She stirred to move the blankets in her arm and immediately their son’s round, cherub face was revealed. The child’s complexion was slightly mottled as he could not be but a few hours old, yet both parents adored his sleeping form with utter fascination. When his little lips parted like he might cry, but instead only showed him to make a slight quibble with his mouth and then settle back down, neither of them moved. Then it was Mr. Darcy who spoke.

“God has protected you both, and my greatest prayer is answered.” He leaned down to kiss his child’s forehead and then leaned further to bestow a kiss on Elizabeth’s cheek. “Allow me to refresh myself and then I shall return for your slightest need.”

Elizabeth hummed in contentment. Before she could find the energy to tell him how much she loved him, she had fallen back asleep.

Once he was bathed and dressed in a new set of clothes, Mr. Darcy again visited his wife and child, but they were still sleeping. He did not have the heart to wake them and instead left to see to the rest of the household. The ball ending with such a momentous occasion as the birth of his heir, in addition to the announcement of his cousins’ engagement, the master of Pemberley rightfully expected the night’s events would quickly spread through society. As he passed the pile of post to go out, he noticed many missives were written by their guests.

Strolling to the dining room to break his fast, and then see about a tray being taken to Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy was surprised to see the place mostly empty. He realized the men were likely still in bed and the ladies enjoyed a tray in their rooms. Alone at the dining table was Elizabeth’s sister, Miss Catherine. Pouring himself a cup of coffee, Mr. Darcy complimented her on the last evening’s performance.

“Thank you, but I did not think you would remember it. I am sure your thoughts were elsewhere,” Kitty remarked, pushing bits of roasted tomato around on her plate.

Mr. Darcy nodded, carrying a plate equally full of savory items like sausages, roasted tomatoes, and toast to the table. His stomach protested at first to the food as he still suffered from the previous night’s drink, but after his toast was half eaten, he felt better. Kitty sat silently, and her brother reflected on how much the young woman had changed since he had met her. Swallowing a bit of crust and washing it down with coffee as it became slightly stuck in his throat, Mr. Darcy coughed gently to test his voice before he spoke.

“Where are Georgiana and Anne?” he asked after the other single women in the family that were in residence. But Kitty shrugged.

“I haven’t slept yet. I wasn’t tired.”

“Were you with your sister?” Mr. Darcy asked, wincing as he again remembered how he had failed his wife so terribly.

Kitty nodded.

Suddenly, Mr. Darcy began to fear that their younger sister had been traumatized to witness the birth of her nephew. So he gently inquired if she was upset by the delivery and Kitty laughed.

“Mr. Darcy, where I am from, children are born with great regularity. I was ten when my Aunt Gardiner birthed her eldest daughter at Longbourn.” Kitty lifted her cup of chocolate to her lips.

Mr. Darcy patted his mouth with his serviette to hide his reaction of confusion. Before he could speak, Kitty licked her lips and explained.

“Children come early or late as they plan. My aunt and uncle were visiting from London and were due to leave the following day, but it was not to be.”

“And you were enlisted to lend aid?”

Kitty shook her head. “No, but I snuck in behind the maids when the linens went between the room and the kitchen. I was curious,” Kitty smirked, and then her expression turned soberer as the dining room door opened and the Viscount Ashbourne entered, looking extremely disheveled.

“Kitty,” he said, not noticing Mr. Darcy at first. Spying his cousin, Robert Fitzwilliam offered his congratulations and then approached the table.

Fitzwilliam Darcy watched the shoulders of his sister tense.

“Please say you will change your mind. Come to London. Darcy, tell her she will have such fun.” Robert Fitzwilliam spoke animatedly, without making himself a plate before he sat at the table. It was rather obvious Kitty was not the only person who hadn’t slept.

Mr. Darcy slanted his eyes at his cousin, finding his behavior to be inappropriate. He was about to speak up on Kitty’s behalf, but the young woman handled the query herself.

“We spoke about this,” she hissed, hinting that her hours awake were not only spent in the service of her sister. “I hold no desire to go to London and pretend mirth where none is felt, to play a part where the performance never ends.”

Mr. Darcy leaned back in his chair, slightly affronted by the viciousness of Kitty’s voice. He closed his eyes as Robert continued his entreaties, and nearly jumped when the solution became so painfully clear.

“Miss Catherine cannot go to London, as she has not only consented to remain here to help with her nephew,” Mr. Darcy announced to Kitty’s stunned silence. “She also must work on her manuscript because she will publish soon.”

Robert Fitzwilliam eyed his cousin suspiciously.

“You turned down the publisher. Didn’t he, Kitty?” Robert again used her Christian name in front of another, but it did not yield him the desired effect.

When Catherine didn’t speak, Mr. Darcy took her silence as a sign of alliance. He felt to be on the right tack to offer her protection, regardless of what Mrs. Darcy thought of her sister’s feelings. It was clear to him that Kitty Bennet was not so enamored with Robert Fitzwilliam that she refused to chase him to London. In one moment, Mr. Darcy suddenly realized the maturity of the woman next to him and issued the edict that would finally dash Robert’s inane aims to curry favor with a woman who was not his intended.

“Perhaps Miss Catherine never explained to you our larger plans. We shall publish her book ourselves and donate the proceeds to a school being formed here in Derbyshire.” Mr. Darcy pronounced a plan based on nothing more than conjecture and vague discussions with his wife. But seeing a shy smile creep across Kitty’s face, he knew his gamble had been worthwhile.

“Is this true?” Robert asked, angrily.

Instead of answering, Kitty shrugged.

“You need to eat, sir, as it has been a long night. Or if not, I suggest you sleep,” Kitty said, rising from the table and causing Mr. Darcy to absent-mindedly stand as well from decades of training in such manners. Robert remained stubbornly seated, and Kitty announced she would follow her own advice and asked if her brother wished to join her in seeing to her sister.

Mr. Darcy smoothed his vest as he looked at his half-eaten plate, and decided he had eaten enough. He agreed to Kitty’s plan and announced he wished to see about a tray taken to Mrs. Darcy.

“Oh, I arranged that before I sat down to eat, Brother,” Kitty said, as she walked to the door. They left a sullen Robert behind and during the walk upstairs, Mr. Darcy didn’t ask Kitty any questions, and she didn’t volunteer any explanations.