- Johannes KeplerWhen she arrives at Hunsford Cottage for a visit with her long-time friend Charlotte Collins, Elizabeth Bennet does not expect the melodrama awaiting her at Rosings Park.Mrs. Anne Darcy, nee de Bourgh, has passed, and Rosings Park is, by law, the property of the woman’s husband, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy; yet, Lady Catherine de Bourgh is not ready to abandon the mansion over which she has served as mistress for thirty years. Elizabeth holds sympathy for her ladyship’s situation. After all, Elizabeth’s mother will eventually be banished from Longbourn when Mr. Bennet passes without male issue. She inherently understands Lady Catherine’s “hysterics,” while not necessarily condoning them, for her ladyship will have the luxury of the right to the estate’s dower house, and, moreover, it is obvious Rosings Park requires the hand of a more knowledgeable overseer. Therefore, Elizabeth takes on the task of easing Lady Catherine’s transition to dowager baronetess, but doing so places Elizabeth often in the company of the “odious” Mr. Darcy, a man Lady Catherine claims poisoned her daughter Anne in order to claim Rosings Park as his own.

    This variation looks at what might have happened, had those events gone differently, and, as the title suggests, what the reason behind some of the changes might have been. Could Jane turn down Mr Collins? What if Wickham had proposed to Elizabeth before she knew his character? And could anyone resist Colonel Fitzwilliam, had he been in possession of a good fortune? This story follows the original, more or less, and does not contain any material of an explicit adult nature.

    Fitzwilliam Darcy at Pemberley. With the help of George Wickham, events spiral out of control, leaving Darcy destitute of love for the rest of his life—until fate intervenes. What will Darcy do with his second chance? Will he be able to convince Elizabeth that he is no longer the proud man he once was? Will they ever get to “happily ever after”? And how will his changed character affect the people around him along the way?

    When a storm obligates them to spend the day at their inn, Elizabeth befriends a young girl called Georgiana Wickham, who is travelling with her brother, George. The two become close right away, but it is obvious Mr Wickham is uneasy about their friendship. And it is just as obvious Georgiana is not whom she says she is. Why else would she seem so uncomfortable in her charming brother’s presence? When Georgiana confesses that she and Mr Wickham have travelled from Ramsgate to elope to Gretna Green, and begs Elizabeth to help her, Elizabeth is determined to do all she can. Including reaching out to Georgiana’s proud brother, Mr Darcy, who is in Bath in search of a wife of his own, and completely unaware of his sister’s plight. Can Elizabeth help Georgiana escape the avaricious ambitions of Mr Wickham? And will Mr Darcy arrive on time to save her from his old enemy? When Georgiana disappears with Wickham from her room at the inn, Elizabeth and Darcy are forced to team up to rescue her. And the experience forces a closer intimacy between the two than might otherwise have been expected.

    All he ever cared for has been taken from him: his pride, his sister, and his true love, Elizabeth Bennet. Now, having nearly murdered a man in a fit of rage, he might lose Pemberley, too. More than just his home, his very identity is at stake. In desperation, he seeks the help of Dr. Frederick Wilson, owner and proprietor of Ramsey House, a madhouse for fine ladies and gentlemen. Is Darcy’s confinement the inevitable end to his tortured descent, or will he rediscover what he lost in the most unlikely of places?

    Something buried in his past is always trying to emerge. Unable to overcome his pain, he hides from the world. Until a letter reaches him. Bingley, one of his best friends, is inviting him to spend some time at the coast, in the neighbouring area of Penzance, Cornwall, where he is not just dealing with his business, but also enjoying the first months of his new life as a married man. His bride is an angel-like gentlewoman called Jane, whom he met during a visit to Hertfordshire, last Summer. In case Darcy accepts, Bingley has only one request to make: that he may bring with him one of his new sisters, a Miss Elizabeth, as a favour to his dearest wife. After such a painful summer, and considering he had already missed his friend’s wedding, against all the odds, Darcy decides to accept. What he does not know is that this single decision will change his life forever. First, because he will meet the only woman not just handsome enough to tempt him, but also the one who breaks the walls of his prison, opening for him a door to a happiness he never thought possible. And, second, because he will never be the same ever again after this, which will also be the most terrifying experience of his life. “The Curse of Land’s End” is a story about secrets, intrigue and mysteries which challenges rationality and faith, and demands a courage strong enough to transcend every instinct of self-preservation in the name of honour and love. “You will do nothing in this world without courage, for it is the greatest quality of the mind next to honour.” (Aristotle) Rated Mild+ (Contains up to 10 mild swear words; contains kisses, and mild, non-seductive description of intimacy — 'My Book Rating'). FROM THE AUTHOR Suddenly, I felt compelled to write a story which would take me (and JAFF) far from my comfort zone, and try something new. It was watching ‘Crimson Peak’, a biting-nail horror story, that the inspiration finally came to me. How would it be to write a story about ghosts, combining romance and mystery, but with no ghosts? "The Curse" is set in 1815, a year when Romanticism — a movement marked by the exaltation of feelings of loss and guilt related both to nature and men — was the fashion and drama, an essential component of the works of this time. "Songs of Experience", by William Blake (1794), "The Corsair", by Lord Byron (1814), and "Frankenstein", by Mary Shelley (1818), are all good examples of how committed the authors were in exploring human's woes; sometimes the sombre tone and dramatic plots are almost too depressing to endure. I can understand the bad reviews related to this point. But I cannot regret my choice. As another reviewer said, “we are all entitled to our own opinions”; the good reviews show it. I grant — my choice in writing a story using Romantic features was bold, but, for me, the result was very pleasing, especially considering the happy ending — what is not the norm for the Romantics. I should not be saying this, but it doesn't matter how much Literature I study, I always love a good happy ending. Another important choice was the deep POV of ODC. In P&P, we live the story through the eyes of Elizabeth and do not learn about Darcy’s struggles until very close to the end. I intended to show the huge abyss between his aloof appearance and his troubled mind — but here, he another reason for it.

    Wickham and Mrs. Younge. Mr. Darcy, shocked to have his sister’s errors known to strangers, fails to convey any gratitude, and Elizabeth is left with a poor impression of him. Through letters to Georgiana, however, she learns to view him in a different light. His later appearance in Meryton comes as a pleasant surprise, and she gets to know him better when he stays at Netherfield. They become close, but can she believe that he really loves her and is not swayed by his sister’s feelings? And what will happen when Mr. Wickham reappears and threatens her dear friend’s reputation and her own happiness?

    However, she quickly learns the man possesses an excess of pride that she finds distasteful, and she soon decides he is not worthy of her attention. It comes as a shock when the man reveals himself to be in love with her. But even that revelation is not as surprising as the secret that Netherfield has borne witness to. Netherfield’s secret shatters Elizabeth’s very perception of herself and the world around her, and Mr. Darcy is the only one who is capable of picking up the pieces. But will Elizabeth allow him to do so?

    Mr Darcy is dangerously ill the following Christmas and calling for Elizabeth. Colonel Fitzwilliam goes to fetch her and what happens next is the subject of this festive short story.

    How can our beloved couple find their way to each other when Darcy doesn't know what she holds against him?

     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...

    Marie Croft’s humorous novella, A Little Whimsical in His Civilities spans one moonlit, autumnal night upon the gentleman’s return to Hertfordshire in pursuit of Elizabeth Bennet. “We take the turning which places us on Meryton’s main road, and—oh, gad! There it is—the base-court building which passes for an assembly hall in this godforsaken place. For me, the venue shall be either a heaven or a hell tonight. My palms grow clammy, my gut churns, and I regret that second helping of onion-laden vegetable pie forced on me before we left.” Accompany Darcy as he, intent on reversing the disastrous first impression he made there, braves another Meryton assembly and seeks to win his heart’s desire.

    But Elizabeth begins to think she may not find her true love in the small country town she calls home, and Darcy despairs of ever being sought after for more than his wealth and connections. What if they first become acquainted not at the assembly ball in Meryton but while acting as chaperones for Elizabeth's sister Jane and Darcy's friend Bingley? Will they decide that a marriage based on friendship is enough? And will a terrible tragedy and desperate rescue reveal that there is more to their friendship than they realized? Read along as Jane Austen's beloved characters seek their "happily ever after".

    A secret from the past sweeps away everything in its path, endangering the very heart of our beloved family—their love for each other.Intrigue and anger, suffering and resentment draws a new map where each family member has to find their new place.In amongst the turmoil, the love Elizabeth denied in Kent unexpectedly emerges even more powerfully, bringing new alliances inconceivable only a few months before.Elizabeth and Darcy cross this tempestuous period hand in hand. Is their love strong enough to restore the peace at Longbourn and drive the two of them towards marriage and happiness?

    How did Darcy and Elizabeth manage these travails, and each other?Longbourn to London is not a Pride and Prejudice “what if,” nor is it a sequel. Rather, it is an expansion of the betrothal of Jane Austen’s favorite couple. We follow Lizzy’s journey from spirited maiden scampering about the fields of Hertfordshire to nervous, blushing bride in Mayfair, where she learns the unexpected joys of marriage to a man as willing to be teased as she is to tease him.Join us as IPPY award-winning author Linda Beutler (2013 Silver Medal, Independent Publishers Awards, for The Red Chrysanthemum) imagines the betrothal and early honeymoon of Jane Austen’s greatest couple.Includes mature content.