As spirited Elizabeth tries to accustom herself to the status of poor relation, she longs for her elder sister to have a better fate than marriage to the new master of Longbourn. Jane’s rescuer arrives in the nick of time, along with an unexpected romance for Elizabeth, but the path of true love is not without obstacles. Fortunately, the sisters have fortitude, resourcefulness, and the wisdom gained from reading novels.

     Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy finds himself in the unusual position of chasing a woman rather than being chased. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is exasperated as Mr. Darcy, the rudest man of her acquaintance, is being nice—to her! How can she continue to despise a man who apologizes so well? Based on Jane Austen’s classic novel, Pride & Prejudice, Mr. Darcy’s arrogance and pride are equally matched by Miss Elizabeth’s prejudice. While Mr. Darcy hesitates to speak, his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, quite against his canon character, blurts his thought in the most inconvenient manner, adding to Darcy's distress. In this fast-paced novella set in Regency England, can they both overcome strongly entrenched personalities and the attempts to matchmake by the colonel to discover peace and happiness? Of course, they can. This is Mr. Darcy and his Elizabeth, he hopes. Elizabeth is appropriate for all readers. This story can be read in about an hour and is around 100 pages.

    This Regency "Pride and Prejudice" variation is a clean, amusing, moderate angst and romantic full-novel of approximately 87.000 words. It takes place at the same time as in the original - from Mr. Bingley’s arrival at Netherfield, to the Ball, through the Christmas season. All the major scenes and characters from the original are here, different enough to keep the reader engaged - while new ones are added. And – a surprise for the readers – the author brings Elizabeth and Darcy back to a cottage, during a storm, only this time they are not alone, but accompanied by Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Bingley, Jane, Mr. Wickham and several others. When the ladies are in great danger, who is the one gentleman who can save them and win their gratitude? And what is the price he will have to pay for his generous bravery? What will the Bennets do when they are forced by sad circumstances to face more of the Darcy family than they ever expected? At what point will Darcy realise he can stop the battle between his desires and his duty? Will Elizabeth admit that her feelings for Darcy are stronger and more profound than she imagined she would ever feel for a man?

    . .” William CongreveA month after her wedding, Elizabeth Bennet Darcy had taught herself to be silent, watchful, careful. She moved through the house with eyes downcast, avoiding contact, speaking only when spoken to. She walked through the garden in much the same way, her face hidden from the sun—and from the direct gaze of any servant she might encounter—by the deep brims of the fashionable bonnets she wore.Just four short weeks after their marriage, the deep love between Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy is on the verge of collapsing forever. They must join forces to overcome whatever—or whoever—threatens to destroy their home, their love and their very lives.

    Hoping the time away from home might begin to heal Jane’s wounded heart, Elizabeth also seeks peace and quiet to finish the novel she has been working on in secret. She does not expect to meet Mr. Darcy ever again, but should she collide with the arrogant man who had a hand in causing Jane’s sorrow, she has vowed to give him a piece of her mind. A chance encounter while visiting his favorite bookshop finds Fitzwilliam Darcy in the company of a woman he has failed to forget. When he discovers that Elizabeth is there to research a novel she is writing, Darcy offers the use of his own personal library instead, hoping she might finally understand his true character. When the two are thrown together again by fate, will Darcy and Elizabeth open their hearts enough to amend their first impressions of each other? Though not without plenty of conflict, Darcy’s Winter Ball is a sweet, lighthearted, Regency-set novella, with a happy ending for ODC.

    He is desperate to forget his failed marriage proposal to Elizabeth Bennet and desires nothing more than to banish both the lady and his humiliation from his mind once and for all. A storm breaks and he decides to stop at a small cottage on his land until the morning. But as he approaches shelter, a tree branch snaps loose in the storm, and renders him unconscious. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is cursing her luck that a storm should break out on the very day she decided to explore Pemberley Woods. She had relished the chance to be alone on her tour of Derbyshire with her aunt and uncle, but now she is trapped in the middle of nowhere, and the weather is growing worse. She hears a horse, and runs in the direction of the sound to find the unconscious form of very man she least wishes to encounter. She is forced to drag him into the cottage, where they spend the night alone together. Unfortunately, when he awakens, Mr Darcy has no idea who he is, and has no memory of anything that happened before his accident. They return to Pemberley where Mr and Miss Bingley have been searching frantically for Mr Darcy. Miss Bingley is not too pleased that Mr Darcy has now compromised Elizabeth’s reputation, and will be obliged to marry her when his memory recovers. But the lady realises his lack of memory could also be the opportunity she herself has been hoping for. Can Mr Darcy recover his memory before he is manipulated by those around him who would seek to take advantage of his vulnerable state? And why is the pretty and lively Miss Elizabeth so reluctant to share memories of their former encounters together? Elizabeth is intrigued by the new side to Darcy she sees, and believes this is a man she could love. But is it just a result of his accident, or has he really changed? And as her feelings for him grows, she wonders if it’s possible he will still love her when his memory returns? Or will he resent her as the lady who rejected him and his previous marriage proposal?

     Let us explore the deception abounding in Pride and Prejudice. Mrs. Bennets’ boastfulness. Caroline’s false flattery. Collins’s sycophantic praises. Lady Catherine’s claims of an infant betrothal. Wickham! How would Elizabeth’s ‘gift’ change the story? This sweet, clean Pride and Prejudice variation begins on the night of the Meryton assembly.

    Charles Bingley, and then the object of interest to Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy. Her sister Jane, away in London, visiting her aunt and uncle, returns to find Longbourn changed and a gentleman caller of her own. But there are others who do not wish for these courtships to proceed, or succeed. Two sisters, both in danger of losing their hearts. One experiences a courtship which ends quickly in an engagement, the other must struggle against the machinations of others. And one who will do anything to ensure her beloved sister achieves her heart’s desire.

     After his unfortunate marriage proposal, Darcy writes Elizabeth a letter and, in his attempt to hand it to her, everything changes – both of them are kidnapped. In just a few days, Elizabeth finds herself floundering in fear, loneliness and despair, facing a terrible future at the hands of heartless mercenaries, while Darcy, injured, is left behind. Determined to save the lady who holds his heart, Darcy embarks on an uncertain journey to rescue Elizabeth. Together with his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, he discovers the power of love, friendship and trust, which goes beyond any familial connection. In this romantic, dramatic adventure, involving sea travels, mercenary pirates and bloody fights able to determine life or death, Darcy and Elizabeth come to realise that they must never let hope die. Hope and their mutual love are all they have to keep them alive. Until their last breath. EXTRACT Richard was now very curious about how Darcy had managed to bear the journey from London to Portsmouth in his present condition. Darcy chuckled at his enquiries. “Richard, you know me well enough to guess I could not stay back when so much is at stake, when Elizabeth’s life is in such danger.” He looked around and all eyes were on him. He became serious again. “They say that love and hate are the two most powerful forces to move a man. I can guarantee you all, I have plenty of both.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR As a non-fiction writer and polyglot, I am fascinated by the beauty of writing, and the gift of combining words and sentences to achieve the perfect expression of ideas and critical analysis. But writing fiction also takes one a step further and expresses, at a much deeper level, not only creativity, but feelings and emotions. And that is my intention from now on: to write stories that can arouse people’s feelings and dreams. And what could be better than starting it with something I just love? As a huge fan of 'Pride and Prejudice' – my favourite book by far – I have spent the last two years reading not only the original, but also hundreds and hundreds of P&P variations. As a result, while increasing my knowledge of the English language on an academic level, I decided I would like to start writing my own versions. I can only hope you enjoy reading them as much as I have enjoyed writing them. POST SCRIPTUM - 27th Sep 2018 Please, allow me to add a small comment about some of the reviews I have received in USA. Indeed, English is not my native language, but contrarily to what was said, I am aware of my limitations and had this story analysed by an editor and copyedited by a registered professional. Unfortunately, as it seems, I was not very happy with my choices. I can just add that I have a deep respect for my readers, and that I have already corrected those mentioned mistakes.

    Not a simple retelling, it is an intriguing new story that does not follow canon. During his second year at Cambridge, a young Fitzwilliam Darcy accompanies a classmate to Lucas Lodge in Meryton for the holidays. Whilst there, he encounters a girl of sixteen who instantly captures his attention and soon after, his heart. Yet, because Elizabeth Bennet could never meet his relations’ expectations and he cannot abide her distasteful family, he returns to the university vowing to forget her. Two years later, they are thrown into each other’s company and forced to spend several days together unchaperoned. Once they are discovered, Darcy suppresses his reservations about marriage to Elizabeth and does his duty in order to save her from ruin. Will a young, headstrong and prejudiced Elizabeth realize how mistaken she has been about her husband’s character? Likewise, will a prideful, intractable but highly principled Fitzwilliam Darcy acknowledge his faults before their marriage is destroyed?

    Bennet, nobody can escape their mischief. From locked doors to misdirected carriages, Matlock and Bennet wreak havoc on inhabitants of Longbourn and Netherfield alike.Darcy and Elizabeth fall prey to their relations' schemes more than once, but they firmly resist any matchmaking efforts. Darcy knows his value in the marriage market and has no intention of marrying beneath him. Elizabeth could never marry such a pompous bore. But their pride and prejudice become a lot harder to maintain when they find themselves trapped alone together.Will Matlock and Bennet succeed in making matches for all of Meryton—except the two stubborn fools they know belong together?This sweet comedic variation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is 73,000 words of mischief and matchmaking.

     Elizabeth Bennet takes her friend's words to heart and when Mr Darcy proposes to her in Hunsford, she doesn't reject his hand. She decides to put her feelings aside and responds in a more reasonable manner. Flattered at his affection and devotion, Elizabeth is drawn to Mr Darcy, realising that they are both well-matched in a sense, and their tempers are complementary to each other. Nevertheless, his condescending attitude and pride still trouble her. And the gentleman himself is indeed very proud of his excellent bride and the mistress of his home. And being very selfish in his love for Elizabeth and grateful to her for his happiness, Mr Darcy doesn't recognise her true sentiments. And he isn't aware that he is forcing his wife to acknowledge that she is depending on him for her finances, her social status, and even her name. Their marriage is just the beginning of getting to know one another. Therefore, the misunderstandings between the young couple increase and their felicity in marriage is soon to be threatened...

     When ELIZABETH BENNET appears on his doorstep some ten months after her refusal of his hand in marriage, FITZWILLIAM DARCY uses the opportunity to "bargain" for her acceptance of a renewal of his proposal in exchange for his assistance in bringing Mr. George Wickham to justice. In Darcy's absence from Hertfordshire, Wickham has executed a scam to defraud the citizens of Meryton, including her father, of their hard-earned funds. All have invested in Wickham's Ten Percent Annuity scheme. Her family and friends are in dire circumstances, and more importantly, Mr. Bennet's heart has taken an ill turn. Elizabeth will risk everything to bring her father to health again and to save her friends from destitution; yet, is she willing to risk her heart? She places her trust in Darcy's ability to thwart Wickham's manipulations, but she is not aware that Darcy wishes more than her acquiescence. He desires her love. Neither considers what will happen if he does not succeed in bringing Mr. Wickham before a magistrate. Will his failure bring an end to their “bargain”? Or will true love prevail?

     How Mr Darcy is going to win Elizabeth's heart? *** This is an edited version of the story "Five Questions" published online several years ago. ***

    Mr. Darcy receives a visit at his isolated manor in Cornwall. It is Charles Bingley, and he is there to ask for a favor... He needs help with his new estate, Netherfield. As for Miss Elizabeth Bennet, there is nothing she likes more than a laugh – except for a mystery. From the moment she first encounters Mr. Darcy, she senses he is hiding something. But the more she tries to find out about who he is, the more evasive he becomes. However, Elizabeth soon turns her attention to someone else. As Mrs. Bennet points out, Mr. Darcy is a nobody, and Elizabeth needs to marry someone who can provide for her and her sisters. Meanwhile, Mr. Darcy doesn’t want anyone to know about the scandal that haunts him from the past. He certainly doesn’t need someone like Miss Bennet, who asks him questions and tries to slip him up. Fortunately, he is more than equal to the task of putting her off. What he doesn’t expect is that before he knows it, he finds himself longing to tell her the truth. Are Elizabeth and Darcy meant to come together in this variation, or is Elizabeth destined for somebody else? Note: Mysterious Mr. Darcy is not a mystery. It is a ‘what-if’ in which Mr. Darcy has to deal with the consequences of his past, a past that will change the shape of his future.