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

    Elizabeth Bennet counts herself as one among them, the neighborhood has been dull of late. According to Meryton’s most reliable source of gossip, the house will soon contain a certain Miss Caroline Bingley, her particular friend Mayria Hoppenstack, their companion Mrs. Younge, Mr. Charles Bingley, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Mr. Darcy’s distant relation from Scotland, Mr. Hamish Mackay. At Mr. Bingley’s urging, he and his friends appear at the Meryton assembly and the party are welcomed by all. All, excepting Elizabeth Bennet, who has managed to insult Mr. Darcy before he has even fully got himself inside the doors. She would have worked to appear more contrite over the mishap if Mr. Darcy had not seemed to glory in repeatedly pointing it out to her. As it was, the man made it impossible to accept defeat gracefully. After this ill-omened start, how on earth could anything promising begin? Amidst Elizabeth’s mortification, Mr. Mackay is found to be a source of strange tales from Scotland, Miss Hoppenstack is not all she claims to be, Mr. Collins discovers his esteemed father was mistaken about a few things, Mary proves herself to be more than a musician and reciter of facts, Charlotte finds success without having to say a word, Lydia has a revelation, Wickham ensnares himself in a web of lies, Lady Catherine is subdued by one clever Bennet while she seeks to subdue another, and most importantly, Mr. Darcy has a plan. #11 in The Sweet Regency Romance Series

    Darcy: Controlling, arrogant, enraging… unfairly handsome. Fitzwilliam Darcy had grown unused to female society during his five years of seclusion since Georgiana had her illegitimate child. That was why he accidentally insulted Mrs. Bingley’s sister. And why he kept thinking about her. When Georgiana became pregnant with Wickham’s child, Darcy had not made her marry the man Colonel Fitzwilliam found to preserve her reputation. She had begged him not to, and Darcy would do anything for his sister. He would even attend the Hertfordshire assembly with Mr. Bingley, because Georgiana wanted him to enjoy society. Bingley’s neighbors had refused to let a fallen woman like Georgiana amongst them. Darcy would not pretend to be pleased to meet them. Elizabeth thought Mr. Darcy was a grand philanthropist: His rudeness provided everyone with a handsome and rich man to hate. But why, if he was actively determined to sneer at all the company, had he bothered to attend their assembly? Still, he was a very handsome man. Darcy needed to overcome his bad first impression if he wanted Elizabeth. But he was rich, handsome and clever. It would be easy.

    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.

    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?

    . . Their chance meeting at Pemberley helped Elizabeth Bennet to realize her true feelings for Mr. Darcy. That same meeting gave him the opportunity to show Elizabeth that he had taken her criticism to heart and made improvements to his behavior. Would this new start finally lead to their happily ever after? How might the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy have been different if they had become betrothed before Elizabeth learned of Lydia’s elopement? Would they have traveled to London together? Would Elizabeth have assisted in her sister’s recovery? Would Lydia and Wickham still have married or would there be another way to save Elizabeth’s youngest sister? A Matter of Timing answers all those questions and more.

    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.

    It assumes that he does not write a letter after the proposal and that, with the collusion of Georgiana Darcy and Col. Fitzwilliam, they meet again in London not many weeks after they have departed Kent. Then tragedy occurs when there is a disastrous fire at Longbourn and the lives of the entire Bennet family are affected as well as the life of Col. Fitzwilliam, who finds love with an unexpected person.

    During a chance encounter, she gains a new friend but will she also find the love of her life? This sweet, clean Regency novella begins months before the start of Pride and Prejudice.

    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.

    “You never will be able to make both of them good…Take your choice, but you must be satisfied with only one. There is but such a quantity of merit between them; just enough to make one good sort of man…” -Pride and Prejudice  From her youngest days, Elizabeth Bennet’s ability to accurately judge the character of others has been recognized and noted by those around her in such a consistent manner as to lead her to believe it herself. The misfortune of meeting Mr. Darcy, a wealthy landowner from the north, only solidifies this belief. The memory of his disapproval of her family, proves his character is lacking and sadly unlike his childhood friend’s, the charming and affable Mr. Wickham, who is esteemed by all he meets. Although her opinion once lost is not lost forever, the effort to regain her favor is great. With Elizabeth’s youngest sister fortunate to be in company with Mr. Wickham in Brighton since the spring, and her own travels to Kent cancelled, she must await the pleasures of a summer holiday to the North with her aunt and uncle Gardiner. However, it is there that she is once again thrust into Mr. Darcy’s presence and must determine if he is truly the architect of the many wrongs she has laid at his door. Fitzwilliam Darcy cannot exorcise Elizabeth Bennet from his thoughts. A chance meeting at the estate of his friend reignites all the flames he has attempted to suppress since their last meeting. Believing in her partiality, he is stunned to overhear her true estimation of him and is determined to change her opinion. Battling with memories and secrets from his past, Darcy must fight against his natural reserve to win the heart of the woman he loves. Will the unexpected appearance of a stranger encourage Elizabeth’s change of heart? Might an episode from Mr. Darcy's past force Elizabeth to see the man within? Can one man have all the goodness and the other only the appearance of it?  Join us for another sweet "Pride and Prejudice" reimagining, suitable for ages teen and up.

     When Elizabeth finds herself increasingly in the company of Mr. Darcy, she expects her dislike of him to grow. Instead, she begins to see a different side of the one man she never dreamed to care for. Meanwhile, Wickham plots ultimate misery for Darcy, but his plans lead him in a direction he never guessed he would go. The Forgiving Season is a Pride and Prejudice variation of approximately 46,000 words. Renata McMann and Summer Hanford began writing Pride and Prejudice Variations together in 2014 and have since become immersed in the amazing world Jane Austen created. Whether you’re a fan of Darcy and Elizabeth specifically or of clean Regency Romance in general, you will enjoy both McMann’s ability to imagine variations of this classic love story and Hanford’s skill in turning these variations of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, and their enduring love into entertaining stories.

    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.

    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.

    On the path towards happiness, they overcome well-known obstacles, as well as new ones, face opponents in classic battles, and defeat others in unique ways. Even more, an original character—seemingly lost to the world for nearly a lifetime—emerges from an obscure past to connect their lives and families in a way no one could imagine. Will Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship disintegrate or evolve under such challenging circumstances? "Bitterness of Spirit" is recommended for a general audience except for the last chapter, which is intended for mature readers. It may be omitted based on the reader’s preference.