Hi readers! Happy Friday! I’m excited to welcome back Austenesque author, Jayne Bamber to Austenesque Reviews today! As you may have seen Jayne has a book that just came out, Outmatched. And it sounds super unique…I love the idea of characters from two Jane Austen novels being related and interacting with each other. I’m curious to see how that would play out! Jayne is here to share an excerpt from her new release, Outmatched. We hope you enjoy! 📖

Hello, Janeites! It’s always a pleasure to come back to Austenesque Reviews 🙂 I am here today to share another excerpt from my new release, Outmatched, which is a fusion of Mansfield Park and my personal favorite, Sense & Sensibility. I will be sharing an excerpt, and a chance to win a free eBook in the giveaway!

The excerpts I have shared so far in my blog tour have largely focused on the ladies of Mansfield, and while I did have a blast writing them, today I want to share a wonderful Elinor Dashwood moment. I went into the story not entirely sure where Elinor would end, and discovered along the way that I related to her more than I had ever realized – and that she deserves better than Edward Ferrars! It was a strange realization for me, that the more you think about Elinor Dashwood, the better a person she is revealed to be – but for Edward Ferrars, I posit that the opposite is true.

To set the scene, a Big Secret is the driving force of Outmatched. The secret brings the cast of MP and S&S to Norland, and after the characters have converged, Edmund Bertram shares the secret with Elinor Dashwood, who is his cousin in this retelling. The secret is a heavy one, and it brings the two cousins closer, but in the excerpt I am sharing today the two are discovering that there is more to their bond than this intrigue….

***

Elinor cantered alongside Edmund; from the stables they proceeded to an open meadow south of the manor, beyond which lay a high hill that overlooked a distant lake. Edmund was especially sullen this morning; he had not spoken since they set out. She was surprised he did not speak to her, after such hints she had made that she had much to confide – he had been so solicitous lately. She could only suppose that he was troubled himself.

“Are you well, Edmund? I know you to be quiet, but….”

“I am not always thus, I would have you know,” he replied with a weak smile. “In happier times I am as cheerful as anybody. Not so animated as the Willoughbys and Crawfords of this world, but I hope I am capable of better than my present state.”

Elinor laughed in spite of herself. “I think I can say in all honesty that I am glad you are not so animated as that.”

Edmund gasped with feigned indignation. “Whatever would Marianne say?”

“Oh, she would be very cross, and think me insipid,” Elinor laughed.

“I must do something to fascinate her – to amuse you both. I believe she must have her watercolor of Thornton Lacey, and I will attempt it this afternoon.”

“That would delight her – both of us,” Elinor said. She thought of how Marianne had been prone to find Edward wanting – it had never bothered Elinor, for she had thought Edward quite amiable enough. And yet, he was not here; but here was Edmund, making every effort to be agreeable, despite the terrible thing that weighed on them both. And how it had touched her heart that he was so thoughtful to herself and her sister. She let out a heavy sigh.

“I fear I am remiss, Cousin,” Edmund said. “I believe you desired my company out of a wish to speak about what troubles you – what troubles us both.”

She smiled; it was as if he had read her mind. “I desired your company because it is pleasant, but yes, it is a relief to have somebody to speak of it with.”

“You said last night that you need more time to think on everything – that you will not speak of it to anyone,” he prompted her.

“Of my secrecy you may be assured,” she hastened to reply.

“I should never have told you the truth if I had any doubt of that,” Edmund said. “What I meant is, I understand you mean to give the whole matter considerable thought.”

“I must. It is such an enormous discovery – it is life-altering. And yet, what pain it could bring so many!”

“That has been my greatest concern as well.”

Elinor smiled feebly. “It cannot end well, can it? Either my family will suffer or yours shall.”

“A little bit of both, either way.”

Elinor had not yet given the matter enough thought to speak any further with equanimity. She urged her horse on as they approached the hill, and continued on at such a pace until she had reached the top; Edmund flicked his reins to follow her, and brought his horse around beside her; for a moment they took in the view together.

“Breathtaking,” he said. He paused, then looked at her for a long moment. “It is yours by right. Do you not wish….”

“No,” Elinor said quickly. “No, I really do not. That is – in some ways, a sense of duty to my family would compel me to desire their security – my mother and sisters would be happier, but I have no wish to be the mistress of a large manor. I have grown up here, and I shall always love Norland, but I do not wish to lead the life I should have to do, were it to pass to me.”

Edmund cocked his head to one side. “There are not many women, I think, who would say such a thing.”

Elinor shrugged. “What would you have me say? That I covet what is still John’s property? Oh, no. I am sure my life would not be my own as mistress of Norland. My great aunt would have me wed in a moment to Cousin James, which I should like even less than being lady of the manor. It all frightens me, that perhaps I must make a very difficult decision.”

“And what life would you prefer?”

“Something quieter and simpler. Perhaps not as quiet and simple as we have been at Barton, but peaceful enough. I had – I had thought to be the wife of a parson,” Elinor blurted out, to her instant chagrin.

Edmund smirked. “Ah yes, the famous Mr. F.”

“Oh, no – please….”

“I will not tease you, Elinor. I only… I have been curious, but have had little opportunity – or right – to inquire. I thought it odd that a gentleman so highly spoken of by his friends – and one of these friends so very lovely – should miss such an opportunity to be amongst them, and with his own relations besides.”

Elinor blushed and looked away. “Edward – Mr. Ferrars – is well regarded by all my family. Of course we are disappointed that he could not come to Norland, but I am sure he must have his reasons.”

“He must have visited you lately in Devonshire, for I believe you were all there for three months at least.”

“No, but three months is not so very long,” Elinor said, but she could not stop herself from letting out another wistful sigh. It had pained her that Edward had not visited, when he had promised them all so faithfully. She felt unaccountably obliged to defend him, and yet she could not really feel as generously as she spoke.

Beyond this, Elinor was conscious of what Marianne had subtly hinted at the night before; Edmund’s behavior seemed at times to support what Marianne had likely supposed. His questioning was not so direct, but he betrayed such interest that Elinor was sure he wished to know to what degree her heart was engaged elsewhere.

This she could not answer, not even if she possessed Marianne’s aversion to concealing her feelings; Elinor simply did not know. She had ceased to repent Edward’s absence since Edmund had taken her into his confidence, but she knew not whether this was the result of her feelings about the discovery, or the frequent company of Edmund these last several days. Surely he could not have such an effect on her so quickly – even Edward had not made such an immediate impression on her heart. And yet, she had become self-conscious around Edmund now; Marianne’s implications caused her to feel a sudden new awareness when Edmund was near – he was handsome and kind, and when he had held her in his arms….

Elinor attempted to shake herself from this reverie, and looked over at her cousin; he too appeared lost in thought as he gazed out at the distant lake. “Edmund?”

He shook his head and turned round to face her. “Forgive me – I was lost in thought. I have been low this morning myself – I have quarreled with my father – broken with him entirely, I fear. To own the truth, Elinor, I came into the stables this morning with the intention of riding away from Norland.”

“Good Heavens! It must have been very bad, whatever transpired between you – but you need not tell me, if it is too painful.”

“I need to tell you because it is so painful<– that is, if I might confide in you.”

“I will always hear whatever you should wish to say, Edmund,” Elinor replied. “I should hope I am just as concerned for you as you have been for me.”

“I believe you are, and it cheers me,” he said warmly. “Indeed, I might have fled days ago were it not for – but it shall be difficult to remain. Our quarrel was such that I have lost all regard and respect for my father, and it is a heavy blow. He is entirely to blame for what has befallen us, and what may yet come. I cannot condone his handling of the situation, not in any aspect at all.”

“How I wish I could spare you all,” Elinor cried in some dismay at seeing Edmund so agitated. “If I were to talk to my great aunt, perhaps I might persuade her to leave it….”

“And yet, would it not perturb your conscience, if not now, at some time distant, to think what you had denied your mother and sisters? No, do not answer me – there is no answer, Elinor. Nor is any of the blame yours. You have been one of the greatest victims in all this; it is for you, as much as for myself, my mother and sisters, that I am so disappointed in my father. His actions had disobliged you more than anybody already. But he has sunk to a new low today. We argued this morning – he was in his cups, and he took a swing at me after several exceedingly untoward suggestions that I cannot bear repeating – such insinuations that make me wonder if he knows me at all, or I him.”

“I am so sorry, Edmund. But I am proud of you for sticking to your principles, for trying to hold him accountable. It cannot be an easy thing to endure. And yet, I am glad you have not left Norland.”

“I would likely have repented such a rash decision, had I really left in such a state. I had thought to brood over it all alone at Thornton Lacey, and begin my ordination early – I had planned it for next month – and yet it is so near Mansfield, and perhaps I will not desire such a situation if… well, I shall leave it for December. Indeed, I am glad I am not gone away.”

“But what made you stay?”

“Something your sister said to me yesterday.”

“Oh?” Elinor felt a heaviness in her chest – he certainly spoke of Marianne a great deal.

“She said that time alone does not determine intimacy, that seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others. Perhaps my father has never known me, not really – but I have come to know some other members of my family so well, in such a short space of time, that I realized what a great fool I would be to leave in the middle of what I had begun.”

Elinor hardly dared infer that he meant her – he must only mean that it would be wrong to leave before the great matter was all settled. And yet all his looks were convincing enough that he had developed some attachment; certainly they had begun to grow acquainted in the most peculiar way, and she had felt nothing but delight in all his attempts to be pleasing. At present, his look was ardent indeed, and her doubt was waylaid by a strange fluttering.

Ooohh! I like the sound of this…I too have felt Edward Ferrars doesn’t deserve Elinor Dashwood! And sometimes I feel the same about Edmund Bertram…but I’m like this portrayal of Edmund, it looks like he is principled and kind, (and not completely distracted by Mary Crawford!) Thank you for sharing, Jayne! The cover is just fabulous for this story, I cannot wait to see how the Dashwood and Bertram families interact with each other!

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GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Jayne is kindly offering an ebook giveaway of Outmatched, in conjunction with her blog tour!

To enter this giveaway, leave a comment for Jayne and fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

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