfather. Anne fretted, fearful of losing another child in the dangerous environment, but the old man was domineering and had not abdicated all authority. James Jr. agreed, his own fears of a similar fate befalling his son offset by the desire for him to be comfortable with horses and an outdoorsman. By the time Darcy was ten, he knew how to shoe a horse, could ride as well as most of the grooms, could muck a stall faster than any of the stable boys, had broken his first pony, and had intently absorbed everything his grandfather could teach him. When he was eleven his grandfather died, plunging Darcy into an abyss of grief. If he had spent the majority his free time in the stable yard before, he now practically dwelt there. His parents barely saw him except for meals, and even his studies suffered. It was the long awaited birth of a sibling which brought him back into the manor and the broader world outside of the barns.
Anne had despaired of ever having another child. After her son, she simply did not conceive. It certainly was not for lack of trying, the love between the two Darcys having multiplied over the years and being frequently expressed in the physical realm. Anne's pregnancy and delivery of Georgiana was complicated from inception to parturition, leaving Anne near death for days and weakened thereafter, but Georgiana was stout and perfect. Darcy immediately fell deeply and wholly in love with his sister. It was this love which would save him on many occasions over the ensuing years, when sorrow and the weight of responsibility threatened to break him. As close as Darcy was to his cousins Richard and Anne, it was his sister who had his heart utterly wrapped around her tiny fingers.
Darcy was a person who required few confidantes, and therefore, he did not exert tremendous effort into cultivating relationships. Those whom he loved, he loved with an entirety that was formidable. Those whom he deemed superfluous would be generally ignored. Hence the minimal energy expended to associate with his disseminated cousins. For this reason, the personal circle of Darcy family members was relatively minute, despite the number reality to the contrary. Lizzy rather doubted she would ever meet the majority of her husband's family, but she was excited about meeting George Darcy. He was a favorite, and the stories she had heard of the adventurous, eccentric doctor piqued her curiosity.
Georgiana was ecstatic. She regaled them all evening with tale upon tale of her favored Darcy uncle. Even Mary expressed a fascination to meet this grand individual. Of course, Mary was in an unusually high humor. Mr. Daniels had wasted no time after speaking with Darcy, formally requesting to call upon Miss Mary Bennet for tea the following day. It perhaps was not the most fortuitous of days, with George Darcy and friend arriving as well at a time unknown, but neither Lizzy nor Darcy would have dreamed of inducing her to decline.
With the excitement of blossoming romance, family visitations, and a dinner party event with Darcy's shipping partners, Lizzy and Darcy had no chance to talk privately until before bed. As typical, he entered her dressing room to assume the task of brushing her hair. Initially, no words were spoken as the two lovers purely delighted in serene companionship. Darcy could never verbalize why it was that he so adored brushing his wife's hair. It was intimate, enlivening, and comforting. Primarily, he simply gloried in her beauty as reflected in the mirror with her luxuriant, silky locks falling about her slender frame and through his hands.
Lizzy smiled and stood, leaning over the vanity bench to kiss her husband. “Shall we sit on the patio for a spell, my love?”
The stars were bright, the air fresh in the warm summer evening, and the fragrance of multiple blooms floated to where they reclined on the patio chaise. Darcy related his conversation with Lady Catherine.
“Do you believe she will cooperate?”
Darcy sighed. “I honestly do not know and am not sure if I care, as horrid as that is to confess. She was silent and inscrutable when I left, so I could not hazard a guess as to her state of mind. If it were not for Anne, I am not certain I would even try.” Darcy paused, then resumed with a mournful tone, “Forgive me, Elizabeth. That is an unbecoming sentiment. She is my aunt, my flesh and blood, yet I am still so angry at her for all she has said that I find it an immense struggle to generate leniency.”
“I understand, darling. I too have quite mixed feelings on the subject of your aunt. Would you think less of me if I confessed to a desire to never set eyes on the woman again?”
Darcy laughed lowly. “No, as I tend to harbor the identical emotions. I will say this, if she does show up and offers an apology, even a lame one, it will speak volumes as to her repentance.”
Lizzy snuggled tighter against his body, Darcy's arms firmly around her with one hand gently stroking her belly. “How is your shoulder?”
“Tolerable. The bath helped tremendously. I probably incited the staff to severe irritation, but the water was so hot I could barely enter it. Nevertheless, when Wentworth clapped me on the shoulder tonight I nearly slugged him in reflexive defense!”
Lizzy stifled a laugh. “That would have made for a lively evening to be sure. Shame you behaved yourself.” She turned to better see his face, kissing his smiling lips. “Come, my beloved, infirm husband. A massage was promised and then we shall see what else I can do to improve your overall state of well-being.”
Chapter Fourteen
Visitations
“Ooh! This one would look wonderful on you, Mary!” Georgiana appeared from the inside of her closet holding a beautiful, deep purple gown with embroidered vines of wisteria cascading from the bodice to the hem.
Kitty clapped her hands in delight but Mary frowned. “I am not so sure, Georgiana. The color is lovely but the flowers are simply not me. Far too ostentatious.”
“You must make an impression that he will not forget, Mary,” Kitty explained wearily for the hundredth time, while Georgiana rolled her eyes.
“His impression should be of me, not the dress I am wearing,” Mary firmly declared. “I do not wish to be courted by a man who is only interested in me for my clothing.”
“Well, of course not,” Georgiana soothed, “yet there is no shame in presenting an appealing vision. It shows that you care for yourself and desire to please him. Men expect such efforts.”