Hello readers! We are very excited to welcome a new author, Jessie Lewis, to Austenesque Reviews today! As you might have seen and heard, Jessie is celebrating her debut release with Meryton Press, entitled Mistaken! (Which sounds like such a unique and fun story with some interesting twists!) I cannot wait to read Mistaken, especially after reading this lovely vignette Jessie is sharing with us today!
Thank you so much, Meredith, for inviting me to end my blog tour here at 
Austenesque Reviews. For this last post, I’ve saved one of my very favourite deleted scenes to share with your readers—one that didn’t quite make the final edit but which is still very close to my heart.
It might be considered somewhat of a spoiler, since it features Darcy and Elizabeth together, but I don’t mind admitting that I’m a complete D&E-aholic and couldn’t have written a story without their HEA if I’d tried! In any case, I wanted to end the blog tour with a promise of happiness for our favourite couple.
Thank you, everyone, for stopping by. Please feel free to ask me any questions in the comments, or you can contact me via my social media links or blog page (links below). I’d love to hear from you!
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Wednesday, 29 July 1812: Derbyshire
“Why not?” Darcy repeated, his stride lengthening with Elizabeth’s every objection.
“I simply prefer to walk.” She hastened her steps to bring herself abreast with him once more.
“I understand your preference, but that ought not preclude the activity altogether, surely?”
“Well, preferably, yes!”
“You are that opposed to it?”
She wrinkled her nose and shrugged. “Can you not drive us in the curricle?”
“It will not go where I wish to take you. It is over uneven ground.”
“Then let us walk.”
“It is above six miles there and back.”
“I can walk six miles.”
“As can I, but being able to and wishing to are very different things.”
“Then I shall walk and you ride.”
“That is absurd.”
“Why?”
She was diverted to see his jaw clench and his eyes sweep closed in a prolonged blink. “Quite apart from it being spectacularly ungentleman-like, you would never keep up.”
“I would if you had your horse walk slowly.”
“What would be the point of riding then?”
“Exactly!”
Darcy abruptly stopped walking and turned to face her. “You are the most vexing woman I have ever met, know you that?”
Elizabeth had to assume the question was rhetorical when he took her by the shoulders and tugged her against him for an ardent and lengthy kiss. Pulling away, he pierced her with a gleaming, almost ferocious stare that any other person might have construed as anger. She knew better and melted a little in his grasp.
“And you are the most persuasive man I have ever met,” she whispered breathily. “It had better be a reliable mount.”
His countenance somehow assumed a look of unashamed rakishness, though she could not see that he had moved a muscle. “Unfailing.”
“Which is yours?” she enquired upon entering the stables. Her eyes had yet to adjust to the dim light within, thus she saw only the great looming silhouette of the steed to which Darcy led her—somewhat predictably the largest, blackest shadow in the stalls.
“I ought to have guessed. Very impressive. He is obscenely fast, I presume?”
“He can be, though I rarely require undue speed of him.”
She grinned at such an endearingly reasonable answer, concealing her amusement by turning to stroke the behemoth’s muzzle. “What is his name?”
The ensuing pause stretched long enough to prompt her to look askance at Darcy. He was regarding her as though she had enquired whether the creature wore a dress to church on Sundays.
“It does not have a name,” he stated. “It is a horse.”
She frowned in puzzlement. “You have not named your horse?”
“I have not.”
“How, then, do you refer to it?”
“As ‘My Horse.’”
“And my mount?” she enquired incredulously. “How ought I to refer to that?”
He shrugged, beginning to look a little offended. “The grey.”
“I see. And that one, I suppose, is the white?”
Darcy replied very concisely that it was.
“And that, I suppose, is the brown?”
“Chestnut. What point are you attempting to make, exactly?”
“None,” she replied with affected innocence. “I am only surprised. I thought all great men gave their horses grand, evocative names from antiquity.”
He huffed indignantly and reached to stroke His Horse’s muzzle himself. “It is a pretentious fashion. A horse is a horse.”
“What of your hunting dogs? Do they not have names?”
“Only such as were required by the kennel master for training—not mawkish sobriquets.”
Elizabeth smirked. “Your house has a name.”
He narrowed his eyes at her in a gesture that would have been alarmingly similar to his aunt’s if not for the faint curl of his lips. “No, it has a description. Pemberley derives from The Barley Hill.”
“Of course it does. Silly me.”
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a groom and the general business of getting mounted and under way. About a half of an hour of comfortable conversation and uncomfortable riding passed, and they lapsed into blissfully contended, if contemplative, silence. Despite her undesirable perch, the scenery was every bit as spectacular as Darcy had promised, and Elizabeth beheld it all with delight. Left too long without occupation, however, her spirits soon returned to playfulness.
“Will you name our children similarly?’ she enquired presently.
Darcy made no answer but sent her a wry glance.
“The dark-haired one,” she continued, grinning. “The brown-eyed one. The tall one. God forbid we should have a short one, lest you label him ‘Runt.’”
“Perhaps you should walk, after all.”
Laughing heartily at being so advantageously vindicated, Elizabeth promptly slid—albeit somewhat inelegantly—from her saddle. Her feet had barely touched the ground before Darcy had leapt from his horse, crossed the several yards between them and snatched her into his embrace.
“God, I love you, woman!”
She gasped, unable to conceive of any endearment more masterful, more seductive, more impassioned than the literal description of her person. The air nigh on crackled in her ears as his lips crushed hers, his ardour rising unchecked to take them both on an altogether different journey than either had anticipated making that day. She surrendered gladly to his fervent caresses, inexpressibly content to be forever more Fitzwilliam Darcy’s woman.
“Will you show me the glade another day?” she later whispered as he lifted her with heart-fluttering ease back into her saddle—from which he had detained her long enough that they must now return home if they meant to arrive before dusk.
“There is no need,” he replied in a low voice. “It is no longer my favourite place.” He kissed her hand and smiled her favourite smile. “This is.”
Oh my! Please excuse me while I go swoon! How romantic and adorable they are?!? I love it!! Thank you for sharing such an endearingly romantic scene with us, Jessie! We wish you all the best with your debut release!
Connect with Jessie
Blog ❧ Facebook ❧ Twitter ❧ Goodreads
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GIVEAWAY TIME!!
Meryton Press is generously giving away 8 ebooks of Mistaken in conjunction with this blog tour!! Woot woot! Commenting and entering through the rafflecopter widget on this blog enters you in a chance to win.
- This giveaway is open worldwide. Thank you, Meryton Press!
- This giveaway ends October 17th!
Thank you to Jessie Lewis, Janet Taylor, and the lovely people at Meryton Press for making this blog tour possible! Click the image below to check out the rest of the tour!
The mire I read anout this book the better it sounds to me 🙂 Would love to read it !
I hope you get the chance, Jo’s Daughter – good luck with the draw 🙂
Same here! I am loving everything I’ve heard!
He hasn’t named any of his horses, really?
Ridiculous, huh? Perhaps subconsciously he was waiting for Elizabeth. I’m pretty sure she’ll be naming them all with suitably silly names very soon, just to tease him 😉 Thanks Vesper!
Sometimes guys just aren’t into details. 😉 I like that Elizabeth gave Mr. Darcy a hard time about it though!
What a great vignette! I wish it was on the book! Congrats on the release of this amazing story, Jessie!
There are quite a few scenes between E&D that I wish were in the book, but alas, it was erring towards being environmentally untenable to print as many pages as would have been required if I hadn’t trimmed the behemoth down at least a little, lol! Glad you enjoyed it though. Thanks Daniela!
I agree, Daniela! LOL Jessie! 😉
I could not agree more – very swoon worthy! You capture the passion that I have always envisioned for Elizabeth and Darcy. Thank you for the giveaway – so looking forward to reading it. And, so glad you shared this deleted scene!
You’re very welcome, it was a pleasure being able to share it here at Austeneque Reviews. (Thanks to Meredith for having me here!) I hope you enjoy the book, eva!
My pleasure! Thank you so much for the wonderful visit!
I am glad she shared this lovely deleted scene too! 😉 Best of luck!
I’ve enjoyed what I’ve read so far.
Ah, I’m so glad to hear that. 🙂 Thank you for letting me know!
Jessie, I’m going to swoon 🙂 I would love more of this tasty vignettes and outtakes. As many as possible. Hint, hint 😉
Tee hee. I’m sure others will find their way onto my blog at some point. Thank you to Meredith for letting me share this one here though – it is one of my favourites 🙂
I echo Kate’s wish! Great scenes like this one need to be shared! 😉
Lovely scene! 🙂 Thanks for sharing it!
You’re very welcome, it was a pleasure. Not every scene can make the final cut, but D&E are so cute together their scenes shouldn’t be left on the cutting room floor 🙂
Great scene Jessie and a great blog to serve as the grand finale for your tour! Love Mistaken!
I love that you love Mistaken, Amy! And yes, big thanks to Meredith for hosting the last leg 🙂
Thanks for checking out Jessie’s vignette Amy and for sharing! <3 I am very honored to take part in her blog tour!
Lovely vignette, I especially liked when she mentioned naming their kids.
Elizabeth is definitely going to keep Darcy on his toes, me thinks 😉 I’m so glad you enjoyed the vignette, thanks for popping in to comment!
“The dark-haired one,” she continued, grinning. “The brown-eyed one. The tall one. God forbid we should have a short one, lest you label him ‘Runt.’”
“Perhaps you should walk, after all.”
Hahahhaha! Love it. Congrats on your debut. And I love that cover. Just love.
Ah, thanks so much, Christina. I love these two together – they’re just so perfect for each other. And I’m delighted that you love the cover – it’s pretty different isn’t it!
If the story is so good as is that it doesn’t need this charming and swoon-worthy outtake, it must be pretty darn good. Looking forward to enjoying it, and wishing Jessie every success.
I hope it is Janis – you will have to let me know 😉 Thank you so much for your good wishes!
Love the vignette and their back and forth banter! I am surprised he hasn’t named any of the horses though. Sad to see the blog tour come to an end. Congrats on the debut novel. I’m looking forward to reading it.
Thank you, Dung. It’s been a real privilege being able to share more of Mistaken with so many Austenesque lovers. Thank you for joining in the fun. I hope you enjoy the book 🙂
Thank you Meredith for this last, lovely stop on Mistaken’s blog tour. And congratulations Jessie on your wonderful debut novel. The excerpts and outtakes have truy given a flavour of the book – so I am sure you will have many, many more satisfied readers soon.
Ah, thank you, Kath! It’s quite tricky finding excerpts and cut scenes that aren’t huge spoilers, so I’m glad the ones I chose gave a good feel for the book. I’m delighted to hear you’ve enjoyed the blog tour, thanks for joining in the fun!
My pleasure, Kath! I am so happy to take part in this blog tour and to meet a lovely new author!
Oh that was just fabulous! I so wish that was in the book but have every hope that the rest matches up.
Darcy may be a man of few words but phew!!!! And I laughed out loud at Elizabeth’s names for their children.
Wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing this. I will wait just long enough to see if I’m lucky enough to win a copy and as this is the end of the tour that shouldn’t be too long.
Good luck with this book Jessie and thank you Meredith.
Thanks so much, Glynis! I love writing Darcy and Elizabeth together – Austen made them just perfect for each other so they’re a dream to write. I really hope you enjoy Mistaken – and good luck with the draw, I hope you win a copy!
I am glad you enjoyed that scene as much as I did, Glynis! When I first read it just gave me a multitude of feelings – happy flutterings, warm fuzzies, and giggles! So great!
Oh my! (Fans-self). So much fun and brilliance left on the cutting room floor! Utterly charming.
Ah, Linda, I know you’re a fan of certain scenes on my cutting room floor, but alas, that is where many of them are destined to stay. *Sob.* I’m glad you enjoyed this one though. Thanks for stopping by to comment 🙂
I agree, Linda! I am definitely interested in seeing the others too!
It’s chilly outside today, but that scene made me very warm…sigh. Congratulations and I can’t wait to read this one!!!
Glad they spiced up your afternoon, Carole 😉 Thanks for your kind words – I hope you enjoy reading!
What a shame that vignette is on the cutting room floor! Marvelous. I’m swooning too, Meredith and Linda! I laughed at their bickering and her suggestions for children’s names. Hilarious! Well done, Jessie.
Thanks, Meredith, for hosting!
Thank you for organising the whole blog tour, Janet, it’s been great. And yes, thank you to Meredith for having me here today! Glad you enjoyed the vignette Janet 🙂
Thank you for setting up this visit, Janet! I am thrilled to not only read this lovely vignette but to also have the opportunity to host Jessie on my blog! I am glad I am not the only one that was brought to a swoon! 😉
This book, the blue one with many men’s photos, sounds wonderful just by the short except. Imagine Darcy having a “runt!” The banter back and forth makes this book worth reading. I had to laugh, now will have to buy.
Ah, I’m so pleased you enjoyed their banter, Carol. There’s plenty more of that to be had in the book. I hope you enjoy reading it! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Oh,be still my beating heart!!
What a swoon worthy man this Darcy is!
Wonderful post and such an endearing snapshot of ODC!
Thank you for sharing and best of luck with your book,Jessie!
Meredith,thank you for such a great post!
It is one of my favourite of all the scenes between them which had to get cut in the end. (I have ones I love more – but they’re in the book 😉 ) I’m glad you liked it too! Thank you for your good wishes 🙂
I agree, Mary! He is very dreamy! <3 Thanks for checking out Jessie's post!
This book is getting some brilliant comments and reviews. The cover is awesome too.
Thank you, Teresa, and I’m so happy to hear you like the cover! Thank you for popping in to comment 🙂
Love the cover!! And this excerpt is amazing!! Thank you for sharing it with us and for the giveaway! (Crossing my fingers; I really, really want a copy!!)
Warmly,
Susanne 🙂
Aw, I really hope you win a copy, Susanne – I’d love to know what you think of it. I’m so glad you enjoyed this little vignette – and that you like the cover! Good luck with the draw!
I read this as an unpublished book and enjoyed it. Would love to read the released edition.
Thank you, Sheila, I hope you get the chance. Good luck with the draw!
I remember reading this “horse with no name” outtake eons ago (well, at least it feels like it must have been eons ago) and was hoping it would make an appearance on the blog tour. And, frabjous day, it has! I love the way you have written the conversations these two have. And I really love the love they have for each other (quite a few melting-into-a-puddle-of-mush moments for me). I hope this book has incredible success!
I think it was eons ago, Jan. Several, in fact! Thank you so much for your kind wishes. I hope D&E’s happy banter gives everyone a smile when they read it. It certainly made me happy writing it!
Ooh thanks for sharing the scene! Fun banter.
You’re welcome, I’m very glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Thanks for sharing the deleted scene, so sweet and fun Darcy and Lizzy. Congrats on the new release can’t wait to read it
Thank you, Colleen! I’m delighted you enjoyed Darcy and Elizabeth’s banter – she does tease him so, poor old boy (but you know he loves it really 😉 )
*Cue fast and excited breathing* MUST have this book!!! What a great excerpt!!
Yay! I’m really glad you enjoyed it, Leah! Plenty more like that in the book – these two are pretty intense together. I hope you enjoy it!
LOL! That was my reaction too! 😉
Can’t wait to read this book.
That’s great! I hope you enjoy it – good luck with the draw!
OMG!! Let me catch my breath. Wow! OMG! That was awesome. Did I say wow yet? Blessings on the launch of this book. I so look forward to reading it.
Thank you so much, J.W! It was a fun one to share, I’m delighted you enjoyed it. Good luck with the draw, I hope you enjoy the story!
Sounds fascinating. I love the playfulness between Darcy and Elizabeth in their conversation.
They’re so much fun together, once they turn that initial antagonism into highly charged banter 😉 Thanks Suzan!
This sounds like an amazing read! So playful, romantic and beautifully written. Congrats, Jessie, this is an absolute gem!
Thank you, Joana! It was lovely to be able to share it, rather than lose it to the cutting room floor forever more 🙂
I missed out on the drawing but I have added the book to my list of books to buy. Lovely excerpt thanks for sharing!!
Oh that’s wonderful, Stephanie, I really hope you enjoy it! 🙂