Hello
Fellow Readers!
Today
I have an excerpt of ‘The Coming Of Age Of Elizabeth Bennet' By Caitlin
Williams.
I
would like to thank Claudine at Just Jane 1813, for her instrumental part in bringing this blog tour to fruition and to Caitlin for providing an excerpt
that had me buying the book straight after!
The Coming Of Age Of Elizabeth Bennet Blog Tour
A coming-of-age story told in four
volumes between Austen’s infamous couple; savor the story of the prideful man
and the girl prejudiced against him, as they meet much earlier in this
rethinking of Jane Austen’s masterpiece, Pride & Prejudice. Could this ‘disobedient
little hellion’ one day become mistress of Pemberley and the keeper of his
heart?
Caitlin
Williams, author of the highly-praised book, Ardently, tours the
blogosphere from June 13- June 26,
2016 to share her newest release, The Coming Of Age Of Elizabeth Bennet.
Fourteen book bloggers, specializing in Austenesque fiction and romance stories,
will share excerpts, guest posts, an exclusive interview with the author and
book reviews from this highly awaited Austen-inspired novel. Eight
ebooks are also being included in our giveaways and entry is available to
anyone who participates in this blog tour.
Excerpt
Elizabeth had felt almost normal, as
if she had slept her cold off when she had woken that morning, but by the time
they reached their destination, she began to shake and shiver again and had
never been so glad to quit her mount. She only wanted to sit and recover, but
supposed she would not get any peace until she appeased Mr Darcy by standing in
awe of the view they had come so far to see, if only for a few moments. So she
climbed the tor, looked out and although now felt very bad indeed, was able to
admire it. The rough, rugged landscape of Derbyshire was laid out before her
for miles ahead and it was a beautiful spot. She was the first to turn away
though and her heavy legs stumbled down towards the picnic spot where she
almost fell upon the rug.
The
refreshments did something to revive her, though she was quieter than usual,
and let the conversation flow over her head, but her attention was required
when Georgiana began to speak directly to her. “We are right in the middle of
the country now, Elizabeth. You could not be further from either coast. You
must take Elizabeth to the coast one day, Brother, when you return, for she has
still never seen the sea.”
Mr
Darcy got to his feet without a reply and wandered away and Elizabeth wrinkled
her nose in disgust at his rudeness. She had no illusions or hopes as to his
ever taking her anywhere, let alone on a trip that would give her so much
pleasure, but he might have at least given Georgiana a polite reply.
The
Colonel smiled too brightly, “and Darcy will soon see far more of the sea than
he could ever have hoped for. I confess after my last voyage home, I have no
longing to go aboard a ship, or near any vast expanse of water, for a good long
time.”
“I
am guessing you were always bound for the Army, Colonel?” asked Miss Temple.
“The Navy would not have suited you then?”
“You
assume correctly. All that salty air and strong wind, it cuts a man’s youth and
vigour most horribly; a sailor grows old sooner than any other man,” the
Colonel said jovially and patted his cheeks. “I am plain enough looking as it
is - a sea-faring life would have been the death of all my romantic hopes.
Imagine me all knocked about and exposed to every climate. I would not be fit
to be seen. Dreadful profession, I can’t think why any man would choose it,
lest he was a complete fool.”
Silence
reigned and the smile fell from the Colonel’s face as he looked about in
confusion at the pained faces of the three ladies.
Elizabeth
spoke, hardly knowing what she said, something about both the Navy and Army
having everything in its favour. “Heroism, travel, bustle, fashion, soldiers
and sailors would always be acceptable to me; nobody can wonder that men chose
to be soldiers and sailors.”
Miss
Temple rushed away as Elizabeth was still speaking, but in a different
direction to the one Mr Darcy had taken.
“Miss
Temple was once betrothed to a young man of the Navy who died at sea,”
Elizabeth explained to the Colonel.
His
face crumpled and saw he might have cursed himself had she and Georgiana not been
present. “Shall I go after her, do you think? Is it my business to? Should I
apologise?”
“She
is the sweetest soul in the world, Colonel, and will not be cross with you,”
Elizabeth told him, “but I do always think there is everything to be gained,
and never anything to be lost by the issuing of a genuine apology.”
He
got very slowly to his feet and limped away.
Nor
he or Miss Temple came back for quite a while. For so long in fact that
Elizabeth began to wonder whether all was well and was concerned something had
happened to them. Mr Darcy returned in the meantime and kicked at the dirt for
a while and then began to speak of returning home. Elizabeth observed that he
was a man who lacked the ability to be idle. He could not sit in the same
position for long; his mind was constantly active, always wondering what to do
next. She felt weary just watching him.
The
servants packed up and made them ready for the off. When Miss Temple and the
Colonel did appear, the Colonel gallantly handed the governess into the
carriage and then looked around at Elizabeth. “Why do you not ride back in the
carriage too? You look dreadfully pale, you are sickening for something I am
sure of it.”
“Stop
fussing, Richard. She’s a country girl, very hardy. You’ll come and ride alongside
me, Elizabeth, there are some views I would point out to you,” Mr Darcy said.
The
Colonel looked at her as if he were waiting for her to protest. Why she didn’t,
she could not actually say, but she supposed she just wanted to get back to
Pemberley as quickly as possible, where she might ring for a mug of chocolate,
find a shawl and doze in the library. Robert helped her into the saddle and
they set off. It was just the three of them and two grooms trailing behind.
Georgiana, having been allowed the luxury of choice, had opted for the carriage
for the journey back.
She
and Mr Darcy rode mostly in silence, side-by-side, for long stretches at a
time, the Colonel going on ahead. Mr Darcy would point something out
occasionally and she would take notice of it and nod her head, but she had not
the energy to answer him. He looked crosser with each passing minute and with
each mile she grew more fatigued and light headed.
The
Colonel came back to them after a while and she heard him speak to Mr Darcy,
saying something about stopping, letting the carriage catch them up. Her name
was mentioned and then there was the sound of Mr Darcy’s baritone, shouting to
her. “Have control over the reins, Elizabeth, that horse may take you anywhere
it pleases,” and then there was nothing, it was all darkness.
Thank you for sharing the excerpt, it ended with me shouting 'no, no, no! I must know what happens' and purchasing the book post-haste!
The
very worst has happened. Mr Bennet has died, leaving his wife and five young
daughters bereft. The family estate, Longbourn, is now lost, entailed away and
fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Bennet is to go two hundred miles away to live with
strangers. George Darcy, repaying a debt of gratitude, has offered to take her
to Pemberley, to live under the mantle of his care and be raised alongside his
own daughter, Georgiana.
Book
Description
The
very worst has happened. Mr Bennet has died, leaving his wife and five young
daughters bereft. The family estate, Longbourn, is now lost, entailed away and
fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Bennet is to go two hundred miles away to live with
strangers. George Darcy, repaying a debt of gratitude, has offered to take her
to Pemberley, to live under the mantle of his care and be raised alongside his
own daughter, Georgiana.
But on
the day she is to leave Longbourn forever, young Elizabeth, grieving and
confused, runs off into the Hertfordshire countryside. Fitzwilliam Darcy gives
chase, telling his father he will have her back in an hour or two. Luck and
fate, however, are not on his side and capturing Elizabeth Bennet turns out not
only to be more difficult than he could ever have imagined, but events conspire
to turn her little adventure into his worst nightmare.
The
prideful man and the girl prejudiced against him, meet much earlier in this
rethinking of Jane Austen’s masterpiece. Elizabeth grows up under the
ever-watchful eye of Mr Darcy, from fifteen to twenty-one. She errs and falters, there are stumbles and
trips, but could this ‘disobedient little
hellion’ one day become mistress of Pemberley and the keeper of his heart?
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Blog
Tour Schedule
June 13/ My
Jane Austen Book Club/Launch Post/“Happy Birthday Fanny Burney & The Coming
Of Age Of Elizabeth Bennet” & Giveaway
Author
Links:
