The Rogue's Widow
An Arrangement She Cannot Refuse. An Attachment He Cannot Deny.
Elizabeth Bennet never expected that answering an advertisement for a lady’s companion would result in almost immediate marriage and widowhood. Destitute and hopeless after her father’s death, she accepts the position as a means to provide a home for her family, but is daily baffled by the abrupt ways and inscrutable motives of her employer and benefactor, Mr Darcy.
Fitzwilliam Darcy had a simple plan: secure a steady companion for his younger sister Georgiana and a wife for his father’s dying ward, to prevent a neighbouring estate from falling into the hands of George Wickham. Elizabeth Bennet is the perfect answer… a little too perfect. As her sweetly impertinent character encourages Georgiana and wins the respect of the village, Darcy’s own heart begins to fall for the woman whom honour forbids him even to think of.
When a legal challenge brings into question Elizabeth’s rights to the estate, Darcy must find a way to mend old family breaches and reveal secrets better forgotten. Will he permit himself to reach for the one who holds his happiness? Or will events conspire to take her forever from his life?
Categories:
- Other prior marriages or involvements for Elizabeth
- Radically altered meetings and developments
- Consequences of death of Mr Bennet
- Altered events before novel
- Elizabeth as a lady's companion (Regency)
- Legal trickery
The Courtship of Edward Gardiner
Every great love has a beginning. In Austen's Pride and Prejudice, we meet with perhaps the most sensible, caring relatives a lovelorn young woman could hope for: Mr and Mrs Gardiner. What is their story?
Edward Gardiner has just been refused by the lovely young woman he had intended to make his wife. Heartbroken and eager for a diversion, he accepts an invitation from his brother-in-law, Thomas Bennet, to accompany him along with his two eldest daughters to the north on family business. Gardiner's pleasure tour is interrupted, however, when his eldest niece falls ill and is unable to travel farther.
Stopping over in the scarcely remarkable village of Lambton, the men decide that Bennet must continue on, while Gardiner and the children remain. The only trouble is that Gardiner has not the least idea how he should care for one ailing niece and another who is ready to drive him to distraction... until he meets with Madeline Fairbanks.
Categories:
- Prequels relating to other canonical characters
**
London Holiday**
When the truth is harder to believe than disguise.
Drugged and betrayed in his own household, Fitzwilliam Darcy makes his escape from a forged compromise that would see him unhappily wed. Dressed as a footman, he is welcomed into one of London’s unknown neighbourhoods by a young lady who is running out of time and running for her life.
Deciding to hide in plain sight, Miss Elizabeth Bennet dodges the expectation to marry the man of her mother’s dreams. When the insolent footman she “found” refuses to leave her side until they can uncover a solution to their respective dilemmas, the two new acquaintances treat themselves to a holiday, experiencing the best of what Regency England has to offer.
Based on Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, can two hard-headed characters with kind hearts discover the truth behind the disguise? Enjoy the banter, humour, and growing affection as Mr Darcy and Miss Elizabeth have the best day of their lives, and discover that they just might find love and romance while on a London Holiday. This book is appropriate for all ages.
Categories:
- Averting threatened marriage to Collins
- Meetings of Elizabeth and Darcy prior to novel
- Radically altered meetings and developments
- Insult not made, or apologized for at Meryton assembly
- Other altered events at Meryton assembly
- Proposal never made at Hunsford
- Alterations in Mr Collins
- Expanded/missing Scenes
- Alternate Universe
- Colonel Fitzwilliam interferes
- Extracting someone from a predicament
- Mistaken Identity
- Disguises and masquerades
- Altered events before novel
- Earlier resolution for hero and heroine
- Elizabeth runs away from Longbourn,or tries to
- E&D's courtship mostly while Elizabeth is with Gardiners in London
- More prominent Anne deBourgh
- More prominent Kitty Bennet
- Evil or insane Lady Catherine
- Lady Catherine set-downs
- Mr Collins set-downs
- Escapes
- Altered or no Wickham and Lydia elopement
- More prominent Earl and/or his family
Non-Canonical Relationships:
- Colonel Fitzwilliam / ORIGINAL Character
Rumours & Recklessness
Elizabeth Bennet has received a public proposal of marriage that she's unable to refuse. With everyone pressuring her to accept to save her family, the only person to stand up for her is the last man in the world she would have expected.
Fitzwilliam Darcy is desperate. 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.
Categories:
- Prior meetings of Elizabeth and Georgiana
- Altered events at or following Netherfield Ball
- Post-Hunsford letter unwritten or unread
- Proposal never made at Hunsford
- Additional or fewer Darcy siblings
- Altered events during novel
- Interference in engagement
- Expanded scenes between Netherfield Ball and Kent
- Caroline set-downs
- Accident or severe injury
- Colonel Fitzwilliam interferes
- Extracting someone from a predicament
- Nice or reformed Caroline Bingley
- Bingley with more of a spine
- Wickham gets his just deserts
- Elizabeth (practically) runs Longbourn
- Darcy gets along well with the Bennets from the start
- Lady Catherine set-downs
- Mr Collins set-downs
- Altered or no Wickham and Lydia elopement
- Nicer Anne deBourgh
- Friendship between Georgiana and Mary
- Illegitimate children - Prominent in the story
- Darcy interferes with Mr. Collins's pursuit of Elizabeth
- More prominent Earl and/or his family
- Good Earl and/or his family
- Darcy doesn't interfere in/promotes Bingley&Jane's courtship
Non-Canonical Relationships:
- Charlotte Lucas / ORIGINAL Character
- Colonel Fitzwilliam / Anne de Bourgh
Let the magic of Pemberley sweep you off your feet! Indulge in these classic Pride and Prejudice tales by Alix James (originally published as Nicole Clarkston) today!