Guest Post + Giveaway with Author Heather Moll!!!

February 8, 2023 • Author Features, Giveaways • 67 Comments

Hi friends!! I’m excited to welcome back author Heather Moll to Austenesque Reviews today! Heather’s newest release – Mr Darcy’s Valentine – features sending valentines and other traditions during the month of February!! 💌  What a perfect match for those readers, who like me, love a seasonal/holiday read! 

Heather is here to share a little bit about a scene where Mr. Darcy does something very thoughtful and maybe begins to improve Elizabeth’s opinion of him. We hope you enjoy! 🙌🏼

Thank you for welcoming me back to Austenesque Reviews! I’m here to talk about my short and sweet Pride and Prejudice variation Mr Darcy’s Valentine. It takes place entirely in London and part of my goal for the setting was to not have Darcy and Elizabeth see a play. There was so much to see in Georgian London other than the theatre, and if we can also give Darcy a chance to flirt a little, why not?

While coming up with something to do in town with the newly betrothed Bingley and Jane—and an Elizabeth who isn’t keen on him yet—Darcy takes the group to Cleveland House to see the art collection of the Marquess of Stafford. In the story, the marquess’s son is a friend of Darcy’s, and Darcy calls in a favor.

Cleveland House was rebuilt in the 1790s by the third Duke of Bridgewater, who had assembled a collection of hundreds of paintings. His collection included most of the paintings previously owned by the Duke of Orléans, which was a grand collection sold after the French Revolution. The Duke of Bridgewater’s nephew, who became the Marquess of Stafford in 1803, inherited the house and opened the art collection to the public. These twelve rooms were open to the public with admission tickets during the height of the season.

There were nearly 300 paintings on display, and when it opened to the public, it was nearly twenty years before the National Gallery opened. If you wanted to see art in this era, you either had to visit a private home like Chatsworth and look at their walls or wait until there was a public sale and see what was on display. The Bridgewater collection was one of the few opportunities to see a collection of this depth and breadth. The collection had Italian baroque and Dutch 17th-century paintings, and was also brought it up to date by including Turner and other British painters.

In this scene, Elizabeth and Jane had no idea what was in store for them when they met with Bingley and Darcy. Jane and Bingley are doing well, but Elizabeth and Darcy aren’t on the same page yet. Elizabeth is impressed by Darcy’s thoughtfulness, and by the end of the visit they’ve talked through a few things and she realizes she might’ve been wrong about him.

Excerpt from Mr. Darcy’s Valentine

“What made you think to bring us here?” she asked him later, coming up behind him as he looked at a painting of what appeared to be Minerva protecting Pax from Mars.

He seemed very still as he continued to look at the painting. “Do you like being here?”

“Who could not?” she said, looking at the painting with him. “I feel transported to other times and places with every step and glance. I am sure I could never think and feel the same again after walking amongst such beauty.”

She saw that he smiled, but his eye remained fixed on the painting. “But why go to such trouble,” she pressed, “to inconvenience your friend when we might have had an excursion to any public place instead?”

Darcy finally turned from the painting. He stared at her a moment before saying quietly, “You said at dinner, and Mrs Gardiner mentioned yesterday, that you were wanting to see an art exhibition. I thought you might enjoy seeing this grand collection, and without other patrons to interrupt you.”

He bowed and walked away, saying something or other how he must be blocking her view, but this confession threw Elizabeth into a flutter of spirits. He wanted to give me happiness. She was surprised, because it had been her firmest belief that he was resentful, not a good-natured man. He treated both her and her family with not only civility, but kindness.

She was mortified anew to be surprised by his good behaviour. I ought not to be astonished; he admitted his mistaken pride and I saw his efforts to be agreeable.

Elizabeth passed where Jane and Bingley were in the drawing room and asked if they had seen Darcy. They were so engrossed in one another, and not nearly as much as they might have been by the splendid collection, that they had not noticed if Darcy passed them. She searched the dining room, the library dedicated to Poussin, and then went back through the new gallery and into the old, and found Darcy at its very end. When he tried to move away again, to give all one hundred-some feet to herself, she stopped him. She suddenly grieved over every ungracious sensation she had ever encouraged, every saucy speech she had ever directed toward him.

“Wait, we cannot go on like this, with you avoiding me and me not knowing what to say. Jane and Bingley are going to marry and, and…” She could not bring herself to ask if they might be friends. “I acted despicably,” she cried. “I was pleased with Mr Wickham’s preference and offended—at one moment, when we first met—by your neglect, and I was prejudiced and ignorant. I am sorry.”

Darcy looked completely taken aback. “There is nothing that you need to explain or justify.”

“No, you ought to know. My aunt feared my friendship with that man might lead to an imprudent connexion, and that is why I came to town,” she admitted. “She is too good to triumph over me, but it turned out that she was correct.” Elizabeth then explained Wickham’s defection to Miss King and their subsequent elopement after she inherited a fortune.

Darcy pretended to look at a painting, but she could tell he was listening as he frowned and shook his head. “I might have explained it all to you in November, but I was too proud.” He turned to look her in the eye. “I am sorry that my silence led to your being hurt by him.”

It took her a moment to understand him. “Oh, heavens, everyone thinks that I loved him! I allowed his attentions without any idea of their meaning anything. He has not injured me. I was never attached to him.”

“He flattered your vanity,” he asked in a low voice; “singled you out amongst all of your acquaintances?” Elizabeth nodded, unable to speak from shame. “Whereas I slighted you?” Darcy gave her an intense look, and her heart beat quickly. “More fool me,” he whispered. “You are a handsome woman, and that I did not see that at the Meryton assembly says far more about me than it does you.”

~~~

You’ll have to read Mr. Darcy’s Valentine to learn how the gallery visit ends and what other romantic things Darcy says before the visit to town is over.

Gah!!! I am a puddle. I am currently reading Mr. Darcy’s Valentine at the moment, and Mr. Darcy’s candid confessions have me melting. 🫠 I love his thoughtfulness and consideration. 🫶🏼 

Thank you for sharing this excerpt and the history of Cleveland House with us today. I love learning more about the Regency world outside of Jane Austen’s novels! 🎩

~~~
GIVEAWAY TIME!

Heather brings with her today a lovely prize pack to giveaway to 1️⃣ lucky winner! This prize pack includes:

Commenting on this post and filling out the rafflecopter widget on this blog enters you in a chance to win!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • This giveaway is open worldwide.  Thank you, Heather!
  • This giveaway ends February 15th!
~ Mr. Darcy’s Valentine is available now ~

Be sure to check out the rest of the blog tour!

~~~

Disclaimer: The Amazon links used in this post are affiliate links. 

67 comments

  2. I already read and reviewed this story and I do subscribe to her blog…so, thank you for a chance to win those lovely prizes. Thanks for sharing information about the art collection and the excerpt.

    Reply

    2. I’ve loved several of Ms. Moll’s books and look forward to this new one.
      I’d also like to thank SLMajczan — you have no idea how helpful you are! Every time I get a notice about a new JAFF I might want to read, I page through the Amazon reviews to see what you think. You never steer me wrong – if you like it, I’ll like it.

      Reply

  4. Thank goodness Elizabeth has cleared the air, maybe now they can talk as rational people and perhaps as lovers??
    I have read this wonderful book and love the interactions once Darcy realises his expectations may not be quite how things happen! I shall have to read it again next week 🙂 This cover is so truly romantic, it’s perfect for this story.

    Reply

  11. Have already read this book and placed a review on Amazon. As I said there Heather needs a big accolade for the amount of research she undertakes when writing even a short novel. I was amazed at the info in this book!
    Loved this story, thanks Heather.

    Reply

  12. I am so excited to read Mr. Darcy’s Valentine! I really enjoy your writing style, Heather. Congratulations on a new release!

    Reply

  17. I’m so eager to read this new book, Heather. I love all your stories, they are all very much on The Keeper/Reread Shelf (or re-listen.)

    Forget the flowers and candy, Boyfriend. If you want to make my Valentine’s Day romantic take me to an art museum. However, I’ve never been able to visit one where we could have had a serious personal discussion. I loved this scene, Darcy picked the right place.

    Thank you for the sweet and generous giveaway. Thanks to Meredith for hosting the blog tour.

    Reply

  18. I am very intrigued by this and what Mr. Darcy had to say. Good for Elizabeth for finally making him talk to her.

    Reply

  20. I love Heather’s books, and this one is in my very soon TBR pile. Love the excerpt! Best wishes and congrats on the new release.

    Reply

  21. I am very much intrigued by how sweet and kind Darcy is being in this scene! Definitely makes me want to read more. And what a lovely package to win, thank you for being so kind (and inspirational!).

    Reply

  27. Thanks, Meredith for hosting. Thanks to Heather for the delightful excerpt. Whew! I love when we have page-time between ODC. I have this on my wish-list. I’ll need to read it soon as we aren’t far away from our own Valentine’s’ Day. Wishing you much success with this new work. Blessings. Good luck to all in the drawing.

    Reply

  31. I do like that it sounds like you didn’t saddle Lydia with Wickham. While she was a silly and annoying girl she never truly deserved that

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your conversation and participation are always welcome; please feel free to "have your share."