“His choice of a wife” by Heather Moll, vignette + giveaway

When a man’s honor is at stake, what is he willing to risk for the woman he loves? 

After a disastrous marriage proposal and the delivery of an illuminating letter, Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet hope never to lay eyes on one another again. When a chance meeting in Hunsford immediately throws them in each other’s way, Darcy realizes his behavior needs correcting, and Elizabeth starts to appreciate his redeeming qualities. But is it enough to forgive the past and overcome their prejudices?

Jane and Bingley’s possible reconciliation and Lydia’s ill-conceived trip to Brighton pose their own challenges for two people struggling to find their way to love. When scandalous news threatens their chance at happiness, will Darcy and Elizabeth’s new bond be shattered, or will their growing affection hold steadfast?

Hello to all! What do you think of this blurb? It is not giving a lot of insight but it is making clear that there are quite a few problems that Elizabeth and Darcy may overcome before… a happy ending?

I am glad to welcome Heather Moll to the blog and to introduce you to her and her first book: His Choice of a Wife. On the JAFF world and, obviously in Pride and Prejudice, the choice of a wife is key and we know the struggle that Mr Darcy has with himself when he realises he is in love with Elizabeth Bennet.

I am also interested on Jane and Charles and how big their role is. We know Lydia is almost always a pain but I hope Jane and Bingley end up together.

Let’s discover a bit more about the author:

Heather Moll is an avid reader with a B.A. in European history and a M.A. in library science, so it is astonishing that she did not discover Jane Austen until her late-twenties. Making up for lost time, she devoured all of Austen’s novels, her letters, and unpublished works, joined JASNA, and spent far too much time researching the Regency era. She is thrilled to have found fellow Janeites and the JAFF community, if only to prove that her interests aren’t so strange after all. Heather is a former librarian turned stay-at-home mother who struggles to find time for all of the important things, like reading and writing.

You can follow her and contact her on:

Facebook                  Twitter              Amazon Author Page             Goodreads 

Vignette

Hello Ana and thank you for welcoming me to My Vices and My Weaknesses today! I’m sharing a vignette from His Choice of a Wife. This was a scene between Darcy and Lady Catherine in London that was cut from the final version because it didn’t move the story forward. In the final version, their conflict is only referenced as an exchange of letters. This cut scene is a more heated altercation but didn’t have any impact on the plot. Still, who doesn’t love a good Lady Catherine set-down?

“You need not announce me, step back! I know where to find him.” 

Darcy had been indulging in the memory of Elizabeth’s lips on his neck, with his feet propped up on his desk, and was so startled he nearly fell from his chair. He had not noticed the arrival of a carriage, but there was no mistaking the overbearing, booming voice that intruded into hissolitude. The door swung open and Lady Catherine entered with an air more than usually ungracious and sat down without saying a word.

He rose to greet his aunt and tried to disguise his dismay, on both her manner of barging into his home and the fact that she had called at all.  

“Good afternoon, madam.  I trust you are in good health.  I admit that I had quite forgotten that you were to be in town in June.”

“You can be at no loss, Darcy, to know why I come.”

“You are mistaken; I cannot account for seeing you here.”

“Darcy,” replied her Ladyship, in an angry tone, “your most alarming letter reached me last night. It had been sent to Rosings Park and that must explain why it has only come to me now. You have made an offer of marriage to Miss Elizabeth Bennet? Had I heard it from anyone else I would have supposed it a scandalous falsehood!” 

“Lady Catherine,” said Darcy, coloring with astonishment and disdain, “it is no falsehood.  I have made her an offer of marriage and am pleased to have been accepted.”

“Do you still retain the use of your reason? What arts and allurements has she used to make you forget what you owe yourself and all your family?  How is it that she has drawn you in?”

He paced as he attempted to rein in his emotions. That she would charge into his home and disparage his intended’s reputation was not to be borne! He had anticipated Lady Catherine’s disapproval, but he had never dreamed she would accuse Elizabeth of seducing him.

“Do you truly believe that I offered to marry her in a moment of infatuation?” 

“What about Anne? You are engaged to my daughter!”

“No, madam, I am happily engaged to Miss Elizabeth Bennet.” Darcy attempted to placate her.  “It might have been a favorite wish of my mother and you, but I am not destined for my cousin.  I am neither by honor nor inclination confined to Anne and I have made my choice.” 

“Do not expect to be noticed by your family or friends, Darcy, should you willfully act against the inclinations of all and marry this girl. You will be censured, slighted, and despised by everyone connected with you.” 

“I doubt that but, if it were so, with Miss Bennet as my wife I shall have such an extraordinary source of happiness that I would have no cause to repine!”

“You would let the upstart pretensions of a young woman without family, connections, or fortune divide you from uniting our respective houses?”

“Miss Bennet is the daughter of a gentleman and I will have you remember that, madam.”

“True, but what of her mother?  Who are her uncles and aunts?”

“Since I do not object to them, they can be nothing to you!” Darcy found his patience wearing thin.

After some hesitation she replied, “You must find a way to withdraw from this engagement.  I shall convince this girl to release you. I expect Miss Bennet to be a reasonable woman, and she would show me gratitude for my attentions last spring.  I will set off at once and make my sentiments known to her.”

If Darcy had been angry before, this declaration made his blood boil.  He swiftly approached Lady Catherine with his jaw clenched as he towered over her.  “You will do no such thing!” His aunt leaned away from him in her chair, her eyes wide with shock.  “You have widely mistaken my character if you think I can be worked on by such pretensions as these.  Had Miss Bennet not accepted my hand it would not have made me then wish to bestow it on Anne.  I doubt that my family will resent me for acting in a manner which will constitute my happiness.” 

“I am exceedingly angry that you have allowed this, this lady of easy virtue to draw you in!  Did she offer you a bit of muslin on the sly?  I cannot imagine any other possible means for which you would throw off your duty and your honor.  You need not marry her if that be the case; let her be your mistress and take Anne to be your wife.”

“I want you to leave,” Darcy said in an icily quiet voice. 

“I beg your pardon, Darcy, what did you say to me?” Lady Catherine’s jaw hung open.

“You have been ordered to remove yourself from my home.  You have insulted both my betrothed and me in every possible method and I shall no longer suffer your interference in my affairs.”  Darcy strode to the door of his library and threw open the door.  He ordered the footman in the vestibule to call his aunt’s carriage.  Lady Catherine rose from her chair in silent indignation and Darcy led her from the library. “You might wait outside, for I have nothing further to say to you,” and he swiftly shut the door behind her.

Thank you, Heather for sharing this scene with us. It is a pity that it is cut from the final edition but we are able to enjoy it here. I really like when Lady Catherine has an argument about Darcy’s choice of a bride. I simply imagine her almost hyperventilating!!

By the way, Elizabeth kissing Darcy’s neck?!? That sounds like a very happy ending to me *hehehe*

Would you like to buy this book now as you cannot wait how this relationship is going to develop? You can do it on the links below, remember to check if there is the ebook or the paperback edition depending on what you want (not both formats are available on every link).

Amazon US          Amazon UK          Amazon CA            Amazon DE     Bookdepository

Blog Tour Schedule

This is the last stop of this lovely tour, I recommend you to visit previous stops to enjoy much more of His Choice of a Wife.

July 25th More Agreeably Engaged

July 26th Babblings of a Bookworm

July 27th My Love for Jane Austen

July 28th Half Agony, Half Hope

July 29th Austenesque Reviews

July 30th From Pemberley to Milton

July 31st Savvy Verse & Wit

August 1st Darcyholic Diversions

August 2nd Diary of an Eccentric

August 3rd Margie’s Must Reads

August 4th My Jane Austen Book Club

August 5th So Little Time…

August 6th My Vices and Weaknesses

 

Meryton Press is giving away to eight winners, 8 ebooks of Heather Moll’s His Choice of a Wife. Click the link below and follow instructions. Good luck!

Rafflecopter – His Choice of a Wife