Last bit of this book…. the writing of it was a stressful time for me and I vented personal demons in between the lines. Thankfully, nearly 3 years later, I am happy to say those demons haven’t bothered me in over 2 years (yeah they carried on to a much darker point). The take away from the story is nothing is forever, not happiness, not misery. All we can do is enjoy the years we can and move swiftly through the painful parts.
XOXOXO Elizabeth Ann West
Chapter 37 - A Virtue of Marriage, a Pride and Prejudice Variation
Coming upon the sisters in tears, Darcy’s plan to provide comfort suddenly felt misapplied. The two women were in an embrace and Darcy felt loathe interrupting them. But when Elizabeth’s eyes popped open and she spied her love, she beamed at him and beckoned him closer with her hands behind Jane’s back.
“Fitzwilliam, is it true? Shall we leave for Scotland this very moment? I am well, I swear!”
“Oh no, Miss Bennet, I will not fall for those tricks again. You have been moved once at great peril to your health, not again!”
“Lizzie, you do not listen. There must be at least a week before you can travel that distance again. Doctor Matthew’s orders.” Jane rubbed her midsection absently, warmed that her headstrong sister still needed the gentle guidance here and again.
“But, if we wait too long, you might not be able to travel!”
“I have it on good authority that not only one Bennet sister is stubborn in her travel arrangements in spite of her health.” Darcy matched his future wife’s arched eyebrows with one of his own, bringing her to a fit of laughter at his comical face.
“Speaking of my husband, perhaps I shall nip downstairs to see how he fares.” Jane announced her awarding of privacy to the couple as smoothly as she could manage, and gave her sister another kiss on the cheek and warm hug before rising from the bed.
“Be careful of the stairs!” Elizabeth called earnestly behind her, making Jane turn around shocked that she, the well-behaved sister, should be warned such.
“And you be careful of Mr. Darcy! I’m leaving the door open.” Jane announced before leaving.
Darcy wasted no time in rushing to Elizabeth’s side, peppering her bruised and battered face with kisses, as he held her head tenderly in his cupped hands. Elizabeth tried to return his passions, but her lips remained off kilter from the minor swelling refusing to abate just yet.
“Is it true? Truly true? Two weeks’ time and we shall be married?” Elizabeth rushed her words and she panted for air in the crush of Mr. Darcy’s arms.
“Truly true. The second you are well, we make haste for the border my love.”
Darcy pulled back for a moment and looked down at his beloved’s face, refusing to dwell on the ugliness of violence displayed across it. As she began to tear up at such strong emotions, Darcy took a page out of her book.
“And while we may honeymoon at Carver House, I cannot promise there to be a stick of furniture left in the home.”
The two laughed and Elizabeth teased her husband for worrying about such frivolous matters. The last reason in the world she was marrying this man was for his furniture!
NEW RELEASE
For the Love of a Bennet
What if Elizabeth Bennet traveled with Lydia to Brighton?
A reimagining of Jane Austen’s most beloved tale, Pride & Prejudice, join author Elizabeth Ann West as she writes the romantic adventure story she always wanted! When Lizzy and Lydia arrive in Brighton, it’s very clear that the younger Bennet sister came with very serious plans towards Mr. Wickham. Thankfully, an old ally is also in town, with problems of his own to solve. After Mr. Darcy, himself, is summoned to Brighton to hopefully solve two dilemmas with one wealthy member of the gentry, the whole militia is thrown into an uproar by Wickham’s most dastardly deed, yet. Together, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy have to save Lydia from her own undoing, or it will mean more than just mere reputations are ruined.
For the Love of a Bennet is a novel length story, currently being posted chapter by chapter on Elizabeth’s author site. This story was originally conceptualized in 2019 as a part of the All Go to Brighton challenge.
Chapter 38- A Virtue of Marriage, a Pride and Prejudice Variation6
Charlotte Collins plucked strawberries from her garden keeping a keen eye out for lizards. The mid-day sun felt relentless on her bare neck and she chided herself for not rising early and picking fruit in the cool morning’s shade. A large shadow loomed suddenly over her, blocking out the sun and acted a reminder of her responsibilities.
Sighing, she removed her garden gloves and lifted her basket full of her labors. She was out of time and would not wish to make her visitor wait for all of the world. Squinting up, she looked at the burly man with the sun’s intense ray framing his person.
“You’re so perfectly punctual, Declan, I’m thankful the big house can spare you this afternoon.”
“Mrs. Collins, I am happy to be of service.” He offered a hand down to assist the woman up, a woman placed directly in his protection from his employer, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam. Declan took the basket and earned Mrs. Collins’ thanks.
“I am so sorry to call on you, but I fear after just two short weeks, my husband has run away again with his ideas and become rather demanding.”
Declan grunted, remembering well the squeals of the portly man half his height on the night of retribution for his sins. The joy of inflicting further pain on this excuse for a man delighted the stocky Irishman down to his toes.
“Has the mister been hurting ye?”
“No, no, he knows better, but I thought perhaps a reminder of his new position was in order, if you do not mind. Would you care to stay for luncheon?”
Declan grunted his approval, and followed the petite woman into the cottage, ducking his head to properly enter the doorway.
“Charlotte! Charlotte!” Mr. Collins called out as the door opened, only for a scream best described as a woman’s cry left his person and he dropped the post as he covered his mouth.
Declan gave his lopsided grin and took off his simple hat as a sign of respect.
“No, I’ve not raised a hand to her. I swear! Leave, leave at once. Tell him, Charlotte.”
Charlotte looked to her husband trying to hide behind the corner of the wall that led to the kitchens and back to the tall specimen of man standing next to her. A flush of warmth overcame her. Fanning her face from her blush, she beckoned Declan to follow her, thoroughly enjoying the further shirking of Mr. Collins as they approached.
“Oh, Declan is here for luncheon, I thought it would be nice to host company for once. What do you think, William?” Charlotte asked with a fake air of innocence.
William Collins gulped as the man chiefly responsible for the worst thrashing of his life stood not two feet away from him. Only a few days ago, the pastor managed to sit upon his posterior without twinges of pain, and the gash over his forehead from Mr. Darcy’s signet ring would likely scar.
“Ye—yes, anything you desire, my dear.”
“Perfect! Now, were there any letters for me?”
Collins jumped to collect the post from the floor, scrambling to find the letter for his wife from her friend and his cousin.
Charlotte thanked her husband and tore open the missive.
Dearest Charlotte,
I apologize for not taking my leave of you before departing Kent but I have it on good authority your circumstances are most heartily changed.
Charlotte looked up at poor Declan trying his best to take a graceful seat at her dinning room table. Cook and Eileen brought out the fare, and Charlotte nodded at their perfect manners towards a footman from the main house. There was no mistaking that Declan’s position in the Collins’ household exceeded his official rank in actual worth.
Wish me luck as I am to board a carriage this very afternoon to hasten to Scotland! Mr. Darcy and I are finally seeking out own destinies, and Jane and Mr. Bingley are to come along!
I confess I am jubilant at finally securing my knight in shining armor. Please pray for my soon to be sisters-in-law. The scandal of Wickham’s business dealings are rippling through London and neither Georgiana nor Caroline are seeing many invitations for their company.
I received a lovely gift by way of Jane from Kitty! She has made a portfolio of her art and Mr. Darcy has said we shall invite her and your younger sister, Maria, to Pemberley at the end of this summer. I hope you will consent to a visit as well, though I’m afraid the invitation does not extend to my cousin.
Well, I am off and must send this quickly. All of my love and best wishes, until we see each other again. This is my last letter as . . .
Elizabeth Bennet
Charlotte smiled, refolded the letter and placed the parchment in the pocket of her apron. With luncheon served, before she took a bite, she asked Declan a straightforward question.
“How would you enjoy a trip to Derbyshire this summer, Declan?”
~*fin*~
You’ve been reading A Virtue of Marriage
Book 2 of The Moralities of Marriage, continuation of the saga from By Consequence of Marriage.
With Fitzwilliam Darcy hopelessly tangled in his family’s lies and deceit in Kent, reinforcements are on the way in the form of his cousin, Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam, and his secret fiancee, Elizabeth Bennet. Two generations of the Fitzwilliam family clash at Rosings and the matrimonial futures of both Darcy and Richard hang in the balance. When Lady Catherine goes on a rampage, and the Bennets become swayed by the vicious gossip swirling the Darcy family, both Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam learn you inherit each other’s family drama by virtue of marriage.
A full-length novel, A Virtue of Marriage continues the three-part Moralities of Marriage series.
A Virtue of Marriage, Book 2 of the Moralities of Marriage
a Pride and Prejudice novel variation series
Release Date: March 31, 2015
308 pages in print.
+ 23 additional Pride & Prejudice variations are available at these fine retailers . . .
Keep reading more by clicking below!
Book 3 throws a curveball, but like I said, when I sat down to write them just going to London, the characters warned me there was still things they need to do. One last try to get a father’s blessing…. see you in January for The Blessing of Marriage!
XOXOXO Elizabeth Ann WestI
A Jane-of-all-trades, mistress to none! Elizabeth Ann West is the author of 8 novels and 11 novellas, 18 of which are story variations of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice.
Oooh Nearly missed this chapter there was a wonderful letter from Elizabeth to Charlotte Nice to see Collins has a watchdog thanks to Richard and Charlotte can look forward to visiting Pemberly after the wedding in Scotland
Thanks for the excerpts and the challenges that Elizabeth faced with Charlotte has been helping me to smooth over my daily challenges and look forward like Elizabeth to that cloud with a silver lining and that God’s help is available
Your book is not only a great read but am sure has helped many people with their challenges God bless you
How do I read Book 3, The Blessing of Marriage? Is it on your website? Or do I have to purchase it?
I haven’t started posting it yet but I will. It was posted and was eaten by Internet gremlins about a year ago when I had to redo this whole site and I’ve just been slow going getting everything back up and running again while writing new material.
I should be posting that story as soon as I post the lasat 2 chapters in A Summer Shame, then I’ll get Blessing going.
Ok thanks. So does that mean I should stop reading book 4, The Trapping of Marriage and wait for book 3? Lol . Thanks for posting the books here. It’s really appreciated. I really love your books. Last question, how long do you think that will take? Like what’s the average time that it takes you to post a new chapter? Again thanks for posting the books here. Keep up the amazing writing!!