Page 62 of Fitzwilliam Darcy An Honourable Man

William could not suppress a smile at the young man’s obvious pride in Millie. “You are very kind to take care of so young a charge.”

Raising his chin, the youth replied confidently, “It is my Christian duty to care for widows and orphans, so the Bible teaches. Moreover, I am used to children, as I helped with my younger brothers and sisters. My mother says it will serve me well when I have children of my own.”

William clasped his shoulder. “You are correct, and your mother is a wise woman. Still, you are a good man to take such prodigious care of her.”

Arthur flushed as red as his hair, dropping his head in embarrassment. “I thank you.”

William stepped into the hall then, moving in the direction of the grand staircase. He glanced up the stairs to see Evan already half-way down and waited for him at the bottom.

Grabbing his brother’s hand as they met, Evan absently shook it as he proclaimed, “I have not seen Ana this happy in—I cannot remember how long! How did you ever accomplish this miracle? Is Millie really ours?”

William’s smile was kind but weary. “As her newly commissioned godfather, I can assure you that she is most definitely yours. However, we agreed to talk about it all tomorrow.”

Evan held up both hands as if in surrender. “Of course. I am walking on air, and I forget that you are tired. Forgive me!”

“No apologies needed. But I would like to tell Gigi I am leaving, if it would not be an inconvenience.”

“None at all. You will find your sister in the nursery rocking an already sleeping child to sleep.” They both chuckled. “But I will not mind if she stays there all night—and she may. She is entitled to be thrilled about the child.” Evan continued, “She is perfect, and not just because she is the very image of my Ana.”

“That was the first thing I noticed about the girl. She could be the child in the portrait at Pemberley, the one painted when Gigi was three.”

“Yes! I had not thought of it, but you are right,” Evan exclaimed, “the portrait of your entire family, where Ana is sitting on her mother’s lap!”

William’s face fell just a little. “Yes, that is the one.” Patting Evan’s back as he passed him, he added, “I pray she will bring you both joy.”

“She already has,” Evan said hoarsely. “How can we ever thank you?”

“Just love her as you would your own.”

“You know I will ...we will.”

“That is why she is here.”

~~~*~~~

The sound of Georgiana’s clear soprano caught William’s attention long before he reached the door to the nursery. She often sang as a child, and even as a young woman, she accompanied herself on the pianoforte. However, it had been years since he had heard her sing and never something so simple, so heart-warming.

Stopping just outside the door, he peered in to find her sitting in the chair he had given her when she was expecting her first child, still rocking Millie. Fortunately, for him, her head was bowed so she could not see his struggle. He was finding it hard to keep his composure as she sang a nursery rhyme their own mother had sung to them.