What would Pride
& Prejudice be like if Darcy and Elizabeth had a touch of magic in their
lives?
Deleted Scene
This deleted scene starts with the familiar portion
of the story where Caroline Bingley, desperate for Mr. Darcy’s attention,
demands that Elizabeth walk about the room with her at Netherfield Park.
The stark contrast between the two became glaringly apparent the previous evening when he’d ignored Miss Bingley completely and read a book. With an abruptness, which startled everyone, she insisted Elizabeth parade about the room with her. In some small-minded way, she knew the only way his eyes would follow her was if Elizabeth remained tethered to her side. And they had. He’d unconsciously closed his book and watched them, appreciating how Elizabeth’s gown moved over her body, following every luscious line, caressing her skin like a lover. Upon noticing his attention, Miss Bingley immediately invited him to join them. Not trusting himself to stand so near his beloved, he’d politely declined and when Richard, the imp, interrupted his thoughts with a bawdy remark, he almost blurted out his affection but covered by saying the ladies had only but two motives for choosing to walk about and his joining them would only interfere.
Miss Bingley, believing she had finally captured
his undivided attention, begged him to explain his comment.
You should have stayed silent
cousin.
Aren’t you dining with Colonel
Foster?
I am, but it’s much more fun to
watch you fumble around Miss Bennet. Now you’ve created a conundrum.
If you hadn’t mentioned how the
light of the fireplace illuminated Elizabeth’s figure, I’d have had better
control of my thoughts.
He could still hear his cousin laughing even though
Richard stopped their conversation. When Miss Bingley asked Elizabeth if she
understood the meaning of Mr. Darcy’s comment, Elizabeth gave him a startled
glance and self consciously smoothed her gown. She moved so she no longer stood
in front of the fireplace and said, with only a slight quiver in her voice, “Not
at all. I haven’t the slightest idea.”
“Oh, come now, Eliza. Where are your pert opinions
when I require them the most?” Caroline asked.
Elizabeth turned her gaze from him back to
Caroline. “I may not understand the meaning of Mr. Darcy’s comments, however illuminating
they might be, but depend upon it, he means to be severe on us, and our surest
way of disappointing him will be to ask nothing about it.”
Tension coiled about his spine. Her word choice was
specific. Illuminating. First, she exhibited signs of not only remembering
aspects of the dream he’d created in her mind and physically manifested the
love bite he’d left on her collarbone, now she hinted at having heard his
silent conversation with Richard. How was that possible? Dare he enter her
dreams again as a means of unfolding the mystery that was Elizabeth Bennet? His
body tightened at the mere thought of revisiting her without any physical
restraints and then balked. No! He was a gentleman. He’d strayed once and would
not do so again. He had to gain control of his emotions and find another way to
assuage his curiosity.
I changed this scene back to the more time-honored
version because I wasn’t ready for Elizabeth to realize she could commune
solely with her mind. She does later on, but we learn that she has to have a
close and trusting relationship with that person and the ability for sharing
thoughts is something learned. A new muscle skill she needs to hone. Therefore,
as Mr. Darcy hasn’t gained her trust, she wouldn’t have been able to ‘hear’ his
thoughts.
Book Blurb
She’s the outcast in her family…
Elizabeth knows she’s different from the rest of
her family. She has visions and strange dreams and sees things others do not.
With the advent of the odious Mr. Darcy and his friends from Netherfield Park,
as well as the amiable Mr. Wickham of the _____shire Militia, her powers seem
to increase and her greatest fear is that she won’t be able to contain them and
will be discovered.
He has eight hundred years of
tradition to uphold…
No Darcy has married a non-magical woman since
arriving on the shores of England with William the Conqueror in 1066. However, his kind – Miatharans – are
dwindling in numbers. Miatharan magic only flows through aristocratic blood
lines, so his strange obsession with Miss Elizabeth Bennet is puzzling as she
is not of noble blood. Just a country squire’s beautiful daughter who has him
slowly becoming undone.
Fitzwilliam
Darcy ~ Undone is available in Kindle Unlimited (Amazon)
until Dec 12 when it will be released to other major digital retailers.
About the Author
‘The prairie dust is in my blood
but no longer on my shoes.’
Although it’s been over forty-two years since Sue called
Saskatchewan home, her roots to that straight-lined province and childhood
friends run deep. The only thing strong enough to entice her to pack up and
leave was love. When a handsome Air Force pilot met this small-town girl, he swept
her off her feet and they embarked on a fantastic adventure which found them
settled in beautiful Southwestern Ontario when hubby retired from the military
and began his second career as an airline pilot.
Sue started writing in 2009 and sold her first manuscript
in 2010. Always a reader of Regency romance, she discovered Jane Austen Fan
Fiction in 2014 and almost immediately wanted to know – Whatever happened to Caroline Bingley after her
brother and Mr. Darcy became engaged to a Bennet sister? From that
question, her first JAFF book was launched.
In her spare time, Sue cans and preserves her own food, cooks almost
everything from scratch and grows herbs to dehydrate. Her latest venture is to
create her own spice seasonings, experiment with artisan breads and make her
own homemade vanilla. Hubby has no complaints other than his jeans keep shrinking. At least
that’s what he claims…. Her sons, their wives and all seven grandchildren don’t mind this slight obsession either.
Website: https://suebarr.ca
FB: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSueBarr/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SBarrAuthor
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B010I53Z1C
Sue Barr will giveaway an ebook of this latest novel to
3 random winners for entire blog tour. Follow the tour and join in the comments
to be entered to win. Sue will choose the random winners and announce the
winners on social media on December 5.
5 comments:
This book sounds so good! Thank you for the excerpt and giveaway away.
Thank you for sharing this deleted scene.
Enjoying the story of ODC
I love the deleted scene although I understand the reason you changed it. I loved the book, it just blew me away. I wanted to start right over again and reread it. I'd love to win the giveaway, very generous!
This sounds so good...
denise
Thanks for sharing this deleted scene.
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