Blackout - behind the scenes
Sep. 24th, 2011 05:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
the_shrubberyJust a little tidbit that I thought of the other day.
Dearest Mother, dearest Julia,
My cable will have assured you that I returned safely and as hale as can be expected; I apologise for not writing or ‘phoning earlier . I returned late at night on the 29th and of course had to undergo the usual debriefing until they finally let me go early the next morning. I spoke to father briefly in the hallway and he assured me he would let you know the next time he saw you. I do not know whether he did.
There was someone I needed to see that morning as soon as I had the time; I had promised her the night before I left – you will probably have guessed by now where this is leading. I had no time before I left, but I can tell you now, my dears, that I am going to be married as soon as possible. My bride is Caroline Bingley, Charles‘ Bingley‘s sister, you have met her before.
There is, however, more to it, something of which I had no idea until my return. I could not find Caroline at her address in London, and was quite worried until a neighbour informed me that Caroline had moved to the country, to Cornwall, to be precise. I knew that to mean that she had moved in with Betty and her sister Jenny, and although I could not guess why she had done so, I lost no time and made my way there immediately – you may tell father that yes, I am serious about this all, as my actions should have told him. I have never been more serious about anything.
When I arrived in Cornwall, I was told that Caroline was not at all well, that in fact, she had collapsed just that morning and been put to bed. You may well imagine what I felt upon hearing this. I demanded to see her instantly and you cannot be more surprised than I was when I tell you now that she was in the last stages of pregnancy. You may tell father that he had better not ask if I am sure about the parentage; I am.
I will spare you the details, but we were most happily reunited. Caroline, on doctor‘s orders, was not allowed to leave the bed, and so I spent most of the past days at her side, catering to her every need. I will not deny that the situation took some time adjusting, but as soon as I had begun to understand that I was going to be a father, I was more overjoyed than anything else. The past few months were not of a kind that I wish to repeat, and to find something this good upon my return was more than I had hoped for.
On the morning of the 5th, Caroline woke up in pain. The mid-wife, a friend of the Bennet family, was called, and at first, there seemed to be little cause for worry; by the evening, however, I could tell that not all was going as it should. They had banned me from the room, but it was apparent that they were in distress and the doctor was called that night. Charles assured me repeatedly that it had taken much longer when his son was born, but I could not help being worried, as much from hearing what was going on in Caroline‘s room, as from the serious faces of Betty and Jenny. I feared that any minute, they would ask me to make a decision I was not ready to make.
I will not worry you needlessly, however, with tales of the horror I was feeling; be assured that all went well in the end. Cornelia Louisa Fitzwilliam was born early in the morning on the 6th and both mother and child are healthy. My daughter is, truly, the prettiest creature I have ever laid eyes on and Caroline and I could not be happier.
I am sorry to have sprung all this onto you without much warning, but the last few days have been overwhelming, to say the least. I hope that you can find it in your hearts to welcome my wife and my daughter into our family, in spite of what misgivings you might have about their whirlwind arrival in my life, and be truly happy for
Your loving son and brother,
John Richard Fitzwilliam.
P.S.: My best regards to Andrew, should you hear from him before I do; I will write to him later. If you should see father, you may inform him, if you like, but I suppose he will already have heard. I have no illusions about what his reaction will be, but I really could not care less.
Dearest Mother, dearest Julia,
My cable will have assured you that I returned safely and as hale as can be expected; I apologise for not writing or ‘phoning earlier . I returned late at night on the 29th and of course had to undergo the usual debriefing until they finally let me go early the next morning. I spoke to father briefly in the hallway and he assured me he would let you know the next time he saw you. I do not know whether he did.
There was someone I needed to see that morning as soon as I had the time; I had promised her the night before I left – you will probably have guessed by now where this is leading. I had no time before I left, but I can tell you now, my dears, that I am going to be married as soon as possible. My bride is Caroline Bingley, Charles‘ Bingley‘s sister, you have met her before.
There is, however, more to it, something of which I had no idea until my return. I could not find Caroline at her address in London, and was quite worried until a neighbour informed me that Caroline had moved to the country, to Cornwall, to be precise. I knew that to mean that she had moved in with Betty and her sister Jenny, and although I could not guess why she had done so, I lost no time and made my way there immediately – you may tell father that yes, I am serious about this all, as my actions should have told him. I have never been more serious about anything.
When I arrived in Cornwall, I was told that Caroline was not at all well, that in fact, she had collapsed just that morning and been put to bed. You may well imagine what I felt upon hearing this. I demanded to see her instantly and you cannot be more surprised than I was when I tell you now that she was in the last stages of pregnancy. You may tell father that he had better not ask if I am sure about the parentage; I am.
I will spare you the details, but we were most happily reunited. Caroline, on doctor‘s orders, was not allowed to leave the bed, and so I spent most of the past days at her side, catering to her every need. I will not deny that the situation took some time adjusting, but as soon as I had begun to understand that I was going to be a father, I was more overjoyed than anything else. The past few months were not of a kind that I wish to repeat, and to find something this good upon my return was more than I had hoped for.
On the morning of the 5th, Caroline woke up in pain. The mid-wife, a friend of the Bennet family, was called, and at first, there seemed to be little cause for worry; by the evening, however, I could tell that not all was going as it should. They had banned me from the room, but it was apparent that they were in distress and the doctor was called that night. Charles assured me repeatedly that it had taken much longer when his son was born, but I could not help being worried, as much from hearing what was going on in Caroline‘s room, as from the serious faces of Betty and Jenny. I feared that any minute, they would ask me to make a decision I was not ready to make.
I will not worry you needlessly, however, with tales of the horror I was feeling; be assured that all went well in the end. Cornelia Louisa Fitzwilliam was born early in the morning on the 6th and both mother and child are healthy. My daughter is, truly, the prettiest creature I have ever laid eyes on and Caroline and I could not be happier.
I am sorry to have sprung all this onto you without much warning, but the last few days have been overwhelming, to say the least. I hope that you can find it in your hearts to welcome my wife and my daughter into our family, in spite of what misgivings you might have about their whirlwind arrival in my life, and be truly happy for
Your loving son and brother,
John Richard Fitzwilliam.
P.S.: My best regards to Andrew, should you hear from him before I do; I will write to him later. If you should see father, you may inform him, if you like, but I suppose he will already have heard. I have no illusions about what his reaction will be, but I really could not care less.
