What if Darcy and Elizabeth had come to understanding in very different circumstances and a bit later than in the novel? --------------------------------- Elizabeth walked back to the desk. Mr Darcy was writing busily, a frown of concentration gracing his forehead. “Yes, Miss Bennet?” he asked, interrupting his work to look up at her. “Have you changed your mind about keeping my company?” “The door is closed.” “Closed,” he repeated. She nodded. “Yes. I cannot open it.” “It must have gotten stuck.” “Well, I have no strength to push it open.” Darcy stood up, walked around the desk and straight to the door. After a moment it turned out that he was as unsuccessful at opening the solid oak door as she was. “What is the meaning of this?” Elizabeth asked. “It appears that someone must have locked the door from the outside.” Her eyes widened. “Locked it?” “Yes, I cannot explain it otherwise.” “Why would someone do such a thing?” “Yes, why would someone do such a thing…why indeed?” Darcy asked, his expression both bewildered and dazed. “What shall we do now?” she wanted to know, expecting him to find a solution to their dilemma. “We should wait,” he answered quickly. “Wait?” “If someone locked it by accident, this person must open it in due time,” Darcy stated. Elizabeth was not convinced with his reasoning. “Perhaps,” she said, the tone of her voice doubtful. She stepped to the door and pulled at the handle. She did not know why she did it. The door was closed, after all. “Should we not cry for help?” she suggested. “Or look for the key? Mr Bingley might keep a spare key in one of the drawers of the desk.” “Are you in any danger, Miss Bennet?” he asked. “Do you not trust me?” “No, of course not. I mean, I do trust you, sir. Nevertheless, it is all rather strange, will you not agree with me?” “I am confident that it is nothing more than a simple misunderstanding. As for the key, I have never seen one.” “Could it be a servant? The person who locked the door?” “Quite possibly.” Elizabeth felt that her confusion was growing. “I do not understand,” she whispered.

    Darcy’s Kiss, Darcy blatantly ignores all rules of propriety when he boldly kisses Elizabeth Bennet despite her adamant refusal of his initial proposal. Believing she will never see Darcy again, Elizabeth does her best to forget his lips on hers, but a chance encounter in Hyde Park only weeks later brings forth feelings that Elizabeth never knew she had, and is not sure she appreciates. Will the unlikely couple find happiness despite the misdeeds and misunderstandings of the past or is their relationship predestined to end in heartbreak and misery?

    Darcy is in need of a wife. Business keeps him in London, but Georgiana must go to Pemberley for the sake of her health. He cannot trust her care to the servants. He knows his duty - he must seek a wife. A ball at Almack’s is the place to seek a wife of good breeding and wealth. So Mr. Darcy must force himself to attend. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is pleasing to look at. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is lively, playful and intelligent. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is wearing exquisite, costly gowns. Miss Elizabeth Bennet has a voucher to Almack’s, so she must be from a highly suitable family. Mr. Darcy knows his position in life is such that no lady will refuse his offer of marriage, even when he makes it clear that the arrangement does not include affection. Nothing can possibly go wrong. Artifice and Attraction is a sweet and clean Regency Romance novel of over 89,000 words

    Elizabeth refers to her helper as her guardian angel, and Darcy calls his mother. Elizabeth is invited by her uncle and aunt Gardiner to travel to Ramsgate with them during the summer. While there, Elizabeth befriends young Georgianna Darcy, and this friendship leads to many changes in both Georgianna and Elizabeth's lives. This friendship also leads to changes in the life of Fitzwilliam Darcy as well.

    The arc of their courtship, marriage, and the starting of a family serves as the foundation for a turbulent series of events. As it always is within Austen’s world, there is the familiar carousel of suitors, betrothals, triumphs, and societal disgrace. Many of the familiar characters are on hand, including Mr. and Mrs. Bennet; their daughters Jane and Elizabeth; Colonel Fitzwilliam; and Bingley, who has his eyes on Jane. Also here is the bitter Lady Catherine, as the novel also considers the more ominous social realities of the fondly remembered age. The handsome but conniving Mr. Wickham seeks to even an old score with his former friend Darcy. False accusations challenge Elizabeth’s love for her new husband, and the novel careens to a violent climax that is the result of society gossip and damaged reputations. This attention to the consequences of the contemporary mores of the day in the lives of these characters represents a fresh take on this time-honored tale.

    Hearing from his aunt that the Collins’ are expecting Miss Elizabeth as a guest, Darcy and the Colonel change their plans and set off for Kent a fortnight sooner than originally planned. He and the Colonel have both decided that they are about to secure their future happiness. Darcy planning to propose to Miss Elizabeth and the Colonel is prepared to make a proposal of his own. Have you ever been a victim of false assumptions? Imagine assuming that the love of your life is engaged to your cousin and one of your dearest friends. Through a series of miscommunications and assumptions, Darcy believes that he has missed out on securing his future with Elizabeth when he comes upon them in Rosings Park. Will Darcy find the happiness he so desperately longs for …?

    Darcy's first proposal. The lady is astonished by the gentleman's words but cannot be prevailed upon to accept him. Mr. Darcy reveals his defeat to his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, in the library at Rosings and is overheard by one Miss Anne de Bourgh. When the young mistress of Rosings instructs the groom to ready her gig and drives with abandon to the parsonage to intervene on Mr. Darcy's behalf, an accident brings the opportunity for several beloved characters to become properly humbled. In this sweet, completely romantic tale, three couples find their happily ever after in spite of Lady Catherine's interference.

    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.

    “I need to gain control of her inheritance before she reaches her next birthday. It need not be a long marriage, but marry her you must.”Alone in the world, Elizabeth Bennet had to rely upon herself. She knew escape was the only way to ensure her safety. With the help of Longbourn’s faithful servants, Elizabeth disappeared from her home and the odious heir. She was determined to find a way to support herself and remain hidden until after her birthday.Fortune smiled on Elizabeth when a series of events offered her the position of companion to Georgiana Darcy. In spite of her position, Elizabeth found herself attracted to her new employer. Could he ever see her as more than his sister’s companion? Sometimes Elizabeth thought Mr. Darcy might care for her, too, but would his attraction—if that is what is was—survive when he learned the truth about her?Hidden away at Pemberley, would Elizabeth be able to remain safely concealed until coming of age? What surprises did the future hold for her?

    Darcy still find their happily ever after?Young William Collins spent his childhood under the oppression of an abusive father and an ill mother. When he becomes an orphan after a scarring tragedy, Collins is sent to live with his estranged cousins, the Bennet family, at Longbourn.At the same time, Fitzwilliam Darcy passes through his own crisis. The unique relationship between the Darcy and Wickham families is revealed late one night when Fitzwilliam discovers his father’s unsettling secret—one that affects George Wickham to the core.Elizabeth grows up loving Collins as a brother, but when he befriends Darcy and Wickham, Elizabeth wonders about her cousin’s choice in friends, and Darcy’s overbearing pride. What she doesn’t know are the heartaches of Darcy’s past that shape his intentions now.As the beloved characters of Pride & Prejudice grapple with their disturbing childhoods, how will the choices of their parents be carried on to the next generation? Can they find happiness, or are they doomed to a lifetime of misery because of the sins of their fathers?"The Sins of Their Fathers: A Pride & Prejudice Variation" by Tiffany Thomas is a full-length historical romance novel of 85,000 words.

    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.

    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.

    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.

    Mortified and angry, she reveals her presence. Darcy is deeply ashamed of his words, but Elizabeth refuses to listen to his apology. She is more convinced than ever that he is the most arrogant, unfeeling man who ever lived. Darcy is troubled by Elizabeth’s stay at Netherfield Park where she is caring for her sister, Jane. He is utterly bewitched by her, and in an effort to convince himself of the unsuitability of a union between them, he reminds himself aloud of her family’s low connections, not realising Elizabeth can hear everything. But the more time he spends with her, the more he can feel his resolve crumble. After the ball at Netherfield Park, he leaves Meryton for London in an attempt to forget her. After refusing the proposal of her cousin, Mr Collins, Elizabeth is banished to stay with her aunt and uncle in London. Her mother is sure that her banishment from Longbourn will be sufficient punishment for Elizabeth’s defiance in turning down an offer of marriage. The only part Elizabeth considers a punishment is that her father orders her to take her youngest, most troublesome sister Lydia with her to keep her away from the militia, whose presence in Meryton has wreaked havoc among the young ladies. When Elizabeth and Darcy encounter one another again in London, Darcy is dismayed to find he is more in love with her than ever. But this is a woman he has criticised twice within her hearing. How can he convince her he is not the odious, unfeeling man she thinks he is? And will she be willing to give him a chance to prove himself worthy of her? When Lydia’s encounter with a man from their past threatens to ruin her and her entire family, Elizabeth has no other choice but to turn to Darcy for help. And she realises that maybe she has been wrong about everything she thought she knew.

    Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet are off to Gretna Green! In Book 4 of the Moralities of Marriage series our dear couple have survived accidents, forced marriages, and meddling relatives. After a short stay at Pemberley where the future Mrs. Darcy comes to terms with the kind of wife Fitzwilliam Darcy will need on his arm, they take off for the border to marry over the anvil. When Mr. Darcy plans an idyllic wedding trip to his family estate just outside of Dumfries, the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Darcy discover the trappings of marriage have yet to relinquish their hold. The Trappings of Marriage delivers the highs of the Darcys’ love and devotion in spite of the lows of scandal and destruction they left behind in England. Join author Elizabeth Ann West and the thousands of readers who read this book as it was posted chapter by chapter for a unique visit into the world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.