Christmas at Pemberley (24 page)

Edward had thought that once he had returned to England, and specifically to Derbyshire, that the uneasy feeling would dissipate, and in some ways it had, but only to be replaced by a new wariness. Or maybe he should say a new awareness: one of his cousin.

True, it had been a long while since he'd spent time with any
woman, and, obviously, more than a year since he'd known an English woman. It was also true that he'd anticipated this homecoming when he'd learned that they'd make shore at Liverpool. And just as truthfully, Georgiana had blossomed into a full-fledged beauty, the type any man would desire, which was another truth that he didn't wish to acknowledge. The thought of Georgiana's beauty being another man's privilege had kept him awake last evening, and that exquisite moment in the library earlier had set his emotions akilter. Now, his imperious aunt had cornered him, invading his private thoughts, and had demanded that he take action on Georgiana's behalf.

“I not only expect it, Colonel, I insist upon it,” Lady Catherine said.

Edward bristled. “It would seem to me that if Darcy were deficient in his duty that the Earl, as the family's head, would address his concern to my cousin.”

As was typical with Lady Catherine, she ignored everything but her own scheme. “I shall sponsor my niece's Come Out,” she announced.

Edward blustered, “You…why would you believe after your recent tiff with Darcy that he'd allow you to present his sister to Society? It would appear that my mother, as the family patroness, would be a more likely candidate, as would Mrs. Darcy. I would imagine that in Fitz's opinion, both would take precedence over your claim.”

“The Countess has no desire to spend another Season in London. Your mother prefers her country associations, and Mrs. Darcy possesses no concept of Society's nuances. The lady has limited musical training and knows nothing of art. Mrs. Bennet should have taken her daughters to town every spring for the benefit of the masters. It's incontestable. Five daughters brought up at home without a governess! I have never heard of such a thing. I always say that nothing is to be done in education without steady and regular instruction, and nobody but a governess can give it. And
Mrs. Bennet's lack of decorum! All five sisters out at once! Very odd! Therefore, what could Mrs. Darcy know of the peerage and the
beau monde
?”

The colonel recognized some truth in his aunt's words. Part of Darcy's initial wavering in his pursuit of Elizabeth had been the lady's low connections, but Edward couldn't allow Her Ladyship free reign. “If you expect to win Darcy's favor, you must curb your tongue, Your Ladyship.” Impulsively he added, “What makes you believe you'd be more successful with Georgiana than you were with Anne?” Edward watched with pleasure as his aunt paled. “I don't mean to speak cruelly, but surely Darcy will ask something similar. As you are thrusting me into my cousin's place, it seems only prudent that you satisfy my curiosity on the matter. I love Anne, but your daughter was never of the nature to excel in such a setting; yet, you insisted on placing her so.”

Lady Catherine's haughtiness spoke volumes. “Anne's health prevented her success.”

“We both know, Aunt, that Anne is extremely shy. Timidity is not an illness,” he declared.

Lady Catherine snarled, “The military has sharpened your bitterness. I'm certain the Earl would find such qualities less than stellar.”

Edward shrugged away her objection. “I would counter that what you see as bitterness is actually reality. That's what a decade of war has taught me, Your Ladyship. Reality cannot be dressed up in ball gowns nor masked by polite chatter. The reality is that you should have found a country gentleman for Anne, but you wanted a titled peer.” With those words, Edward made a silent commitment to see Anne settled properly. He'd not have her waste away under Lady Catherine's censure. Immediately, he thought of Southland, and although he'd warned his aide away from Anne earlier, he would now encourage the relationship.A flirtation might be exactly what Anne needed.

“She has my husband's nature,” Lady Catherine said with some sadness.

“Then you should not have forced Anne to be something she's not.” Edward paused to choose his words carefully. “Allow Anne some freedom, Aunt, or you'll lose her forever. You'll spend your days alone instead of being surrounded by your daughter's family.” Edward softened his tone. “As much as I respect you,Your Ladyship, I don't believe you're the person to guide Georgiana's entrance into Society. Like Anne's, Georgiana's delicate nature needs tending—needs a chance to bloom. I've often heard my cousin speak of her deep respect for your ability to thrive in a world dominated by men. Rosings Park has flourished under your hand, but the hardness you needed to survive under such terms intimidates Georgiana. Instead of budding, my young cousin would wither away. I cannot condone nor encourage your plight to bring Georgiana under your auspices.”

Lady Catherine snorted. “I see.You would have my niece—my sister's only daughter—brought into Society by Mrs. Darcy.”

“If her brother has no objection, I wouldn't interfere in Mrs. Darcy assuming that role. Darcy has always done everything within his power to give Georgiana pleasure. He'll not shirk his duty in such an important matter.”

“Would Darcy offend his wife to protect his sister?” Lady Catherine asked sharply.

“I don't believe it would come to that. Mrs. Darcy will bring no shame on Georgiana. She's of the nature to admit her shortcomings and to seek the expertise of others.Who knows? If you resolve your differences with Darcy, it's highly possible that he and Mrs. Darcy will ask your sponsorship for Georgiana.”
It's also possible that pigs will sprout wings to take flight.
Edward knew that Darcy would never forgive Lady Catherine's attack on Mrs. Darcy. For family harmony, his cousin might
tolerate
their aunt's presence, but Darcy would not forget the offense.

Edward also realized that he didn't want Georgiana subjected to the attentions of this year's eligible bachelors. In fact, if Darcy insisted on Georgiana's presentation, Edward would take an extended stay
in London. A change of posts could be easily arranged. That way he could watch over Georgiana and fend off unscrupulous offers. The image of his waltzing Georgiana across a crowded dance floor brought a smile.

“What do you find so amusing, Colonel?” Lady Catherine's sour tone cut through the beautiful image.

“Just the pleasure of seeing Georgiana well situated, Your Ladyship.”

“The razor is sharp,” Darcy told Elizabeth privately as he prepared to leave. Mrs. Joseph's delivery had progressed quickly, and his wife had determined it was time to excuse him from the room.

Checking off items from the mental list she had constructed while resting on the mat, Elizabeth asked, “You used the strop?”

Darcy moved a step closer. “It's as you wished,” he said softly. Then shooting a quick glance at where Mr. Joseph tended his wife, he added. “Are you certain, Elizabeth? This is the course you wish to undertake?”

“It's not what I would choose, Fitzwilliam, but it is what must be done.”

“Should I again implore Mrs. Washington to assist you?”

“She'll not agree. Mrs. Washington doesn't wish to suffer the blame if Mrs. Joseph experiences difficulty. Plus, the proprietress cannot leave her inn duties.”

“But what if…” Darcy broke off when her fingers touched his mouth.

Elizabeth easily traced his upper lip. “No,
what if
s, Fitzwilliam. We'll all say our prayers and then leave the rest in God's hands.”

Predictably, Darcy bit back his response. Elizabeth smiled knowingly. Her husband objected to her involvement, but he'd allow her to make her own decisions, as well as her own mistakes. It was one of the qualities for which she most admired him. It was how Elizabeth knew her husband would be an excellent father. Their
children would know love with no censure. “I'll be close. Please take care.” He bent to kiss her temple. “I love you.”

“And I you.” Then he was gone. Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth turned to face the Josephs. “Let's place you in a position to deliver this child.”

Mr. Joseph looked perplexed. “What do you mean, ‘position'?”

Elizabeth laughed lightly. “Men are so incompetent in these matters,” she said with a wink. “Did you think Mrs. Joseph would simply leisurely lie in this bed and your child would make an appearance in its own good time?”

Mr. Joseph stammered, “I…I'd not thought…thought much on it. What must Mary and I do?”

“You're about to learn that men are not truly the stronger sex,” Elizabeth teased.

“Absolutely,” Mary added. “No man would tolerate such changes to his body.” She lovingly spread her fingers across her abdomen's expanse.

The ladies would've continued their teasing, but when another pain racked Mary, Elizabeth moved everything to the floor before the hearth. She placed bowls of water, soap, several piles of clean rags, Darcy's razor, and two leather cords nearby. On the table, she'd positioned more water, cloths, and towels.

“What do you require of me, Mrs. Darcy?” Joseph asked anxiously.

“First, I need for you to remove your boots, coat, waistcoat, and cravat. If you wish to change your clothes, this would be the time. Likely, anything you have on shall be ruined by the time we finish.”

Joseph nodded and disappeared behind the screens. Looking very relaxed, a few minutes later, he reappeared. “I'm at your disposal, Mrs. Darcy,” he said with an embarrassed shrug.

“Let's assist Mary to a place before the fire.”

The man easily lifted his wife from the bed. “Then what?” he asked as he placed Mary on the feather-stuffed mattress.

“You will sit on the floor and place Mary on your lap.”

The woman looked up suddenly. “Are you certain, Mrs. Darcy?”

Elizabeth laughed nervously. “Not really. But one cannot exist in a house with four sisters and numerous aunts without hearing stories of delivering children. I assisted my sister Jane recently, but Mrs. Bingley had a birthing chair available. We've no such convenience so I am relying on instinct and on bits of information I learned when I eavesdropped on my mother and Aunt Philips, as well as my Biblical studies.”

Elizabeth's words stunned Joseph. “The
Bible
?”

“Saying she delivered Jane on her knees, my mother once complained about the pampering of women today. So, I assumed it's possible for a woman to deliver upon her knees. Then I thought of Rachel in
Genesis
,” Elizabeth explained.

Mr. Joseph nodded. “When Rachel plans to have a child through her maid, she is desperate. She would use Biliah as a surrogate. ‘Here is my maid Biliah,'” he recited the words. “‘Go into her that she may bear upon my knees, and even I may have children through her.'”

“We cannot expect Mary to suffer childbirth's pains on her knees, but we need to elevate her. So, Mr. Joseph, you will be our
Rachel
and hold your wife on your lap. Mary, you will be our
Biliah
and bring forth our Christmas baby.”

As Elizabeth finished her explanation, Mary contracted in pain, clawing at her husband's arm. Without another word, Mr. Joseph lifted her to his lap, placing her back along his chest. “I have you,” he cooed and eased her head to rest on his shoulder. “Our child is coming, Mary. We will see it through together.”

Unceremoniously, Elizabeth eased Mary's legs apart. “This shan't be comfortable, but we're not the first women to deliver a child under less than pristine conditions,” she said as much to herself as to Mrs. Joseph.

“How much longer?” Mary gasped as she fought for breath.

“An hour. Maybe two,” Elizabeth said with more confidence than she actually possessed. Reaching for the hem of Mary's gown, Elizabeth said tentatively, “This shall be the first of the
uncomfortable situations. I must take a look to see if the child is prepared for his entrance into the world.”

Closing her eyes tightly in apparent embarrassment, Mary nodded her agreement, and Elizabeth did what she thought never to do: look upon another woman's nakedness. Surprisingly, it wasn't as repulsive as she had expected. She couldn't say she felt comfortable with the experience, but she no longer saw life through the eyes of a naive girl. Elizabeth knew the marriage bed's pleasures, and she realized God had made women for this purpose. The Lord had designed a woman's body to carry a child to term. Mary was the vessel. That's how Elizabeth would view this experience. “You've begun to open for the child,” she said matter-of-factly.