Bennet died, Mr. Bennet decided it behooved him to find a new mother for his young daughters. Now, with all of them grown and getting married, it’s time for Elizabeth to learn the truth about her father's choice. Little does Elizabeth know, the woman who fought for years to turn her and her sisters into proper English misses is secretly a very scandalous stepmother. Please note, this is the second edition of The Scandalous Stepmother, with special thanks to our new editor, Joanne Girard. This “Pride and Prejudice” variation novella is approximately 47,000 words in length. 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.

    Charles Bingley, is instantly drawn to Elizabeth Bennet’s sister Lydia. More than twice, he asks the youngest Bennet daughter to stand up with him, and soon all the neighborhood is speculating on when Mr. Bingley will make an offer to their dearest girl. Elizabeth cannot understand the attraction. In her heart, she believes a match between Mr. Bingley and Lydia would end in tears all round, while Jane and Charles seemed made for each other. While Mrs. Bennet is giddy over Mr. Bingley’s attentions to Lydia, Elizabeth devises ways to divert them to Jane, but her every stratagem is thwarted by his friend—the arrogant Mr. Darcy. The man is maddening—truly! Excerpt: "Oh, Jane!" Elizabeth cried before she could stop herself. "How... how dramatic." "You're adorable, both of you." Aunt Gardiner was dressed as Queen Cleopatra of Egypt. She beamed at her nieces, apparently of the opinion that their costumes were a great success.Jane was dressed as the goddess of love and beauty, every bit as shocking as Elizabeth's Eve. Mrs. Swan had crafted a costume so provocative, so inviting to the male eye, that Elizabeth feared her sister would be too mortified enter Beaufellmont, let alone the dance floor. The pale pink chiton-style gown was cinched around the waist by a pale blue girdle of Hephaestus, embroidered with tiny silver and gold seashells. The girdle alone emphasized Jane's figure, and two large satin seashells covered her breasts. Her arms were bare from the shoulders, in the Greek fashion, and she wore short pink lace gloves that stopped at her wrists. Her hair was hidden under a pale pink satin turban, which had a golden apple affixed at the top. "You make a wonderful Aphrodite, Miss Bennet," Sally said. "So beautiful. It's a shame you'll be wearing a mask." Jane self-consciously touched the turban's ornament, the golden apple given to Aphrodite according to the judgment of Paris. Her face was red as a berry. No, Elizabeth thought. It is a very good thing we will be wearing masks. "The finer the lady, the more risqué the costume," Mrs. Swan said with full authority on the matter. "I certainly come up to the mark on that account." Elizabeth frowned at the serpent's head at rest on her breast. "Or should I say down to it?" "It is fancy dress, my dears." Aunt Gardiner laughed. "Do not spoil the fun by being unnecessarily overmodest. Lord Beaufellsey's affairs are notorious for their notoriety." "I like that," Elizabeth said drolly. "Let your imaginations take flight. For one night, we shall be outrageous! The three most dangerous females in history: Aphrodite, Cleopatra, and Eve." Elizabeth sat down at her dressing table to allow the second assistant to sweep her hair up and hide it under a turban of pale green satin. "I suppose I won't mind a little outrageousness. Especially as we shall be safely incognito behind our masks." She had always enjoyed her aunt's youthful vigor, but never so much as at this moment. Why not be daring? Especially when so little risk was involved. Even if their masks were to slip, it would not signify.

    Their friendship develops quickly and their pride and prejudice are set aside to form a lasting bond. Happy, low-angst story of friendship.

    Darcy so keen to stand up for every dance? His animated performance is the highlight of the Meryton assembly. Everybody is delighted with him except for Elizabeth, who thinks him a worthless fribble and a bad influence on her younger sisters, and Miss Bingley, who does not like to see him dance and form friendships with others. Will their concurrence on this subject turn Lizzy and Miss Bingley into the best of friends? Will Mr. Darcy’s friendship exercise a good influence over Kitty and Lydia? Will theirs bring out the best in him? And will he and Elizabeth ever find any common ground, or are they destined to disagree over every little thing?

    Lydia’s suggestion to pass the time with games might be just what Bingley needs to prove Jane truly cares for him. Will Elizabeth’s prejudices of Mr Darcy hold up under the scrutiny of being stranded with him? What changes could possibly come from the effects of ‘Snow Storms & Kissing Games’? A 'Pride & Prejudice' Novella Variation

    Fitzwilliam Darcy, heir to Pemberley, is equally determined to reject any matchmaking endeavors targeting him. But when the two attract, there is little that will get in their way. Come along for this variation on the pairing of Pride and Prejudice's two central characters. You are sure to leave laughing, and loving and cherishing the fresh portrayal of the attraction the two inherently share. A tale of romantic twists and comedic spontaneity.

    Fitzwilliam Darcy are due to be married in a few weeks time in a double wedding with Mr. Bingley and Jane in the local church at Meryton. But Lady Catherine de Bourgh, still smarting from the loss of her nephew Darcy as a husband for her daughter Anne, has her own ideas about their wedding day and she can't help but interfere. Will Darcy live to regret inviting Lady Catherine back into his life, or will Lady Catherine's plan to take a little revenge on Elizabeth unwittingly backfire on her?

     A much better summer for Darcy prevents the worst of the misunderstandings in Hertfordshire. This results in a fast, strong friendship between Elizabeth and Darcy. While in Kent, Darcy abruptly discovers that despite, considering Elizabeth only a friend, she has fallen in love with him.

     Fitzwilliam Darcy disappeared years ago, and since then Elizabeth Bennet dreamed of a man suffering a terrible imprisonment. She needed to rescue him, but Mr. Bennet refused to help her. The magic gentry possessed could do many things, but what Elizabeth said was scientifically impossible. Mr. Bennet brought his daughter to an eminent doctor who bled her magic to cure her delusions. Elizabeth determined to rescue this man alone. The bond between them led her to his hidden prison. He was ill from years of terrible confinement, and had no memory of who he was. Elizabeth needed to care for him until he recovered and learned who he was. But when William discovers who he was, it will threaten the love which had grown between them.

    Darcy? There is something for everyone in this collection of short stories. Dreamy? In 'Inspired Reflections', Darcy's dreams inspire him to forget his pride and pursue Elizabeth Bennet. Persistent? After Darcy's horrid proposal, Elizabeth allows him a second chance in 'Hunsford Redux'. Repentant? When Elizabeth prevents him from proposing, he realizes his blunder. Will he overcome her 'Immovable Dislike' and win her hand?

    Beginning where Jane Austen’s classic left off, this collection of six humorous and heart-warming stories takes readers from Lizzy and Darcy’s first argument as a married couple, to their youngest daughter’s first season. Follow our favorite couple as they overcome the trials and tribulations of wedded life, learning and laughing through it all. Stories included: For Better, For Worse A Moment Alone Lizzy’s News The Missing Bonnet A Letter to Mother The Last Miss Darcy Approximately 15,000 words total.

    After unexpectedly inheriting both a title and the fine estate of Messina Grove, Lord Bennet and his family leave Longbourn forever to start a new life of nobility. And why should they not? Mr. Bingley and his party had quit Netherfield no more than a week earlier, leaving Jane quite publicly heartbroken, and Elizabeth secretly so. But two years later, Lord and Lady Bennet receive a request from Lady Catherine De Bourgh asking if her Nephews and a small party would be welcome to stay at Messina Grove for a short duration. Jane is very excited to have a second chance with the still unmarried Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth does not care what Darcy does because she does not care at all about him! In this week of mischief and games, true love will be reunited and discovered, but hearts will also be broken when jealousy and old hurts rise. In this silly, clean variation, Cassandra Knightley knits together two of her favorite tales: Pride & Prejudice and Much Ado About Nothing. Pour yourself a cup of tea, take a seat on a comfy sofa, and be prepared to laugh and cry and swoon as Darcy and Elizabeth muddle their way towards true love.

    As events unfold, Jane first meets Mr. Wickham, while Lizzy encounters Mr. Bingley. Introductions to new acquaintances can lead to attachments that become complicated. Mr. Bingley is interested in Lizzy, but that is before he has a chance to spend time with her older sister. Wickham is enchanted and seriously pursuing the lovely Jane. And Darcy finds himself increasingly drawn to a woman he is adamant he will never marry, which an unlikely source has much to say about in Complicated Attachments: A Pride and Prejudice Variation by Denise O'Hara.

    Mr. Darcy loves Elizabeth Bennet but does not want to marry her because of her inferior connections. Elizabeth Bennet would not marry Mr. Darcy if he were the last man in the world. But then circumstances force them to spend a night together and a speedy marriage is the only remedy to lessen the scandal. All Night with Darcy is a Pride and Prejudice Variation Novella, based on Jane Austen’s most romantic couple. Read to see what happens in the morning.

    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.