It is a sweet and clean regency romance with only non-graphic references to intimacy between married couples.Excerpt:"Darcy, what are you doing in London? Why are not still with Bingley in Hertfordshire pursuing the enchanting Miss Elizabeth Bennet?" Darcy looked up in surprise at his cousin Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam?Without waiting for a response, the colonel spoke, "Oh, don't try to convince me you aren't enamored with the lady. You may have fooled Bingley, but I know you too well. I saw the way your eyes followed her whenever you were in her company, how you listened to all of her conversations. Not that I blame you, of course. She is truly a fascinating woman. Intelligent and witty with beautiful eyes, not to mention her very fine figure." Richard grinned and waggled his eyebrows at his cousin.Fitzwilliam Darcy was shocked to discover that his attention to Elizabeth Bennet had been noted by anyone. "Really, Richard, I know not of what you speak. Miss Elizabeth Bennet is tolerable in appearance, but her manner is impertinent, not even taking into account her appallingly inappropriate family. Surely you jest to think that she would attract my attention.""Well, despite your protest of disinterest, I can see that you have given the alliance a good deal of thought. I am amazed that you don't recognize that Miss Elizabeth is a 'pearl of great price'. You are severely underestimating the young lady. And I cannot believe that you would abandon her to a forced marriage with her obnoxious cousin Collins!""If you think so much of the lady, Richard, then you go rescue her!" Darcy huffed.Colonel Fitzwilliam continued to gaze at his cousin and dearest friend in disbelief before standing and pronouncing, "Very well, I will, if she will have me"

    An intelligent, lively, and beautiful young lady with few gentlemen to turn her eye, Elizabeth was delighted to meet an officer who seemed to match her in every way. Mr. George Wickham seemed to be the only person who had ever read the books she had with the same feelings, or could keep up with her quick wit. He was handsome and charming, and if that were not enough, he also had such a past filled with trials and misfortunes as made him thoroughly interesting to her. She fell rapidly in love, and as the gentleman was likewise afflicted, they were soon engaged. He did not have a fortune to support their union, however, and ultimately the pair concluded that their betrothal must continue for an indefinite period until his fortune could be made.When Wickham departed in June with a plan of returning a wealthier man, Elizabeth fought valiantly against the sorrow his departure produced. However, word came shortly thereafter that destroyed all her peace. He had died under mysterious circumstances in Ramsgate. Elizabeth’s fury against the unknown culprit were only matched by her sorrow at losing the best man she had ever known.While Elizabeth was still wearing black for her beloved, she was shocked to meet a gentleman whom Wickham had often told her about. Mr. Darcy, the son of Wickham’s godfather and the chief cause of his poverty, had come to live at Netherfield house with the very agreeable, handsome man who had leased it. Though Elizabeth’s sister Jane cautioned her against being hostile toward him, Elizabeth was disdainful toward the man from the start. Seeing her to be in mourning and admiring her pretty looks, Mr. Darcy asked somebody about her. But upon learning her former fiance’s identity, he quickly became disgusted with her, as well—presuming she was a party to the wicked schemes the man was in the midst of perpetrating prior to his untimely death.Yet the pair is drawn to one another—he admiring of her valiant spirit and beautiful eyes, and she learning gradually the truth of her former beau’s character, taking comfort in how unlike his former friend Mr. Darcy evidently was. Yet neither were prepared to learn the full breadth of what Wickham had done, nor to deal with its lasting consequences. Will their pursuit of justice for all the victims of Wickham’s crimes bring them together, or tear them apart forever?

    Whilst there she is surprised to meet Mr Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr Wickham.Elizabeth is about to be astounded time and again by the events that play out in Liverpool. Events which see her undertake a night time adventure with two men she had no idea were in fact cousins!While staying at Gracechurch Street in London she had been invited by Lady Matlock to a soiree at Matlock Gardens. It was there that she was left in no doubt, by her Ladyship, that she was not a suitable wife for her son Colonel Fitzwilliam, who Elizabeth had only recently met. Too poor, was the insinuation and certainly not born high enough.After being duped by Wickham and astonished by what she overheard Mr Darcy say to his cousin, Elizabeth was delighted when within less than a week, her life changed immeasurably. A change which would find her living, albeit temporarily, only five miles from Pemberley.This is a gentle, lightly amusing tale of the developing love between Darcy and Elizabeth, with all its ups and downs.

    But what happens when a certain Derbyshire gentleman sees things in a completely different way? A childhood illness leaves Fitzwilliam Darcy with physical limitations that keep him from seeing the world as it is. When his trust is challenged again and again by those dearest to him, will he ever recover enough to discover his own path to true love? Explore an alternate reality where Elizabeth Bennet strikes up an unlikely friendship with a blind Mr. Darcy - only to find herself armed with unique perspectives that will challenge both him and her in how they view themselves, their loved ones, and the world at large.

    Thomas Bennet married the love of his life: Miss Fanny Gardiner. She gave him three children, Jane, Elizabeth and Tommy. 2 years after Tommy, Fanny was taken from her loving family birthing a second son, who was stillborn.Another branch of the Bennet family, cousins to the Longbourn Bennets, are titled, the Earl and Countess of Holder, who live in Staffordshire with their 5 children. The two families are extremely close and after Fanny dies Bennet’s cousins, at his request, keep and raise Tommy. In his grief Thomas Bennet doesn't think he can raise a 2-year-old at the same time as his two daughters. He also feels Tommy needs a mother figure in his life.Martha Bingley is the widow of an honourable tradesman, Mr. Arthur Bingley, who had died of a heart attack. Bingley senior was a minor partner of Edward Gardiner in Gardiner and Associates. They had three children, Charles, Louisa, and Caroline. Unlike canon, the Bingleys are not very wealthy, and the girls have small dowries of £2,000 each.Bennet is introduced to Martha at his brother-in-law’s house. The Bingleys live in a leased house a few houses down from the Gardiners on Gracechurch street. Martha has always dreamed of climbing up the social ladder, raising her family above their roots in trade, so she compromises Bennet as he is a landed gentleman with an estate. Being an honourable man, and against advice of friends and family, he marries her.Our 'prince' in the story is of course none other than His Grace Fitzwilliam Darcy, Duke of Derbyshire, Earl of Lambton. Like canon his parents have already passed away. Dear old Lady Catherine de Bourgh will do anything to make her sickly daughter with a nasty disposition a Duchess. At some point the Duke purchases Netherfield to be closer to London so his sister, Lady Georgiana, will have her preferred music master close by.Bennet never reveals the existence of his son, or his relations, who are peers of the realm, to his new wife, who he dislikes intensely. The neighbours, none of whom like the new Mrs. Bennet or her children, keep the Bennet’s secrets without question. Bennet allows his new wife to believe the entail on Longbourn is away from the female line giving her the impression that on his death, she and her three spawn will be evicted from the estate by a distant unnamed cousin.Sometime after sending Jane to live with his cousins, for reasons which will be revealed in the story, with Lizzy refusing to leave her father’s side, Bennet has an accident which kills him. When no heir presents himself to throw her and her children, still at Longbourn, into the hedgerows, the stepmother feels more secure at the estate.Several of the usual suspects are present as well as some other characters. This is a story of hope and survival and the eventual triumph of good over evil.

    In London, every member of the ton knows that Mr. Darcy keeps a scandalous secret, but no one dares to claim they know the whole truth about the woman living under his protection. A young lady of little fortune... Elizabeth Bennet is well aware that her prospects of making an advantageous marriage are low. Her family’s lack of fortune and connections are against her but even more so, her witty, obstinate mind seems to keep potential suitors at a distance. On the other hand Meredith Whitney, Sir Edward Whitney’s daughter and Elizabeth’s dearest friend, promises to be much more fortunate, as the Hertfordshire neighbourhood waits with bated breath for the announcement of her engagement to Mr. Bingley. When Mr. Bingley’s party comes to stay at Hudson Park at Sir Edward Whitney’s invitation, fate brings Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth together, although their first encounter is equally awkward and mortifying for both. Still, it is enough to spark interest. It seems that she has finally found her match. A gentleman with a secret... Elizabeth begins to learn that there is much more to Mr. Darcy than her first impression of an arrogant and taciturn gentleman inclined to annoy her, and she realises he has somehow found the key to her mind and heart. Much to her surprise, in just a few encounters, Mr. Darcy manages to enter Elizabeth’s thoughts as no one has ever done before. The strangely warm sentiment appears to be mutual, until Elizabeth accidentally learns about the person who lies at the core of Mr. Darcy’s secret life. In search of justice Meet Mrs. Flora Guillen, a Jamaican woman of colour—beautiful, amiable, intelligent, but above all with a sadness in her eyes that cannot be easily understood. In befriending her, Elizabeth unwittingly starts to unveil the truth behind the secret, a story of heartbreak and survival that affects not only Darcy’s reputation, but also the lives of so many others.

    Bennet is dead. Her second eldest daughter, Elizabeth, has no time for suitors. She must placate a melancholy father and help raise her younger sisters. Fitzwilliam Darcy is of like mind. He struggles to keep his family's legacy alive and support a younger sister beset with problems of her own.The two meet at a country assembly. While she teases out his quiet charm, he delights in her fiery intelligence. As soon as he lets his feelings be known, duty pulls him away.Will Elizabeth conquer her prejudice against the first circles to see a man worthy of respect? Will Darcy deliver justice for the sins committed against his sister, or forever drown in the silence of his inherit pride? Will he capture the only woman to bewitch him body and soul?

    The well-known characters, as well as a few new ones, grow from childhood to a marriageable age; some reveal different facets of their personalities, while others are doomed to follow the same paths.

    The story is appropriate for all audiences.While spending a pleasant time in Ramsgate as a companion to her aunt, Elizabeth meets and befriends a young, beautiful and elegant young lady of whom she knows little except that she resides in a nearby cottage. Surprised, Elizabeth observes the restrained girl with delicate manners breaching propriety several times by meeting late at night with a man who seems to hide his identity. Their friendship, although new, is not shallow and when the girl simply disappears one evening—apparently taken away by her brother—Elizabeth can’t help worrying about her and makes efforts to enquire about her health and whereabouts.Returning home to Longbourn, Elizabeth finds several new arrivals in the neighbourhood: Mr. Charles Bingley, the new master of Netherfield, his family and his friend—Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley. Mr. Bingley’s amiable manners are universally appreciated, in complete contrast to Mr. Darcy’s arrogance and aloofness. When a militia regiment then arrives in town, a certain Mr. George Wickham—handsome and charming—also claims his place in Meryton and Longbourn society.To her utter joy and complete astonishment, Elizabeth finally receives news about the young lady she met in Ramsgate—and the revelations are astounding.While struggling with pride, prejudice, misunderstandings and misjudgements, Elizabeth will grow in character and feelings and will slowly discover Darcy’s true character as well as the strength, depths and loyalty of Darcy’s love.

    The men in my life would consider it amusing but naïve to afford the same semantics of conversation for wholly different circumstances such as these, or they would should one of them choose to read it.This vagary proposes an alternate telling of the original Pride and Prejudice and considers what may have happened should the characters have been afforded a slightly altered set of circumstances. What if Mr. Darcy had accepted quite early that he was falling in love with Elizabeth? What if Elizabeth was the least stubborn of her sisters? What if Mrs. Bennet was allowed to settle in mind and spirit? What if Mr. Bennet exerted himself on behalf of his daughters? What if Mr. Collins was in some way welcomed as the next owner of the estate? Those are only some of the twists within this tale, and while not canon, I hope I gave your favorite character a moment unto themselves that will make you smile.CAUTION: I want to specifically state that this vagary is not for all Pride and Prejudice genre readers. If one reads to find fault in what is not canon, I’ve been most forthcoming about the fact that it is a vagary, so you should already be on your guard and perhaps pass it by. For those of you who are strict authoress-guidelines conscious, I will argue that in all time periods people spoke with the use of contractions. To that end, I was true to life rather than follow her pointed non-use of them. Outside conversation, however, you will not find them, and I hope that soothes any feathers which may be ruffled at such a bold defiance.CAUTION: My editor also requested that I issue a point of clarification on her behalf. I confess that as an author em-dashes drive me nanabas, so in conflict with her excellent advice, I did not include many of them where she said they should be. Despise me for it if you must, but no novel, story, prose, or verse ever hinged on one’s use. The lacking or use of a comma, however, has cost millions. I promise that for those, I let her fully guide me.NOTE: My personal pleasure in writing this book was the intent to make any who read it find themselves staying up at night; not because ODCs are near death, have been forced to do that which they despise, or are off chasing Lydia again, but because I believe I am not the only one of us who dearly loves to laugh.

    It was the talk of the town; not even Mr Darcy could avoid hearing about it, with his best friend's loquacious sister in tow.The sisters, dressed in their mourning garb, do not quite meet the expectations of the fastidious Mr Darcy, who soon finds himself in the unenviable position of trying to rectify a poor first impression. But then a dramatic event forces them to unite against a common enemy—a master of deception—to save their sisters.A chaste Pride and Prejudice variation of approximately 63 000 words, appropriate for adults due to graphic descriptions of nonsexual violence. A forced marriage scenario with no compromise.*Henry and Emma, a poem by Matthew Prior (1664-1721)

    With the support of his Fitzwilliam relatives and his friend, Charles Bingley, he resists the temptation to give in to emotional blackmail or behave less honorably to gain his father’s praise. Instead, he plans and prepares for a future without Pemberley. When the crisis comes, he takes an unusual path that eventually leads him to Meryton and Elizabeth Bennet. Despite his changed circumstances, his honorable behavior shows young Darcy to have a proper form of pride.

    This may be especially so when the man in question not only possesses the rightful inheritance of said ladies, but is also of a most odious disposition and less than agreeable in appearance. Such was the lot of five young women near the town of Meryton. Not only had they no fortune, their own father, an absentee parent at best, had not the foresight to put aside a single pound should they not have the opportunity marry. For this sole reason, their overbearing mother deemed it necessary for one of her daughters to marry this impossible man. However, a mother’s best laid plans cannot come to pass if the gentleman in question is not only repulsive, but also very, very dead. Desperate times often call for desperate measures. There is a myriad of ways to dispose of an unwanted suitor, all of which may be deemed accidental, for who would ever accuse a young lady of good family? The answer is simple… no one. However, some persons are as extremely difficult to be rid as they are to tolerate in life. The Reverend Mr. Collins, despite his obvious deficiencies when it came to appearance and personality, has an uncanny knack for staying alive but, where there is a will, there is always a way…

    They are deeply in love and about to consummate their marriage vows – only they are abruptly interrupted by news of the most terrible kind.Georgiana has been kidnapped under the cover of darkness from Darcy’s carriage – and no one knows where she might be now, nor what harm might have befallen her. But who could be behind her kidnapping and what do they want?And how can Darcy and Elizabeth’s fledgling marriage survive through such terrible strain?‘Having no time to lose and feeling desperate to be off, Darcy quickly turned to Elizabeth then and briefly took her hand within his own to press a swift kiss on her knuckles. “Goodbye, Elizabeth,” he murmured quietly; “I’m so sorry to have to leave you like this. I’ll send word if I can.” And with these words, he abruptly departed, swiftly remounting his stallion before riding off into the night as if he were being pursued by the devil himself.’This story is a long read, at approximately 100,000 words long, and it contains scenes of a sexual nature and references to violence.

    As she recovers, Darcy finds himself attracted to his guest, but her low social status silences his desires. Soon Darcy discovers the wreck was no accident, but the work of his old nemesis George Wickham, drawing him into the official investigation. While Darcy gathers evidence of the crime, his friend Charles Bingley falls in love with Elizabeth’s sister Jane. Bingley leases an estate near her home in Hertfordshire, bringing Darcy once more into contact with Elizabeth. After Wickham is captured by an intrepid Bow Street investigator, the monstrous motive for his crime is revealed, and he is arrested for murder. Meanwhile, Bingley secures Jane’s hand, forcing his friend to confront his reservations about Elizabeth. Feeling he is free of Wickham’s shadow, Darcy follows his heart and proposes to Elizabeth, and the double wedding of the two sisters goes forward. But then, unforeseen problems arise. A vitriolic attack by Bingley’s sister Caroline, long obsessed with Darcy, shocks Elizabeth. Georgiana has a distressing secret she is afraid to share with her brother. And Darcy’s aunt, Lady Catherine deBourgh, exhibits bizarre symptoms that force her brother, Lord Matlock, to intervene before a major scandal damages the entire family, threatening Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s future. Now, as the newlyweds settle at Pemberley, Wickham goes on trial, and Darcy must testify against his one-time friend, sealing Wickham’s fate. With Wickham sentenced to die, honor, treachery and one last act of evil force a crisis no one could have imagined, and bring Darcy face to face with death..