Hi Friends! Would you fancy an Easter read to enjoy this month? One that has both Darcy and Elizabeth married and traveling to Netherfield to spend Easter with the Bingleys, Bennets, and Gardiners. 🐣

Well, as you may or may not know, author Gill Mather released the third book in her Elizabeth Bennet series a few months ago titled Easter at Netherfield. And similar to the other books in this series it sounds like it might have some intrigue. 🌷

Gill is here today to share an excerpt from Easter at Netherfield. We hope you enjoy. 🙌🏼

~ From the Author ~

Hello again fans of Austenesque fiction. I’m more than happy to be able to announce the publication of my third historical novel, Easter At Netherfield, which is my second Pride & Prejudice sequel.

I am hugely grateful to Meredith for allowing me to bring you his extract from the novel, and I am delighted to give away three copies of the novel.

My profession is that of an English solicitor, now retired but since 2012, I’ve been writing fiction, mainly contemporary crime/mystery/romance, with a considerable emphasis on the law. However, I like to diversify. One of my books is a rom-com and another is a paranormal romance.

All my books are available on Amazon as ebooks, paperbacks and under the KindleUnlimited scheme.

The historical fiction started last year and has proved very popular. I decided to narrow the genre to novels based on Pride & Prejudice so that prospective readers could get a good idea what the books would be about and because I’ve always loved Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen and have read it many times over the years.

The research into the period and into the detail of Pride & Prejudice itself has been quite something but very enjoyable. I set the novels in the late eighteenth century for the reasons set out in the author’s note at the end of Intrigue At Longbourn, the first book in my Elizabeth Bennet series.

~ Excerpt from Easter At Netherfield ~

The essence of Easter At Netherfield is that a jolly gathering at Netherfield is anticipated, the visitors being Elizabeth, Darcy and Georgiana, together with the Bennets, Gardiners, Philipses, Colonel Fitzwilliam and others including Elizabeth’s Derbyshire friend Harriet Layham. But after Darcy and Bingley visit London, Darcy is evidently out of sorts. Elizabeth puzzles over Darcy’s obvious disquiet but he doesn’t explain himself.

On Easter Saturday, the Netherfield party attend a ball at the Assembly Rooms in Meryton. The following is an account of an incident during the evening.

Chapter 14

Saturday 30^th March 1799

“LIZZY, William, allow me to introduce the Honourable Daniel Barton. He is a cousin of Julius Fairweather whom you knew Lizzy, on Julius’s mother’s side.”

Georgiana had rushed over with her partner as soon as an interval in the dancing took place.

“He is down from Oxford for Easter.”

Near at hand, Mr Barton was younger than Elizabeth had imagined him to be, fresh-faced and eager-looking. Further introductions followed. The gentlemen bowed to each other and Daniel Barton bowed to Elizabeth who curtsied.

“Mr Barton,” said Elizabeth, “I wonder if you have any news of Julius. He certainly brightened up our gatherings before he disappeared.”

She had never told anyone, not even Darcy, that she had recognised Julius as one of the highwaymen who had held up the stagecoach in which she was travelling with the Gardiners and the Philipses on their return from Buxton eighteen months ago.

“I regret not, Mrs Darcy.”

Elizabeth wondered if this was true. The young man’s gaze held something, a glint of interest, of knowledge unspoken perhaps.

“Well, if not Julius, then his parents, Lady Rose and Mr Fairweather.”

“Yes, of course. My family is well-informed of their situation. They are well set up, I understand, in Boston. I believe, Mrs Darcy,” he continued, “that you have a sister, Miss Mary, who was a good friend to Julius.”

“Yes. She…I…believe she has been in communication with a friend of his, Adolphus Barrant.”

The knowing look returned.

“And Mr Darcy hopes to make contact with an associate of Julius in London next week.”

“That is very interesting. Mr Darcy, I may be in town myself next week.”

Darcy drew two cards from his pocket. “Please look me out if you are there. I will be staying with my friend Charles Bingley at his house in London.” He handed over two cards. “The second card is Bingley’s with his address.”

“I am much obliged,” said Daniel.

“Shall we go and take some refreshment,” suggested Elizabeth and they all walked to the supper room where many of the rest of their party were seated already, as well as Maria and her parents and, unfortunately, Mr and Mrs Collins.

Daniel was acquainted with Maria’s dancing partner and, excusing himself and Georgiana, went over to them whereupon Harriet and Colonel Fitzwilliam joined Elizabeth and Darcy. The four of them were talking in low tones in general terms of the marriage plans, avoiding the most obvious impediment, that of Sir Peter Layham’s blessing to the match, when they became aware of the approach of Mr Collins. Charlotte remained with her mother.

“Mr Darcy,” Mr Collins said loudly, bowing.

Darcy returned the bow. “Mr Collins.”

“I feel that since we shall probably not meet again this Easter, Mr Darcy, I must ask you whether you have given any more thought to my suggestion a week ago that a conciliatory approach to Lady Catherine would be most appropriate in the circumstances. It would be my most fervent wish to be able to deliver your good tidings to Lady Catherine on our return—”

“Mr Collins,” interrupted Darcy, “no doubt your intentions are well-meant, or I hope they are, but you would do well, sir, to refrain from meddling in other people’s business.”

“Mr Darcy, as a man of the cloth, it is incumbent upon me at all times to have to the fore those sentiments whose object is to smooth—”

Darcy took an ominous step toward the clergyman. The volume at which Mr Collins had spoken, as though from a pulpit to a captive congregation, had attracted some attention about the supper room and the room had grown quiet. Darcy was almost quivering with rage and Elizabeth was afraid he would hit Mr Collins. He appeared to be controlling himself and said:

“Mr Collins, would you please do me the favour of leaving me alone, or I will have you thrown out.”

A deep, collective intake of breath could be heard from the company close at hand. Sir William Lucas looked aghast, the rest of the Lucases and Charlotte most anxious. Such a threat constituted an obvious challenge and, had Mr Collins not been a clergyman, could lead to Darcy being called out. Perhaps it could still happen. Duels were often hushed up. Mr Collins was younger than Darcy and Elizabeth had certainly witnessed his bad humour when she had refused his offer of marriage the autumn before last.

In truth, a duel was very unlikely, Elizabeth assured herself. Mr Collins would lose his incumbency and never work again as a clergyman. It was the words spoken by Darcy which would do the harm, so violently threatening were they. She knew it would be pointless to try to encourage Darcy to move away. He would stand his ground no matter what. This impression was strengthened when Colonel Fitzwilliam also moved closer to Mr Collins in a menacing fashion.

Mr Collins leaned backwards away from the cousins and appeared to be floundering. “I…er…well…”

At length, he raised his chin and said coldly, “Just as you wish.” He turned and, with such dignity as he could muster, he walked back to his wife and her parents.

Oh dear, thought Elizabeth. The Colonel had, only last Easter, received hospitality from the Collinses at the Rectory at Hunsford. She assumed such would not be extended again the next time the Colonel visited Rosings. For that matter, she and Darcy would not now be likely to be welcome at the Rectory, a huge sadness to her. She could only hope that the bad relations did not extend to Sir William and Lady Lucas. They were, after all, due to attend the ball at Lucas Lodge in two weeks’ time. It was something of a disaster.

Indeed, how would the Colonel be received at Rosings when presenting his new wife to Lady Catherine? But she doubted, on balance, whether the story of this public argument would be repeated to Lady Catherine. Mr Collins had been effectively humiliated. He would not wish to spread it abroad.

Elizabeth felt a hand on her arm. It was her father.

“I always knew that idiot would be trouble, Lizzy,” he said.

Harriet took Elizabeth’s other arm.

“This Easter grows more interesting by the second,” she whispered in Elizabeth’s ear.

THE remainder of the evening mercifully passed without incident. The Collins episode had put rather a dampener on the evening, at least for Elizabeth, and Darcy was in a foul mood, that is to say she could barely get a word out of him, and they did not dance another dance. Of course it was no one but Mr Collins’s fault, but she had to wonder if, at other times when Darcy was his normal cheerful if restrained self, he would have reacted so violently to Mr Collins’s inappropriate importunings and would instead have been able to shrug off the obvious rudeness with a smile and a shake of the head. An eminently simple reaction would have been to just walk away leaving Mr Collins in mid-sentence. Alas, not so tonight.

Georgiana remained with Daniel Barton. Harriet and Colonel Fitzwilliam and Kitty and Lieutenant Colonel Harvey danced the evening away. Mr Bennet, Mr and Mrs Philips and Mr Gardiner went off to the card room. Jane and Bingley danced several times and spoke to a number of acquaintances.

No one else came near Elizabeth and Darcy apart from Mrs Bennet and Mrs Gardiner who were all sympathy but said little of the incident, understandably not wishing to risk fanning any remaining embers to life.

Elizabeth was conscious that Lady Lucas in particular was regarding her from time to time in between conversation with her family, probably wondering how to phrase a letter telling them they would no longer be welcome to attend their ball, or even cancelling the ball altogether.

She wanted nothing more than to bring the evening to an end and to go back to Netherfield and to bed. In an effort to be alone for a time, she went off to the ladies’ room and made a pretence of going through the pockets of her cloak, thankful that very few women came in. She was just deciding that she must return to the hall when the door was pushed open and Lady Lucas entered.

“Oh, Lizzy,” she said quickly, “I hoped I would find you in here and that you are not leaving just yet. Lizzy we cannot leave things like this. We are prevailing upon William to apologize to Mr Darcy. He is our son-in-law but Mr Darcy is quite entitled not to have his linen washed in public.

“Our families have been friends for years, Lizzy. You are Charlotte’s oldest and still her best friend. She is most awfully upset and is endeavouring to quell her tears until we can be out of here. We must mend this quarrel before a breach becomes permanent. I do not care how William excuses himself, the pressure of new fatherhood, the strains of his situation as a clergyman, but he must apologize. I hope that he will come to Mr Darcy soon, and beg his pardon.

“Oh, Lizzy.”

And Lady Lucas caught her in a quick embrace and was then gone before Elizabeth could respond.

She was a little more cheerful on returning to the hall, although the evening was still ruined for her and not only by Mr Collins. There was Darcy’s refusal to take her to London with him, not that she really wanted to go but she was testing him by asking. There was the worry that Harriet’s marriage plans would go awry. And, of course, there was Darcy himself and the puzzle of what was troubling him. She could not be happy until he had recovered his equilibrium.

She found Darcy with Harriet and Colonel Fitzwilliam and drew him aside. She told him that Mr Collins was probably going to apologize.

“Is he, by God! Well, he can drop dead.”

“William, I hope that does not mean that you will refuse to listen to him.”

“Listen to him! The man is an abject fool. You heard him today and a week ago. He has no idea how to conduct himself. I’ve no intention of letting him anywhere near me.”

“William,” she hissed furiously, “it is my wish that you accept his apology. The Lucases are our friends, my parents’ friends, my sisters’ friends. Charlotte Lucas is my very oldest friend. I cannot tolerate a rift between us all. Would you think of your family on this occasion. ’Tis more than possible that my parents and sisters will lose the society of the Lucases altogether. You must therefore hear Mr Collins and if his apology is sufficient, then you must accept it.”

Darcy stared at her in astonishment, astonishment seemingly that she could contradict him. Then he sighed.

“Lizzy,” he said taking her hand. “Yes, of course I will do it for you.”

“Thank you,” she said somewhat stiffly.

AT LAST the evening was over and their carriages were being brought round. No approach had yet been made by Mr Collins. Everyone stood outside, stamping to keep warm. The Lucases and the Collinses at last emerged from the hall.

Elizabeth surmised that maybe Mr Collins’s game was to express his apology in front of all these people and thus come away from the evening as the charitable man, willing to step down from an argument and make amends. If so, it mattered not to her. She wanted a resolution to the unpleasantness.

Darcy turned and nodded to Mr Collins, his expression blank.

Heartened, apparently, by this, Mr Collins came forward.

“Mr Darcy, I have come to realise since our altercation earlier that my entreaties to you were inappropriate. I therefore apologise and beg your pardon for any offence caused.”

“That is very good of you. I thank you, Mr Collins.”

The two men bowed and Mr Collins started to walk towards his family. He stopped midstride, evidently noticing Colonel Fitzwilliam.

“And I have no quarrel with you, sir,” he said rather pompously. “You are welcome at the Rectory at Hunsford at any time.”

Thus it was over, the broken vessel of friendship mended as well as it could be.

Oh my that was intense! I’m glad Mr. Darcy cooled off enough to do the right thing. But I am curious about Daniel Barton and what he is up to in this story!

 

THE SEQUEL

Easter At Netherfield is the third novel in The Elizabeth Bennet series. A further sequel to Pride & Prejudice is planned concerning Georgiana Darcy’s London season.

~ Connect with Gill ~

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~ About Gill ~

As above, 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.

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, my husband 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, apart from a stoat which lived in the bookcase in our kitchen for some weeks recently until discovery. Very sleek and well-fed it was too after dining handsomely no doubt on Go-Cat crumbs and Felix Ocean Feast. It gave us the run-around but finally we managed to chase it out of the door.

See my website for blogs about the research I do for my books. Sometimes free downloads are also available.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

Gill Mather is generously giving away  3️⃣  ebook copies of Easter At Netherfield 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 March 28th!