Greetings, friends! I’m excited to welcome back author Gill Mather to Austenesque Reviews today! 😊

As you may have seen, Gill recently released a Pride and Prejudice sequel titled – Menace At Pemberley. And this may be a book to check out in the next two months since it is a P&P sequels that tells the story of Mr. Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s first  Christmas together at Pemberley! 🎄

Gill is here to share an excerpt from Menace At Pemberley.  We hope you enjoy! 🙌🏼

Hello Austen fans. My second historical novel, Menace At Pemberley: Darcy & Lizzy’s First Christmas: A Pride & Prejudice Sequel, has recently been published.

As a former author of contemporary fiction, writing historical novels has been something of a revelation in terms of the research needed into the period and Pride & Prejudice itself. And for the novels to be based on Pride & Prejudice has opened up a mine of material to delve into. Also the central characters have become almost like old friends and it is little wonder that Jane Austen’s novels, popular as they already were, have precipitated countless ‘spin offs’ and variations in recent decades, especially since the 1995 BBC dramatization by Andrew Davies.

Menace At Pemberley is still set in the late eighteenth century, as is Intrigue At Longbourn, my prequel to Pride & Prejudice which I set in 1797 for the reasons set out in the author’s note at the end of the book. Menace At Pemberley is set in late 1798 and early 1799 over the Christmas and New Year period, after Elizabeth and Darcy are married and Elizabeth’s family have arrived at Pemberley to stay with her, Darcy and Georgiana, as foretold in Pride & Prejudice. Included are Elizabeth’s extended family, that is the Philipses and the Gardiners and their four children. Colonel Fitzwilliam and his friend Lieutenant Colonel James Harvey are also staying.

I was keen to expand upon the characters and in particular the relationship between Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam, likely to have extended back into their childhoods, hence the extract from Pride & Prejudice chosen as the epigraph for Menace At Pemberley. In it, Fitzwilliam tells Elizabeth that he is at the disposal of Darcy who arranges the business just as he pleases, the business being when they will leave Rosings. Colonel Fitzwilliam also observes: “He likes to have his own way very well.” At Rosings, he had also joined with Elizabeth in teasing Darcy. There thus existed a familiarity between Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam which was perfect fodder for the tale of a winter sojourn in a large house as the weather worsens.

~ Excerpt from Menace at Pemberley ~

By the time of Chapter 15, all the visitors are installed at Pemberley and there has been one incident which may or may not have been the work of an ill-wisher, therefore Darcy, Elizabeth and those few whom they takes into their confidence, namely Bingley and Mr Bennet, are anxious not to alarm the family. It is the Saturday before Christmas and the company are enjoying an evening of music, singing and dancing and the Gardiner children are putting on a puppet play.

Chapter 15

THE popular folk song seemed to go on interminably in a rather melancholy way. Elizabeth wished it would come to an end, although afterwards, there would be another song, and another, and perhaps a fourth if those gathered in the saloon called for an encore as they were quite likely to do, if not from any real appreciation of her skills at the pianoforte or the quality of her singing, then from the quite high spirits in which the party found itself after the comedies of the children’s puppet play.

The girls and boys had portrayed had the Prince of Wales chasing ladies of the Court, King George showing signs of returning madness, Queen Charlotte lecturing King George and Napoleon falling overboard and nearly drowning. The audience were amazed at the children’s grasp of events.

Aunt Gardiner felt the need to apologise on behalf of her children, lest their ridicule of the royal family caused offence.

“It is the caricatures in the newspapers which they see,” she said.

Everyone protested that the short plays had been excellent and they wished for more another night. The children had taken their bows and then it was time for the music and singing to allow everyone’s stomachs to settle after dinner and before the dancing commenced, hence Elizabeth being first at the pianoforte.

She knew the tunes and the songs almost by heart and thus was able to cast about the room, rather than be forced to read the music and words. As the mistress of the house, she could not but be satisfied at her guests’ evident gaiety in some quarters and contentment in others. She did not expect to be listened to attentively, would indeed have been discomfited by all eyes on her and a strained silence. Rather like a string quartet at a soirée, she felt her function to be to supply music to act similarly to the scenery of a play. Those present would be conscious of her but not concentrating on her.

Most had someone to talk to and those who did not appeared relaxed, perhaps even sleepy, as was Uncle Philips, his eyelids drooping. Darcy, sitting alone, regarded her tenderly with a smile which she returned through her singing. Colonel Fitzwilliam at turns watched Darcy and Georgiana. Georgiana was sitting with Kitty, the two girls huddled close together, whispering.

Mary sat separately on the edge of her seat, no doubt eagerly awaiting her chance to perform.

Lieutenant Colonel Harvey was again talking to her mother. Aunt Philips sat with them and both women were laughing at something the soldier had said. Jane and Bingley were nearby. At intervals, the Lieutenant Colonel glanced across at the two girls, whether at Kitty or Georgiana, Elizabeth could not tell, but suspected his attention was directed at Kitty.

Card tables had been set out and her father, Mr and Mrs Gardiner and Mrs Annesley had formed a four for whist. The children sat at another table playing some game of their choice.

As Elizabeth came to the end of her first piece and reached for the score to the next song, Colonel Fitzwilliam stood up, walked over to Darcy and sat down next to him. Darcy would no doubt take this opportunity to tell him of Georgiana’s disclosure to Kitty. As Georgiana’s other guardian, he was of course entitled to know. Elizabeth wondered what the Colonel would make of it and whether Darcy would discover anything of Lieutenant Colonel Harvey’s background and prospects.

“DARCY, this is indeed a pleasant family party. We, I mean the lieutenant colonel and I, could not have hoped for a more congenial Christmas sojourn. Thank you so much for your invitation. I know that Harvey is especially grateful given that his parents are both dead this last six or seven years and he has no other close family.”

“I am sorry to hear it. Perhaps he should take a wife as I have done and then he may find himself far from short of relations.”

The Colonel laughed at the joke.

Darcy continued more seriously. “I guess, though, that he has some means behind him to have been able to buy himself a commission.”

“I believe there is some sort of trust, set up by an uncle or some relation or other. And he inherited the family home, Brownham Hall, a mansion house in Staffordshire. I went there once with him. It is a gloomy place in some disrepair. I am not surprised he does not wish to spend Christmas there alone.”

Darcy was on the point of telling his cousin of Lizzy’s suspicion that the lieutenant colonel may have taken a fancy to Catherine, but he decided against it. If Lieutenant Colonel Harvey turned out to be a suitor of reasonable means and the colonel for some reason disapproved of a match, Lizzy would not thank him for having alerted the colonel. No doubt any strong partiality would become apparent soon enough, but there was no point in giving the colonel advance warning. Instead, he moved on to intelligence which he felt it was his duty to communicate to the colonel. He lowered his voice and leaned in to the colonel.

“I should tell you that Georgiana divulged to Catherine that Wickham attempted to elope with her. I am told that Catherine is sworn to secrecy and can be trusted. She is very fond of Georgiana, so Elizabeth says.”

The colonel turned his head in the direction of Kitty and Georgiana, still talking quietly, their fair heads close together.

“That is somewhat unfortunate.”

“Which? The disclosure of the attempted elopement or the girls’ friendship?”

“Both, I should say. Would not you?”

“Well, what is said cannot be unsaid. And it is Elizabeth’s opinion that Georgiana’s best interests are not served by protecting her to a great degree. From all I see, Georgiana is flowering in Catherine’s company and doubtless Catherine benefits from Georgiana’s…interest in culture. But above all they are young and to have a good friend is beyond value, priceless.”

The colonel fixed his cousin with a speculative gaze.

“I must say you have changed, Darcy.”

“If you mean that I have discovered that happiness is ultimately more rewarding than submitting to what our Aunt Catherine would no doubt refer to as ‘the claims of duty’, then, yes, I have changed.”

The colonel bit his lip, turned away and then back towards Darcy as though deciding on his next words.

“You know, Darcy, many were surprised at your marriage to Miss Elizabeth Bennet, as she was.”

“Surprised? How?”

“Come, Darcy. Your father married the daughter of an earl. With your position and means, you could have married a titled lady. Many hereabouts, girls with fortunes I would think, and in London, would have made excellent matches. I feel sure there would have been no shortage of mothers pushing their daughters in your direction.”

“For my position and means, according to you.”

“Of course.”

“I believe I was aware that ambitious mothers had their sights set on me from the time I left Cambridge and I must say that I largely found their overtures quite repugnant. It is as well, then, that my mother-in-law certainly did not seek me as her son-in-law in any obvious way; quite the contrary.”

Darcy smiled at the recollection of Mrs Bennet’s previous rudeness towards him, of which, of course, the colonel would know nothing.

“Nor did Lizzy marry me for my position and means.”

“How can you be sure of the latter, Darcy? You cannot look into her mind.”

“I know beyond any doubt that she did not. And with that, I am afraid, you will have to be content, Fitzwilliam.”

He could be entirely certain because of Lizzy’s refusal of his first proposal. If she had merely sought a marriage for its material benefits, she might have decided that a match with him could be tolerated despite his harsh words at that time, now much regretted. He knew she had also refused Mr Collins notwithstanding his position as the heir to the entail in which the Longbourn estate was held and the serious urgings of her mother. He again smiled to himself to think of his wife’s stubbornness, resistance to intimidation and independent spirit.

Glad for now that he had said nothing of the lieutenant colonel’s suspected liking for Kitty, Darcy saw Lizzy watching him and the colonel. He raised an eyebrow and they exchanged a smile. If it was truly the colonel’s opinion that he, Darcy, had married beneath him, his cousin would quite possibly discourage the lieutenant colonel’s liking for his wife’s younger sister.

Ooh ~~ this is intriguing! Who is causing the menace? What type of menace is happening? Is there a romance budding for Kitty? And will Colonel Fitzwilliam stand in the way?

Sounds like it will be an exciting visit to Pemberley this holiday season!

THE SECOND SEQUEL

Intrigue At Longbourn and Menace At Pemberley are the first and second novels in The Elizabeth Bennet series. A further sequel currently in progress entitled Easter At Netherfield continues with the saga and it is hoped will be published this autumn. Sub-titled Darcy’s Dice With Fate, it covers the Easter period of 1799, Darcy’s ambitions to start a paper mill on his estate and focuses on a quandary which faces Darcy. Once again, the whole family are together staying at Netherfield and the company includes Colonel Fitzwilliam and Lieutenant Colonel Harvey as before.

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~ About Gill ~

I am a solicitor by profession and started writing seriously in 2012. It took time to grow in confidence and also, for me, to hone the skill and learn by my mistakes. I’ve been greatly assisted by the writer’s group, Write Now!, to which I belong. Before Intrigue, I had 8 novels and 6 novellas self-published on Amazon.

I have two grown-up sons and live in rural Essex in England with my husband. My mother is also presently living with us and is looked after by me and our cat, Suzie. Suzie likes to come for a walk with me daily, when she’s not out hunting small creatures, thankfully mostly unsuccessfully.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Gill Mather is generously giving away  3️⃣  ebook copies of Menace At Pemberley in conjunction with her visit today!  

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

• This giveaway is open worldwide.  Thank you, Gill!
• This giveaway ends November 15th!