Happy Wednesday, friends! I have been greatly enjoying the Skirmish and Scandal series (a collection of Pride and Prejudice inspired novellas) from Meryton Press. In fact, I just read and reviewed Play with Fire by J. Marie Croft last week. 🎭

The next book in this series was just released earlier this month by C. P. Odom and shares the title of the series – Skirmish and Scandal. Colin is here today to share a wonderfully enticing excerpt from his new novella where it sounds like Mr. Darcy is a little more intentional with his courting of Elizabeth Bennet! We hope you enjoy! 🙌🏼

We begin with Chapter Two for this excerpt. Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam “happen” upon Elizabeth as she is striding along her favourite walk! Oh dear! How can this go well? Read on…

*****

~ Excerpt from Chapter Two ~

Friday, April 15, 1812
Rosings Park, Kent

After Charlotte and her husband had left for Rosings the previous evening, Elizabeth had pulled out all of Jane’s letters and re-read them in light of what she had heard from Colonel Fitzwilliam. They did not contain an explicit list of grievances, for Jane seldom complained. Rather, the letters were marked in all cases by an absence of her sister’s usual cheerfulness. After the colonel’s information regarding Mr. Darcy’s part in saving Mr. Bingley from an “imprudent marriage,” she now knew who bore the blame for her sister’s sufferings.

At least, Mr. Darcy’s visit would end on Saturday, and she would depart a week later. In London, she would be able to comfort Jane and hopefully aid in the recovery of her spirits.

She awoke to the same thought and soon fled the Parsonage, seeking air and exercise to expunge her unwelcome emotions. She had been striding along her favourite walk for a quarter of an hour, feeling an improvement in her spirits with every step, when she saw Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy in the distance, walking directly towards her. She was so discomfited that she stopped dead and looked about quickly. But the woods pressed in close to the path, and in any case, she could see that the two gentlemen had already noticed her. Obviously, it was far too late to either retreat or turn aside. She had no other choice than to continue on to meet the approaching cousins, so she gathered her spirits and steadied her courage.

The greeting of both men was, as usual, perfectly polite though she thought Mr. Darcy looked as if he had slept badly. There were shadows under his eyes, and she thought he looked pale. The colonel was his usual amiable self, and while she rejoiced in the imminent departure of Mr. Darcy, she would miss his cousin. However, as agreeable as he was, she knew he had no intentions towards her, and she did not mean to be unhappy about him.

She was thus rather surprised when Mr. Darcy took the lead in conversation.

“You mentioned your sister has been in town, Miss Elizabeth. Is she there still?”

Elizabeth looked at him sharply, but his expression gave no hint as to what had motivated this question. When he and his cousin first arrived and visited at the Parsonage, she had raised that very topic. Mr. Darcy’s response at the time convinced her he would much rather avoid any mention of the subject. Thus, Elizabeth was now cautious when she replied that Jane remained in town.

“She stays with relatives, I assume,” Darcy said.

This time Elizabeth’s eyes locked with his as she replied, rather challengingly, “She stays with my aunt and uncle Gardiner in Cheapside where my uncle is in trade.”

Mr. Darcy did not rise to the bait and only nodded gravely. “You and Miss Lucas will be leaving on Saturday next, I believe. I assume you will join your sister?”

Elizabeth again cautiously affirmed his supposition.

“Will you be staying there some days?”

“We leave for Hertfordshire the second week of May.”

“Do your aunt and uncle enjoy the theatre, Miss Elizabeth?”

“They do. My uncle is quite well educated, as is my aunt, and they attend regularly.” Elizabeth was immediately sorry for the sharpness in her tone since she could not fault the tone of Mr. Darcy’s conversation. It was extraordinarily amiable—at least for him—but she was unable to determine what made him speak as he did.

But Mr. Darcy only nodded again, giving no indication of being offended. Elizabeth, however, was completely perplexed by Colonel Fitzwilliam’s expression. He looked rather indulgent, almost proud, as if he were watching a child perform a difficult task.

“Then perhaps your aunt and uncle might accompany you and your sister to the theatre as my guests after I return.”

Elizabeth’s astonishment was so great that she caught her toe on a root and stumbled. She was well on her way to falling on her face had Mr. Darcy not caught her by the shoulders and easily raised her back to her feet. She was more than a little astonished by how easily he did so since he had never impressed her as being particularly robust. She had been vaguely aware that his shoulders were wider and his waist narrower than other gentlemen of her acquaintance, but she had given the matter little thought before now. In her experience, most gentlemen, even those in the country, had always seemed rather soft and willowy since their class benefited from the labour of the lower classes rather than performing it themselves.

She knew her face was flushing red—she could feel the heat—and she looked at Mr. Darcy, only to see the intent look she had seen so often in Hertfordshire.

“Thank you, sir. I would have fallen if you had not helped.”

“Think nothing of it, Miss Elizabeth. Now, I believe we were speaking of the theatre.”

“Yes…that is…well, my aunt has prepared a full calendar of engagements when we return…but…well…” Elizabeth paused in sheer astonishment, her mind flailing about even as sudden intuitions were leaping full-blown into her mind. She recalled Charlotte saying, “My dear Eliza, he must be in love with you or else he never would have called on us in this familiar way.” She had absently rejected Charlotte’s suggestion at the time, but now she had to reconsider.

“I believe Bingley may still be in town,” Mr. Darcy said, his tone musing. “He might be able to join us, though I am not sure about his sisters.”

And there it was. Instantly, Elizabeth understood everything. Colonel Fitzwilliam had told Mr. Darcy of their conversation yesterday, and it must have struck some kind of chord in him. This unbelievable invitation was a peace offering, an unspoken but real initiative to make amends for his mistake in separating Mr. Bingley and Jane.

But that was not even the most astounding part of what he was saying. The invitation and the possibility of putting them together in company was a baited hook…baited for her.

She was the prize Mr. Darcy hoped to reel in!

*****

That is quite a realization for Elizabeth! What will she do now? Can she afford “not” to agree to this invitation? If she does go, what will be the outcome? There are quite a few surprises so we hope you will get a chance to read the novella and see for yourself.

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Oh! I love it! This is an interesting place to implement a new twist in the plot. Elizabeth had just received her confirmation about Darcy’s interference, and before she can lambaste him about it, he is remedying his error.

LOL! I love Colonel Fitzwilliam! 😆

~ Book Description ~

Astounding! Mr. Darcy’s baited hook is for Elizabeth Bennet!

In the Regency era, surface appearances of politeness and civility often conceal more intense and hostile activity. More than one wealthy or noble family of seemingly sterling reputation is torn apart and sometimes all but exterminated by savage intra-family feuds.

That situation unexpectedly confronts Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet in Skirmish and Scandal when Darcy’s interest in Elizabeth as a future mistress of Pemberley becomes known to Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her noble Matlock relations. Determined to prevent an affront to the reputation of their aristocratic clan, the most prominent members of the family gather with Lady Catherine to confront Darcy and force him to choose a more suitable wife. The resulting conflict and its aftermath involve furious arguments, abduction, pursuit, and personal clashes that narrowly avert meetings on the field of honour.

How can such emotionally intense and seemingly insurmountable personal conflicts between the couple result in an amorous resolution?

~~~

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Meryton Press is generously giving away 1 ebook of Skirmish and Scandal  in conjunction with Colin’s visit to this blog!!  Woot woot! 

To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment, question, or some love for Colin!

• This giveaway is open worldwide.  Thank you, Meryton Press!
• This giveaway ends November 17th!

My sincere gratitude to Janet Taylor, Meryton Press, and C.P. Odom for making this visit possible!

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Can I ask a favor?

Rita, of From Pemberley to Milton, and I are speaking at a panel for the JAFF Writer/Reader Get Together on Saturday (you should come check it out!) and we are wanting to gather some data to share.

We are surveying BLOGGERS, AUTHORS, and READERS

Could you help us out by taking a 2 minute survey? 😄 (I sound like an ad!)

There are three types of surveys (but you would only have to do one).

If you fit into all three survey categories, pick the one that comprises most of your time.

BLOGGER SURVEY    ~    AUTHOR SURVEY    ~    READER SURVEY

Thank you so much!! 🤗