IN 1789 A TERRIBLE CRIME IS COMMITTED, plunging one family into grief as another rejoices in the gift of an unexpected son. Two decades later, a chance meeting leads to the discovery of the lost heir of Pemberley and the man who knew himself as Mr William Lucas is restored to his birthright as Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley. DISCOVERING THE TRUTH ABOUT HIS PAST means leaving behind everyone and everything he has ever known and loved—including his childhood best friend and soon-to-be betrothed, Elizabeth Bennet. Tormented by questions about himself, and his place, Darcy struggles to understand and adapt to his changed identity and his new life. He must contend with a father buried in the shadows of the past and family relationships he does not understand. The truth has come out. Some have gained by it, some have lost by it, and I am in the middle. I cannot possibly make everyone happy. No matter what I do, someone will suffer. No matter what I do, I shall suffer.Somehow, he must find a way to do right by his new and old families, especially if he is to avoid losing Elizabeth forever.

    But when a horrific rural accident reveals Darcy to be a man of active, intelligent benevolence, and Elizabeth, in the absence of her appalling family, to be an extraordinary lady of courage and decision—then surely the course of true love will run smoothly.BUT ALAS, THE LOVERS' MEETING is not the end but a new beginning. For though they have found each other, a seeming multitude of complications—a catastrophic flood, the last wishes of a dying friend, Lydia’s misfortunes, a dastardly Member of Parliament, and even their own fears— contrives to come between them and their journey’s end.

    This classic couple’s romance is shaken off course when, shortly after leaving Hertfordshire, Darcy receives word that one of the Bennet sisters is engaged to the obsequious Mr. Collins. Darcy, a rich and powerful landowner, knows that Elizabeth is not a suitable match but, having already lost the battle with Cupid, he finds himself rushing back to the countryside. He is relieved to discover that it is Mary Bennet who is destined to become Mrs. Collins. But his path to happiness is still far from assured. Darcy may have resolved his internal struggle to accept Elizabeth’s as she is, but he must now overcome a rival and his own inability to interpret events around him. Read as all ofJane Austen’s favorite characters overcome hilarious misunderstandings and mishaps. Assumptions and Absurdities is a Regency Romance sure to entertain.

    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.

    They stop to see Pemberley and Elizabeth encounters Mr. Darcy, a man she has never met before. She expects never to see him again, but her expectations prove mistaken. Repeatedly.

    Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s pleasure trip to the Lake District with her aunt and uncle is redirected when they receive an express stating Mrs. Gardiners’ sister and two nephews have fallen ill. The trio proceeds to a farm in Derbyshire to assist the ailing family, on the estate where her aunt grew up, Pemberley. During a walk, Elizabeth happens upon a young lady. A friendship is born, but secrets and heartache surround her new friend. Perhaps Elizabeth will finally meet Ana’s brother, of whom she has heard so much, at Pemberley’s Harvest Ball?Fitzwilliam Darcy is desperate to help his sister recover from the events at Ramsgate but is at a loss as to how to do so. After she begins to ride every day, she also seems to begin healing. In his state of relief, he does not push for answers as to why. When Ana comes to him excitedly requesting that he make the Harvest Ball a masque, he is so grateful for her interest in something, he agrees.

    Darcy had never spoken so disdainfully? First Impressions explores how the events of Jane Austen's beloved novel would have transpired if Darcy and Elizabeth had danced together at the Meryton Assembly. Jane and Bingley's relationship blossoms unimpeded, Mary makes a most fortunate match, and Lydia never sets a foot in Brighton. Austen's witty style is authentically invoked in this playful romp from Longbourn to Pemberley.

    George Wickham plots, and gentlemen and ladies fall in love.It is Christmas, 1811, and the Bennets of Longbourn are startled by the sudden arrival of Mr. Aaron Gardiner, Mrs. Bennet’s older brother who was banished to India more than two decades ago. Aaron is a wise man with a deep understanding of human nature, and his insights into the characters of George Wickham and Charles Bingley prove of great value to Elizabeth and Jane Bennet.When the rest of Aaron’s family arrives from India, the Bennets find themselves embarking on new and exciting adventures. Philip, Aaron’s stepson, has unexpectedly come into an earldom, and Jane and Elizabeth choose to assist their new cousin in learning to manage his vast estate in Kent.Mr. Darcy is thoroughly startled when he discovers that the lovely Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn is connected by marriage to the new Earl of Chartham. When his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and her daughter Anne, begin acting in startling ways, his unassailable confidence in his own sagacity is chipped away, resulting in a new humility.George Wickham plots the ruin of a Bennet daughter, gentlemen and ladies fall in love, and Elizabeth and Darcy eventually attain their happily ever after.

    Bingley returns to Netherfield, but sadly he is alone. His connections to Mr. Darcy are severed, crushing any hope Elizabeth Bennet had of finding happiness with the man to whom she has lost her heart. As the years pass, grief turns into acceptance and Elizabeth marries. She is content to settle into her new life, but it is not to last. A fever claims the life of her husband and father, leaving her in the care of her new uncle, Gareth Amberly, who is determined to see her happy. As this Pride and Prejudice Variation Novella opens, Elizabeth's uncle introduces her to the man he suspects will make her happy ─ Fitzwilliam Darcy. It takes very little time for Darcy and Elizabeth to come to an understanding and for Elizabeth to discover the true reason for their separation. Is a complete restoration of relationships possible, or will their happily ever after always be tainted by separation? Note: This novella is approximately 20,000 words in length and 119 printed pages excluding front and back matter.

    Fitzwilliam Darcy. So desperate that she devises a shocking plan to trap the two of them together in a room at night. Then Mr. Darcy will be forced to marry her. But when Miss Bingley’s plans go awry, it is not she and Mr. Darcy who are trapped together, but rather Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy has been drawn to Miss Bennet since the moment he clapped eyes on her. She drives him to distraction, and now he finds himself stuck here with her in a room they cannot get free from. Miss Bennet is an unmerciful temptation. She will unravel him.

    Her stay at Netherfield Park while her sister, Jane, recovers from her illness, has been long and tedious, especially when the proud and unsociable Mr Darcy insists on sitting in the same room as her for hours at a time without speaking. When the rain briefly relents, she hurries outside to enjoy the fresh air before the weather worsens. Mr Darcy wishes he could stay away from Elizabeth. Her low connections mean marriage to her is out of the question, yet he is drawn to her like a man bewitched. But when she fails to return from her walk before dark, he rushes out to find her, knowing where her habits will draw her. Forced to find shelter for the night, Elizabeth and Darcy struggle to keep warm despite the potential scandal of being alone together. But the bitter cold compels them to stay close and leads to a response neither of them expected. And when they are found together, Elizabeth accepts she has no choice but to marry the man she has despised up until now. But there are people close to them who are even more unhappy about the forced marriage than Elizabeth is. And when Elizabeth is offered an alternative to marrying Darcy, are her growing feelings for him strong enough to overcome the pressure of those trying to separate them? One Night at Netherfield Park is a Pride and Prejudice variation novella of approximately 30,000 words

    And knowing she is alone in Hunsford Lodge gives him the perfect opportunity to tell her how he feels, even if it means being caught in a torrential downpour. But Elizabeth is on one of her walks and could be gone for hours. Unable to wait a moment longer to see her, Darcy is obliged to borrow clothes from Hunsford Lodge’s groom before he sets out to find and propose to the woman he loves. When Darcy finds her sheltering from the rain under the folly in Rosings Park, Elizabeth’s hostility and the fact that she has been soaked in the rain makes it impossible for him to propose. But in a lapse of his usual self-mastery, he kisses her and, just for a moment, Elizabeth responds. But they are not alone. When Mr Collins sees Elizabeth kiss a man in servant’s clothing, he goes to Lady Catherine, who insists Elizabeth marry the fellow in question to repair her ruined reputation. And her rage when she discovers the man is her own nephew is so great Elizabeth and Darcy are obliged to leave for London at once. Forced to marry, Elizabeth and Darcy must find a way to reconcile themselves to the match. Before Darcy can tell her he loves her, Elizabeth confesses she has never liked him believing him to feel the same, leaving Darcy devastated and forced to hide his true feelings for her. But as they spend more and more time together, Elizabeth begins to question her prejudices and assumptions. And now, both must find a way to overcome their fear that they are to endure a marriage to someone who can never love them. Only The Deepest Life is a Pride and Prejudice variation novella of approximately 30,000 words.

    After a fierce argument with her mother, Elizabeth flees from Longbourn in a state of tearful rage. She faces a troubling dilemma and is trapped by her feelings of obligation to her family, whilst her rebellious, independent spirit is determined not to be subjugated into a loveless marriage. Just as she is at her lowest ebb, when all hope seems to have fled, she is surprised by the arrival of none-other than Mr Darcy. She knows very well that he views her and all her family with complete derision, and so she cannot understand why he is so kind and gentlemanly towards her that day. It is the first time that she sees a different side to Mr Darcy, and she starts to develop a new insight into his character – and to realise that he is not as arrogant and unfeeling as she always previously assumed him to be. From that day a new understanding grows between them, and Elizabeth begins to view him in a better light. Their relationship grows from that day forwards – though their path to happiness is by no means an easy one. Along the way they must face opposition from their families, clear up a damaging misapprehension, and overcome a scandal which could destroy all their hopes for their future. Nevertheless, through it all, Mr Darcy is absolutely resolved and utterly set upon a future with his beloved Elizabeth.

    Fitzwilliam Darcy! After Mr. Bingley's ball at Netherfield, Mrs. Bennet makes sure that she and her family are the last guests to leave. But when an early winter storm descends, the Bennets are trapped at Netherfield for the foreseeable future. Elizabeth is in despair. Not only will she be forced into close proximity with Caroline Bingley, the odious Mr. Collins, and her ridiculous mother and younger sisters… Now she'll has to contend with the proud Mr. Darcy, as well. But the weather is not the only unnatural occurrence, of late. Mr. Darcy is showing an interest in Elizabeth. Agreeing to be her partner. Revealing secrets about his history, only to her. If she didn't know better, she might think the taciturn man with the burning blue eyes and slow, secretive smile was beginning to like her. And even worse: she might be starting to like him back. Is Mr. Darcy really cold as ice - or will being snowbound with Elizabeth cause him to melt? Dear reader, is it cold outside? This wintry tale is guaranteed to warm you up! Please note that my earlier works are intimate, sensual Pride and Prejudice variations. Snowbound with Darcy is NOT! It's as sweet as a cup of hot chocolate, and while the emotions between our dear couple are hotter than a roaring fire, they do not anticipate their vows and there are no sensual scenes. (At all!) What am I doing? Having fun…spending a weekend snowbound with my very sweet Darcy and Elizabeth!

    Darcy’s introduction. What if Elizabeth visited Pemberley before meeting Darcy, and was prepared to think the best of him, rather than the worst? What if Georgiana Darcy stayed home from Ramsgate, and Wickham’s dastardly schemes had not yet been revealed? The answer: An ardent, inevitable love story that unfolds quite differently… but is, in essentials, very much what it ever was. Elizabeth and Darcy: Ardently Yours is a sweet, chaste Regency romance of approximately 60,000 words. A note: This story was originally posted several years ago on Jane Austen fan sites, under the title “In Essentials: Much as It Ever Was”. It has been lightly edited, but is otherwise unchanged. — Evangeline (“Vangie”) Wright.