Today I have fellow Astraea Press author Dana Lynn here talking about her debut novel, An Inconvenient Courtship. Welcome Dana!
Blurb:
Mr. Darcy is
determined to find a wife he can love and respect. He is fascinated by the lively Miss Elizabeth
Bennet, but is determined to forget her due to her low connections. Until an act of jealously puts her life at
risk. Faced with the bleak reality of
living without her forever, Mr. Darcy must examine what he really wants. With the assistance of Colonel Fitzwilliam,
his sister, and Elizabeth’s father, Mr. Darcy works to save Elizabeth’s life. If he is lucky, he will then be able to win
her heart.
Excerpt:
What was the matter with him?
Darcy scowled as he paced back
and forth across the length of the library. He could barely believe his actions
of the past few days. To allow his control to slip so badly! And all because of
a mere country girl, who was far beneath him. No money, no connections, and
that family of hers.
But in spite of these objections,
Darcy continued to find Miss Elizabeth Bennet everything that was fascinating
and lovely. Not that he had always thought so. No, indeed. When he had first
spied her several weeks ago at a dance, he had barely noticed her. His mood had
been too dark. He even allowed himself to make a disparaging remark about her
to his persistent best friend, Charles Bingley. He had come to Hertfordshire to
help Bingley get his new estate in order, not to socialize with the local
beauties. Yet, he found his interest in Miss Elizabeth growing with every
meeting. Still, he was able to squelch this unseemly fascination with the
second of the five Bennet sisters. Or so he had thought. Then, several days
ago, the eldest Bennet sister, Miss Jane Bennet, had become ill while visiting
Bingley’s sisters. Of course, she had to stay as their guest until she was
healthy enough for travel.
Although Darcy thought of Bingley
as a brother, he didn’t much care for Bingley’s sisters. Miss Caroline Bingley
had travelled to Hertfordshire to act as Mr. Bingley’s hostess, for it was one
of the unwritten rules of the gentry that a single man could not entertain
guests at his house without a hostess. Darcy would have been fine with Miss
Bingley if she would leave him alone. But Miss Bingley had decided she wanted
to marry Darcy. For his estate, no doubt. She was constantly batting her eyes
and complimenting him. Louisa Hurst, Bingley’s married sister, was slightly
better. Still a snob, but less obvious about it. She had dragged her husband to
Hertfordshire so she could keep Miss Bingley company.
Darcy chuckled as he remembered
the expressions on the faces of Bingley’s sisters when Miss Elizabeth had been
shown into the breakfast room the next day. They were appalled to learn she had walked
three miles to visit her sister. Three muddy miles, judging by the state of her
skirt. Darcy admitted that he had enjoyed the past few days in her presence.
She was unlike any woman he had ever known. Her conversation was witty and
clever, and her playful manner challenged him. She paid him none of the
compliments he was used to receiving from young women desiring his attentions. He
had even allowed himself to forget his objections against her. Until her mother
and younger sisters paid a visit, that is.
Darcy grimaced as he thought of
Mrs. Bennet and her three youngest daughters. Their behavior was thoroughly
shocking. It was the first time he could ever recall being in accord with Miss
Bingley. She had openly disparaged the family to her brother, trying to point
out the disadvantages of the connection. Bingley, however, stood firm in his
defense of Miss Bennet, whom he declared an angel. But even Bingley could not
defend Mrs. Bennet. He remembered Mrs. Bennet’s taunts as she and her youngest
daughters visited Netherfield Park under the guise of checking on “Dear Jane”. She
had apparently decided that Darcy was the enemy and aimed poorly veiled barbs
his way throughout the visit.
Miss Elizabeth, however, had
tried to defend him, her cheeks scarlet with mortification. Darcy came to a
stop as he remembered the agonized, apologetic glance she had shot him with her
spectacular eyes. Those gorgeous, sparkling hazel eyes with dark lashes made
for flirting…
Flirting? Good heavens. What was
wrong with him? Darcy strode to the window and stared out, not seeing the
breathtaking view as dawn softly crept over the landscape. Instead of the trees
and the vast array of flora, his mind was wholly absorbed with a beautiful
face, its brows arched provocatively as she teased him.
Today she would be leaving, going
home where she belonged. He should be grateful. He could put distance between
them. Then he would be able to regain his control and focus on more appropriate
things. Even as he told himself he would forget her and move on, he felt a
strange ache inside his breast at the thought of never seeing Miss Elizabeth’s
beautiful eyes again.
His eyes grew far away as he
considered his future. He was a Darcy. His family was one of the oldest and
wealthiest in the ton. Even Grayson
House, the home of his uncle, the earl, didn’t equal Pemberly. It had been made
abundantly clear to him, first by his excellent late parents, and more recently
by Lord and Lady Grayson, that he had a duty to marry well. That meant marrying
a young lady with the appropriate breeding and standing in society. A wealthy
landowner’s daughter at the very least. Better still, the daughter of a peer.
Darcy grimaced in distaste. Matchmaking
mamas had been thrusting their daughters in his path since his father had died
five years before. He shook his head. It was obvious the connection to wealth
was more important to many than the happiness of the marriage itself. Most
people in high society considered marriage as little more than a business
merger. As long as the parties involved were discreet, infidelity was accepted
as the norm. A view shared by many in his own family.
His lips twisted as he thought of
his aunt and uncle’s attitude towards marriage. The connection was what
mattered. As was avoiding scandal at all costs. He remembered well the times he
had seen his aunt give a young girl the cut direct for some rumored misdeed. Whether
or not the misdeed were true, the girl was considered ruined and to be avoided.
Darcy had not paid too much attention until several months ago when his own
dear sister had found herself embroiled in a scandalous plot. Disgust roiled in
his gut at the thought that his relatives would have tried to force him to
marry her off to a cad or send her away, just to avoid any taint to their
family name. Fortunately, society remained ignorant of her fall.
He shuddered. No, a marriage
based on the whims of society was not what he wanted, either for himself or for
his sister Georgiana.
Frustrated, Darcy ran a hand
through his hair. If he were going to marry, he would abide by the laws of
Christian marriage. He would not marry someone he couldn’t hold in affection or
respect. Mrs. Bennet again came to mind. No. Although he held the second Bennet
daughter in the highest esteem, her family was too much of a black mark against
her. Which meant he needed to forget Miss Elizabeth Bennet and her fine eyes.
****
“Jane, are you ready yet? The
carriage is waiting!”
Elizabeth watched impatiently as
her sister took her time preparing for their journey home. Elizabeth was eager
to escape the snide comments of Miss Bingley and her sister. She was also
anxious to be away from Mr. Darcy’s intense stare. Even imagining the way he
watched her, she shivered, although she did not understand why. He made her
uneasy, and Elizabeth disliked feeling uncertain.
“Jane,” she implored.
Jane Bennett glanced at her
sibling with a gentle smile. Everything about Jane was gentle. Her voice, her
manner, even her famous beauty. Where Elizabeth ran, Jane floated. Elizabeth
laughed while Jane smiled serenely. Yet the two sisters adored each other. Until
now, no one had ever held so much of Jane’s sweet heart as her sister. But now
she knew Charles Bingley.
“I am coming Lizzy,” she sighed. “I
am a little reluctant to go home. I will have to tell Mama that I am still not
engaged.”
Elizabeth looked at her sister.
“At least Mama had the sense to
try and throw you at a man you actually like this time,” she teased. “Imagine
if Mr. Bingley were a horrible bore, or an ogre. Actually, though, if he were
that bad, I think Mama would send me his way instead of yours.”
It was true, and they both knew
it. Although Mrs. Bennet loved all her girls in an abstract sort of way, she
despaired of ever finding a man willing to marry her most headstrong daughter. What
man wanted a woman who could argue and debate as well or better than he?
Jane blushed. The two smiled,
then suddenly burst into laughter. They were still laughing as they descended
to meet with the Bingleys and Mr. Darcy.
Darcy and Bingley looked up
involuntarily as the sisters made their way towards them. Both men
unconsciously sighed at the sight of girls. Mr. Bingley with delight written
across his face as his angel approached, Mr. Darcy with regret as he realized
with cold certainty that he would not be able to forget the woman who had
plagued him since he arrived. Indeed, Miss Elizabeth would always be his idea
of perfection, no matter how far away he went.
His feelings were muddled when he
followed her out to the carriage. He was so disturbed by the path his thoughts
were traveling that he barely took note of Miss Bingley. That young lady had
pulled out all the stops to try and attract his attention.
She walked as near him as she
dared, deliberately moving as elegantly as possible. She batted her light blue
eyes coquettishly at him, moving her hands to draw his gaze to her perfectly
coiffed red hair and brand new morning dress. Her conversation was everything
the ton considered proper, yet it was
all in vain. Mr. Darcy paid her no heed. Indeed, he may as well have been
walking alone. Not once did he even spare her a glance. Oh, but that chit Miss Eliza
Bennet, at her he stared. It was disgraceful!
In a sudden fit of pique, Miss
Bingley brought the sharp point of her closed parasol down upon the
unsuspecting horse. The beast startled in fear and pain, rearing dangerously. Shouts
came from the groomsmen as they tried to restrain the large animal. The second
horse shied away from its yoke mate, pulling the carriage forward, causing it
to wobble and tilt.
A woman screamed. Silence.
“Miss Elizabeth!” No one
recognized that hoarse, emotion-filled cry. They turned to see Mr. Darcy,
kneeling on the ground, uncaring of his fine clothes. His pale face stared in
anguish at the still form of Miss Elizabeth.
About the Author:
Dana R. Lynn grew up near
Chicago, but now lives in rural Pennsylvania with her husband, three children,
and enough animals to fill a small petting zoo.
She is an avid reader, and enjoys a wide variety of genres and authors,
although her favorite will always be Jane Austen. She loves writing inspirational stories, both
contemporary and regency.
Connect with Dana online:
Buy Links for An Inconvenient Courtship:
