Darcy is frequently in her thoughts. She enters into Derbyshire half afraid of running into him and half wanting to see him again. When that meeting does occur, she learns how much she means to him and what is really in her heart. A novella of 27000 words

    As events unfold, Jane first meets Mr. Wickham, while Lizzy encounters Mr. Bingley. Introductions to new acquaintances can lead to attachments that become complicated. Mr. Bingley is interested in Lizzy, but that is before he has a chance to spend time with her older sister. Wickham is enchanted and seriously pursuing the lovely Jane. And Darcy finds himself increasingly drawn to a woman he is adamant he will never marry, which an unlikely source has much to say about in Complicated Attachments: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Denise O'Hara.

    Fitzwilliam Darcy, cost what it may. In her determination to make the man see reason she develops a most ingenious plan, engaging the help of her sister. But when she upsets Mrs. Hurst, her sister starts to follow her own scheme instead of helping her. - With rather unexpected results. Warning: This story contains some slight sexual innuendo. Re-edited!

    Collins in Kent to be a pleasant and uneventful time spent with her dear friend, engaged in nothing of more import than laughing about Charlotte's ineffectual husband and walking the woods of his patroness's estate.But a sudden tragedy leaves Elizabeth directly in Lady Catherine de Bourgh's sights, and though Elizabeth is reluctant, she accedes to the lady's demands.It is not long, however, before the peace of the estate is shattered, for a woman long-oppressed has begun to spread her wings. What comes after is a whirlwind of events, in which Elizabeth discovers that her carefully held opinions are not infallible. Furthermore, a certain gentleman of her acquaintance might be the key to Elizabeth's happiness.

    Maybe there, she can escape her mother’s embarrassing determination to match one of her daughters to their mysterious new neighbour, Mr Bingley, and be free to find love in her own way. But in the shallow, gossipy society of Bath, can she find a husband she can truly love and respect? Mr Darcy of Pemberley has always disliked Bath. But when his young sister Georgiana begs him to take her there, he cannot refuse her. Besides, at eight and twenty, it is high time he find himself a wife, and Bath is as good a place to find one as any other. But will he manage to overcome his natural reserve? And can he find a lady he can truly love, or will he bow to society’s expectations that he marry for wealth and position? When Elizabeth forms a close friendship with Georgiana, Darcy’s shy little sister, Darcy is immediately attracted to the lively, pretty girl who has brought his sister out of her shell. Elizabeth is also powerfully attracted to her new friend’s aloof older brother. Their feelings grow as they are drawn together, despite the reservations and better judgements of both. But Georgiana shares a secret with Elizabeth that could ruin her life and Darcy's, unless Elizabeth persuade her away from the dangerous path she is taking. And an unwelcome figure from Darcy’s past arrives in Bath unexpectedly, and threatens to destroy everything Darcy loves.

    This short story assumes the reader is familiar with Pride and Prejudice.Cover by Summer Hanford

    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?

    This story is as much about Elizabeth and Darcy's torturous road to love, as it is about Colonel Fitzwilliam's parallel, purgative journey. It is a tale about falling in love, falling out of love, and just falling. Intended for ages 17 to 117, due to some implicit but more mature themes.

    The reader later discovers the truth of this situation; that Mr Wickham was keen to avoid Mr Darcy that night – for it was entirely possible that he could have faced (entirely justifiable) retribution from Mr Darcy if he had attended. The reader – and Elizabeth – are unaware at that point in the novel of Mr Wickham’s true, deceitful nature – and, of course, no one in wider society is aware of Mr Wickham’s scandalous behaviour concerning Mr Darcy’s younger sister. However, in this alternative narrative, the reader is shown how events could have varied in Pride and Prejudice if Mr Wickham had thrown caution to the wind and had instead attended the ball on that fateful evening. In this re-telling of the famous story, events start on the evening of the much anticipated Netherfield ball, and Elizabeth quietly frets to herself over the potential for her family to create a public scene. She knows very well that Mr Bingley’s conceited sisters hold her family in contempt, just as she is very aware of Mr Darcy’s obvious disapproval. She dreads the prospect of enduring her promised dances with Mr Collins, and is appalled at her mothers’ blatant matchmaking efforts. However, with the one pivotal change – of Mr Wickham being unexpectedly present at the ball – Elizabeth’s night, and her prospects for an enjoyable evening, change completely. And as a consequence of his attendance at the ball, the events of the novel begin to differ from there onwards as well. The neighbourhood of Meryton is entirely scandalised when Elizabeth takes a dance with the gallant Mr Wickham – and Mr Darcy is beside himself with rage to see the woman he secretly admires dancing so merrily with his arch enemy. ‘Elizabeth looked up at Mr Wickham’s face as he spoke, and realised, as she followed the direction of his pointed gaze, that he had locked eyes with Mr Darcy across the space of the crowded ballroom. She had not noticed before that Mr Darcy was observing them; though it was clear that Mr Wickham had known exactly where Mr Darcy was within the room – as well as having been entirely aware that Mr Darcy had been watching the two of them. The air seemed to spark between the two men, and Elizabeth could not fail to notice the palpable tension which flowed in waves between them. She saw the scornful sneer that Mr Wickham shot towards his enemy – and Mr Darcy bristling in return.’ In fact, Mr Darcy is so unsettled by the sight of Elizabeth dancing with his enemy, and so jealous, that he acts immediately to separate them. Unfortunately for Elizabeth, this is only the first of a series of humiliating experiences that she is to face that evening – and the consequences of Mr Darcy’s actions are to cause a scandal which will unavoidably change her future.

    Deciding Georgie was unprepared for such circumstances due to their society's preference to keep young ladies innocent and unknowing of the ways of the world, he chose to enlighten her. He began discussing things with her and educating her on matters that others may feel were not for the eyes or ears of a lady. He wanted her to be prepared when she came out in society and not be susceptible to the fortune hunters. What he did not realize was that she would use her new found knowledge upon him.

    Fortunately for him, Darcy learns of a position at the estate of Thomas Bennet. As the young gentleman attempts to find a way to be free of the charges, he must also hide his developing feelings he has for his employer's second daughter. Will he be able to prove his innocence and return to his life, and could he leave his heart behind if he was to regain his position in society?

    So when her aunt and uncle suggest they take a tour of Pemberley, Mr Darcy's ancestral home, only the reassurance that he is away convinces her to agree. Needing some time alone, she takes advantage of her aunt and uncle's absence to explore the countryside around Lampton, when a storm obliges her to take shelter in the woods near Pemberley. As the storm worsens, Elizabeth is injured and is trapped in the woods with no way of returning to the inn where her aunt and uncle are staying. Mr Darcy thought to take advantage of the fine weather to return to Pemberley a day early, to attend to some business with his steward. But the sudden outbreak of a storm obliges him to take a shortcut through the woods. There, he encounters the unconscious form of the lady he thought never to see again. Being too far from Pemberley, he is obliged to take her to a nearby cabin, where he must tend to her injuries. There, they spend the night alone together. The pair agree that they should pretend Elizabeth was alone in the cabin, and Mr Darcy stayed elsewhere, to save Elizabeth's reputation and prevent her being forced into a marriage with a man she does not love. But once at Pemberley, Miss Caroline Bingley grows suspicious that Elizabeth was not so alone after all. Determined to smear her rival's reputation, she returns to the cabin and discovers proof that Elizabeth spent the night with a man. To her horror, Mr Darcy is forced to reveal himself as the man in question, and vows to marry Miss Bennet to save her reputation. Can Mr Darcy prove that he has changed and is now worthy of Elizabeth's love? And can Elizabeth overcome her prejudice and see the man he is now? The arrival of Elizabeth's sister Jane offers Mr Darcy the chance to put right one of his most regretful mistakes. And Elizabeth is forced to consider that there is nothing standing between her and happiness with the man she has grown to love than her own pride.

    After rejecting him, she is required to follow him into the woods to return the hat he left behind, before it is discovered that he had visited her. She is shocked to see he is in far greater pain at her refusal than she realised and when she seeks to comfort him, he forgets himself and kisses her. Unfortunately, Mr Collins, Elizabeth's cousin, witnesses it and not recognising Mr Darcy, is pleased to inform Mr Darcy's aunt, the formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh of Rosings Park, that the pert Miss Bennet's reputation has been compromised. It seems a fitting revenge for a woman who had rejected his own offer of marriage not so long ago. But when Mr Darcy reveals himself as the man who compromised Miss Bennet, and is therefore the man who is required to marry her and save her reputation, Elizabeth is far from grateful. She, who always wanted to marry for love, is now obligated to marry a man she despises for his selfish disdain for others, and who has ruined the happiness of her most beloved sister. Can Mr Darcy persuade her to give him a chance to prove himself worthy of her? And in Elizabeth's pretence to her family of being a happily engaged woman, is it possible she is being fooled by her own charade into feeling more than she does? Or are these growing feelings for Mr Darcy something more than that? At Longbourn, a scandal involving her sister, Lydia, threatens the match and Elizabeth is suddenly confronted with the possibility that maybe she does not know Mr Darcy as well as she believed. And that just maybe, he is the man for her after all.

    All the novellas in the Darcy and Elizabeth What If? series are separate, standalone stories. They can be read in any order. What if Lady Catherine's companion had overheard Mr Darcy proposing to Elizabeth at Rosings? When Lady Catherine fears her nephew is to marry Miss Elizabeth Bennet, she allows her daughter, Anne, to marry Colonel Fitzwilliam. Anne feels indebted to Elizabeth, and in an effort to thank her she persuades Mr Bingley to return to Netherfield. Mr Darcy joins his friend, and Elizabeth is brought face to face with Mr Darcy at a second Netherfield ball.

    Darcy to make a more Persuasion-esque proposal?Author Note: Readers considering this work should be aware that, unlike the Constant Love series, this novella is written in third-person present tense, so if they routinely read only past-tense writing, they may wish to peruse the sample before purchasing.They should also be aware that it uses lines from Jane Austen's Persuasion as well as Pride and Prejudice. Readers who have not read Persuasion are encouraged to read that novel first, less because of spoilers than because it is absolutely wonderful.