A Child for Elizabeth

A Pride and Prejudice Possibility

By: Carrie Mollenkopf

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Length: 4 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Pemberley 1818, Elizabeth Bennet Darcy sat alone in her private morning room contemplating her plans for the following week. It had been five years since her marriage, and she and her husband had fallen into an unofficial tradition of creating a series of small surprises to celebrate the occasion. More often than not, the surprises turned out the be jokes of the worst kind, but they loved it. Never ones for large crowds, they had preferred privacy to sharing, even with immediate family. So far, it had been nothing short of heavenly as they grew to know each other in ways that most married couples never did. Thiers was a love match in a time when marriages were often more of a business arrangement. The only missing element to such a perfect union was the lack of a child. Both she and Darcy wanted children, but as of yet, this happiness was not to be bestowed. As the owner of one of the largest estates in England, Fitzwilliam Darcy required an heir to take up the reins of Pemberley for the next generation. “This place is far more than just my home; it is an entity of its own and deserves a person who will care for it with great devotion.” To this declaration, Elizabeth could but only agree, for she knew first-hand the perils of mismanagement. Her own father, having inherited an estate of modest means, had done little to improve it beyond basic maintenance. This neglect was often attributed to having no male children to which he could pass it on. As a result, Longbourn was little more than a decaying heap of stones, more of a burden than blessing to be deposited upon her cousin William. Despite its condition, the fact that neither she, nor her sisters could inherit the family home was a source of irritation. Laws favored men in all ways. Even if a lady was in possession of her own funds, rarely did she have complete control over its disposal. This thought had often occupied her on the times when the possibility of a pregnancy presented. So much did it cause worry that Elizabeth had begun to believe that her anxiety of the prospective child’s gender had caused her lack of fertility. Of this, she had never spoken, not to anyone, but it was obvious that the longer they remained childless the more it worried her husband. Darcy, ever the epitome of kindness and consideration, had never voiced any sort of opinion. But Elizabeth knew him all too well to believe he was unbothered by the situation. This was only further exacerbated by the regular announcements of her sister’s arrivals. Having four sisters in total, only one remained presently unmarried, but even plain, pious Mary had become recently engaged. To date, her parents had been blessed with half a dozen grandchildren. Her eldest sister, Jane, bearing twin boys within a year of her marriage. Elizabeth could only stand by and be the doting aunt, sending congratulations and baby items, but not share in the experience herself. She had even gone so far as to consult a London doctor without Darcy’s knowledge. The assessment, while encouraging, had done little to solve her predicament. “You are young and healthy, there is no history of any sort of malady that might cause problems. Sometimes these things just take time… and practice,” the Harley street physician had insisted. Grumbling to herself, Elizabeth had simply thanked him and left. “Practice more? That is all we ever do!” But it did not seem to be enough, there was still no sign of the child she desperately wanted. Would Darcy's love slowly fade without an heir?