10 September, 2020

Meet Fitzwilliam Darcy & Elizabeth Bennet from Fortune & Felicity - @Monica_Fairview #SecondChance #Romance #JaneAustenVariations



About the Book:
In this Pride & Prejudice variation, Elizabeth and Darcy have a second chance to get things right. Will they be able to come together this time, or will pride intervene yet again?
Seven years after Darcy’s disastrous proposal, Darcy is in need, not of a wife, but of a governess for his young daughter. Imagine his surprise when he discovers Elizabeth Bennet on the list of possible candidates provided by the employment agency. The question is, should he take her on as a governess, or would he be playing with fire?
Elizabeth Bennet is forced by her reduced circumstances to take on a position. However, when Mr. Darcy invites her for an interview, she is embarrassed and humiliated. How could she possibly live under the same roof as the man she had rejected so strongly seven years ago?
Whatever decision she makes, there will be a high price to pay… one way or the other.


Book Links:
Goodreads * Amazon


Meet Fitzwilliam Darcy & Elizabeth Bennet


If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?

Fitzwilliam Darcy:
I have the responsibility of running my estate at Pemberley, which includes ensuring the well-being of the tenants who depend on me, finding out about the newest agricultural methods to ensure a decent harvest, and preventing the estate from sinking into debt. Unlike some gentlemen of my acquaintance, I take my responsibilities very seriously, and I don’t enjoy frittering away my inheritance on gambling and other trivial pursuits. I rarely have a day in which I do not have some important matter or the other to deal with. 

Once upon a time, I would have said that by marrying Elizabeth Bennet, I might have enjoyed every day for the rest of my life. However, since I married my cousin Anne, enjoying life has not been a priority to me. Life is a series of days, one after the other, with little to differentiate one day from the other.

Perhaps now that Anne is no longer with us, I will have a chance to find some pleasure in my life.

Elizabeth Bennet:
Me? Enjoy life? When I was a bit younger, I might have said that laughter and dancing were the best possible ways to enjoy life, but I have not been to a dance or an Assembly for years. After my father’s death, I have become dependent on my sister Jane, and I pay her back by helping her manage her five children. Don’t get me wrong. I love my nieces and nephews to bits, but I have really don’t have much time to myself.

Would I love to go to an Assembly and dance and laugh and flirt? Yes, of course I would, but I don’t think that is likely to happen. 

If you could spend the day with someone you admire (living or dead or imaginary), who would you pick?


Fitzwilliam Darcy:
A long time ago – seven years ago, to be precise, I would have picked Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Unfortunately, that time is long past. I lead a quiet existence, and I have very few close acquaintances. I’m attached to my sister Georgiana and her children. She has grown into a confident young woman, and it always does me good when she comes to spend time with me in Pemberley. So, if I had to pick anyone, I would pick Georgiana.

Elizabeth Bennet:
I wish I could be with Papa again. I miss him so much. I never really realized that he was the only one who appreciated me for who I am. Jane is a lovely person, but she doesn’t like reading like I do, and sometimes I feel all she talks about is feeding the children, how dowdy her gowns have become, or why her husband didn’t say much over dinner. I would do anything to have a discussion with Papa about a book we have just read, the way we used to.

What is your idea of perfect happiness? And, what is your current state of mind?


Fitzwilliam Darcy:
My idea of perfect happiness is being with the woman you love and respect, someone who can help you grow and develop into a better person. I had the opportunity to do this once upon a time, but I let it slip through my fingers.

My current mood is somber and thoughtful. The years have taught me that not many people get what they want out of life. I am glad I was able to save Anne from the clutches of her domineering mother Lady Catherine, and to give her a proper home while she was still alive. I suppose I will just have to take comfort in that. I like to make sure that my tenants are happy and the land is productive. I have Pemberley to keep me busy.

That, I suppose, is what defines life; the satisfaction of knowing you have done the best you can for the people around you.

Elizabeth Bennet:
Perfect happiness is being free to walk around in the countryside without a care in world, and a library full of books, with the leisure to read them. My sister Jane does not have many books, and we have recently given up our subscription to the lending library. If there is a book I really want to read, I have to ask my uncle. I try not to inconvenience him too much, so I don’t do it often. I live in London now, in Cheapside. I like to walk around in London, but on muddy days, with horse manure and sewage on the road, it can be a bit of a trial.

My current state of mind is frustrated. I never thought my life would become so limited. I want to do something new, to travel and explore other places. London is a wonderful place to live, but I feel confined to Jane’s house in Cheapside. My situation doesn’t allow me the pleasure of going to the theatre, visiting the museums, or going on shopping expeditions. I feel stifled.

What do you consider to be the most overrated virtue and why? 


Fitzwilliam Darcy:
I once believed that pride in one’s heritage and past was a virtue. My family instilled that concept in me. However, a certain young lady taught me that pride can easily turn to arrogance and disdain for the feeling of others. To be proud of something you are born into is nothing. It is far better to be proud of one’s achievements.

If Elizbeth Bennet reads this, I hope she will know that I have learned my lesson.

Elizabeth Bennet:
Finding something to smile about in every situation is a real virtue. It has saved me from despair many times, and it also brings happiness to other people. After Papa died, I held onto that, but it is difficult sometimes to see the positive side of things.

Tell us 3 things about yourself that the readers do not know about.


Fitzwilliam Darcy:
1. I have a daughter, Katherine, who is six. She has become difficult to manage lately. Anne’s moodiness and her unsociable nature influenced Katherine, and she misses her mother badly. I am not quite sure what to do with my little girl. I don’t want her to become willful and arrogant like Lady Catherine, her grandmother. I think it may be time to hire a governess.
2. I love to laugh. I would never have thought so, but Elizabeth Bennet taught me to do it. I have not had a chance to laugh much since then, but I would like to make it a part of my life.
3. Nature is my solace. The peaks of Derbyshire are beautiful, and I love to ride in the open spaces and walk for miles. I only wish I had a companion who would keep me company on my rambles.

Elizabeth Bennet:
1. My husband Thomas was in the Navy, and he drowned at sea. We were married for three years. I loved him dearly, and I still miss him sometimes, but time has softened the blow.
2. I have had moments of regret that I refused Mr. Darcy’s proposal, but on the other hand, I do not regret falling in love with Thomas, so I at least had three years of happiness.
3. I would rather be a governess than be trapped forever living with Jane and her husband in a small house overrun by children. I love my sister, but there are limits to everything, and I think I have reached mine.


About the Author:
Monica Fairview writes Jane Austen variations and sequels. After graduating from the University of Illinois, she worked as a literature professor and then as an acupuncturist in Boston before moving to London.
Monica loves anything to do with the nineteenth century, and obsessively follows every period drama she can find. On rainy days, she loves to watch ‘Pride & Prejudice’ (all adaptations), ‘North & South’, ‘Cranford’, or ‘Downtown Abbey’.
Among Monica’s Kindle best-selling novels are Mysterious Mr. Darcy, the Darcy Novels trilogy, two books in the Darcy Cousins series, and the quirky futuristic P&P inspired Steampunk Darcy. She has also published several traditional Regencies.
Apart from her avid historical interests, Monica enjoys reading fantasy and post-apocalyptic novels, but avoids zombies like the plague. She loves to laugh, drink lots of tea, and visit Regency houses, and she is convinced that her two cats can understand everything she says.

Monica on the Web:
Website * Blog * Austen Variations Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon Page