Such Happy Manners
A Pride and Prejudice Variation
by Clarissa Joy Thomas
read by Stevie Zimmerman
Part 1 of the Pride and Prejudice Variations series
How would the story of Pride and Prejudice be altered if Mr. Wickham had been a good man?
Instead of becoming a scoundrel who regularly attempts to elope with teenage girls, Mr. Wickham studies the law as he originally told Mr. Darcy when he gave up the value of the living. After finishing his studies, Mr. Wickham finds work in Meryton with Mr. Phillips, a local solicitor and the Bennets's uncle.
By the time that the Netherfield party arrives, the Bennets are well-acquainted with Mr. Wickham. He is even engaged to one of the Bennets! How will this altered Wickham influence the rest of the characters and their road to happily ever after? Will Darcy still look down on the Bennets and their connections, even if one of those connections is his childhood best friend?
The Missing Valet
A Pride And Prejudice Variation
by Clarissa Joy Thomas
read by Stevie Zimmerman
Part 4 of the Pride and Prejudice Variations series
When Mr. Darcy's valet goes missing, he must join forces with Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters to discover the truth behind the abduction and unravel a grand conspiracy that threatens the stability of the entire country.
On the morning after the Netherfield ball, the world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is shocked by the disappearance of Mr. Witting, valet to the wealthy gentleman Mr. Darcy.
As Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy begin to uncover the mystery behind Mr. Witting's disappearance, they must face their faults and previous prejudices. The closed off man she once knew now reveals himself to be a loyal and kind man. No longer can she consider him to be the same person derided by Mr. Wickham.
It soon becomes clear that Witting was more than just a lowly servant and his disappearance no accident. The investigation sheds light on a conspiracy that reaches further than anyone could have imagined, threatening to bring down the entire country with it. As they delve deeper into the hidden web of corruption and betrayal and put their very lives at risk, will their love be strong enough to survive?
Love and Legacy
A Pride And Prejudice Variation
by Clarissa Joy Thomas
read by Stevie Zimmerman
Part 5 of the Pride and Prejudice Variations series
Lady Anne Darcy knew that her time was running out, and she wanted to leave her son, Fitzwilliam Darcy, with a legacy of love. Thus, she wrote a series of letters to him, with the intention that her sister, Lady Catherine, would deliver them at the right time. But when Lady Catherine received the letters, she decided to keep them from Fitzwilliam, believing they conflict with her own plans for him. Years later, Anne de Bourgh discovers the letters and gives them to Fitzwilliam, who is shocked to discover that everything he thought he knew about his mother's wishes for him was wrong. This revelation coincides with a tumultuous time in his life when a country miss named Elizabeth Bennet, a lady he had been striving to forget, suddenly appears at Hunsford parsonage for a visit to her friend, Mrs. Collins, only a short distance from where Mr. Darcy is staying at Rosings. How will understanding his mother's hopes and dreams for him change Mr. Darcy and his treatment of those around him, including the impertinent Miss Elizabeth? Find out in Love and Legacy.
Respect and Respectability
by Clarissa Joy Thomas
read by Stevie Zimmerman
Part 6 of the Pride and Prejudice Variations series
When Mrs. Bennet passes away, Mr. Bennet is left with the responsibility of raising four young children alone. Without delay, he promptly seeks the aid of Mrs. Blackwall, a nearby lady of gentle birth but modest means, to assume the role of governess. With her assistance, the Bennet daughters grow into fine young ladies that any father would be proud of. Year after year, Mr. Bennet grew more dependent on the calm companionship of Mrs. Blackwall, until a sudden realization hit him: he was deeply in love with her. The couple wedded and the new Mrs. Bennet fit seamlessly into the family.
When the Netherfield party arrives, the Bennets and those in the neighborhood are all anticipation. Jane Bennet instantly captures Mr. Bingley's eye, much to the chagrin of his sisters. Mr. Darcy, however, manages to cause even greater offence than he did in Jane Austen's tale by insulting one of Elizabeth's sisters.
When Wickham arrives, will Elizabeth believe his lies or will she see through his charming facade? Will Elizabeth's distaste for Mr. Darcy's arrogance blind her to the person he truly is beneath his haughty demeanor? Can one comment ruin any hope of a relationship, making Elizabeth view Mr. Darcy a cruel man unworthy of respect or sympathy? Find out in Respect and Respectability.
The Christmas Unicorn
by Summer Hanford
read by Stevie Zimmerman
Part of the Pride and Prejudice Variations series
Miss Kitty Bennet has a terrible, embarrassing secret...she is afraid of the dark. When the sister she shares a room with marries, Kitty must finally confront her fear, a confrontation she's losing. At least, until she gets a little help from some unlikely sources: her older sister Mary and the Christmas Unicorn.
The Christmas Unicorn is a Pride & Prejudice variation short story about sisterly love and acceptance. Made to be read in about an hour, but with twists and turns to keep you guessing, this Christmas tale is the perfect just-before-bed read.
Heir Apparent
by Clarissa Joy Thomas
read by Stevie Zimmerman
Part of the Pride and Prejudice Variations series
What would have happened if Jane had been born male?
James Bennet is the perfect heir to Longbourn. He is always looking out for his sisters and mother, making sure they have the opportunity to receive proper education, and always making sure they have the guidance and direction they need. He purchased a small cottage to ensure that his mother and sisters had somewhere to live in the event that something happened to him and his father. He works tirelessly on the estate to ensure that Longbourn is profitable. He puts any additional money that comes into the estate towards ensuring that his sisters have dowries that are appropriate for their social standing.
The summer before the story began, James had done the Darcy family a great service, almost certainly keeping Georgiana from ruin. Between the debt owed to the Bennets and the younger girls being away at school, Darcy's objections to the Bennets are greatly lessened. Despite the divide in their social standing, the Darcys and the Bennets find themselves drawn to each other. Yet, given their differing situations, can their connection ever become deeper than just friendship?
Arrogance and Inheritance
A Pride and Prejudice Variation
by Clarissa Joy Thomas
read by Stevie Zimmerman
Part of the Pride and Prejudice Variations series
If a different Mr. Collins was the heir to Longbourn, what would have happened?
Gregory Collins inherited a flourishing wine importing business in London from his father and is now a prosperous tradesman. Upon discovering he is the heir presumptive to a relative's estate, he realizes he must make the journey to meet the family, as he has no knowledge of landowning or agriculture. He is determined to amass as much knowledge as he can so that when he comes into possession, he can tend to the land and its tenants properly. Rather than hoping to evict the Bennets from the estate when their father dies, he desires to re-establish the familial bond, so there will be no difficulty living together, although he expects Mr. Bennet will live for many years more.
Mr. Collins may not be physically attractive, yet he is not repulsive or unintelligent. He is precisely the sort of man the two elder Bennet daughters had always assumed their meager dowries would enable them to marry. While becoming the wife of someone active in trade would be a lowering of status temporarily, the security of their family would be ensured. When Mr. Collins comes to understand the value of the eldest two Bennet daughters and considers if it would be advantageous to everyone if he married one, how will Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy react in the face of competition?