“Those poor children. We must find a way to help them through this.” Elizabeth stood from her chair and began pacing the room. She continued speaking, “Jane is going to need blankets and linens. Mama will get all the tinctures and herbs, but she will need food and—”
Darcy followed his distraught wife and embraced her. “Calm down, my love. We will take care of your sister and the McGregors, but you need to stop and breathe.” Darcy knew that telling Elizabeth about the spreading illness would upset her. He only hoped that she would be reasonable when he explained the plans they were putting in place to care for the ill. Somehow he knew he was about to have a fight on his hands.
Elizabeth shuddered but laid her forehead against his chest and managed to breathe deeply for a time. Even with her deep breaths, Darcy knew she was not feeling at all calm and could feel the tension in his wife as she gripped his waistcoat. Too soon, she brought her head up and looked up into his face. “I must go to her! I cannot let her deal with this alone.”
It hurt Darcy to see Elizabeth emerald eye’s awash in tears. He would do almost anything to take that worry and sorrow away from her expression, but there was too much at risk in that moment. “Actually, your sister told Bingley that you were not to be allowed anywhere near any of the sick tenants or their homes.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Darcy braced himself.
“What?” Elizabeth screeched. Jerking back from Darcy, she glared up at him, fury in her gaze. “You did not just say that I was to be kept from my sister.” Moving several steps away from Darcy, Elizabeth’s anger sizzled in the air, though she never once averted her gaze.
Locking eyes with Elizabeth, Darcy refused to flinch. Instead, he said, “Jane is insistent that you do not go to help her, and your mother supports her decision.”
Elizabeth resumed pacing around the room. Her voice was sharp, with no effort to hide her feelings, as she said, “That is ridiculous. Jane and Mother are simply being silly. I am healthy. Even if I come down with whatever this is, I doubt I would be worse for it.” Looking over her shoulder at Darcy, Elizabeth bit out, “I would never stay away from one of my sisters when she needed me. Nothing has ever stopped me from helping Jane before. Nothing will stop me now.”
Elizabeth’s steps were punctuating her words, stomping out her frustration, and Darcy felt for her but was unmoving in his opinion that Elizabeth must be kept away from the sickness. Though it was not how he imagined having the conversation, Darcy knew the one thing that might help Elizabeth choose the wiser course. So, he used his trump card. “Not even if you are with child?”
Elizabeth’s foot froze for a moment before coming down with a clatter. Swiveling around, Elizabeth faced her husband. Her mouth gaping open in shock, hanging wordlessly for a moment before saying, “With child?”
Darcy thought it was incredible to watch the emotions flitter across Elizabeth’s face. The anger bled away and was overtaken by confusion and wonder. His wife was so very expressive, even without speaking. “Yes, apparently both your mother and Jane think you are pregnant and want you to stay clear of the sickness because of it.”
“I… Oh my…” Elizabeth slowly made her way over to the settee she had been sitting on when Darcy had made his way into the room. She pressed one hand to her lips and the other to her stomach.
Following her to the settee, Darcy set next to her, saying quietly, “You have been tired lately. This could explain that.”
“Yes, that is true. I have been more tired than I am used to, but I never thought…” Once again, Elizabeth drifted off mid-sentence.
Darcy’s lips twitched as he took in his wife’s turmoil. She was such a dynamic woman. It was not often that he got to see her so overwhelmed. “It's not as if it's impossible,” Darcy said.
Closing her eyes, Elizabeth seemed to be pondering something before she rested her second hand at her waist along with the first. “No, it is more than possible. Though I had not thought that a baby could be the reason I was tired, but Mama and Jane know what they are about.” Looking at Darcy, Elizabeth smiled. “There is no way to be certain until I feel the babe move, and that will be months from now.”
Finding it impossible not to smile at the news, Darcy said, “Until then, I want to keep you and the little one safe.” Darcy held his hand out to her, wanting to soothe away her upset. “Everyone wants that.”
Elizabeth took his hand in her own and squeezed it tight. She tried to smile, but it came out wobbly as she whispered, “I hate not being there for Jane. I have always managed to protect my family, to be there for them. This feels as though I am failing here somehow.”
Taking her hand, he pulled it up to kiss her knuckles, maintaining eye contact as he did so. Then, placing her hand over his heart, he said, “Can you not see this as protecting your family? A newer member of your family? Jane would never begrudge you that. Remember, she is the one who told us to keep you away. I am sure you can find another way to be helpful.”
“You are right. I would never do anything to risk a gift as precious as what we may have been granted.” Sighing, Elizabeth leaned into Darcy, and he wrapped his arms around her form. They sat there in silence for a moment before she said, “What do you think you will want to be called?”
Smiling into his wife’s hair, Darcy said, “I think Papa will suit me very well.”
In the end, it did not take long for Bingley to be on his way back to the McGregors on a fresh horse. He was accompanied by a wagon with several strong men who had volunteered to help with the interring of the dead and shuttling supplies. A kitchen maid named Susan had also come along to help Jane care for the sick, whether at the McGregors’ or elsewhere.
Susan had told him, “My grandma was often called to help the sick, and it was many a time that I went with her. Besides, someone will need to do the cooking and cleaning while Miss Bennet cares for the ill.” Though Bingley had never met the young woman before, he was impressed with her attitude and bravery.
Looking over the stocked wagon, Bingley was glad that they had as many supplies as they did. There was food and medicine in the wagon, as well as a trunk that Mrs. Bennet had sent for Jane. Bingley had brought his own supplies, having easily decided that he would not be returning to stay at Pemberley until matters had resolved. He would stay at Glenn Cottage, and he would help in the field, so to say. Darcy had wanted to come, but Bingley had managed to convince him to stay at Pemberley to oversee things.
Chapter Eight
Jane looked up from her task at the sound of a wagon approaching. Smiling down at Grace and Allen, she said, “I hear a wagon. It seems we will have some visitors.”
She had been using a wet rag to clean up both children as best she could. Allen seemed to be suffering from a fever, and she hoped it would cool him. Grace, on the other hand, was not sick as far as Jane could tell. They seemed to settle under her kind attention. Both had been very grateful to have the water that she had offered for them to drink. Mrs. McGregor had not regained consciousness, but Jane had wet the woman’s lips. Jane feared that trying to even drip some water into her mouth might worsen her condition if she choked.
Getting up from where she knelt on the floor next to the children’s pallet, Jane murmured, “I am going to greet our guests. They will probably come inside. I do not want you to be frightened by the strangers; they are here to help.” Grace nodded in response to Jane’s statement, wrapping her arm around her little brother. Allen did respond but continued staring, his wide brown eyes nearly unblinking. Jane ruffled Grace’s hair and smiled at her encouragingly. “You are such a brave little girl and a wonderful big sister.”
Moments later, Jane was in the yard, greeting the people who had arrived. She nearly fell back against the doorjamb when she spotted Charles, her relief was so great. She wished she could have taken a moment to analyze her reaction and her desire to call him by his Christian name, but there would not be time for such musings about her heart until the calamity had been thoroughly handled.
Charles jumped down from his horse and jogged closer, saying, “I have brought help and supplies. How are you bearing up?”
Jane grimaced, looking over at the others coming down from the wagon. Turning back to Charles, she said, “I will be much better once the bodies have been removed and we can give everything a thorough cleaning.”
The older of the two men came over, and Jane vaguely recognized him as someone who worked in the stables. Removing his cap, he crushed it in his large, calloused hands. Clearing his throat, he said, “James and I will get to work digging some graves. Mr. Darcy said that we should bury them as swiftly as we can to keep this from spreading.”
“Thank you for being willing to help at a time like this, Mr.…?”
“Greg Eliot, ma’am.” Rubbing at a spot of dirt on his pants, the large man shook his head. “It is no trial, miss. If a beautiful lady such as yourself is willing to help succor the sick and dying, I can do no less.” Nodding to her, he and the second man, James, turned towards the back of the wagon and retrieved the shovels. They set off, diligently searching for a spot where the small family could be laid to rest.
After they left, a young woman of about Kitty’s age came forward and bobbed a curtsy. “My name’s Susan, Miss Bennet.” The girl offered an explanation, seemingly aware of Jane’s lack of recognition. “I work down in the kitchens, miss. I have come to help you with the cooking and cleaning and caring for the sick ones. I have some bit of training from my grandmother. Not a lot, mind you, but I am a hard worker. I will do right by you.”
Stepping forward, Jane grasped the girl's hand in a move that seemed to have been unexpected if Susan’s expression meant anything. “Thank you so much for being willing to help. I think we may very well have our work cut out for us.”
A quick blush flashed across Susan’s cheeks, but she managed to respond, “Thank you, miss. I will just go inside and see about starting in the kitchen.”
Jane watched the girl go into the house, glad to have help about the place. As much as Jane was accustomed to working in the stillroom or in the garden, she hadn’t the first idea about how she would have put that kitchen in order.
It was unsettling to Jane that she still did not know all the workers and servants at Pemberley. She had lived there off and on for months, but it was not like Longbourn. Whereas Longbourn had no more than ten servants, Pemberley had five or six times that.
