10 DARCY QUESTIONS FOR VICTORIA KINCAID

DARCY’S HONOR

Victoria Kincaid has just released her new Pride and Prejudice Variation, Darcy’s Honor.  

Her imaginative retelling sees Elizabeth Bennet relieved when the difficult Mr. Darcy leaves the area after the Netherfield Ball. But she soon runs afoul of Lord Henry, a Viscount who thinks to force her into marrying him by slandering her name and ruining her reputation.  An outcast in Meryton, and even within her own family, Elizabeth has nobody to turn to and nowhere to go.

Darcy successfully resisted Elizabeth’s charms during his visit to Hertfordshire, but when he learns of her imminent ruin, he decides he must propose to save her from disaster.  However, Elizabeth is reluctant to tarnish Darcy’s name by association…and the viscount still wants her…

Can Darcy save his honor while also marrying the woman he loves?

10 DARCY QUESTIONS FOR VICTORIA KINCAID

I have this set of 10 Darcy Questions in my archive that I find great fun to ask. I thought that after writing several books featuring Mr Darcy as the protagonist, Victoria,   you must have got to know him  very well. Would you mind answering a few questions about our beloved Fitzwilliam? It’s a quick “either …or …”  game.   

 Not at all. That must be fun.

 Thank you, Victoria.  Let's start, then. To you Mr Darcy is …

1.    Proud or prejudiced?

Both.  The first few times I read the book, I thought Darcy was proud and Elizabeth was prejudiced (against Darcy), but I’ve come to realize that they both exhibit pride and prejudice.

2.    Conceited or cautious?

Both, but probably more conceited than cautious.

3.    Brooding and moody or shy and reserved?

I’m going to drive you crazy and say both again. 😊  I think he’s very shy in a world that didn’t allow men of his station to be shy.  So that can come across as moody, reserved, or even rude. Which isn’t to say there aren’t times when he isn’t downright rude.

4.    In love at first sight but fighting his own feelings or immediately attracted by Elizabeth but slowly falling for her after discovering her inner qualities?

I think he’s falls for her gradually, but maybe not so slowly.  I think he’s pretty smitten by the time of the Netherfield ball.  

5.    Bothered by the Bennets’ improprieties or worried about his aunt’s reaction?

Definitely both.  And worried about everyone’s reactions (his family as a whole as well as society at large). 

6.    Sexy and attractive or wealthy and a good match?

All of the above!  That’s what makes him so appealing.  Although I think his #1 appealing characteristic is his willingness to change for the sake of the woman he loves (sigh). 

7.    Better to have as a husband or better to have as a brother?

Well, obviously my feelings for Darcy aren’t brotherly. 😊  P&P makes it clear that he’s very good at caring for the people close to him, so I think he makes a good brother, although he might be a little overprotective.

8. The hero who ruins many a woman’s expectations of men or the one who helps many a woman to escape disappointing everyday lives?

I think P&P, like all good fiction, helps everyone (not just women) imagine a life outside their own reality and escape their own problems for a while.  In some ways, Austen makes Darcy similar to a Prince Charming kind of character – handsome, wealthy, powerful—who comes in and sweeps the heroine out of tenuous economic situation into happily ever after.  But Austen humanizes him in a way that you don’t see with many Prince Charming type characters.  He’s so deeply flawed that Elizabeth initially can’t imagine being married to him, and he has to change in order to be worthy of her love.  That makes him so much more interesting than your average Prince Charming. 

9. The best Austen hero of all or awesome but second to ……………………. ?

Best of all, but I love Wentworth too.

10.  More like Colin Firth or Matthew MacFadyen?

Oh, definiely Colin Firth.  I have trouble picturing anyone else.

READ AN EXCERPT 

She clambered awkwardly down from the saddle and stood on unsteady legs as she smoothed her skirts around her ankles. Her whole body shook. “Are you unharmed, Miss Bennet?” he inquired, running his eyes up and down her form.

She gave a shaky laugh, and Darcy could not help admiring her fortitude. Many women of his acquaintance would have swooned after such an episode. “Yes, I thank you for your timely intervention. I believe the only damage is to my dignity. I assure you that I do not customarily ride a horse like a sack of potatoes.”

Darcy blinked. “Undignified” was not one of the adjectives he had thought to apply to the sight of Elizabeth on the back of a horse, particularly not with so much leg revealed. “Of course. I would imagine you are a far superior rider with a proper sidesaddle.”

She brushed errant strands of hair from her face. “You are very kind to make such an assumption given the display you just witnessed.”

How odd to be discussing Elizabeth’s horsemanship when something was so obviously wrong. How had she acquired a horse, and why was she riding at such speeds?

“On the contrary,” Darcy returned. “It requires great skill to remain atop a strange horse under such circumstances. I am quite impressed.”

She regarded him with narrowed eyes for a moment, as if assessing his sincerity. Finally, she said, “I thank you for the compliment, sir.”

Would she think him impertinent to inquire about the circumstances of her ride? But surely the unusual situation cried out for some kind of explanation. “You were in quite a hurry. Is there an emergency?” he asked.

She glanced over her shoulder at the road behind her. “No, I do not believe so.”

This ambiguous response left Darcy at something of a loss. Why had she ridden so fast if there was no urgency? And why did she watch the road so intently? Finally, he settled on a different but not unrelated line of inquiry. “I did note that you departed the church on foot.”

He had meant his words as a light-hearted jest but cursed himself for a fool when he saw the blood drain from Elizabeth’s face. He cleared his throat. “Does, er, the Longbourn stable boast such a creature?” he asked, knowing full well she had not had sufficient time to reach her home.

“No…” Her face was now quite red. “I…er…that is, I—”

“Borrowed the mount?” he inquired as though a simple explanation would work. He reached out and took her gloved hand in his. “Please be assured, Miss Bennet, I only wish to help.”

Her eyes widened as if she had not expected such an offer from him, although he could not imagine why. But he was then rewarded with a small smile and a slight loosening of the tension in her shoulders. She let out a long breath. “No, indeed. The horse actually is the property of”—she cleared her throat —“Viscount Billington.”

“Billington!” Darcy echoed in surprise, releasing her hand. That was the last name he expected to hear. “He lent you his mount?” Was Darcy wrong in assuming she wished to have no connection with the man?

“He did not precisely loan it to me—” She covered her mouth with her hand. “Although I am quite concerned he could label me a horse thief. I must be sure the beast is returned to him.” She pressed her lips together into a white line. “Perhaps I should not have— Oh, what a terrible tangle I have created!”

Suddenly, the various oddly shaped pieces of the puzzle fell into place. He took a step closer to her. “Billington accosted you on the road?” His voice was a low growl.

She nodded miserably but lifted her chin and met his gaze. “The horse was the only way to escape.”

To Darcy’s own surprise, he began to laugh. “Serves him right! You should keep the animal.”

Elizabeth’s eyes were wide, and her mouth hung open. Darcy could only imagine the expression on Lord Henry’s face when Elizabeth jumped into his horse’s saddle. Darcy laughed even harder.

Her brows drew together. “Did you, perhaps, help Mr. Lehigh finish off the communion wine?”

Thinking of the vicar sobered Darcy, and he shook his head. “Miss Bennet, to be clear, I believe you should be commended. A lady should always have a horse at hand when encountering such a man,” Darcy said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Victoria Kincaid is the author of eight Pride and Prejudice variations.  When she’s not writing, she’s doing her day job or driving kids to school, music lessons, and various other activities.  Her husband is very lucky that Mr. Darcy isn’t real.

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