In the Arms of Mr. Darcy

325 Pages·2016·1.69 MB·English

by  Lathan Sharon

Copyright
Copyright © 2010 by Sharon Lathan Cover and internal design © 2010 by
Sourcebooks, Inc.
Cover photos © Getty Images/Benjamin Bathurst (1784-1809) (who disappeared
mysteriously between Berlin and Hamburg while travelling with dispatches from
Vienna), Bridgeman Art Library/Court Ball at the Hofburg, 1900 (w/c)
Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by
any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval
systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or
reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used
fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental
and not intended by the author.
Poems quoted by Darcy in Chapter 9: “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” by
Christopher Marlowe, 1599
“Your Smile Stops the Minutes” by Stephen Lathan, 1986
Published by Sourcebooks Landmark, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lathan, Sharon.
In the arms of Mr. Darcy : Pride and prejudice continues / Sharon Lathan.
p. cm.
1. Darcy, Fitzwilliam (Fictitious character)--Fiction. 2. Bennet, Elizabeth
(Fictitious character)--Fiction. 3. Married people--Fiction. 4. Marriage--Fiction.
5. England--Social life and customs--19th century--Fiction. 6. Domestic fiction.
I. Austen, Jane, 1775-1817. Pride and prejudice. II. Title. III. Title: In the arms
of Mister Darcy.
PS3612.A869I55 2010
813’.6--dc22
2010018226
This novel is dedicated to my
husband, Steve. For over twenty-
four years this amazing man has
proven to me what romance and
true love are. The poem that Mr.
Darcy writes and recites to
Elizabeth while dancing on Twelfth
Night was actually written for me by
my husband, at the time my fiancé,
and he still quotes it from memory
often while gazing into my eyes, just
as he did all those years ago.
Because of him, my tale of happily-
ever-after is possible. Honey, I love
you forever! You truly are my
soulmate, my blood and bone.
Table of Contents
Front Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Cast of Characters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Back Cover
Cast of Characters
Fitzwilliam Darcy: Master of Pemberley in Derbyshire: 29 years of age, born
November 10, 1787; married Elizabeth Bennet on November 28, 1816
Elizabeth Darcy: Mistress of Pemberley: 22 years of age, born May 28, 1795
Alexander Darcy: Heir to Pemberley; born November 27, 1817
Georgiana Darcy: 18 years of age; companion is Mrs. Annesley Colonel
Richard Fitzwilliam: 33 years of age; cousin and dear friend to Mr. Darcy;
second son of Lord and Lady Matlock; regiment stationed in London Lord
Matlock: the Earl of Matlock: Darcy’s Uncle Malcolm, brother to Lady Anne
Darcy; ancestral estate is Rivallain in Matlock, Derbyshire Lady Matlock: the
Countess of Matlock: Darcy’s Aunt Madeline, wife to Lord Matlock Jonathan
Fitzwilliam: Heir to the Matlock earldom, eldest Fitzwilliam son; wife is
Priscilla
Lady Annabella Montgomery: sister of Richard and Jonathan Fitzwilliam
Charles Bingley: Longtime friend of Mr. Darcy; residence Hasberry Hall,
Derbyshire; married Jane Bennet on November 28, 1816
Jane Bingley: elder sister of Elizabeth and eldest Bennet daughter; wife of Mr.
Bingley Caroline Bingley: sister of Charles Bingley Louisa Hurst: married sister
of Charles Bingley; husband is Mr. Arbus Hurst; residence London Mr. and Mrs.
Bennet: Elizabeth’s parents; reside at Longbourn in Hertfordshire with two
middle daughters, Mary and Kitty
Mary Bennet: Elizabeth’s sister; middle Bennet daughter Joshua Daniels:
betrothed to Mary Bennet; son and partner of Mr. Darcy’s London solicitor,
Andrew Daniels
Katherine (Kitty) Bennet: Elizabeth’s sister; fourth Bennet daughter Lydia
Wickham: Elizabeth’s sister; youngest Bennet daughter; married to Lieutenant
George Wickham, stationed in Newcastle Edward and Violet Gardiner: uncle
and aunt of Elizabeth; reside in Cheapside, London Dr. George Darcy: Mr.
Darcy’s uncle; brother to James Darcy; resides at Pemberley Lady Simone
Fotherby: widowed Marchioness of Fotherby, Buckinghamshire Marchioness of
Warrow: Darcy’s great-aunt; sister to his grandfather Sebastian Butler: grandson
to Lady Warrow; future Earl of Essenton Lady Catherine de Bourgh: Mr.
Darcy’s aunt; sister to Lady Anne Darcy; residence Rosings Park, Kent Anne de
Bourgh: daughter of Lady Catherine; Mr. Darcy’s cousin Dr. Raul Penaflor
Aleman de Vigo: betrothed to Miss de Bourgh Stephen Lathrop: Cambridge
friend of Mr. Darcy; residence is Stonecrest Hall in Leicestershire; wife is
Amelia
Henry Vernor: family friend of the Darcys; residence is Sanburl Hall near
Lambton, Derbyshire; wife is Mary, daughter is Bertha
Gerald Vernor: son of Henry Vernor; childhood friend of Mr. Darcy; wife is
Harriet; residence is Sanburl Hall Albert Hughes: childhood friend of Mr.
Darcy; wife is Marilyn; residence is Rymas Park near Baslow Rory Sitwell:
Derbyshire resident and Cambridge friend of Mr. Darcy; wife is Julia; residence
is Reniswahl Hall near Staveley George and Alison Fitzherbert: Derbyshire
residents and friends; residence is Brashinharm near Barlow Clifton and Chloe
Drury: Derbyshire residents and friends; residence is Locknell Hall near Derby
Charlotte Collins: Longtime friend of Elizabeth’s; married to Rev. William
Collins; resides at Hunsford, rectory of Rosings Park in Kent Mrs. Reynolds:
Pemberley housekeeper Mr. Taylor: Pemberley butler Mr. Keith: Mr. Darcy’s
steward Samuel Oliver: Mr. Darcy’s valet Marguerite Oliver: Mrs. Darcy’s maid
Phillips, Watson, Tillson, Georges, Rothchilde: Pemberley footmen Mr. Clark:
Pemberley head groundskeeper Mr. Thurber: Pemberley head groomsman Mrs.
Langton: Pemberley cook Mr. Anders: Pemberley head coachman Mr. Burr:
Pemberley gamekeeper Mr. Holmes: falconer Mrs. Smyth: Darcy House
housekeeper Mr. Travers: Darcy House butler Reverend Bertram: Rector of
Pemberley Chapel Mrs. Hanford: Nanny to Darcy firstborn