Happy Wednesday, readers! I am thrilled to start my day by welcoming back the lovely Amy D’Orazio to Austenesque Reviews! As you probably already know, Amy has just released her latest Pride and Prejudice variation, A Wilful Misunderstanding! And it sounds fantastic!! Amy is here to share a charming excerpt that will make your heart melt (consider yourself forewarned!) ❣️
~ Excerpt from A Wilful Misunderstanding ~
Having spent some hours answering letters in his study, Darcy decided he would rest and see what his wife
was doing. As Darcy walked down the hall, he thought he heard a little sound: a brief sniffle and a stifled cry. He looked around but saw no one and continued forth slowly. There! Again, a stifled sob, coming from somewhere close.
“Elizabeth?” he asked, but there was no reply save for another sniffle. Then he saw him—Bennet, hiding under a hall table, evidently terrified and crying with his face to the wall.
Darcy knelt beside the table. “Bennet? Are you hurt, Son?”
The boy looked at him with large terrified eyes but did not speak for several moments. Darcy very awkwardly reached in and patted the boy’s arm. “Tell Papa what is wrong.”
“Mama?”
“I…I do not… Shall we find Nurse Harriet?”
This made Bennet sob again, repeating, “Mama, Mama” over and over as he did so.
Darcy clumsily attempted to reach in to the boy and draw him closer, “Mama will be back soon, I am sure. Would you like Papa to read you a book?”
“No! Mama!”
“Let us play blocks,” Darcy suggested, feeling an inordinate desire to be the solution to his son’s dismay. “Or soldiers. Shall we play with your soldiers?”
Bennet said nothing, still crying and turning his face resolutely towards the wall.
“Are you hungry? How about a snack?”
Nothing worked. Darcy despaired of his stupidity where his child was concerned but then inspiration struck. “Would you like to go see the horses?”
Now he had his son’s interest. Bennet stopped crying and looked at him hopefully.
“Pemberley has lots of horses, Bennet, and Papa has a big black horse named Orion. Would you like to visit Orion and the other horses?”
Bennet studied him soberly, then broke into a large grin and scrambled from his hiding place. Mama was all but forgotten as he shouted, “Horses!”
With triumph in his step, Darcy took his son to the stables after a brief stop in the kitchen for old apples and carrots. He soon faced a second issue, though, as he quickly learned the inherent difficulty of walking anywhere with a young child. Bennet walked slowly and stopped frequently as rocks, beguiling blades of grass, and the occasional insect caught his interest. Darcy slowed his pace to a near stop to indulge his son’s curiosity but soon realised that if they were to ever arrive at the stables, he would need to carry him.
As they entered the stables, Darcy could feel Bennet’s heart begin to beat rapidly and hoped fervently the boy would not become afraid or distraught. He need not have worried, however, for as soon as Bennet saw his father’s horses, his eyes lit with pure pleasure and excitement.
Darcy took him from stall to stall, telling him briefly about each horse and occasionally feeding them an apple or carrot. On the second or third feeding, Bennet reached out his small hand and joined it underneath Darcy’s, wanting to participate. After they had visited all the horses in the stables, Darcy took Bennet outside where one of the grooms was exercising some horses in the rings. The horses were galloping, and Bennet inhaled sharply. Darcy saw his son’s fascination with the animals as they ran and jumped, and he smiled, recognising his own love of horses reflected in his son’s eyes.
It was then that it happened. Watching his son experiencing the beauty of the horses brought to Darcy’s mind a powerful, agonisingly sweet recollection of himself with his father, riding Pemberley’s horses at an age that was not much older than Bennet. Darcy was flooded with the sudden understanding of the bond of father and son, the bond that he had shared with his own father and now shared with the small boy in his arms. At once, Darcy realised that there was nothing he would not do for this child—happily give up his life if necessary. Anything to ensure that he had a long life of felicity and contentment. The love Darcy felt for his son was overpowering and precious, and like nothing he had ever felt before, even for Elizabeth.
His throat closed, filled with a restrained sob, and tears sprung to his eyes as he looked upon Bennet, who was still happily entranced by watching the horses run. Swallowing hard, he inhaled deeply to restore his composure, and then asked the boy, “How would you like to ride a horse today?”
The look of wide-eyed delight that spread over his son’s countenance easily answered the question.
Soooo…I’ve melted into a complete puddle by this supremely endearing scene. 💦 That’s it. I’m a puddle.
Oh! How I love seeing Mr. Darcy interact with children…especially when they are his children! 😭 I cannot wait to read more of this story, I know Amy is a master at tugging at our heartstrings and delivering exquisitely poignant stories! ❤️ Thank you for sharing this lovely excerpt, Amy! We wish you all the best with this exciting release!
*BTW, I’m currently in the middle of The Mysteries of Pemberley by Amy D’Orazio and it is soooooo good!! All kinds of stirring and gothic! 🎃
~ Exciting News!! ~
🎧 📖 A Wilful Misunderstanding is NOW available on Audible Audiobook!!!! 📖🎧
~ Book Description ~
The moment he saw her at the assembly in Meryton, he knew he loved her.
WHEN FITZWILLIAM DARCY MEETS ELIZABETH BENNET in the fateful autumn of 1811, their mutual infatuation is immediate and undeniable. Within months, they are married and spend a blissful winter at Pemberley, falling more deeply in love with each other than either might have imagined possible. But spring in London proves more challenging to them. Accident and artifice join to devastating effect for the young couple, destroying their felicity and creating an outcome neither might have imagined.
TWO YEARS LATER, happenstance reunites them. Sorrow and anger have built walls between them but the love they once shared still remains. Will it be enough to conquer the sins of the past? Is the love they still hold within them strong enough to prevail over the anger and mistrust that tore them apart?
~ Connect With Amy ~
Facebook ❧ Twitter ❧ Goodreads ❧ Pinterest ❧ Austen Variations
~ About Amy ~
Amy D’Orazio is a long time devotee of Jane Austen and fiction related to her characters. She began writing her own little stories to amuse herself during hours spent at sports practices and the like and soon discovered a passion for it. By far, however, the thing she loves most is the connections she has made with readers and other writers of Austenesque fiction.
Amy currently lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and daughters, as well as three Jack Russell terriers who often make appearances (in a human form) in her book.
A Wilful Misunderstanding is Amy’s sixth book.
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GIVEAWAY TIME!
In conjunction with this lovely blog tour, Quills and Quartos will be giving away an ebook of A Wilful Misunderstanding to one lucky reader who comments on this post.
To enter this giveaway, leave a comment, question, or some love for Amy below!
- This giveaway is open worldwide! Thank you, Quills and Quartos.
- This giveaway will end October 14th.
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Follow Amy’s Tour!
My thanks to Kristi Rawley, Amy D’Orazio, and the lovely people at Quills and Quartos for putting this tour together! I’m so happy to take part!
How fabulous to see Darcy bonding with his son so sweetly. There is so much in this story to melt the heart as love and trust is built and rebuilt between the characters. Congratulations on your publication Amy!
Thank you Jessie!!
Congratulations on publishing this! I remember the online version and it’s a verywell written and emotionally challenging story, I look forward to reading the published version!
Thank you noagnes! Its changed a bit since its days at AHA! It was pretty rough but hopefully everyone will like the polished version as well if not better!!
Amy is one of my favorites! Actually have it in my queue to read on my Kindle!
Thank you!!
I truly love Amy’s books. I loved the scene of Darcy with Bennet. Where is Elizabeth and what has happened? I cannot imagine Elizabeth leaving her son so why are Darcy and Elizabeth meeting two years later? Oh, so many questions. Thank you for the excerpt and giveaway.
Oh Elizabeth definitely did NOT leave her son — she is merely out taking a walk, thinking Bennet was napping. Bennet just gave his nursemaid the slip!
Glad to hear Elizabeth is still there. Am so looking forward to this new book!
Oh now I can totally deal with this kind of excerpt! I’m assuming that Elizabeth is also at Pemberley and that the problems between them have been resolved?
Any clues as to how far into the book this is? I need to know how many chapters have Darcy and Elizabeth apart?
Enjoy the rest of Mysteries of Pemberley Meredith! First read that as it was posted but have read it again since and really enjoyed it.
Thank you Glynis!
And yes, Elizabeth and Darcy are reunited by the time this scene happens and Elizabeth is merely out taking a walk! Bennet was SUPPOSED to be asleep but he’s good at giving his nurse the slip!
Oh Meredith, I bought the paperback and this scene was just wonderful. This story will not just pull at your heartstrings but squeeze it tight! Do not enter me in the giveaway. I read and loved the Mysteries of Pemberley too and I am not surprised you are loving that one too!
Thank you Carole!
Sounds good, Amy!
So why couldn’t Bennet go to his mother?
He was meant to be napping haha! Slipped out and found he wasn’t sure where he was!
Amy is a brilliant author; her books never fail to entertain. I am guessing from the above excerpt that the two year hiatus in their relationship is over–at least I hope so. Thanks for entering me in the drawing.
Thank you so much! And yes, hiatus over at this point in the story! Mending begun…
This is a wonderful and beautifully written story! Congratulations, Amy!
Thank you Daniela!
I’m a puddle. Completely melted. Anyone reading this excerpt is sure to have these books flying off their virtual shelves. Best of luck, Amy!
Thank you so much!
Looking forward to this, Amy! Lovely excerpt.
Thank you Cat!
Congratulations Amy for this sixth book. After reading the first five chapters, I am once again overwhelmed by this excerpt. Thank you for sharing it with us.Can’t wait to read it..
Hope you enjoy Dominique!
I am very intrigued by what happened to Elizabeth — what breaks them apart *and* what brings them back together. Yet another to add to the TBR mountain, whether I win the giveaway or not!
Thank you Christina!
I just love your stories, Amy, even though the angst level is sometimes so overwhelming that I need to take a break from reading. Can’t wait to read this one!! Please just tell me that even through their separation they stay true to one another – I just couldn’t be able to handle Darcy being unfaithful.
Oh absolutely Satu! NO infidelity here I promise!!!
Amy is one of my ‘go to’ authors when I want to read a great story! You never disappoint! Cannot wait to find time to read this one. 🙂
Bennet is such a cutie! Congrats on the book, Amy. I really enjoyed it.
I’m at a particularly anguishing part of the book so reading this sweet scene serves as a glimpse of sweeter times to come! So far, so good!
Daddy Darcy is the best. Loved it!
Love the excerpt – seeing Darcy as a loving father. I cannot wait to start reading the book. Amy is one of my favorite JAFF authors. I wish her the best of luck with this launch.
Congratulations on your 6th book being published!. Loved the excerpt! Thanks for the chance in this giveaway.
Don’t include me in the giveaway, I just wanted to stop by and leave a bit of love for Amy. I grabbed the preorder as soon as it was available. Then when it launched, I read it immediately. I loved it when I first read it in the forums years ago and I was so glad to see that Amy was publishing it. Congratulations, Amy. Thanks to Meredith for hosting… I loved seeing your names in the text. That was so cool… hello to your Mr. Bingley. Blessings to everyone, stay safe, and healthy.
Thank you for the execrept and the touching moment between father and son.
Darcy was so good with Bennet. I’d expect nothing less. I’ve always loved your stories. I’m dying to read this book. Thank you for this chance.
This was one of those books where I wanted to reach in and shake Darcy! Great excerpt. I highly recommend this book.
Congratulations on the release of your new novel, Amy. Best wishes with its success.
Oh how lovely! Can’t wait to read more of it.
What a memorable scene with Darcy and Bennet! I look forward to reading the book.
Yes – I love Amy’s writing so much and can’t wait to read Her new book!! Thanks for the giveaway!! –Leslie
I don’t believe I’ve read anything by Amy but what a lovely scene! Thanks for the excerpt and giveaway opportunity, Meredith.
Congrats, Amy! This story broke my heart but then put it back together.
Loved all of your previous books, so I am expecting the same result from this one. Am excited to read it. I like when Darcy is portrayed as a father; he is so.loving.
I think I’d enjoy this one.