Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Mr. Darcy's Secret - my new book!

I'm thrilled to be able to tell you that in less than a week Mr. Darcy's Secret is out! I would have loved to have included a picture of the lovely cover, but I'm away at the moment, and Blogger won't let me. I can't quite believe this is my third novel inspired by Jane Austen - I wanted to continue the story of Pride and Prejudice, writing about the first year of marriage for Elizabeth and Darcy and also find a happy ending for Darcy's sister Georgiana. I've had a wonderful time doing lovely research which took me to Derbyshire and the Lakes - there are some definite upsides to being a writer!

If you'd like to know more please visit my blog at Jane Austen Sequels.blogspot.com. In the meantime, here's a sneak peek - a conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet:


“Who would have thought it, Mr Bennet,” said his lady talking over the top of him, “that I should live to see two of my daughters so exceptionally advantaged in married life?”

“Quite so, my dear,” replied he, “though I must add that however well placed I believed my daughters might find themselves, I had always planned on exceeding my own five and forty years to witness their felicity. Indeed, possessing the knowledge that your own long surviving line of aged relatives are still thriving as I speak, I must confess that I am a little astonished to think you had supposed to be dead before our daughters attained the matrimonial state.”

“Oh, Mr Bennet, you speak such nonsense. But you will not tease me out of my present happy disposition. And, I must say, I received some comfort from the fact that Miss Bingley and her sister Mrs Hurst were forced by a rightful sense of obligation and due civility to treat our family in the correct manner today. Oh, yes, Mr Bennet, I cannot tell you how much it gratified me to see the smug, self-satisfied expressions they generally display upon their ill-favoured countenances, quite wiped away. I thought Miss Bingley looked likely to choke when I turned to see Elizabeth and Jane walking down the aisle by your side.”

“I did not observe any greater condescension towards our family than that which they usually bestow, Mrs Bennet,” replied her spouse, “though I must admit I did not really pay them any great attention. My own thoughts and looks were only concerned with our dear girls.”

“What a double blow it must have been for Miss Bingley. I expect all the while she was hoping that Mr Darcy might break his promise to Elizabeth and leave her at the altar. And I am sure, whatever she might have said on welcoming Jane to the Bingley family, that the sincerity of her wishes was entirely false. Well, I cannot help feeling our advantage over those Bingley women. And Mr Darcy was as charming and obliging as ever. I think him quite superior to dear Mr Bingley in many ways, even if I hadn’t always liked him.”

“I’m sure Mr Darcy would be delighted to hear it.”

“I daresay he would, for he certainly needed to earn my good opinion after the way he strutted about Hertfordshire with his proud ways. However, I’m not entirely convinced by Lizzy’s partiality, whatever she might protest on his having been misunderstood and winning her round. A man ought to have a tongue in his head, indeed, especially a man of such consequence.”

“I should hate to hear you on the subject of despising a man if this is your approbation, Mrs Bennet. And I loathe to be contradicting you, once more, but I cannot agree with you. I believe Lizzy to be very much in love with Mr Darcy, as much in love, as dear Jane is with her Mr Bingley.”

“Well, I certainly think I might fancy myself in love if I knew I was married to the owner of Pemberley with a house in town and ten thousand a year, at least!”

“I am sure such good fortune helps love along. No doubt, my own prospects animated the feelings you had whilst we were courting.”

Mrs Bennet looked at her husband in exasperation. “Oh, Mr Bennet, it was nothing like the matter. There is no comparison. The wealth of Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley is a hundred times your consequence, as well you know. La! With Jane and Lizzy so well married; ’tis enough to make me distracted!”

Mr Darcy's Secret, Sourcebooks Landmark, February 2011
Copyright Jane Odiwe

1 comment:

Monica Fairview said...

Congratulations, Jane!! I'm really thrilled for you, and dying to find out what the secret is!!!