The Darcy Brothers Blog Tour Stop!

The Dracy Brothers by Abigail Reynolds, Cassandra Grafton, Maria Grace, Monica Fairview, Susan Mason-Milks
Series: The Darcy Brothers
Also by this author: , Mistaking Her Character, , The Trouble to Check Her, Mr. Darcy's Journey: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
on February 2015
Genres: Austenesque
Pages: 395
Format: eBook
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Theo Darcy is everything his disapproving elder brother, Fitzwilliam, is not – easy-going, charming, and full of fun. A tragic event as children severed their bond of friendship, but now they are together again. They are still at odds, though, this time over the love of Miss Elizabeth Bennet and the truth about George Wickham. Will Wickham manage to divide the brothers again? And more importantly, which Mr. Darcy will Elizabeth choose?

Find out as the two brothers lock horns in this unique Pride & Prejudice variation collectively written by five respected authors.

The Darcy Brothers was first conceived as an interactive group writing project and has developed into a full-length novel featuring the charismatic Theo Darcy..

I am absolutely thrilled to participate in The Darcy Brothers Blog Tour!!!

I love The Darcy Brothers and I am certain you will too!!!

Darcy licked his lips, which had suddenly turned dry. Oh, for a drink to quench his parched throat, or better still, several sniffers of brandy to loosen his tongue!

He was no good at words. It terrified him to think that his next few words would determine his whole future.

“Dearest Elizabeth—”

“Mr. Darcy,” said Elizabeth, interrupting rather breathlessly. “I know you wish to renew your proposal, but I beg you to defer it for a moment.”

Darcy did not know whether to be vexed by her reaction or relieved. The truth was, he did not have a clear idea what to say that would convince her.

“Please do not take it amiss,” she said, a hint of laughter dispelling some of her pallor. “It is just that I delight in everything ridiculous, as you well know, and I find myself in a particularly ridiculous situation.”

He loved the way her face glowed when she laughed. For a moment, he watched her, thinking how beautiful she was, admiring the sharp light in her fine eyes. Then the sound of voices outside the door reminded him that he did not have time to indulge in that luxury. Miss Bennet’s reputation was at stake, even if she did not wish to acknowledge it.

“Ridiculous is perhaps not the right word, Miss Bennet,” he said. “I do not believe you fully appreciate the seriousness of your position.”

“I wish I had not been put in this position to start with,” she said, with feeling.

So did he. Anne had not done him a favor by forcing Elizabeth’s hand this way.

“Believe me,” said Darcy, with equal emphasis, “if I could undo Cousin Anne’s mischief I would.”

“Oh, was it Miss de Bourgh who locked us in? I did not know. Though I cannot say I am surprised. She is rather odd.”

“She is odd, but at least she did not do it out of malice.”

Elizabeth seemed to reflect on that. She cocked her head sideways and considered him.

“Why did she do it, then?”

Darcy felt his face burning.

“She wanted to help me with my courtship.”

“What courtship?”

Darcy was seized with an acute sense of embarrassment. He slipped his finger between his throat and his cravat, which felt as though it was suddenly beginning to strangle him.

“Anne would say, no doubt, that I was going about it too slowly.”

“As far as I can tell, you were not going about it at all.”

Was there laughter in her eyes?

“Are you mocking me?” said Darcy.

“Only teasing,” said Elizabeth. “I had not realized you were quite so shy.”

He had not wanted her to know that. It embarrassed him that she had put her finger on one of his weaknesses.

“I will admit it is a fault of mine,” he said, stiffly. “I am not proud of it.”

She put out her hand to touch his arm. The touch was very brief but it seared into his skin.

“You need not be ashamed, either,” said Elizabeth. “I prefer to think you too shy than too arrogant.”

He looked at her, half in hope, half in fear that she was laughing at him. His heart lurched at the grave expression on her face. There was sympathy there as well as understanding.

There was hope for them, after all.

“I like to think that we can converse intelligently, at least, which is more than can be said of many married couples.”

“Perhaps, but I do not know you yet well enough to be sure of even that much. Is it too much to wish we were not being compelled into a permanent state of marriage simply because we were found alone together in a room?” replied Elizabeth.

Under rather incriminating circumstances, Darcy recalled. She could not have forgotten that, surely?

“I was about to kiss you,” murmured Darcy, his gaze moving to her lips.

He was no good at words, but perhaps there were other ways to convince her.

She shifted as she guessed his intention, jarring her shoulder. The tiny whimper of pain was enough to stop him in his tracks.

With a sudden twinge of guilt, he realized he had forgotten about her injury.

Damnation! Where was that confounded doctor when they needed him? At the very least, Elizabeth needed some laudanum to ease her pain, but the wound needed to be examined as well. Was she looking paler than she had been earlier? He ran his fingers through his hair.

“This is the worst moment to have this discussion, but the fact is we have to reach some agreement. The longer we stay alone in the room, the worse the situation will become.”

Elizabeth looked towards the door and the corner of her lips dimpled.

“I do believe there may be someone peering through the keyhole.”

Startled, Darcy looked in the same direction. There was definitely movement there. He rose, went to the bedside table, took up the key lying there, strode over to the door and fitted the key into the lock but did not turn it.

“That should ensure our privacy at least,” said Darcy, with a grin as he resumed his seat.

Their gazes met in perfect understanding. It was at moments like this that all his uncertainties disappeared. They were made for each, if only Elizabeth would see it.

He reached forward for the hand that was on top of the blanket. She resisted, then allowed him to hold it. He was surprised at how small and delicate it was, considering that Elizabeth was hardly a wilting flower. He ran his index finger across the sensitive tips of her fingers, relishing the feeling of them, one by one.

Her fingers trembled, just a little. A sense of triumph surged up in him. Perhaps she was not as indifferent to him as she would have him believe.

“Miss Bennet, I know I am not what you imagined in a husband. You consider me harsh and unfeeling,” said Darcy.

When she made a gesture of protest, he gave a rueful smile.

“You need not deny it. You have made your opinion of me abundantly clear.”

She withdrew her hand, looking agitated.

“I no longer know what I think of you, but that is not my only concern. You are asking me to abandon my principles. I have always said I would only marry for love.”

“You are not abandoning your principles.” He looked deep into her eyes, deep into her soul, willing her to understand the truth of what he was saying. “I love you, Elizabeth Bennet, and I wish more than anything else for you to be my wife. How can you say then that you are not marrying for love?”

“Now it is your turn to willfully misunderstand me, sir,” she said.

“Please say you will give it a chance,” he said, hoarsely.

She looked towards the window, considering his words. He dared not move, dared hardly breathe for fear of distracting her.

His whole being awaited her response.

Finally, she turned to him, her eyes full of conflict.

“You must give me time,” she said.

“I will give you as long as you ask for. We could reach an informal understanding until you become more comfortable with the idea.”

“No,” she said, biting her lower lip, laughter once again springing to her eyes. “I meant I need more time tonight. I will give you an answer in the morning.”

In addition to their collaborative effort in The Darcy Brothers, Monica Fairview, Maria Grace, Cassandra Grafton, Susan Mason-Milks and Abigail Reynolds between them have published over two dozen Austen-inspired books, including national bestsellers.

Monica Fairview (Mr. Darcy’s Pledge) holds down the fort for the team in London while Abigail Reynolds (Alone with Mr. Darcy) supplies cute cat pictures from Cape Cod, Susan Mason-Milks (Mr. Darcy’s Proposal) inspires with views of the Seattle skyline, Maria Grace (Remember the Past) frolics in the Texas bluebells, and British expat Cassandra Grafton (A Fair Prospect) has the critical responsibility of keeping the team supplied with much-needed chocolate from her home in Switzerland.

Look for them at the Jane Austen Variations group blog.