A Baby at Pemberley Read online

  A Baby At Pemberley

  A Sweet Pride & Prejudice Variation

  Abbey North

  Contents

  Blurb

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Blurb

  Shortly after losing her first pregnancy to miscarriage, Lizzy opens Pemberley to an ill and very pregnant Lydia, who has been abandoned by Wickham. The delivery proves too much for her fragile sister, leaving pitiable little Lydia in need of a devoted family in the absence of a loving mother.

  As the months pass, and Lizzy and Fitzwilliam come to love Lydia’s daughter as their own, a new pregnancy only increases their happiness. Everything feels as though it should be in place for a happy ending until Wickham’s return. He comes with a wicked scheme to ruin the Darcys’ happiness. Will her clever husband find a way to thwart Wickham before he carries out his cruel plan?

  While Abbey sometimes writes steamy JAFF, this story is strictly SWEET.

  1

  Lizzy endeavored to ignore the twinge in her lower back and maintain a smile for the Roystons, whom they were hosting for dinner. They were neighbors and frequent guests, but Lizzy couldn’t find it in her to truly entertain that evening.

  She’d had a disquieting sensation all day, and another pain in her back, combined with the camping in her pelvis, made her uneasy. She wished she had canceled dinner, but she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge there might be a problem. Now, she clenched her hands into fists as sweat beaded her upper brow.

  “Lizzy, what is it?” asked Fitzwilliam from beside her. He sat at the head of the table, and he reached out a hand to take hers. “You have gone pale.”

  She managed the ghost of a smile. “I do believe I might go upstairs and lie down. I am not feeling well.”

  His concern was obvious when he turned to their friends. “Dick and Elaine, I shall escort Lizzy upstairs. She is feeling unwell.”

  “Oh, poor dear. Is there anything we can do?” asked Elaine.

  Lizzy shook her head. “I believe I just need rest.” Only ten weeks gone, she wasn’t far enough along to have announced her pregnancy, so she couldn’t reveal her concern for its continuation.

  Somehow, Elaine seemed to understand, and there was a sympathetic expression on her face as her gaze moved to Lizzy’s abdomen before returning to her eyes when Lizzy stood up. “I hope you will be well, dear friend.”

  She clung to Fitzwilliam as he helped her up the stairs, leading her to the room she shared with him. Technically, she had the adjoining room, but she had never slept there since the first night she came to Pemberley as Fitzwilliam’s bride.

  He led her to the bed and sat beside her. “Shall I send for the physician?”

  Lizzy wanted to be brave but seeing Dr. Ogden sounded like a good idea. She nodded, biting her lip as pain intensified, making her bend forward. “I believe that would be a good idea, dear husband.”

  Fitzwilliam returned to his feet and disappeared from the room seconds later, already calling for Mrs. Reynolds. When he was gone, Lizzy stood up and made her way to the vanity table, taking a seat there. She didn’t care to primp. She only wanted to remove her jewelry and as much of the evening finery as possible.

  Her maid appeared as though summoned, but that was simply because Marta was a diligent worker, and she’d likely been waiting for Lizzy. She curtsied. “Good evening, Mrs. Darcy. Shall I assist you?”

  Lizzy nodded. “I would much appreciate that.” She started to stand, but the pain worsened, and a wave of dizziness passed over her.

  Marta gasped, making Lizzy looked down. The front of her pastel pink dress was soaked with blood.

  The next several hours passed in a haze of pain and sadness as Lizzy miscarried the baby she and Fitzwilliam had been so excited to welcome. He remained by her side, ignoring the doctor’s protestations that this was no place for the father, and Lizzy appreciated that. She clung to his hands, relying him on him as she dealt with the physical trauma before slipping into a deep sleep.

  When she awakened hours later, Fitzwilliam was still in the same chair he’d occupied throughout, but he was slumped forward, sleeping with his head on the bed, though his hand still held hers. She squeezed gently, and he immediately stiffened and sat up. “Are you well? Shall I fetch Dr. Ogden again?”

  Lizzy shook her head. “I feel better.” Physically, the pain had quite diminished, culminating with the passage of a small bundle of tissue hours before. She had felt it, but she had not seen it, since the doctor had quickly whisked it away.

  Soul-crushing grief consumed her when she realized she would never meet the child around whom she had built such expectations. Tears streamed down her face, and Fitzwilliam moved from the chair to the bed, gently gathering her into his arms and holding her. He whispered tender words as she clung to him, needing his strength and reassurance that they would get through this together. Right then, she wasn’t certain how life could ever go on, or how she would ever be the same again.

  Lizzy was doing her best to resume normalcy, but she feared she was still a subject of concern for her husband and the household staff two weeks later. She was doing her best to go through the motions and trying not to wallow in grief, but there were times when her mind slipped to what had been and what could’ve been, and she would end up crying alone in her room again.

  It wasn’t her intention to worry anyone, but she wasn’t quite sure how to move past her sorrow. She suspected that was why Fitzwilliam had invited Charles and Jane, who showed up for a surprise visit fifteen days after her loss.

  She embraced Jane, clinging to her sister with tears in her eyes that she rapidly blinked away. “It is so good to see you, dear Jane.”

  “It is most pleasing to see you as well, Lizzy.” Jane pulled back, smoothing the hair from Lizzy’s face. Her expression of concern indicated Fitzwilliam must have apprised Jane of the situation.

  Lizzy had not yet had a chance to confide in her sisters or mother that she was expecting before the miscarriage occurred, so she was mostly glad Fitzwilliam had told Jane, so she didn’t have to. However, it also meant she had to deal with the reality.

  At first, Jane didn’t broach the subject. Three days into their stay, with Lizzy feeling considerably more cheerful while they shared tea in the salon, Jane said, “I must speak with you, Lizzy.”

  Lizzy paused in the act of reaching for a cup of tea. “About what?”

  “I hope you will not be upset, but Fitzwilliam told me about the baby and the loss.” Jane’s face contorted. “I am so dreadfully sorry, dear Lizzy. I cannot imagine how that must have been for you.”

  The way she phrased it made Lizzy stiffen as she wondered if Jane feared the experience herself for a tangible reason. “Are you expecting, Jane?” The thought sent a piercing pain through her, though she hated to respond with envy at the idea of her sister’s happiness.

  Jane shook her head. “We have not yet been blessed.” She cleared her throat, reaching into the pocket of her day dress to pull out a missive. “Lydia is a different matter.”

  Lizzy stiffened, taking the letter as Jane passed it to her. With great reluctance, she unfolded and read it quickly, surmising Lydia was quite far along with child, and she sounded utterly miserable. In spite of her own grief and slight remaining envy, she could not remain unmoved by Lydia’s words or repress tears that blurred her vision for an entirely new reason not prompted by her own suffering. “Oh, the poor dear.”

  Jane nodded. “Indeed. I thought perhaps we should extend an invitation to Lydia, either here, or to mine and Charles’s home nearby. I wanted to discuss with you whether it wou
ld be too painful for you to host Lydia.”

  Lizzy shook her head after a moment. “No, I do not think so. She clearly needs help and support at this time. I can well imagine how useless Wickham is.”

  Jane sniffed. “Indeed. She does not mention him at all, if you notice.”

  Lizzy nodded as she folded the letter and passed it back to Jane. “I shall send her an invitation this very day.”

  Jane reached out, taking Lizzy’s hand instead of the letter. “Are you certain you can cope at this particular moment, sister? If not, I shall return home and host Lydia there.”

  Lizzy was tempted for a moment, but understanding how badly her sister needed someone, and recalling how wonderfully tender Fitzwilliam had been with her during the miscarriage, she firmed her resolve. How could she deny her sister the same level of support her loving husband had given her? “I shall cope.”

  2

  It was nearly a week later when Lydia arrived, and as Lizzy rushed forward to embrace her, she couldn’t deny deep concern. Her sister was vastly pregnant, even farther along than Lizzy had expected. She was also pale and gaunt aside from the burgeoning stomach, and she practically swayed on her feet as Lizzy hugged her. The simple hug was like crushing a delicate bird, and even her protruding stomach did nothing to lessen the air of fragility about her.

  As she pulled away so Jane could hug Lydia, the two sisters shared a concerned look before Lizzy moved back to stand by Fitzwilliam. He put his arm around her waist and held out the other to Lydia, bringing her hand to his mouth to kiss in a charming fashion that made the younger girl giggle. “Welcome to Pemberley, dear sister,” said Fitzwilliam.

  Charles stepped forward to greet her next, pressing a kiss to each of Lydia’s cheeks. “Yes, welcome, sister. We shall host you next time at our home.”

  Despite Lydia’s clear exhaustion, she seemed to have mustered a new level of energy, and she flicked open her fan as she said, “I should very much like to see your home as well. Anything must be better than dreadful Newcastle. It is extremely boring, and none of the officers’ wives like me. The commander’s wife called me silly and frivolous. Can you imagine?” Lydia shook her head, clearly outraged anew.

  Lizzy reached out, moving away from Fitzwilliam to put her arm around Lydia’s waist. “Perhaps she did not get a chance to know you well enough.” Lizzy was annoyed on her sister’s behalf at the commander’s wife being so blunt. Yes, Lydia could be silly and frivolous, but she was also loyal and wonderful, and she had an exuberant personality that lit up the room.

  Except for now. Her personality was as wan as the rest of her as they indulged in tea and conversation. It was clear Lydia was minding her words carefully, and Fitzwilliam must’ve picked up on that, because shortly after the five of them had sat down in the salon for tea, he looked at Charles. “Shall we see to that business now, Charles?”

  Charles blinked for a moment, but he must have grasped what Fitzwilliam wasn’t saying. “Of course, Fitzwilliam. Do lead the way.”

  Lydia waited until the men had left before bursting into tears. “Oh, sisters, it is dreadful. George has left me. He deserted me weeks ago, claiming I was too fat and no longer vivacious, and he wanted nothing more to do with me.”

  “The cheek,” said Jane with a gasp. “Did you tell his commander? He should be brought back in leg irons.”

  Lydia’s head tipped forward. “I was too ashamed, dear Jane. How could I admit such humiliation to anyone? When it became obvious George was not returning, I disappeared from our quarters in Newcastle in the middle of the night, taking only what I could carry. I sold what I could, which has kept me at a seedy inn for the last few weeks, but I was dreadfully low on money. It was forethought that I managed to intercept the letter you sent me before it was destroyed by the base. I had paid one of the soldiers at the base to watch for mail for me.”

  She buried her face in her hands for a long moment before looking up again. “Oh, I should have told you, but I was so embarrassed.”

  Lizzy reached into her pocket, extracting a fresh handkerchief that she handed to her sister before moving over to sit beside her on the settee. She put her arm around her shoulders, hugging Lydia gently. “I am sorry you have suffered so, Lydia, but do not be ashamed. Wickham’s actions reflect on him, not you.”

  She sobbed anew. “George was so good in the beginning. I did something to ruin our accord. I must have. If I were a better wife, he would not have left me.”

  Jane came to sit on her other side, putting her hand on Lydia’s thigh. “Wickham is a scoundrel, love, and the only thing for which you are guilty is having poor judgment. It is quite easy to see how a charming man like him could sweep you off your feet, but there is no substance to a man like George Wickham. You shall be far better off without him.”

  Lydia wailed. “I do not see how. How will I bring a life into the world and support it? Everyone will know my husband deserted me, that there is something wrong with me. I shall certainly never be able to marry again, tied as I am to George. Oh, what misery.” Lydia punctuated her statement with a loud honking of her nose into the handkerchief.

  Lizzy traded a concerned look with Jane. “You are certainly entitled to your mourning, but you have much to look forward to as well, sweet Lydia.” Gently, she touched her rounded stomach. “You shall be bringing new life into this world soon, and you will be an excellent mother. You do not need Wickham. You have family all around you, and we shall look after you until you can look after yourself.”

  Lydia’s sobs started to subside, and she paused to take a deep breath as she wiped her face once more. “Truly, Lizzy?”

  “Absolutely. In fact, you shall stay here with us at Pemberley until you have given birth and decide where you would like to go next.”

  Lydia burst out crying again, but these seemed to be happier tears, and she turned awkwardly to embrace Lizzy. “Oh, you are so wise and kind, dear sister. I wish I had come to you and Jane earlier.”

  “As do we, but you are here now,” said Jane in a tender fashion as she smoothed Lydia’s hair off her brow. “We are here for you. We only wish to help you recover and get back on your feet.”

  “And I am truly lucky, even though I have alienated my husband.”

  Lizzy bit back an argument, not wanting to disturb Lydia but appalled her sister insisted on taking the blame for Wickham’s despicable actions. She couldn’t say she was surprised at Wickham’s lack of character, though she wished Lydia had reached out for help sooner.

  She did not think less of her sister for falling for Wickham’s charms. How could she? Poor Georgiana had done the same, and Lizzy herself had been blinded by them as well for a time. He was a wicked man, and Lydia bore no fault for trusting him due to her naïveté.

  It was time for a new start, and she would ensure Lydia had all the tools she needed to be happy. Her sister deserved that.

  Lizzy clutched Jane’s hand as they stood over Lydia’s bed nearly a week later. She looked so peaceful lying there, having been cleaned by the maids after her long and difficult birth. There was no sign of any hemorrhaging now, and she could have been napping except for her pale complexion and waxy skin.

  Her thick hair was still glossy and dark around her face, and Lizzy found herself fixating on it for a moment. How could it look so lustrous when her dear sister had bled practically every drop of life from her body not more than two hours ago?

  “I cannot believe this.” Jane’s voice was thick with tears.

  Lizzy squeezed her hand, nodding her agreement. From a distance, she heard the baby cry, and it sent a piercing pain to her. Part of the pain was an old echo of the miscarriage she had endured and the lost opportunity to meet the child she would never know, but most of her sadness and grief was on Lydia’s behalf.

  Her sweet little niece would grow up motherless, never knowing how much Lydia had loved her, and how she had drawn every ounce of strength she had to bring the baby into the world before passing through without so much as
holding her daughter. “I am in shock as well.”

  “How can this happen?” Jane shook her head, clearly distraught.

  Lizzy felt the same. For a long moment, she couldn’t look away from her little sister’s peaceful countenance. “At least now she is no longer struggling or in pain.”

  Jane sniffled. “I suppose we must be thankful for that. She was so brave, was she not?”

  Lizzy nodded, recalling how Lydia had summoned every bit of intensity she had to deliver her daughter during the most painful breach birth. Before she even had a chance to hold the baby, she started to bleed heavily, and a maid had whisked away the child while Dr. Ogden tended to Lydia, though there was little he could do.

  It all happened too quickly, and she had already been in a physically debilitated state. A week of good care at Pemberley before her labor began had not been enough to counter the months of neglect beforehand.

  Lizzy directed all her rage and anger toward Wickham. If he had not abandoned her sister, leaving her to subsist on scraps and very little money, while dealing with the pain and stress of losing her husband, she had no doubt Lydia would’ve survived the birth and would be cuddling her daughter right now.

  “Oh, I cannot believe this.” Jane burst into tears.

  Lizzy’s tears flowed as well as she embraced her sister while they stood by Lydia’s bedside, both painfully aware they would never see their sweet little sister again. After what felt like hours, but was probably only minutes, they pulled away by unspoken agreement at the sound of the baby crying in a nearby room. “We must see to her.”

  Jane nodded at the words. “We must arrange for a wet nurse.”