And you will love me.”4 June, 1940. The last day of the Dunkirk evacuation. On one side of the English Channel, Elizabeth Bennet looks to the horizon, counting the boats returning from France, wondering if it is possible to learn to love a man in his absence. Across the narrow stretch of sea, two exhausted men stand, shoulder-deep in the water, waiting for one more boat to come and take them home.On the eve of the Second World War, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy meet in Kent, in a small coastal town called Meryton. He thinks she is tolerable at best, she thinks he is a pompous ass. Will the terror sweeping across Europe tear them apart or pull them closer together? Can Darcy keep the promise he made her before he left?

    Fitzwilliam Darcy in particular. When Mr. Darcy returns four years later, he finds a young woman matured from the girl he knew, resolved to overcome the trials she has endured. The uncertainty leads Elizabeth to a situation which once again puts her at risk. Uncertain how Mr. Darcy will act, Elizabeth is forced to question what kind of man he is. Despite all these hurdles, the course of true love cannot be diverted. Elizabeth finds herself strangely compelled by Mr. Darcy and attraction grows, a connection begins to be forged. But while the lovers are sorting through the misunderstandings of their turbulent past, forces gather from a distance, intent upon separating them forever. Elements of Mr. Darcy’s family, those who possess the power to exert great influence over his future, do not take kindly to his potential choice of a wife. And the machinations of a detested rival threaten their happiness, one who believes he has been misused and is determined to receive his due no matter what the cost.

    Darcy, Pride and PrejudiceWhen Fitzwilliam Darcy makes an impetuous offer of marriage to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, he is convinced they have as good a chance as any for a harmonious life together. That is, until an overheard conversation changes everything, and Darcy realizes he is now joined in perpetuity to a woman who loathes the very sight of him.Elizabeth Bennet's expectations for matrimonial accord were never very high, having accepted Mr. Darcy's proposal in a fit of pique, not love. Still, she is determined to make the best of her situation, despite having tied herself to such an arrogant, disagreeable man.But life at Pemberley is not at all what she imagined, and Elizabeth soon finds herself with more questions than answers about the enigmatic gentleman she agreed to wed.Trapped in a marriage founded on misunderstandings, Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth Darcy struggle with deepening attraction while confronting self-doubt and old betrayals. But is love enough to heal the wounds of the past? What will it take for two people bound by duty to find their way home to one another?Note: This novel contains mature content dealing with intimacy and loss. While the scenes are not graphic in nature, the subject matter is most suitable for an adult reader.

    What if ‘I do’ is not the end, but the beginning of the adventure?(The novel addresses mature themes. Given the ‘early marriage’ premise, the issue of growing affection and intimacy is central to the story. The relevant scenes are emotive and deeply sensual, but never explicit.)

    It is the story of a powerful, determined, honourable and brave Darcy, ready to put his life in danger for the woman he loves, and a strong, witty, kind-hearted Elizabeth, ready to admit her errors and to receive and return his ardent love. What if, instead of meeting for the first time after the failed proposal at Pemberley, their first encounter instead takes place while they are both travelling toward the North.The story begins in July, at the beginning of the Gardiners’ and Elizabeth’s journey towards the Lakes. A storm thwarts their plans and a broken wheel on their carriage forces them to make an impromptu stop at an inn, which is already overcrowded and has no rooms left to accommodate them. With no place to stay, no carriage to continue their travel and even in danger of falling ill, their plans seem entirely ruined. Unless…Still grieving over his failed marriage proposal, Darcy is on his way home to Pemberley. As usual, he stops for the night at his favourite inn, together with his valet and two coachmen. An unexpected storm causes the inn to be overcrowded and, faced with so many people without shelter, he is trying his best to offer his support. To his utter astonishment, one of those in need is the woman of his dreams and nightmares, Elizabeth Bennet.Since they seem to share the same destination, the same regrets and sorrow and the same hopes, could they mend the past and build a happy future whilst travelling together? What if new villains and new dangers threaten their lives, forcing them to face the most difficult choices? Will Darcy be able to protect his love?Find out all the answers in this romantic and adventurous tale of our beloved couple.

    I cannot stop it, I cannot indulge it, so I must put distance between us and hope that time will heal this fever I have.”ABANDONED BY HER MOTHER and ignored by her father, it is hardly any wonder young Elizabeth Bennet’s curiosity soon brings about trouble and marriage to a man she does not love. Colonel Fitzwilliam’s family—save for his cousin Mr Darcy—despises her, and life is not what she dreamed of. As she matures and grows from an impetuous girl into a woman, Elizabeth’s most reliable source of friendship and comfort becomes Mr Darcy. When tragedy strikes leaving her a widow, she is free to find out [discover?] who has been in her heart all along. DARCY HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTRIGUED by the girl his beloved cousin married, and finds himself drawn into helping her after her husband’s death. Over time, admiration turns to love. Admitting his feelings to her – or even himself – could lead to ruin, but denying his passion could shatter him.

    Darcy came to see Elizabeth at the inn at Lambton, what was he there to say? This story explores what would have happened if Jane’s letters had been delayed and Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth had instead spent the day together. The path of the story diverges from there, and when Lydia’s elopement becomes known, Elizabeth must face the idea of losing the man she has come to care for.

    Their worst fears are realized as they must leave their beloved Longbourn to face an uncertain future.Elizabeth Bennet faces the a bleak future. It is clear that her mother will never be equal to the tasks of managing the meager finances, planning for the move, or giving guidance and love to her youngest daughters. Elizabeth can expect life as a spinster, caring for the family and finally being left alone to tend Fanny Bennet.Fitzwilliam Darcy arrives at Netherfield on the very eve of the funeral, after a letter is misdirected. He throws himself into the repair work on the Bennets’ cottage, pouring into it all his unrequited love for Elizabeth. Although she may not belong to him, he quickly realizes that he belongs to her—and that he always will.Love grows with the advancing spring, just as surely as the lovely old roses begin to grow at the derelict cottage. As a new haven for the Bennets begins to emerge from the ruins, Elizabeth and Darcy find themselves likewise giving their love a new, second chance. When an unseen and powerful opponent seeks to block their marriage, Elizabeth and Darcy will fight for their freedom to live together in peace.Please note: This story includes two scenes of non-graphic violence. It also incorporates a love scene between the newly married couple in which author and readers will close the door and tiptoe away. It is best suited for readers in the late teens and up.

    Elizabeth has disappeared, and all signs point towards kidnapping. Determined to save the woman he loves, Darcy convinces her father to let him assist in the search. But finding Elizabeth does not guarantee that the danger has passed – and Darcy may still be the last man on earth she could ever be prevailed upon to marry. Will Elizabeth be able to reclaim her future? And if so, is there a place for Darcy by her side?

    A feared specter has escaped London’s grimy docklands and now threatens the wealthy districts. Amongst that ragged stream is a single carriage jostling its way toward Meryton. Inside are the Darcy siblings along with Charles and Caroline Bingley. They desperately seek the safety of Netherfield Park.For all their riches, they could not evade the epidemic’s dark hand. Bingley’s leasehold had been reduced to rubble as roving bands raped, pillaged, and burned. The only sanctuary was Longbourn where, once installed, the Darcys and Bingleys were barred from leaving by a fortnight’s quarantine.Events converge with disease in The Longbourn Quarantine. Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy abandon old prejudices to face grief and mourning. Pride is set aside as Death hovers nearby. The couple forges ahead. knowing that love unexplored is love lost: that words must be said lest they remain unspoken in the time of smallpox.

    Finally confronted with a woman who ignites all his hopes , he agonizes over the cruel trick of fate which placed her in a situation beneath his notice. The morning after the Netherfield ball, he resolves to put as much distance between himself and her as possible.That very morning, however, Elizabeth's future is jeopardized by her father's untimely accident. With Mr Bennet unconscious and surrounded by concerned neighbors, Mr Collins presses his suit. Elizabeth's mother frantically demands her acceptance to secure the familiy's welfare. With so many witnesses to his proposal and everyone expecting her to make a practical choice, Elizabeth's reputation hangs in the balance.Without her father to defend her refusal of Mr Collins, there is no one to speak up for her... except the last man in the world she would ever marry.

    Darcy has already left Netherfield. Torn by his attraction to Elizabeth Bennet, a woman he cannot marry, he retreats to Scotland, unaware of the social disaster that overtakes the Bennet family. Shunned by friends and neighbors, Mrs. Bennet succumbs and Mr. Bennet moves what is left of his family to London. As Mary and Kitty find husbands, Elizabeth and Jane are left to care for their failing father with little money and less hope for the future. After Mr. Bennet’s death, the sisters continue to live on the bare edge of gentility with fading prospects for happiness in life. But then Elizabeth accidently encounters Mr. Bingley. Both young women are drawn back into his sphere, which includes Mr. Darcy. Once again Bingley is plagued by his sister Caroline, who is as determined as ever to prevent his marriage to Jane, and whose machinations may go farther back than anyone realizes. Darcy is assisting his friend in his renewed courtship of Jane and as Elizabeth finds herself in continual contact with him a friendship grows between them, one Elizabeth tries to believe is platonic, while Darcy knows he is still inescapably in love with her. Torn between a growing attraction to Darcy and the taint of Lydia’s sin, Elizabeth struggles to find a way forward. Darcy has problems of his own. His sister Georgiana has withdrawn from her first Season, refusing to choose a suitor in spite of family pressure. Lady Catherine deBourgh believes she can force Darcy to marry her daughter Anne, and will stop at nothing to achieve her goal. And a threat from the past by Darcy’s old enemy George Wickham arises once more with the potential to ruin not only the Darcys but the Fitzwilliam family as well. Now at a Twelfth Night ball, Darcy is no longer able to deny his love and offers Elizabeth his hand. But Elizabeth, deeply damaged by her experiences, believes herself unworthy of him and rejects him with consequences no one could have predicted, forcing Darcy to face a turning point that will decide his and Elizabeth’s future in one last encounter. Finally, just when matters seem to be settled, Darcy and Elizabeth’s happiness is jeopardized once again by a ghost from the past as Wickham finally seems ready to strike.

     Let us explore the deception abounding in Pride and Prejudice. Mrs. Bennets’ boastfulness. Caroline’s false flattery. Collins’s sycophantic praises. Lady Catherine’s claims of an infant betrothal. Wickham! How would Elizabeth’s ‘gift’ change the story? This sweet, clean Pride and Prejudice variation begins on the night of the Meryton assembly.

    Shaken, he has retreated into solitary pursuits such as walking and fishing. Much time has been lost lamenting past errors, but he sees at last a way forward. He will try to get Elizabeth back. Risk a confession to Bingley. Convince Lady Catherine that he will never marry her daughter. Curb his pride and disrespect for others. Seek a reunion. And hope.No sooner has this resolution been formed than Darcy receives dramatic news of the Bennets. The family has been disgraced, not by Lydia, but by Elizabeth herself. She has been convicted of a felony and is now missing, believed a fugitive. Alone and without means, she faces destitution—or transportation at best if caught.Convinced of Elizabeth’s innocence, Darcy stands by his resolution. But how can he help Elizabeth without locating her? And how can he locate her without betraying her to the authorities? The conundrum seems insoluble. Will love find a way?

    Darcy expected Elizabeth to approve when he issued his infamous insult at the dance? When Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet meet for the first time, they quickly recognize a connection that could change their lives, but how can they explore their attraction with Mrs. Bennet sure to pounce on Darcy as a candidate for marriage to Elizabeth and with Darcy’s family certain to censure him for his choice? They need a good plan, or their relations could destroy their love before it’s hardly begun. Their Secret Love is a light, sweet Pride and Prejudice Variation Novelette of approximately 17,000 words.