I love a good long novel but nowadays I do not have much time, so what about a novella? Yes, please! and here we have three novellas!
Very different plots but I hope they all have a lovely ending. Let me share the blurbs with you.
What Became of Miss Mary King – Miss Mary King was whisked away to Liverpool by her uncle, thus escaping the clutches of Mr. Wickham. What became of the heiress once removed from the fortune-hunting cad that wished to marry her? In Liverpool, she struggles with sadness and regret, battling the memories of what occurred in Meryton and resenting the fortune that made her so gullible a target for the charming rogue that stole her heart. This story completes Mary’s saga as she learns to trust and love again. At First Slight – What happens when an angry fairy takes offense to Mr. Darcy’s insult of one of his favorite mortals? Eros and his bride, Psyche, boasted many names over the eons, but their purpose has always been the same: unite mortals with the potential for love and see them off to their happy endings. Their magic draws them about to the moment possibly lovers are fated to meet. The magic guides them as they aid the couples. But what happens when Eros is angered by Mr. Darcy’s cruel words to Elizabeth? He takes matters into his own hands, of course, bumbling and erring the entire way. After acting impulsively, he and his bride must work to correct the course before Elizabeth and Darcy lose their chance at a happy ending forever. A Change of Outcomes – What would happen if Lydia Bennet, while snooping in her sister’s room, discovered Lizzy’s letter from Darcy before going to Brighton? How would her perception of Mr. Wickham’s attentions change? Lydia goes to Brighton with eyes wide open, and instead of falling for Mr. Wickham’s charm, chooses a steadier path. Her friendship with Harriet Forster takes a different turn, and she sees life and marriage in an entirely new way. But Mr. Wickham seems determined to win her good opinion, much to Lydia’s vexation. Will she get her own happy ending, or will she remain the vapid, foolish child she has always been?
What do you think? To be honest I have never thought about Mary King, so I fins this story interesting and I hope she had a nice ending to her story.
I am not sure about getting the fairies in!! That could be very problematic for Elizabeth and Darcy… good! 😀
I really want to read Lydia’s impression about the letter and how she then behaves. Is Mr. Wickham really in love with her?
MJ Stratton is a long-time lover of Jane Austen and her works, having been introduced to Pride and Prejudice by a much-beloved aunt at the age of sixteen. The subsequent discovery of Austenesque fiction sealed her fate. After beta reading and editing for others for nearly a decade, MJ started publishing her own work in 2022. MJ balances being a wife and mother with writing, gardening, sewing, and many other favorite pastimes. She lives with her husband and four children in the small, rural town where she grew up.
I am very glad to having MJ Stratton back on the blog, I enjoy her writing and I think she shared very nice things with us. Just keep reading!
Here you have some link where you could buy this collection of novellas:
I’ve been asked recently where I get my ideas for my books. I can’t say that I have one or even two places where I get them. They tend to just…happen. Sometimes a conversation will trigger an idea, or research will pull a new idea to the surface. I have a note in my phone that I record them in, and my husband will tell you that I’ll often pull my phone up in the middle of the night and put ideas down. So many things come to my mind as I try to drift off to sleep. I have struggled with insomnia for many years, and so while my husband is asleep in what seems like seconds, I often lay there for a while before I fall asleep. As a teenager I started telling myself stories to pass the time and I guess I never stopped. The difference is that now I actually write them down! Miss Mary King was lately on my mind, and I asked myself the question, what happened to Miss Mary King? Did she go to Liverpool and get married off to one of her uncle’s associates? Did she heal from her disappointment? Did she become more cautious about losing her heart? Mary’s story was a lot of fun to write, and it gave her a happy ending after Wickham. At First Slight was one of those almost asleep ideas. It’s similar to From Another Perspective in that we are seeing Pride and Prejudice from the eyes of others. In this case, those eyes belong to a pair of fae that are responsible for bringing people together in love. Eros, the more hotheaded of the two, gets angry when Darcy insults Elizabeth and intervenes. His actions set off the events of Pride and Prejudice, and he and his bride hilariously try to fix things. A Change of Outcomes is another Lydia story. This time, she finds Elizabeth’s letter from Darcy before her trip to Brighton, and it completely changes how she behaves during that visit. Lydia is still herself, but a little more… aware of herself and her goals. These three stories did not feel like there was enough to tell to make them novel length, so I decided to put them in a collection Crossroads is the title I chose for this book, and it will be used again next time I have a collection of novellas to publish. Thus, this book is volume one of hopefully several! I hope you give Crossroads a chance!
I enjoy reading how authors get their ideas and it is quite fascinating that they can come at any moment and then many of them become a story!
MJ Stratton is giving away an ebook of Crossroads. You just need to click on the link and follow instructions. Good luck!
What a treat we have today! A mash-up! I am aware that many people do not particularly enjoy the other book that mixes with Pride and Prejudicein A Quick Succession of Busy Nothings by Jane Bamber: Mansfield Park. However, I think that the awful and annoying Mary Crawford can be a great addition to Longbourn and the people in the neighbourhood.
If you do not believe me, keep reading and enjoy a great excerpt where you may be hooked by how ODC talks to each other… but first, the blurb!
The worlds of Pride & Prejudice and Mansfield Park collide when the Bertrams and Crawfords come to Meryton…. The Bertram family of Mansfield Park is forced to retrench and retreat to Purvis Lodge when the baronet’s heir, Tom Bertram, bankrupts the family with his extravagant spending and expensive debauchery. Oblivious to their ruin, their new neighbor Mrs. Bennet finds an agreeable friend in the indolent Lady Bertram, and hastily forms designs on the two Bertram sons for her daughters. Mary and Henry Crawford leave Mansfield Parsonage for the Mayfair home of their friend Charles Bingley, and soon convince him to rent Netherfield Park and travel there with a large party of friends as well as his wily, widowed aunt, Lady Susan Vernon. Once again, Mrs. Bennet is overjoyed at the influx of eligible bachelors for her girls. Jane and Elizabeth Bennet are delighted to be reunited with their Crawford cousins, who shall in turn be reunited with the Bertrams. The bonds of the two eldest Bennet daughters and their cousins Mary and Henry Crawford are put to the test over the course of a summer filled with more fine society than Meryton has ever seen! Mrs. Bennet has it all planned out, but hers are not the only matchmaking maneuvers being made in Meryton – the matrimony-obsessed matron has met her match in Lady Susan Vernon, a masterful manipulator who is infinitely Mrs. Bennet’s superior in subtlety, and who brings out the schemer in Mary Crawford. Even Mr. Bennet is tempted to a little light trickery of his own when Mr. Collins comes to town. Fitzwilliam Darcy wishes only to lift the spirits of his broken-hearted sister Georgiana and his bereaved cousin Richard, and in his efforts to cheer them he becomes embroiled in schemes, rescues, and is even compelled to participate in a theatrical production because it pleases the ones he loves – including the bewitching Elizabeth Bennet. Conflicting desires not only consume his mind, but begin to surround him as his companions at Netherfield all form opposing plans of their own, which threaten to keep any of them from a clear path to Happily Ever After….
Mrs Bennet will always be Mrs Bennet 🙂
Yes, it is here, the excerpt!! Enjoy!
It’s great to be back at My Vices and Weaknesses! My new release is a mashup of Pride & Prejudice and Mansfield Park, and I’m sharing another excerpt!
‘A Quick Succession of Busy Nothings’ imagines The Crawford siblings as cousins to the Bennet sisters. The Crawfords accompany Bingley & Darcy to Netherfield shortly after the Bertrams take up residence at nearby Purvis Lodge. Today’s excerpt delves into the Bennet and Crawford cousins’ past and the bond they forged in their youth – with a fun exchange of banter between Darcy and Lizzy at the end….
***
“You mentioned that you grew up with your cousins,” Georgiana said, betraying a blushing smile as she glanced in Henry’s direction – it was a look Elizabeth had seen him inspire in many a lady, including her dearest Jane. “Were Mr. and Miss Crawford brought up here at Longbourn?”
It was an innocuous question, and yet the answer was not. Mary regarded them with interest as Elizabeth considered how to tactfully reply. “Henry and I were brought up in London from a very young age, after our parents were killed in a carriage accident not far from our home at Everingham.”
Georgiana gasped. “How horrid! But I supposed you must have come here. It seems a great comfort to have so many sisters – to reside with so many children one’s same age….”
“Hardly,” Mary said with a short, bitter laugh. “My aunt Bennet has never forgiven my late father for choosing her sister over herself. So, Henry and I went to live with our aunt and uncle Gardiner in London as children. They had none of their own yet, and they doted upon us. Jane and Lizzy came to stay there, too, while their mother struggled with a difficult confinement more than a decade ago.”
Mr. Bingley had been attending Elizabeth and Georgiana’s conversation for some time, despite Mary’s attempts to engage with him. She reached across him now, leaning close as she extended her arm to clasp Elizabeth’s hand. “I, for one, think that they are both flawless creatures, and ever have been – is that not right Henry? But their mother had four other small children to vex her, and their father thought Jane and Lizzy might benefit the most from time in London, which I am sure they have.”
Henry had continued to stroll about the perimeter of their little group until his sister gained his attention. He sat down between Mr. Darcy and Jane in an almost defensive posture. “What is this, Mary? Of course I think our cousins are perfection personified! But what are you talking of? Can anyone possibly disagree with me?”
More than one pair of eyes landed briefly on Mr. Darcy, but it was Mr. Bingley who spoke. “You shall get no argument from me, Crawford! I am sure they, and your charming sister, are the most amiable angels I have ever met.”
Georgiana murmured her agreement that all three were very pleasant indeed, and then she furrowed her brow. “Did you say there were four other children? I thought there were four in all, not six.”
“Georgie.” Mr. Darcy gave his sister a stern warning, and Elizabeth bristled at his severity toward the poor creature. She opened her mouth to speak, hoping to say something that might gently rebuke her cousin for sharing far too much of their family history, while at the same time assuring Georgiana that she had not been at fault for asking. However, Mary had begun to monologue, emboldened by the attention of all her companions.
“My cousins had another sister, also called Mary, after our grandmother, and a brother, little Edward, the long awaited heir. I recall how we all doted on him excessively, for he was so fair and precious. There was illness here in the village while Jane and Lizzy were in London with us, which kept them longer with the Gardiners, for our aunt and uncle were most attentive to their safety. My aunt Bennet fell ill, and the babe… and little Mary and Edward….”
“Oh no,” Georgiana gasped. “I hope you will forgive my impertinence in pressing you.”
Her apology was directed at Elizabeth, who was sure she must appear greatly affected by all that Mary was relaying to their new friends. “It was many years ago,” she said simply, bristling at Mr. Darcy’s obvious impatience with his sister.
Elizabeth had no intention of being so needlessly candid as Mary, nor any wish to pain her companions with the awful truth, that she could no longer clearly remember her lost siblings’ faces, but that she would never forget Jane’s expression when their uncle told them of their loss. She could still recall the panic and confusion they had both felt when their aunt tried to explain to them why their mother could not bear to have her daughters in the house – that Kitty and Lydia would be sent to spend some time with Mr. and Mrs. Phillips in Meryton, and Jane and Elizabeth would reside with the Gardiners in London until their mother was recovered from her ordeal. It had taken her four long years.
Mortified that their private family history should be aired so unceremoniously, Elizabeth endeavored to steer the conversation in a more agreeable direction. “You can see now why Jane and I are so partial to our cousins,” Elizabeth told Georgiana, hoping that would be the end of a topic the poor child plainly regretted opening.
Mary smiled warmly before finally releasing Elizabeth’s hand so that she might receive some share of Mr. Bingley’s solicitude. “It was indeed a very dark time for us all, after so much loss – I shudder to recall, even now – but I shall ever be grateful that I could be of comfort to my cousins, as they were to Henry and I. And I am sure he remains fonder of Jane and Lizzy than any other man shall ever be, and more than he could ever be of any other woman walking the earth.”
Mary looked pointedly toward Henry and Jane, who were still sitting together in a pose that spoke of how the tragic memory had affected them. On Jane’s other side, Edmund watched Mary with a look that signified he wished to offer her the same style of comfort, and she was all too eager to receive it.
Mr. Bingley said something but Elizabeth did not hear his words, only the cheerful tone of his voice. Perhaps he intended to turn the conversation in a more appropriate direction, but Elizabeth found herself suddenly consumed by vexation with her cousin. Mary was clearly basking in the success of her machinations, and Elizabeth found it inexplicably infuriating. She abruptly stood, apologized, and excused herself.
***
Darcy felt his sister trembling at his side as he watched Elizabeth Bennet stalk back toward the house.
He looked down at Georgiana, who was clearly agitated by the turn of conversation that had driven away her new friend. “Oh dear,” she sighed. “I asked questions I should not have – it was very rude of me – what must Miss Elizabeth think of me? I ought to apologize at once – or wait? Or say no more of the matter?”
“‘Tis but a little faux pas,” he reassured her. “At a small, informal gathering like this, there is generally no harm in asking questions of a personal nature to become better acquainted. You could not have known.”
Georgiana nodded, her eyes moving about as if she was endeavoring to comprehend him. “Of course,” she said softly. “Anyone might ask after my family, my parents, not knowing….”
Darcy inclined his head in assent. “Generally in such cases, one changes the subject swiftly.” What he meant, but could not say, was that generally there was not an attention seeking relation bent on furthering her own motives by belaboring a painful subject at the expense of others. Even now, Mary Crawford was savoring the admiration of Charles Bingley and Edmund Bertram; she turned an expectant eye on Darcy, as if waiting for him to commend her for enduring such loss, and being such a comfort to her cousins.
Little though Darcy could approve of such calculated tactics, he found himself employing a small subterfuge himself. Miss Bennet had stood and seemed inclined to pursue her sister, though Darcy thought himself responsible for any damage done by Georgiana’s questions. He cleared his throat and addressed Miss Bennet before she could move away.
“Miss Bennet,” he said, waiting to say more until she met his eye, which she did with surprise.
“Sir?”
Fearing he had frightened her somehow, Darcy attempted to soften his approach, and in doing so lowered his voice. “Do take my place here, Miss Bennet, if you desire to situate yourself to better advantage. I have seen my sister admiring the unique arrangement of your hair – she has a great enthusiasm for learning new styles she has not seen before. The view from here affords a finer angle of Oakham Mount, and I mean to forfeit my seat here. I believe I ought to apologize to Miss Elizabeth.”
This last was said so low that it was audible only to Miss Bennet, who appeared to understand that he did not wish to completely abandon his sister. He had spoken mostly truth – Georgiana was mad for fashion in general, and had often spoken of plaits and curls with new acquaintance when in want of a topic to discuss.
As Miss Bennet took his place at his sister’s side and began gently engaging Georgiana in conversation, Darcy left the picnic behind and strode away in the direction Elizabeth had gone. He rounded the side of the house as she had done, but saw no sign of her. For a moment he felt entirely foolish; she must have retreated indoors, and he could hardly pursue her there.
He nearly turned back, but stopped when he heard a voice beyond the boxwoods – it undoubtedly belonged to Elizabeth. But to whom was she speaking? He recalled that the only other person at Longbourn was Mr. Bennet – was Elizabeth telling her father of her distress? Certain he must answer for his sister’s indelicacy, he stepped around the boxwood hedge to find Elizabeth Bennet speaking vehemently to nobody at all.
She stopped in her tracks and fell silent at once, her already reddened face growing a deeper shade of crimson. She recovered herself quickly, however; she spoke before Darcy could. “You have discovered my secret, Mr. Darcy. I am having an imaginary argument.”
“I beg your pardon?”
Elizabeth looked rather pleased with herself now, and smiled at him as if daring him to think ill of her. “I… hope you are winning,” he replied with a slight bow.
She sputtered with startled laughter. “I am not certain that I am, unless there is some victory to be had in convincing you I have taken leave of my senses.”
“No indeed – you have only taken leave of your tormentor,” Mr. Darcy replied. “I beg you would allow me to apologize to you, Miss Elizabeth, for my own indefensible and indiscreet ill humor last evening, as well as for my sister’s inquisitive remarks, which I indulged only because I was pleased to see her so relaxed in company.”
Elizabeth gave him a curt nod. “I appreciate your acknowledgement of these things, though I am not offended by them. Your own ill humor, as you call it, must have been punishment enough for you, not to mention the loss of the very pleasant company of the ladies present last evening. As to your sister, I did see your efforts to check her, and thought them most unnecessary. She spoke without artifice, much like her brother.”
Darcy was as stunned by her forgiveness as he was by her plain and open speech. He was grateful for the former, and rather in awe of the latter. His mouth might have hung agape but for the smile he found spreading across his face. “Your wrath, then, is not directed at anyone called Darcy?”
A little chortle hummed in her throat. “Not at present, but I should be happy to keep you abreast of any future developments on that score, sir.”
“Thank you, but I hope it shall not be necessary,” Mr. Darcy replied, his natural tone so formal that he feared she might not perceive his attempt at levity.
“You and your sister are perhaps not the most gregarious companions to be had today, nor the most easy in company yourselves, but there can be no doubt of your sincerity, at least. Neither of you could be accused of having any secondary motives to your frankness, and that is certainly an accomplishment.” Elizabeth spoke this last with a breathy laugh, as if sharing some private jest with herself.
“Thank you?” Darcy was not accustomed to her style of candor, nor had he ever received such irritated praise so strangely given. He began to think of returning to the picnic, as his apology had been tendered and accepted, and their continued absence was sure to be noted – they had been alone together long enough. He simply could not command himself to take the necessary steps to remove himself from her curious company. He wondered if she had meant to insinuate some displeasure with her cousin, and he lingered long enough for her to answer his silent question unbidden.
Elizabeth drew in a deep breath, her head rapidly shaking back and forth several times, and then she exhaled sharply as her little white hands balled up into fists. She resumed her pacing. “‘Tis my cousin who ought to apologize for agitating poor Georgiana, for I am sure her innocent question did not deserve to be twisted into an excuse to bend everyone to her will.”
“Miss Crawford?”
“You are plainly trying to set the proper example for your ingenue sister. Mary might have simply allowed me to answer your sister’s question and move the conversation along to happier things. Instead she seized her chance to orchestrate everything to her advantage,” Elizabeth said with a frustrated huff. “In one pretty little piece of theatre she has painted herself in a more sympathetic light, no doubt in a ploy to make you regret thinking ill of her last evening. And in the very same breath she has presented her wish for a union between Jane and Henry in such a way as to signal to every other gentleman present that Jane is spoken for, which is not at all the case, and will likely inspire Henry to do just the opposite, as he ever does when Mary attempts to command him.”
Darcy was shocked by her impassioned burst of honesty, and unaccountably charmed. He fumbled for some response, though she did not seem to require one. “I… you….”
“It is only Mary being Mary,” Elizabeth ranted. “She does not know any better, and there is seldom any harm in it. But I daresay it is not the sample of society you had wished your sister to experience in coming amongst us today.”
“Well….”
“And of all the ways to recommend herself – to speak so cavalierly of, of….” Now it was Elizabeth’s turn to verbally stumble. Darcy took a step closer and offered her a handkerchief just as the first tear slid down her cheek.
“You have no wish for your private and painful memories to be bandied about in a blatant attempt to manipulate the sympathies of near strangers,” he suggested as Elizabeth dabbed at her cheeks. She nodded.
“Georgiana and I have lost both parents. We might have had another sister, had our mother survived her last confinement,” he said, his voice no more than a whisper. “My cousin Richard was a great comfort to us at that time, but I cannot imagine him ever informing a group of new acquaintance of that fact, merely because one amongst them had slighted him. Not even if there were fine ladies present to impress.”
“I told her she ought to simply laugh at you, as I have chosen to do.” Her words were gently spoken, and her eyes shone with acknowledgement of what he had told her; she pressed the handkerchief back into his hand, and held her own there for a moment longer than necessary.
“Did you really advise your cousin to laugh at me?”
“I did,” Elizabeth said, playful and unrepentant. “I also told her I mean to speak my mind in your presence, whether you approve of me or not, and I have done just that, have I not?”
“If you mean to punish me with such charming sincerity, you shall have to try harder than that, Miss Elizabeth.”
She laughed. “I do enjoy a challenge. And irony, too, for Mary is determined to have your esteem, and I am resolved to act as I please, without reference to your opinion of me at all. Only you can say if that is a punishment or not.”
“It is… refreshing,” Darcy blurted.
She looked askance at him for a moment, and then shook her head. “I ought not to have betrayed my cousin’s motives so bluntly. Her desire to be thought well of is perhaps a more sensible, and a more commonly held ideal, than my own attitude. I hope I have not shaded your opinion of her even further in my moment of pique.”
“You have couched my own impressions in more amenable language,” Darcy said carefully. He had concluded instantly, on his own, that Mary Crawford sought to arouse the tender feelings of Bingley and Bertram at the first sign of their attentions to her waning, and being given elsewhere. “I can honestly say that it is only my estimation of you that has altered over the course of our conversation.”
She arched an eyebrow at him. “I hope I have not sunk myself further your esteem, Mr. Darcy, for an hour ago I told my cousins that such a feat was quite impossible.”
Darcy was in awe of the woman he had so foolishly dismissed the night before, and in some danger of telling her just how far from the truth her jest truly was. Fortunately, Mr. Bennet came around the hedges at that moment, his expression inscrutable.
“Well, Lizzy, there you are. Ah, Mr. Darcy, good day to you, sir. I had thought you both to be among the picnic party that is lending such a delightful cacophony to the ambiance in my book room. But perhaps the gathering was not tolerable enough to tempt you?”
Mr. Bennet chuckled to himself as he fixed a satirical eye on Darcy, who took this for the dismissal it was. He knew he ought to count himself fortunate that Mr. Bennet chose not to raise any serious objections to finding the pair alone behind the boxwoods, but as he murmured something appropriate and made his escape, Darcy could only lament the lingering reminders of his regrettable insult.
He stalked away, his fingers caressing the handkerchief she had used, and to his immense relief, he found the rest of the party on the point of breaking up. He needed to be away from Longbourn, and alone with his own reflections.
What do you think? They are pretty “direct”, I mean, Elizabeth and Darcy. What about Mr Bennet´s comment at the end 😀
Mary… what can you tell me about her? What do you think? I think she will give quite a lot of game but, it is quite endearing what Elizabeth tells Darcy about Mary´s goal, right?
Mr Bingley is not fool, or is he already too captivated by an angel instead of paying attention to Mary? 🙂
Who has written such a great scene with so much to be said and taken into account?
Jayne Bamber is a life-long Austen fan, and a total sucker for costume dramas. Jayne read her first Austen variation as a teenager and has spent more than a decade devouring as many of them as she can. This of course has led her to the ultimate conclusion of her addiction, writing one herself.
Jayne’s favorite Austen work is Sense and Sensibility, though Sanditon is a strong second. Despite her love for Pride and Prejudice, Jayne realizes that she is no Lizzy Bennet, and is in fact growing up to be Mrs. Bennet more and more each day.
I am very glad to have Christine Combe back at my blog because she is a lovely writer, moreover, she is not coming with one book but two!! Today she is telling you everything about the two books and she has a curious giveaway, so do not miss the other posts of the blog tour!! Enjoy!!!
Thank you, Ana, and hello everyone! I am so very excited to be returning to My Vices and Weaknesses to talk about not just one but two new Austen variations! I’ve written a duet (or duology, if you prefer) called The Husbands of Elizabeth Bennet.
In volume one…
Elizabeth Bennet has seen many things on her rambles through the countryside, but never an overturned carriage. It is immediately clear that the cause was no accident, and when she helps save the life of the driver — who is soon revealed to be a marquess in disguise — she has no idea that her life from that point will never be the same again.
Henry Faulkner, the Marquess of Stashwick, is a man that knows what he wants — and he wants Elizabeth. In light of multiple attempts on his life, who cares what the ton will think of his choice? While he recovers from the latest attack at Longbourn, and with none of the scruples shown by a certain inhabitant of nearby Netherfield, Henry wastes no time in charming his way into Elizabeth’s heart.
In accepting Lord Stashwick’s proposal, Elizabeth is suddenly thrust into the heart of London’s social elite. With Henry’s sister as her mentor, she takes the first steps toward building a reputation worthy of admiration and respect… but not everyone she meets is pleased with the idea of the daughter of a country squire rising so high.
Can two people from different social classes build a life together when danger still lurks around the corner? And what is a certain gentleman from Derbyshire to do when he’s forced to admit that he may have squandered forever his only chance at happiness — especially given Elizabeth’s shining success in the very circle of society to which he had hesitated to elevate her…
In volume two…
Nine years after a marquess miraculously fell in love with Elizabeth Bennet, the worst that could happen did, and she was left to raise four little ones on her own. A year after Henry’s death, she is as little prepared to return to high society as she was to enter it when they married, but a reminder of her responsibilities to her rank and her children helps her courage rise to take the first steps.
Fitzwilliam Darcy sadly lost his wife in childbirth a year after they married, and he has raised his daughter alone at Pemberley for the last six years. One of his noble aunts entices him to make the journey to London to share in the bonds of family, while another claims it is past time he found his little girl a mother and sired and heir—and Lady Catherine de Bourgh has decided that the right woman to fill the role is none other than Elizabeth.
Darcy and Elizabeth are brought together by their family connexion, and love for their children leads to their spending time together. Although he sees that the years have only enhanced her beauty and she sees that he is a changed man from the one she knew in Meryton, neither is thinking of marriage—certainly not to each other! But matchmaking is the business of the London social Season, and innocent visits to each other’s homes leads to speculation that they are courting in secret.
Can the return of unrequited love help Darcy heal Elizabeth’s broken heart? Or will Elizabeth’s determination to remain a widow keep them apart forever?
Hope those blurbs intrigue you! Now, let me tell you a little bit about how I came up with the idea for this two-part story…
We all know how much Elizabeth loves her long walks. I remember thinking one day, What if she found an overturned carriage? I wondered what Lizzy would do and was certain she would do whatever she could to help. I then wondered, What if the survivor turns out to be a nobleman who happens to fall in love with her?
I know, I know… There are many Austenesque novels out there where Elizabeth marries a nobleman, and even those where he is an older man with hope of siring of an heir. I knew straight away that I wasn’t going to put ODG in that kind of situation—to marry for security, for herself or her family, isn’t her way (normally). I wanted her to have met someone who was as rich if not richer (and Henry is definitely richer!) than Darcy but who, unlike him, would decide he didn’t care what anyone would think. He would be as charmed by Elizabeth’s impertinence and playfulness as Darcy, but not afraid to show it—or to go after what he wants.
It is this forwardness that leads Darcy to see how very wrong he is to not follow his heart. Only, by the time he realizes he is in love with Lizzy, she’s already being charmed by the marquess, and ODB feels there’s no way he can compete.
Although Henry’s sister takes Elizabeth under her wing to help introduce her to society, there’s still his jealous daughter and a murder plot to complicate their lives before she and Henry can go on to their happily ever after. And please, don’t skip volume one just because it ends with Elizabeth married to someone other than Darcy! I assure you it’s a very fun story with a very charming man whom you will adore getting to know as much as I adored writing him.
Now, given the title of the duet is The Husbands of Elizabeth Bennet, I knew that dear, sweet Henry would eventually have to meet his demise so that she could eventually meet her destiny with Darcy.
There are nine years between the epilogue of volume one and the first chapter of volume two. In that time, both Darcy and Elizabeth have lost their spouses (yes, he did eventually marry) and are left to raise young children alone. They are both pressed by relatives to re-enter society, and immediately upon doing so, they are besieged with speculation as to whether they will marry again.
I felt like Elizabeth would not want to—or so that’s what she firmly believes. Her husband has only been gone a year, after all. No one who knows her well should even expect her to, as she truly loved Henry. Darcy feels much the same—he doesn’t need to marry again, because even though his only child is a daughter, Pemberley isn’t entailed, so his daughter is his heir.
But as so often happens, true love finds its way. Darcy is immediately reminded of feelings he thought buried deep, and though he fights his attraction to Elizabeth, he eventually accepts that he can’t. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is stubbornly digging her heels in saying she has no desire to marry again, all while falling in love a second time without even realizing it.
Amidst the marriage-minded machinations of their families and the gossiping members of the ton, Darcy and Elizabeth manage to establish a friendship through the interaction of their children, and when both see that they need each other, that’s when it becomes clear that love is what unites them.
***
What do you think, folks? I hope the blurbs and my thoughts on bringing Darcy and Elizabeth together after being apart for a decade intrigue you. Thanks so very much for stopping by to learn about The Husbands of Elizabeth Bennet today, and thanks again to Ana for having me!
Both volumes of The Husbands of Elizabeth Bennet are available in ebook, paperback, and hardcover from Amazon. Also available to read in Kindle Unlimited.
Visit each blog on the tour and write down the keyword for each day. Comment on the last blog (All That They Desire) with the sentence the words create to enter for your chance to win print copies of both novels! Contest open worldwide!
Keyword: THE
If for any reason you cannot comment on the last blog, reach out to Christine via email or Facebook with the full sentence to qualify for the drawing.
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Christine, like many a JAFF author before her, is a long-time admirer of Jane Austen’s work, and she hopes that her alternate versions are as enjoyable as the originals. She has plans to one day visit England and take a tour of all the grand country estates which have featured in film adaptations, and often dreams of owning one. Christine lives in Ohio and is already at work on her next book.
I really hope you have enjoyed today’s post with double the sweetness and machinations! Thank you very much to Christine for bringing so much and her thoughts, that is always appreciated to know how the authors came with their ideas and how the “play” with ODC!
Do not forget to follow the blog tour and find the clues for the giveaway!!
I am very happy today to introduce a new author in this blog: Caroline Cartier. She is sharing a bit about her new book: Not Without Affection. For the audibook lover, it is being produced as audiobook too! I hope that you will really enjoy the excerpt and the book itself. Let me show you the blurb because you may “not” like it 😀
When Mr Collins visits Longbourn, Elizabeth Bennet is shocked by the sycophantic behaviour of her family toward the Longbourn heir. Mrs Bennet declares that any of her daughters had better accept the man if he offers for them, and Elizabeth quickly comes to suspect that her father will not defend them should they wish to refuse. Despite her protestations, Elizabeth finds herself engaged to her cousin against her will and her sisters turned against her, showing Elizabeth harsh revelations about Jane’s true character. She makes plans to escape the untenable situation, with help from Charlotte, and surprisingly, Mr Darcy, but the marriage moves forward despite their efforts and Lizzy is forced to accept her fate. When Elizabeth is unexpectedly relieved of her unwanted husband, her new friends at Rosings support her as she builds her new life, while Mr Darcy is relieved to have a chance to win her heart but knows he must wait to court her to preserve her reputation. While he suffers the long wait of her mourning until she can be courted, Elizabeth must decide if she is willing to try again, as estate matters and other parties threaten to end the match before it is made in this 68,000-word Pride and Prejudice Variation.
What do you think? She is eventually forced to marry Mr. Collins but, what is worse, Jane is not “our” sweet Jane! What has happened? How are we getting a happy ending for Our Dear Couple?!? We have more people apart from Jane who are not nice (to put it mildly!).
Moreover, soon you will have the audiobook to enjoy Not Without Affection. The audiobooks that I normally listen to have one narrator, so I am eager to listen to two readers: Ariel Royce and Christopher Rourke.
Let’s meet the “culprit” for this story where Elizabeth suffers quite a lot, the author: Caroline Cartier!
Caroline Cartier is an anglophile in her early forties, living out her happily ever after in New England with her very own Darcy. She is mom to an extraordinary young woman who is an English major, two cats, and a spaniel (co-author) named Belle. Having cut her teeth on the Tudors and Mary Queen of Scots with the historical fiction of Jean Plaidy and Victoria Holt at sixteen, Caroline read her way through the histories of the Monarchs of England and France, settling into an abiding love for Regency fiction in her twenties. Her first Jane Austen Variation was Mr Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange. Several years later, a free trial of Kindle Unlimited opened a whole new world of Austenesque fiction. After reading what feels like hundreds of variations, Caroline began her first writing project in 2021, The Victorian Vagaries, a Victorian Pride and Prejudice Quartet that will be published in 2024. Having been a gushing member of many fandoms in her time, Caroline takes great enjoyment in historical fiction, fantasy, and YA fiction, and enjoys the works of Rick Riordan, Angie Sage, James Patterson (the Max Ride series), Stephanie Meyers, Suzanne Collins, J K Rowling, L M Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, and of course the father of fantasy, J R R Tolkien. She takes her inspiration for writing from the wonderful authors of Austenesque literature and the romance series of Stephanie Laurens, Julia Quinn, and Lisa Kleypas, in addition to other historical romances and television period dramas.
She has a lot of good authors to be inspired from and I am sure you will enjoy Not Without Affection.
You may dislike Mr. Wickham but in case you do not, I think you will after this scene! Have fun!
That afternoon, George Wickham began his campaign against Elizabeth in the village by telling several officers that the pair were having a torrid affair and would marry soon out of necessity. Before tea time the tale had spread like wildfire across the village. When Elizabeth was received at Haye Park that evening, Mrs Goulding greeted her stiffly, and then as Elizabeth moved into the room, she heard her hostess say, “Congratulations, Mrs Collins.” But was unable to ask her what she meant as she was carried by the group of arriving guests into the house. Haye Park was the third largest, and second grandest house in the vicinity of Meryton, and though Mrs Goulding never threw balls, her parties were always large. Therefore, as Elizabeth entered the drawing room hearing small choruses of “Good Evening, Mrs Collins.” And, “Congratulations on your news, Mrs Collins.” From every direction, but she was unable to question any particular person about their meaning, because there were just too many people milling about. As she joined her friends in the drawing room, Anne bounded up to her, “Oh Lizzy, are you all right? My beastly cousin did not alarm you too much? He is an idiot and he knows it, but he is an idiot very much in love with you and unfortunately, Mr Wickham makes him rather hot under the cravat, and rightfully so, the devil. But you are entitled to a full explanation and I hope you will allow him to render it.” “Anne, I am not sure that–” Elizabeth began. “Congratulations about Mr Wickham, Mrs Collins,” interrupted Loretta Long as she moved past them with her sister. Her voice was frosty. Everyone knew she still held a tendre for the officer. “What? Loretta, whatever do you mean?” Elizabeth asked, but the two ladies had moved on to the next group. “There is something not right,” she said to Anne. “Why, what could be wrong, Lizzy?” asked Anne curiously. “Everyone I have greeted tonight has congratulated me, but I’m sure I don’t know why,” Elizabeth answered, perplexed. “I believe I saw Lady Lucas in the hall before I came into the drawing room. Perhaps she knows something.” “I shall circulate in here and see what I learn,” promised Anne. Elizabeth looked over to ensure that Lydia was still in her group of friends, then went into the hall looking for Lady Lucas. As she went past a small alcove, Mr Darcy caught her attention. “Mrs Collins, please allow me to apologise for my outburst this morning. Would you do me the honour of reading that letter?” He bowed, having already exhausted his ability to communicate with her at that moment, and moved along immediately after putting the letter into her hand. She stuffed the missive into her reticule absently, and continued her search for Lady Lucas when she was suddenly pulled into the darkened library as she walked past the door. She smelled spirits as Mr Wickham put his mouth close to her ear and whispered, “Let’s give Meryton a performance like they’ve never seen, shall we?” Before Elizabeth could scream or react, he raised his voice and began pleading with her, loudly, “Elizabeth what do you mean by meeting with him in corners? What did he give you? Have you been meeting him in secret as well?” “Mr Wickham, whatever can you mean? Let me go!” Elizabeth objected. “Do not think I did not see him give you a letter! What has he been writing to you? Are you in love with him?” Wickham cried out as if in pain. A crowd had gathered outside of the door as Elizabeth wrenched herself away and into the hall and the crowd opened up about them as he followed. “I will not give you up! You have promised yourself to me, not him! Everyone saw him give you a letter! How many times have you met him?” Elizabeth looked about in terror, “I have never met in secret with anyone, Mr Wickham, and I have made you no promises of any kind! I have never even accepted a call from any officer at Longbourn!” Wickham loomed over her, “I will not give you up! You promised yourself to me; everyone here knows of our engagement! I will forgive you, darling, if only you will marry me right away. We shall get a common licence and do it tomorrow. Do not make me sue you for breach of promise, my love. Let us marry, as we promised one another.” There was a hum of affirmation as the neighbours agreed that everyone knew of the arrangement between Elizabeth and Mr Wickham. Suddenly Darcy and Anne entered the hall, followed by Charlotte. “Wickham! What is the meaning of this!” Darcy thundered. Wickham reached out and grasped Elizabeth’s arm, hard, and pulled her close to him. “Not that it is any of your business, Darcy, but Mrs Collins has promised to be my wife.” Elizabeth suddenly let out the longest, most terrified, blood curdling scream anyone present had ever heard, making many ladies shriek as they pressed their hands to their ears, then she fainted out of sheer terror.
What do you think? Is this Wickham not super despicable? How awful must be for Elizabeth! I really want to know what happens next!
Caroline Cartier is giving away 2 copies of Not Without Affection on ebook for two winners and a 25 dollar Amazon Gift card for another winner. Check the link below and follow instructions. Good luck!
How much I am enjoying this book! I wish I had more time to read during the day. I will just give you a tiny tiny spoiler: “Who is now the matchmaker?” 😀
Now to the important part of this post: the winner of Summer Hanford’s copy of Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop is…
SamH., congratulations!! You can choose between an ebook copy or a paperback copy of the book. Please email me with your email address (for an ebook) or your post address (for a paperback) to myvicesandweaknesses(at)gmail(dot)com – I will only share this information with Summer Hanford.
As it has happened before that I have not received an answer from the winner, if somebody knows SamH, please pass this post to claim the prize. I will leave a month for the prize to be claimed, if not, I will randomise the names again. Hopefully this is not needed!
Happy New Year to all! I know it is the 10th but it is my first post. Let’s get the reading started!
To be honest, this book has me only with the title, and the author. Mr. Darcy has a bookshop? He likes a bookshop? Of course he likes bookshops 😉 I hope you like this blurb as much as I do!
Cut off from his family’s fortune because he refuses to marry the woman his father has selected for him, Fitzwilliam Darcy takes up the only employment he deems tolerable, that of bookseller. Darcy is determined to support himself and to marry for love, but his powerful relations use their clout to keep customers and fashionable young ladies away. Worse, Darcy’s absence from Pemberley allows treachery to flourish.
Determined to see her older sister marry as well as possible, Elizabeth Bennet orchestrates their removal to London. Elizabeth isn’t searching for a husband of her own, but she is always looking for a good book. At a pleasant little bookshop in Cheapside, she finds plenty to read, and so much more. But should she give her heart to a bookseller and leave the life of a gently bred lady behind?
Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop asks what would happen if George Darcy and Sir Lewis de Bourgh had lived, and taken up their deceased wives’ quest to see Darcy and Anne wed. This is a lighthearted variation with laughter, love, a touch of villainy, and a happily ever after for our dear couple.
What do you think? I really hope you like it because I find it really interesting that he has to have a job and this is the only one that he would do. As we know too, Elizabeth is fond of walking and books!! Moreover, I am glad that it is a light-hearted variation because I dearly love to laugh too.
You can get this book on the link below. To be fair, I would not need anymore than this blurb, but you can keep reading too.
Summer Hanford writes gripping Epic Fantasy, swashbuckling Historical Romance, and best-selling Pride and Prejudice retellings. She lives in the Finger Lakes Region of New York with her husband and compulsory, deliberately spoiled, cats. The newest addition to their household, an energetic setter-shepherd mix, is (still) not appreciated by the cats but is well loved by the humans.
While Summer’s education is in Experimental Psychology and Behavioral Neurology, her true passion has always been writing. As a child growing up on a dairy farm, she built castles made of hay and wielded swords made of fence posts. She is passionate about gardening, travel, and organizing her closet. Nothing pleases her more than a row of tops broken down by sleeve length and ordered by color, hung on corresponding hangers…except working on her latest novel.
Summer, I wished I had a bit more of your more of organisation on my closet 🙂
Dear readers, you are here for a treat, enjoy! This is the first chapter of Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop.
Fitzwilliam Darcy pushed his spectacles up on his nose, for they were forever slipping. A more finely crafted pair might better remain in place, but could he afford those, he would need none, for he would be back in Pemberley with more activities at hand than going over his shop records by tallow light. At Pemberley, he would read during the day, for pleasure, with bright sunlight streaming into finely furnished rooms. And if he wrote, there would be no need for cramped letters he could hardly make out, simply to save on watery ink and coarse paper.
Finishing with his records for the day, he snuffed out all the tallow candles but one, then carefully trimmed down the wicks. Rising from the counter at the front of the bookshop, he took the remaining candle and made a check of the doors, front and back, though why anyone would want to rob a bookseller he didn’t know. Satisfied his wares were safe for the night, he took the cashbox and went up the back stairs to the room above, where he finished the watered ale and half-eaten hand pie he’d procured earlier that day.
Going to the other side of the room, he readied for bed, then blew out the candle. By memory and feel, he crossed back to his narrow cot and climbed beneath thin sheets. So far, November had been mild, but soon enough London would grow cold and cloaked in a smoky miasma, and Darcy would shiver in his sleep. Perhaps if he went to his cousin Richard…but no. He wouldn’t put Richard in the position of being at odds with the patriarchs.
Darcy sought rest, his mind on books and ledgers and the price of tallow. It did not help that he had sold only a single volume today, most of which had been spent dusting to keep the shop in good order and to give him something to do. Nor was tomorrow likely to be much different, although soon patrons would trickle in, seeking gifts to take back to their country estates for the Yuletide. December would be a better month. It always had been in years past.
He listened to the light patter of rain on the eaves, well aware he would face the same worries on the morrow. And the next day, and the following. Every day would be thus, until he relented to his father’s and uncles’ command that he marry his cousin Anne de Bourgh. Though he certainly wished no harm to his kin, no matter how they tormented, sometimes Darcy liked to imagine how his circumstances would differ if his father, Matlock, and Sir Lewis had died when he was young, rather than his mother and his aunts. Surely, as a mother, Lady Catherine would have laid to rest this nonsense about Darcy and Anne marrying. Were she alive still, Anne would be happily wedded already, and Darcy would be free from his imagined obligation to espouse her. He was certain of it.
Darcy drifted off during his wistful musings, to wake cold and stiff shortly before dawn. He dressed for the day then stoked his small stove to heat water for tea, which he brewed in a chipped pot. The precious leaves and the heat to boil water for them were the one luxury he wouldn’t do without, his morning cup far more important than a second blanket.
Later, down in the shop, he unlocked the front door and put out the sign, then returned to his dusting. He began with the low, chest-height shelving at the front of the shop, then moved on to the taller shelves in the back of the store. Dust and disorderliness, he’d found, were the greatest enemies of a bookshop, aside from a lack of patrons. Immersed in his work, he didn’t consider that it was the third Monday of the month until much later when the front door opened, the bell jangling, to admit George Wickham.
Darcy started to scowl, then mastered the expression as a second man entered on Wickham’s heels. An amiable looking fellow in his early twenties, with neither great height nor over-fine looks to distinguish him, but a cheerful air of affability. By his garb and his presence with Wickham, Darcy assumed him to be wealthy. Wickham had no use for companions he couldn’t count on to foot the bills, no matter how much money Darcy’s father showered him with.
“Darcy,” Wickham greeted with false warmth, sauntering over to the short ladder on which Darcy stood to reach the highest shelves. “Hard at work, I see. Come down here and I will introduce you.”
Leaving the feather duster on the shelf, Darcy climbed down the ladder. He pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his hands.
“Bingley, may I present an old friend of mine, Fitzwilliam Darcy?” Wickham turned back to Darcy. “And this is Mr. Charles Bingley.”
“Pleased to make your acquaintance,” Mr. Bingley said affably. “Darcy? Isn’t that the name of your patron, Wickham? Any relation? I hear the Darcys are quite the thing in Derbyshire.”
“Why yes, Fitz here is somewhat related to the Darcys in Derbyshire,” Wickham said. He eyed Darcy sardonically and added, “He’s a poor relation, though, to be certain. I come by once a month to check on him.”
“Too good of you,” Mr. Bingley said, looking about. “Fine shop you have here, Darcy.”
“Thank you.”
“Quite a lot of books, isn’t it?” Mr. Bingley continued. “I wish my collection were larger, but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever look into. Still, can’t hurt to browse.”
“You do that,” Wickham said. “Darcy and I are due a chat.”
“Books on horseflesh and fencing are up front on those back two shelves there,” Darcy added, pointing to the front corner of the shop.
“Excellent,” Mr. Bingley said and wandered in that direction.
Darcy turned to Wickham. “My father won’t approve of you bringing me a customer.”
“Bingley?” Wickham raised his eyebrows. “You heard him. He’s not the reading sort. He’s having a devil of a time at university.”
“Is that where you found him? Haven’t you finished at university yet?”
Wickham shrugged. “I recently decided to give law a go. Had to start all over. Your father was more than happy to sell off that living he wanted me to fill and give me the funds to further my education.”
Darcy eyed the loathsome being before him and wondered how much money Wickham had swindled from George Darcy this time.
“Five thousand,” Wickham said, following Darcy’s thoughts, for they knew each other well, having been raised nearly as brothers. “The living didn’t go for that much but my dear, dear godfather wanted to ensure I am comfortable while at my studies, so he augmented the sum.” Wickham leaned near, lowering his voice to say, “By the time you give up this ridiculous show of independence, you will be begging to marry your hoyden of a cousin just to refill Pemberley’s coffers, the way your father spends money on me.”
“Anne is not a hoyden.” Not that anything about Anne was why Darcy would never relent to his father’s demand that they wed. They simply did not suit, and being cut off from his family’s money wouldn’t persuade Darcy that they did. He would never give in to his father’s tyranny.
“Of course she is,” Wickham countered. “She rides and hunts and shoots. I have only ever seen her in boots and a habit, a crop in hand. Your uncle raised her to be the son his late wife didn’t give him, which is why I sympathize with you not wanting to wed her, but you’ll get Rosings, man. Stop this ridiculous charade and get the banns read.”
“Must we do this every third Monday?” Darcy asked. “I have dusting to do.”
Wickham shook his head. “Who would have thought, back at Eton, that the great Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley would spend his days dusting piles of worthless books.”
“I take exception to the notion that books are worthless.”
“Do you?” Wickham shrugged again. “Never found a single one I liked. Well, not here. You don’t stock any of those bawdy ones with the pictures that they bring back from India.”
“No,” Darcy said coldly. “I do not. This is a respectable establishment.”
“This? Only by dint of you being here. We are in Cheapside, after all. It is a stone’s throw to the grand import warehouses.”
“Did you say import warehouses?” Mr. Bingley said, striding over with three books in hand. “Fine places, those. Always trying to convince my sisters to get their fabrics and feathers and whatnots there. All the modistes do. Why pay for the markup, I say.”
Darcy agreed. The great open-air market in the center of the warehouse district was where he made many of his purchases, including his tea.
Wickham chuckled. “My dear fellow, you pay for the markup so everyone will know that you can afford to.” He shook his head, his charming countenance molded into amusement, with just a touch of condescension. “How about you treat me to lunch and I will expound on the subject for you? You have a lot to learn if you wish to properly disentangle from your roots in trade.”
Mr. Bingley pulled a face. “Don’t I know it. My sisters are constantly on about the same thing.”
“Well, if there is anyone who can educate you on how to best employ money to appear every inch the gentleman, it’s me.” Wickham cocked an eyebrow at Darcy. “Would you not agree, Darcy?”
“Yes,” Darcy said dryly. “On that, Mr. Wickham and I can very much agree.”
“Splendid,” Mr. Bingley said cheerfully. “I’ll let you take me under your wing, then.”
Darcy shook his head, pitying the affable young man. Who knew what terrible advice Wickham would give, all the while taking Mr. Bingley for every penny he could get. It would almost be worth marrying Anne simply to be able to influence George Darcy against Wickham and his copious spending.
Almost.
Mr. Bingley held up the books. “I’ll get these, Darcy.”
“Don’t you want to know how much they will run you?” Wickham asked before Darcy could speak. “You want to make certain he does not take advantage of you.” He smirked at Darcy.
Mr. Bingley chuckled. “Can’t see as a fine fellow with the Darcy name would swindle anyone. I’ll take them regardless of the cost.”
“Very well,” Darcy said stiffly. No matter how many years he’d been at his bookselling business, nor how much he truly needed funds, it always dismayed him to accept payment. He would rather gift the books to Mr. Bingley. As things stood, he gave the man a discount to make up, in some small way, for the money Wickham would separate him from.
After Mr. Bingley made his purchase the two said their goodbyes, Wickham trailing his new friend out. He paused at the door, letting it swing closed behind Mr. Bingley, and looked back to say, “I will report to your father that you remain stubbornly opposed to bettering your circumstances, then, shall I?”
“Do what you like,” Darcy replied. “You always do.”
Wickham grinned. “Yes. I do, don’t I?” With a parting smirk, he left.
Through the shop window, Darcy watched the two stride away. Both were fashionably dressed. Both appeared to be gentlemen. Not that Wickham ever would be, no matter how much he spent on his clothes. Darcy only hoped he didn’t fleece his new friend too badly. Charles Bingley seemed like a good, if overly trusting, sort of fellow.
Shaking his head, Darcy climbed back up on the ladder and returned to dusting. At least Wickham’s visit had put a bit of money in the till. Not enough to be worth Wickham’s badgering, but enough to eat for a week which, added to what Darcy had, would see him into the new year. Perhaps with the influx that would come with the Christmas season, he’d be set until March, when he and his cousin Richard would take their annual pilgrimage to visit their Uncle Lewis at Rosings, to endure his list of their failings and Anne’s endless badgering for them to hunt with her.
The visit was always a strain, but a welcome break from his shop and a nice augmentation to Darcy’s diet. He would eat more meat in one week at Rosings than during the remainder of the year, most of it hunted and brought down by Anne. As an added boon, after a week with her and Sir Lewis, Darcy’s resolve to defy his father would be bolstered and he would be longing for the quiet occupation of his bookshop.
That thought in mind, he cheerfully dusted. His thoughts turned to the happier topic of the upcoming Yuletide and the influx of purchases he always saw at the end of the year. Who knew what new delights the year’s end might bring?
What do you think of this first chapter? I am hooked because Bingley is also there and Wickham is not a nice person as Darcy, and we know how Bingley is… Moreover, I cannot wait to see Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s first encounter!
Let me know your impressions about the book so far.
What a great giveaway Summer is bringing. One winner will get a copy of Mr. Darcy’s Bookshop and this winner can choose if he/she wants to get an ebook copy or a paperback. The winner will be selected randomly from the ones commenting on this post and it is open internationally. You have until the 16th of January 2024 at 23:59 CET. Good luck!!
It is the end of November, so we are soon in the month of Christmas (even if shops and other places have been selling and decorating their walls for a month now!). Do you have any Xmas traditions (if you celebrate Xmas, that is)? MJ Stratton is bring a tradition from the Bennets that I think you may enjoy.
Let me (re)introduce you to MJ Stratton, the author who is bringing us the Christmas Charms Series and its two novellas about two of the Bennet sisters: Kitty and Mary.
MJ Stratton is a long-time lover of Jane Austen and her works, having been introduced to Pride and Prejudice by a much beloved aunt at the age of 16. The subsequent discovery of Austenesque fiction sealed her fate. After beta reading and editing for others for nearly a decade, MJ started publishing her own work in 2022. MJ balances being a wife and mother with writing, gardening, sewing, and many other favorite pastimes. She lives with her husband and four children in the small, rural town where she grew up.
Please, enjoy the blurbs of both Mary’s and Kitty’s stories. I am very eager for you to read the excerpt but that needs to wait a tiny bit more.
Catherine Called Kitty
Catherine Bennet does not believe in magic, per se, but she unequivocally stands by her mother’s assertion that the Christmas charms in their yearly pudding hold mystical properties. She was raised on Mrs. Bennet’s tales of the charms predicting her future, after all, and had not Lydia married the year following the Christmas she found the ring?
When Kitty unearths the wishbone the winter after Lizzy and Jane wed, she is excited to use the charm’s magic to secure a happy future. Having been awakened to the possible consequences of Lydia’s choice of husband, she wishes for what Jane and Lizzy have secured in their respective husbands.
This novella holds a touch of Christmas magic as Kitty Bennet finds her path to happily ever after.
Mary, Marry? Quite Contrary!
Mary Bennet despises the tradition of Christmas charms. Too many years she discovered the thimble, and too many times Lydia taunted her, declaring her a spinster in the making. When she finally discovers the ring in her Christmas pudding, Mary scoffs at the idea that a little silver charm could decide one’s fate for the coming year.
When Mary is given several doses of humility, the very foundations of who she thought she was is called into question. Joining her sister on a journey of self-discovery, Mary seeks to amend the flaws in her character. If she finds love along the way, it is purely a matter of chance. Isn’t it?
This novella holds a touch of Christmas magic as Mary Bennet comes into her own. Follow Mary to London and back as she travels the path to her happiness.
Charmed
What is a family to do when a certain Christmas tradition may or may not tell their future? A collection of short stories that accompany the first two books of the Christmas Charms series answers that question. Follow along with Fanny Gardiner as she meets and marries Thomas Bennet. Meet Mrs. Gardiner’s beloved brother and find out what happens to Mr. Bennet five years after the events of Mary, Marry? Quite Contrary! Are the Christmas charms magic? You decide.
MJ Stratton is sharing a very interesting and insightful excerpt where Kitty makes a big discovery. I am curious to what else may happen in her novella. Enjoy!
Excerpt From Catherine Called Kitty
Longbourn
Catherine, called Kitty by her family, had her first epiphany in September of 1812 when the new Mrs. Wickham–Lydia Bennet as was–visited Longbourn with her dashing husband. Lydia had eloped in August with the handsome militia officer and the whole family had been appalled. Except for Kitty, of course. She did not truly understand what the fuss was about; for was Lydia not married now, the first of her sisters to be so?
They were dining together on a fine evening, just two or three days after the happy couple had arrived. Lydia sat next to Mrs. Bennet at one end of the table, monopolizing the conversation, her voice loud and carrying across the room. Elizabeth and Jane flanked their father at the other end of the table, leaving Mary, Kitty, and Mr. Wickham to fill the remaining chairs. Mary had chosen to sit next to Lizzy, and Mr. Wickham had chosen a chair next to Kitty. Her new brother had very politely helped her to be seated before taking the chair to her left.
The first leg bump Kitty believed to be an accident. She shifted slightly to her right in hopes of giving Mr. Wickham more space, for he was a great deal taller than she was and must be crowded, given the large number of people at the table. But then came a second bump, followed by a foot touching her own. Her gaze shot up to meet Mr. Wickham’s and the man smiled slyly at her, winking and smirking as his boot once more touched her slipper.
Now, Kitty may be called silly by her father, and certainly, she lacked Elizabeth’s wit and Jane’s serene disposition, but she did know that it was entirely inappropriate for a married man to take such liberties with a lady who was not his wife. A lady who was, in fact, his sister by marriage.
Kitty’s face flushed, and she shifted a little farther away from Mr. Wickham, looking nowhere but her plate for the remainder of the meal.
Later, alone in her room, she considered her new brother’s behavior. Surely, he loved Lydia! He had eloped with her, marrying her in such a romantic fashion. Lydia was deliriously happy, or so she said. Why, then, was Mr. Wickham behaving in such a highly improper manner with his new sister-in-law?
Perhaps this behavior meant Mr. Wickham was not the amiable and good man everyone had supposed. The news of his debts in the village had surprised everyone, but Kitty was certain at the time that he was being painted as a villain because he and Lydia had defied convention and married without Mr. Bennet’s approval. Now, she was not so sure.
Kitty avoided her new brother’s company for the duration of the Wickham’s stay at Longbourn. She chose instead to watch him and was quite shocked to see the saucy glances he paid the maids and the way he leaned just a touch too close to Elizabeth on occasion. Lizzy, to her credit, seemed as repulsed by Wickham as Kitty now was. It was a great relief when the Wickhams boarded their carriage and departed for Newcastle.
Kitty’s second epiphany came the day when Elizabeth and Jane married. Mr. Bingley had reappeared in Hertfordshire after Lydia and Wickham had departed. Much to Mrs. Bennet’s pleasure, he had renewed his addresses to Jane, securing her hand in short order. What no one had anticipated was that his friend, the tall, proud, and silent Mr. Darcy, would propose to Elizabeth. That he did so came as a shock, but that she accepted him came as an even greater surprise. Why, everyone knew Lizzy hated the man! Did she not?
Kitty was extremely perplexed over the following weeks. Mrs. Bennet was in raptures, extolling the virtues of her future sons-in-law ad nauseum, and crowing in delight at the prospect of three daughters well-married. Jane and Lizzy exchanged secret glances with each other and with their betrotheds, and Kitty was forced to admit that it was clear her sisters held genuine affection for their future husbands.
But it was not until the two couples were wed and leaving the church that her second epiphany struck. She stood with her family, watching the newlyweds travel back down the aisle toward the church doors. Jane and Bingley held identical looks of love and their gazes barely left each other as they walked. Really, such looks were not new to the couple; they had exchanged such gazes when Mr. Bingley had first courted Jane, though they had held much less intensity.
It was the expression on Mr. Darcy’s face as he gazed at Elizabeth that truly brought clarity to the scrambled musings that had been floating around in Kitty’s head since the Wickhams had departed for the north. Adoration might accurately describe it, mixed with pure joy and… something else. Disbelief maybe? Incredulity?
How odd. The adoration Kitty could well understand, and the joy. But that other unidentified emotion on her new brother’s face quite baffled her. One thing was certain, though, neither Mr. Darcy nor Mr. Bingley held the smug and slightly disconcerting look on their face that Mr. Wickham had whenever he looked at Lydia, or any other female for that matter.
In those moments on that crisp day in mid-November, as the couples rushed past and out the church doors, Kitty knew one thing for certain. She wanted a man to look at her the same way her newest brothers looked at her eldest sisters. And she wished to feel for a man with the same depth of emotion that her sisters held for their husbands.
What do you think? Hopefully she has realised that Lydia may not be so fortunate on her way of marrying and that Kitty needs to look for something else.
If you are interested, you can buy Kitty’s story or both here:
MJ Stratton is giving away an ebook copy of her two novellas of the Christmas Charms to one winner. You just need to check the link below and follow instructions: first enter the giveaway on the link and then comment on this post (or the other way round). Good luck!
Hello! I am so sorry for being so late with this post! We arrived from holidays and it seems like we are back an eternity but without time for much! However, here we have the post with the winner of this ebook from Victoria Kincaid and her Spells and Shadows.
Congratulations mcmcbrayer!!! Please send me an email to myvicesandweaknesses(at)gmail(dot)com and tell me what email you want to use for the ebook. I will share your email address only with Victoria Kincaid for her to send you your ebook.
I hope you are well and maybe also amazed that it is almost the end of July already!
However, there is reason to enjoy as we have a new book around by Victoria Kincaid: Spells and Shadows. I hope you enjoy it, I am very looking forward to reading it as I enjoy all the different genres of P&P that Victoria writes.
Let me (re)introduce you to the author, Victoria Kincaid. She will share the blurb with you when she gives us a pretty good excerpt!
The author of more than sixteen best-selling Regency and modern Pride and Prejudice variations, Victoria Kincaid has a Ph.D. in English literature and runs a small business, er, household with two children, a hyperactive dog, an overly affectionate cat, and a husband who is not threatened by Mr. Darcy. They live near Washington DC, where the inhabitants occasionally stop talking about politics long enough to complain about the traffic. On weekdays Victoria is a writer who specializes in IT marketing (it’s more interesting than it sounds). She is a member of the Magical Austen authors group and is the host of the annual Jane Austen Fan Fiction Reader/Writer Get Together.
Hello Ana, Thank you for welcoming me back to your blog! In Spells and Shadows, secret agent Darcy escapes from a fight by diving into the river. Elizabeth pulls him out, heals his injuries, and takes him to Longbourn to rest. When Darcy wakes up in a guest room, he needs to learn about the family that has taken him in and he must conceal his identity….
As a secret agent for the Mages’ Council, Mr. Darcy investigates a necromancer who is leading his followers down a dark path. When they discover him, a fight and a chase drive Darcy—injured and close to death—into the river. He is rescued and healed by Elizabeth, a talented mage at the Longbourn estate. Darcy cannot help developing feelings for her, but he dares not reveal his true identity while the necromancer’s creatures search for him.
Elizabeth Bennet is intrigued by the family’s new guest as he recovers at Longbourn. But mystery surrounds the man, and strange happenings plague the neighborhood while he visits. Elizabeth herself harbors a secret that she cannot share with the handsome stranger.
When Darcy’s enemies come calling, the Bennet family is caught in the crossfire. Worse, Elizabeth’s magic draws the necromancer’s particular interest. Darcy is falling in love with her and believes she returns his feelings, but the secret of his true identity could destroy their budding relationship—if they survive the upcoming danger.
Can Elizabeth and Darcy protect themselves and their families from the necromancer’s plots? What will happen when learn each other’s secrets? Can Elizabeth and Darcy’s love survive when it is entangled in a web of secrets, spells, and shadows?
“Your father allows you to be in a bedchamber with an unknown man?” Darcy asked her.
To his amazement, she laughed. “You are hardly in a position to do me harm. Even if you managed to stand, I could easily push you over.”
He coughed, imagining that he still had river water in his lungs. “All too true, I am afraid. But propriety….” Clearly this was a family wealthy enough to care for the reputation of an unwed daughter.
She leaned forward and spoke in a low voice. “I shall not tell anyone if you do not.”
Darcy found himself smiling despite the circumstances.
“Do you wish me to leave?” she asked.
“No,” he said hastily and found he meant it. Apparently recovering from a near-death experience was far more pleasant if one had company. “I enjoy your conversation.”
She did not simper and blush as he expected. Instead, she gave him a look of mock disapproval. “Now, sir, you are not yet strong enough to expend energy upon compliments to a lady. Conserve your strength.”
This elicited a chuckle from him. “It was not intended as a compliment; it was simply the truth.”
Now a faint blush did stain her cheek, and she averted her eyes. “Are you in pain?”
He attempted to sit up in bed and was rewarded with an ache in his side. Oh yes. I was stabbed. Touching the skin over his ribs, he discovered that the area was covered by a bandage, but the pain was not nearly as sharp as he expected.
“That wound and the one in your leg are mostly healed, but there is still a chance you may develop an infection,” Miss Bennet said.
“Mostly healed?” How was that possible? It had only been two days.
“We did what we could to heal them and reduce the swelling from the blow to your head and the ankle injury. But everything will require additional time and rest.”
Darcy gingerly touched the bump on the back of his head, wincing at even light contact. And how did she even know that his ankle was injured? Surely he had not attempted to walk?
“How long does the doctor suppose I must remain in bed?” he asked.
“The doctor has not examined you.”
No doctor? The thought alarmed Darcy. “Who treated me then?”
“I did.” Miss Bennet colored slightly. “I have a bit of healing magic.”
Oh. A few puzzle pieces fell into place. Magical healers were rare outside of large cities. Darcy had been exceedingly fortunate indeed. No doubt she was being modest, and she was the reason for his unexpected survival. “Did you train in London?”
She cast her eyes down. “No. I have only visited London twice.”
Twice? When they live so close? Her family might have limited means, but such isolation was odd.
“My family does not travel extensively,” she added. “When you are healed, I hope you will tell me about the places you have visited.” He recognized the hunger for knowledge in her eyes. He possessed such hunger as well but was fortunate to have the means to indulge it.
“Of course,” he said. “It is the least I can do to thank you for your efforts on my behalf.” She had saved his life. He would need to find a more substantial way to repay that debt.
“We can send for the doctor if you wish,” Miss Bennet said.
“That is not necessary. I believe your care has been quite beneficial.”
She wagged a finger at him. “Now you are wasting strength on compliments once again!”
He laughed. Did he dare to suppose she found him amusing—even charming? He never had much luck with charming women. Not that I wish to charm her, he reminded himself sternly. Although she was witty and quite lovely, her family would not mingle with Darcy’s level of society. Naturally, her attentions to him were because he was her patient; she wanted him to recover.
“Pray tell me how a wool merchant found himself in the River Lea,” she said.
He blinked. He had not said he was a wool merchant, but it was as good a story as any. Darcy was tantalized by the idea that the home’s inhabitants would not know about his identity, income, or lands in Derbyshire. While at Longbourn, he could shed the expectations of the ton.
Many merchants traveled extensively to find new markets for their wares, so it accounted for his presence in Luton. “I was set upon by highwaymen and dove into the river to escape. I did not expect to awake here.” Belatedly, Darcy wondered where his watch and money purse were. Probably at the bottom of the river with his boots—he could vaguely recall removing them when they filled with water. At least it lent credence to his story.
She stared at him aghast. “That is terrible! You are fortunate you survived!”
“Indeed. Thanks to your family’s care.” He reached out to touch her wrist. “But I pray you…please prevail upon your family not to speak of my presence here. There will be…men looking for me. They are the ones who gave me this.” He gestured to the knife wound.
She frowned. “But surely you have nothing they could be in want of.”
Darcy endeavored to think through the muddle in his mind as exhaustion crept up on him. “The situation is complex….They have a grudge against my family….” The lie sounded thin to his ears. He had grown more accustomed to deception during his two years working with the Agency, but he was never comfortable with it. He preferred sneaking around in the dark. “It is vitally important that it remain a secret.” He yearned to sound firm, but his voice was weakening.
Miss Bennet nodded. “Nobody knows you are here, save my family and our servants. I will request their discretion. We have only limited intercourse with the rest of Hertfordshire in any event.”
Why was that? But Darcy’s eyelids were growing heavy; he did not have the energy to inquire.
She stood. “I believe you require additional rest. Perhaps we can prepare some tea and broth for you the next time you awaken.”
“I am not hungry at this moment, but perhaps if I sleep a little, I might be….” His last thought was to curse the weakness of his body as he tumbled into darkness.
What is going on with the Bennet family? They are basically isolated, why is that? How cute is the faint blush from Elizabeth? Moreover, I always like when Darcy reprimands himself when having a thought about charming or liking Elizabeth! You cannot avoid it!!! (muahahaha)
Thank you very much, Victoria, for visiting again and sharing your great books!
You can already learn a lot about Spells and Shadows checking the previous posts of the blog tour, but do not forget the following ones!
Victoria Kincaid is offering one ebook copy to one winner on this blog post. To participate, tell me on a comment what you like the most about fantasy and Pride and Prejudice.
The giveaway is international will close on the 1st of August 2023 at 23.59 CEST. Good luck!
Happy Summer or Winter depending on where you are! I am in a very hot summer but there is always a tiny bit to read and today I am glad to introduce you “A Far Better Prospect” by MJ Stratton.
What do you think of Louisa Hurst? I am a bit hot and cold, generally speaking I do not care about her but there are variations where I can sympathise a bit or I dislike her more than Caroline Bingley. However, I think MJ Stratton can show us so much more about her and she may be pretty good actually. She may end up being “decent” 😀
Have a look at the blurb and see what you think.
Louisa Bingley had never defied her mother in her life, until she found something she wished to fight for. In love with a man with close ties to trade, Louisa refuses to give him up when her mother demands it.
But Mrs. Bingley is not to be reckoned with and through despicable means manages to force her daughter into a much more appropriate marriage to a gentleman named Mr. Hurst.
Married to a man she does not love and finding herself in increasingly desperate circumstances, the newly wed Louisa Hurst must learn to navigate her husband’s expectations and demands while still trying to hold on to the threads of herself. Through all of this she must also survive the malice of her younger sister Caroline when the responsibility for her care is thrust most unwillingly upon her.
Convinced contentment in life is all that she can expect, Louisa finds herself quite unexpectedly released from her unwanted marriage and free to pursue her own happiness. But does she dare take the chance at allowing herself to feel again?
Along with Jane and Lizzy and all our favorites, Louisa Hurst gets her own happy ending in this Pride and Prejudice Vagary.
Trigger warning: This book contains non graphic instances of abuse and neglect that some readers may find to be disturbing.
After reading this, it is not difficult to show her some compassion but, are you not intrigued how she is released from her unwanted marriage? How is she going to find happiness?
However, first of all we need to have a glimpse into her life and how she may be without her mother or sister once she is married. Enjoy this very nice and enlightening excerpt!
One of the unspoken rules Louisa had divined over her short marriage was that to be punctual meant arriving fifteen minutes early. She knocked on her husband’s door exactly fifteen minutes before two o’clock. Hurst had not specified that they were to go down together, but Louisa thought it was better to be safe than face his temper later.
Hurst opened the door promptly, ready to descend. He gave Louisa’s appearance a quick glance before nodding in approval. He extended his arm and Louisa took it, grateful there was nothing about her appearance that he found lacking.
As they descended the stairs, Louisa took in the decor surrounding her. The house was lavishly, yet tastefully decorated, and she wondered briefly if Mrs. Morris was responsible for decorating the home. The lady seemed flighty and slightly scatterbrained and Louisa considered that maybe credit for the state of the home belonged to another.
They arrived in the north drawing room before two o’clock. The room was cooler than the rest of the house, just as Mrs. Morris had indicated. The windows were open and faced a garden filled with all manner of flowers. The scent of the blooms wafted on the breeze, and Louisa quite enjoyed their pleasant aroma. There was also a pianoforte in the room. It was much smaller than the one at the Winslow’s house, but Louisa was pleased to see it nonetheless.
Ten minutes later, Hurst impatiently pulled his watch from his pocket, checking the time and fiddling with the fob. Louisa watched him out of the corner of her eye, noting the strain in his demeanor as minute after minute passed with no sign of their host and hostess. A very long fifteen minutes later, Mrs. Morris breezed into the room on her husband’s arm.
“And here you are!” she cried. “I was not sure where you were, and then Mr. Morris reminded me that I had informed you tea was at two o’clock. We usually have it at that time, but I quite forgot today. I can be rather forgetful, you know, and Mr. Morris is a dear to put up with me. The tea things will be here momentarily. I believe you will enjoy the offering. I have ordered some delicious tea cakes to be served, and some other delights. Now, Mrs. Hurst, I insist that you come sit with me. We can let the men folk speak while we become better acquainted.”
Louisa approached with trepidation; this reception was vastly different than she had received from Mrs. Winslow, and Louisa found herself distrustful of Mrs. Morris’s intentions.
She sat in a comfortable looking chair near where Mrs. Morris had positioned herself. The lady immediately launched into questioning Louisa, barely pausing between questions to hear the answers.
“I do not believe I was informed where you are from,” she began.
“I am from Scarborough,” Louisa replied. “I was raised there, though I attended seminary in London.”
“Oh, how lovely!” Mrs. Morris said enthusiastically. “I have been to Scarborough to visit Mrs. Syme. That is your husband’s aunt, as I believe you know. My dear friend Hattie – that is, Miss Hurst, your sister-in-law, stayed with her aunt often, you understand. But of course, you must know all this already. Here I am, most likely boring you to tears with all my rambling on. Tell me, have you any brothers or sisters? I have none, you see. My father and mother died not too many years ago. My dear Mr. Morris was such a comfort to me at that time. I quite fell in love with him during my mourning period, even though I should not have.”
Louisa responded to Mrs. Morris’s rapid-fire questions as best she could, responding when the lady took a breath between sentences. Through the course of the conversation, Louisa learned a vast deal about Mr. and Mrs. Morris.
Mr. Morris was the third son of a gentleman from Surrey. His father’s estate was not adjacent to Mr. Hurst’s, but within five miles or so. Mr. Morris had attended school with Mr. Jameson and Mr. Hurst and the three were long-time friends. Mr. Morris had met his wife when she had resided at her uncle’s home in London; the Morris’s house in town was next door.
Though not stated explicitly, Louisa gathered that Mrs. Morris had inherited her father’s fortune, which consisted of this house and a large sum of money. She was an excellent match for the third son of a gentleman who had neither fortune nor occupation of his own. Louisa suspected that Mr. Morris had courted the lady’s fortune rather than the lady herself, much as Hurst had done. Mrs. Morris did not seem unhappy with her situation, however, and from what Louisa could gather, the lady liked her husband very much. What Mr. Morris felt she could not be sure.
“Shall we take a stroll in the garden, my dear Mrs. Hurst?” Mrs. Morris said once tea had concluded. Louisa looked to her husband to guide her reply, unconsciously following yet another of his rules. Hurst met her eyes and nodded.
“I would be pleased to join you,” Louisa said in reply.
Mrs. Morris clapped her hands in glee. “Wonderful!” she declared. “Let us gather our things and meet near the stairs, shall we?”
Louisa hurried to prepare herself and found that once again Mrs. Morris kept her waiting. When the lady hurried down the stairs and noticed Louisa, she colored a deep crimson.
“I am so sorry for the delay,” she said in her rapid fashion. “My husband says I am easily distracted and I dare say he is right. Sometimes I go about doing things, and some other occupation or delight catches my attention and I completely forget what I was about in the first place. It drives Mr. Morris to distraction, I am afraid.”
Louisa smiled at the lady kindly. “Think nothing of it,” she said. “I was admiring the decor here in this hall. I have scarcely seen something so well arranged.”
Mrs. Morris flushed again, this time with pleasure. “Thank you,” she said sincerely. “My mama always said I had a flair for such domestic abilities. It is nice to know that she was right.”
So Mrs. Morris was responsible for the decor! Louisa felt a twinge of guilt that she had doubted the lady.
“Shall we?” Mrs. Morris asked. “There is a side door just through here that leads directly to my favorite part of the gardens.”
Louisa followed Mrs. Morris down a short hallway to a door that did indeed lead to the gardens. It was like walking into a fairytale. There was a tunnel made of many different archways just outside the door. They were covered in red, yellow, and pink roses, and the foliage did an excellent job of shading the pathway. Louisa trailed along slowly, entranced at the beauty surrounding her.
Abruptly, the archway ended and a few stairs led to a lower part of the garden. A winding path led away from the house. It was lined with all sorts of different flowers. The colors of them all complimented each other and the heady scent of the blooms made Louisa think of a hot house.
She followed Mrs. Morris down the path to a gazebo. The structure was covered in flowering vines and had a lovely stone bench under its roof. Mrs. Morris entered and sat down, patting the bench beside her.
Louisa joined her hostess, somewhat dazed by the beauty around her. Mrs. Morris smiled happily at her reaction, and Louisa was grateful the lady let her soak in the sight before speaking.
“My mother designed this section of the garden,” she said quietly. “It was meant to be a retreat, a place of quiet reflection. I come here to think and to relax as much as I can.”
“It is enchanting,” Louisa breathed. “I feel as if I have entered a magical realm where fairies might appear at any moment.”
Mrs. Morris chuckled softly. “I believe my mother intended it to be that way,” she said. “She was quite the romantic.”
“Thank you for sharing it with me, Mrs. Morris,” Louisa said sincerely.
“Now, I cannot have you calling me that!” Mrs. Morris mock-scolded. “I am determined that we should be the very best of friends and therefore must insist that you call me Sarah.”
“I… truly?” Louisa said lamely.
“Yes, of course!” Mrs. Morris – Sarah – said. “Was it ever a question?”
Louisa felt her cheeks go red and she looked at her hands, saying nothing.
“Louisa?” Sarah said. “May I call you that? I sense some uneasiness. Please, did I make you uncomfortable with my request? My husband says I am too impulsive. Perhaps you wish to get to know me better before we become so familiar. I am truly sorry if I offended you!”
“No!” Louisa cried. “On the contrary, you do me great honor. I am conscious of my position in society, that my own standing has been elevated by my marriage, and I did not wish to presume that you would wish to know me on such intimate terms. I am deeply touched by your wish to be friends!”
“Whatever do you mean by your position in society?” Sarah cried. “You mean that you are the daughter of a tradesman? Why, I myself am only two generations removed from trade. My father always reminded me of my roots, and taught me never to be ashamed of them. That is where my fortune came from, after all. Though I am the daughter of a gentleman, I am not so far removed from the ‘stench of trade’ myself.”
Sarah’s nose wrinkled in mock disgust before she started giggling uncontrollably. Louisa hardly knew what to make of the lady, but a small spark of hope lit in her breast. Perhaps her days of loneliness were at an end.
“Please,” she said. “Call me Louisa. I hope we shall be very good friends.”
“Excellent!” Sarah cried delightedly. “I do not have many close friends, for most ladies find my wandering mind a bit much to bear. I cannot help it, you see. I have such a great many interests that often consume me for months before I might suddenly lose interest or move on to something else. It can make it quite frustrating for some. Not many people understand my ways. I know Mr. Morris gets rather frustrated with me at times, but he tolerates me admirably.”
Louisa privately thought that Mr. Morris was most likely willing to put up with a great deal in order to marry an heiress, but if the couple were content with their marriage, who was she to say ought against them? Her own marriage was nothing to boast of, after all.
“Now, I wish to know how you met Hurst,” Sarah said. “He was quite the catch a few seasons ago. Then his father died and his financial troubles became known, and no gentleman would let his daughter anywhere near him. At least, not any that had a fortune.”
“Mr. Hurst was introduced to me by my mother and Mrs. Syme,” Louisa said cautiously, still not certain if she could safely confide in her new friend. “Our courtship was a hurried affair. We hardly had time to know each other before we exchanged vows.”
Sarah sighed. “Such is the way with many marriages of convenience.”
Louisa glanced sharply at the lady sitting next to her. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“Oh, do forgive me if I misspoke. It is just, Mrs. Winslow was rather vocal about the nature of your marriage to Mr. Hurst. I had the impression that the benefit of the match was largely on his side.”
Louisa sighed. Of course Mrs. Winslow had sought to poison her other acquaintances against Louisa. A woman scorned, and all that. She chose her next words carefully.
“The way my marriage came about was not of my choosing,” she said. “My mother wished me to marry a gentleman, to further elevate my family’s standing, and I found myself obliged to follow her dictates. I am not of age, you see, and had no say in the matter.”
Sarah leveled a knowing gaze at Louisa, and Louisa squirmed a little in her seat.
“My guardianship was given over to my uncle when my mama died,” she said. “He wished me to make a better match than Mr. Morris, but I was quite in love with him, and insisted he give his blessing to the match. I had no need to marry a man of fortune. Many people think I am naive and foolish. They think that I do not understand that Mr. Morris married me for my fortune; I married him out of pure inclination, and he likes me well enough, even if he does not love me.”
Louisa nodded in understanding, feeling rather envious of her new friend’s position. By her own admission, Sarah declared she did not love her husband, yet that lady had entered into her marriage of her own volition. Louisa wished she had had such freedom.
Sarah patted Louisa’s hand in an affectionate manner before standing and brushing off. “Come, let us wander further into the gardens,” she declared. “I am not made to be serious for more than a little time each day. I believe you will like the cut flower garden, which is just through there. I do so love to have fresh blooms in the house whenever I can, so our gardens have a wide variety to choose from.”
Louisa allowed Sarah to take her arm and lead her deeper into the gardens. Sarah chattered on happily, and Louisa was content to listen and to reply to any questions leveled at her. After an hour or so spent wandering among the many paths the gardens had to offer, the pair made their way inside.
Sarah left her at the bottom of the stairs. “I have a few matters to attend to in my little parlor, just there,” she said, indicating a closed door a bit away. “Feel free to rest before dinner. We usually dine at six o’clock. I am rather odd that way, but I find that my meal settles better if I eat earlier.”
“Is there a place I might find a book?” Louisa asked.
“The library is through those double doors,” Sarah said, gesturing to a set down the opposite hallway. “You may find something you enjoy there, though I will admit I am no great reader. My husband has added much to the collection in the last two years.”
Louisa nodded her thanks and walked down the hall. She opened the double doors and found her husband and Mr. Morris within. Hurst was dozing on a settee, a glass of port next to him on the table and a paper laying across his chest.
Mr. Morris met her gaze inquisitively but said nothing as she approached the shelves and began perusing the titles.
“You may find something of interest in that section,” the monotone voice of Mr. Morris said.
Louisa approached the indicated shelf and was pleased to note that Mr. Morris was correct. There were several novels, the works of Shakespeare, and books of poetry on the shelf; certainly the selection was enough to satisfy her need for the written word.
“Thank you,” she said politely. She selected a few volumes and made to leave the room. She felt Mr. Morris’s eyes following her as she left. The sensation did not feel uncomfortable, and before she left, she turned to look at him again. He nodded his head once and returned to his book without another word.
Louisa hurried up the flight of stairs to her room, where she curled up in a chair to read until it was time to dress for dinner. For the first time in weeks, her heart felt light. Maybe the future would not be so bleak after all.
What do you think? Louisa seems pretty decent and she knows about her “status”. Moreover, Sarah looks like a kind woman and I hope she does not change!
Let me (re)introduce you to the author in case you have not read anything from her!
MJ Stratton is a long-time lover of Jane Austen and her works, having been introduced to Pride and Prejudice by a much beloved aunt at the age of 16. The subsequent discovery of Austenesque fiction sealed her fate. After beta reading and editing for others for nearly a decade, MJ started publishing her own work in 2022. MJ balances being a wife and mother with writing, gardening, sewing, and many other favorite pastimes. She lives with her husband and four children in the small, rural town where she grew up.
During this tour, MJ Stratton is giving away three ebooks for three winners. You only have to click the link below and follow the instructions.
my vices and weaknesses 
