A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity Blog Tour: Vignette + Giveaway

Welcome to the fifth stop of Amy D'Orzio's blog tour for her latest novel, A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity. The author is not a stranger to the Austenesque world as her previous Pride and Prejudice variation is last year's Meryton Press release titled The Best Part of Love. Without further delay, you are invited to read a special vignette prepared by Amy.

Good day, Lúthien84. What a pleasure it is to share this vignette that I wrote for your readers at My Love for Jane Austen! I hope your readers enjoy this glimpse into what happened after Darcy's and Elizabeth's engagement. As one might imagine, Lady Catherine is not excited to hear about Darcy's and Elizabeth's engagement. A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity diverges from canon prior to her famous visit so of course, she had to have her say at the end when all had finally been settled!

Vignette

After the Engagement: Lady Catherine Calls On Elizabeth

One more day. One more day, and he will return. One more day, and I shall see him again.

No days had ever passed as slowly as the days Darcy spent in Cotgrave while she yearned for him in London. Elizabeth was determined not to be some love-sick fool, pining away for her husband-to-be, yet she was. She could not eat, she could not sleep; all she did was think of him and wish, most ardently, that he should return to her. Such were her thoughts on the day before he was due back, and thus, when she heard the knocker, her heart leapt. Surely it would be him!

A million thoughts tormented her in an instant. Was her hair tidy? Would that she was wearing another gown, the sprigged green muslin perhaps! Should she sit here or there and should she ring for tea or wait until he was shown in? All the while, her heart hammered in her chest as if it wished to spring free and go to him itself.

And then the door opened, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh was shown into the room.

For a moment, she disbelieved it, looking behind her ladyship in vain hope that somehow he would be there. But no. It was only Lady Catherine. She smiled against the disappointment that swelled up in her throat, using the time spend curtseying to gather her wits.

"How do you do, Lady Catherine?"

Lady Catherine loomed large in front of her — strange that she had not before realised how tall the lady was — her cheeks flushed and her hand gripped tightly to her walking stick. It took little discernment to comprehend that Lady Catherine knew of her engagement and had come to discuss it with her.

Elizabeth offered her visitor a seat, which her ladyship declined, and refreshments, which she ignored outright. With those duties dispensed, Elizabeth chose to sit, imagining the conversation would likely be tiresome.

Lady Catherine walked closer to stand over her, speaking in a low but menacing tone. "You cannot be at a loss to know why I have come here this morning."

I daresay you are not here to welcome me to the family. "Indeed Madam, I cannot account for the honour."

"Do not play me for a fool, Miss Bennet. As your superior, I demand your respect."

"Very well, but you must tell me why you have called on me."

"I received a letter from my nephew, the colonel. He told me you were engaged to his cousin."

Elizabeth thought about protesting that Mr Darcy should be the one to communicate such news but then decided against it. It would do no good. "Mr Darcy has made me an offer of marriage, and I have accepted it."

"An offer of marriage?" Lady Catherine threw back her head and laughed like a barmaid. "Absurd. He could not have."

"But he did."

"You are mistaken."

"If you think I am mistaken, then it will be to Mr Darcy to set things aright when he returns. Until then, I do not think we have further business with one another." Elizabeth rose, intending to see her visitor out.

"Sit down, Miss Bennet. I am not finished here."

Elizabeth forced her possession to the fore. In the face of all they had suffered, what did one enraged relation signify? No, she would be kind to his aunt — her aunt too, in short time — and allow the lady to vent her spleen. Elizabeth turned back but did not sit again.

"You are very young, Miss Bennet, and very inexperienced in the ways of men and the world. I know not what manner of foolish lust has overtaken my nephew, but I do assure you, he cannot intend to marry you."

Elizabeth smiled patiently. "I shall not tell you that you are wrong, but I will tell you that my faith rests wholly in the honour and goodwill of Mr Darcy. Time will tell which of us is correct."

"Regardless of what he has said to you, it would be silly indeed for you to accept him."

"I have accepted him and have no cause to doubt the wisdom of my decision."

"Do you not? Then permit me to enlighten you. The family will not acknowledge you. The servants will not mind you, knowing you are little more than they are. The ton will scorn you. His friends will laugh at him."

Elizabeth forced herself to laugh. "And yet, all is in accord with his own choosing. If he will deny himself such comforts as would be bestowed by the approval of acquaintances, then who am I to disagree with him? I want only him, and he wants only me. Nothing else shall be of consequence to us."

"Stupid, stupid girl! How can you be so unfeeling, so uncaring!"

Lady Catherine looked like she might have said more but Elizabeth stopped her, holding up a hand. "Indeed I do care; I care deeply about anything that brings him grief."

"Then you must —"

"No. I must not. For I had acted before, believing I knew his mind. I gave him my word that I would never do so again. Never again will I presume to know what is the lesser of two evils for him.

It is to him to put me off. I will never again go of my own accord but if he wishes me gone, so will I go. But as long as he will have me, I will be by his side, for I love him more than anything."

"Such an obstinate, headstrong thing you are." Lady Catherine shook her head and ground her walking stick into Jane's carpets. "I never —"

"And selfish too," Elizabeth added. Her words had the extraordinary effect of silencing her ladyship who gaped at her in an inelegant manner. "You must add selfish to the things you despise about me, for I intend to be quite selfish when it comes to Mr Darcy."

"You will be his ruin." Lady Catherine pointed one jewelled finger at her. "I am sorry for you, very sorry, for you consign yourself to a pitiable state should you continue to pursue this alliance."

Something inside Elizabeth broke a little then; her resolve to be kind and patient failed her. Their past of difficulty and misery yet weighed on her, and she resented, violently, this intrusion into their fledgling happiness. Hot tears sprang to her eyes, and she clenched her jaw against the concurrent swelling of rage.

"The only pitiable state I have ever suffered is the state of being without him," she said fiercely. "I shall marry him, and I shall love him without regard to the interference of you or anyone else connected to him. I am sorry to disoblige you, but you have attempted to exert your influence on someone whose resolve is implacable. I have nothing further to say on this subject."

Her tone was a shock to Lady Catherine, who stared at her in appalled disbelief.

"I will carry my point, Miss Bennet." Lady Catherine's tone was low and menacing. "This is not over, not by any means."

Her ladyship offered Elizabeth a blistering scowl then swept from the room, angrily thumping her walking stick into the carpets as she went.

Elizabeth sighed deeply for a moment, wondering how Darcy would manage his aunt's displeasure. "Well," she said to the room. "Perhaps we may laugh about it one day."

Book Blurb

Is not the very meaning of love that it surpasses every objection against it?

Jilted. Never did Mr. Darcy imagine it could happen to him.

But it has, and by Elizabeth Bennet, the woman who first hated and rejected him but then came to love him — he believed — and agree to be his wife. Alas, it is a short-lived, ill-fated romance that ends nearly as soon as it has begun. No reason is given.

More than a year since he last saw her — a year of anger, confusion and despair — he receives an invitation from the Bingleys to a house party at Netherfield. Darcy is first tempted to refuse, but with the understanding that Elizabeth will not attend, he decides to accept.

When a letter arrives, confirming Elizabeth's intention to join them, Darcy resolves to meet her with indifference. He is determined that he will not demand answers to the questions that plague him. Elizabeth is also resolved to remain silent and hold fast to the secret behind her refusal. Once they are together, however, it proves difficult to deny the intense passion that still exists. Fury, grief and profound love prove to be a combustible mixture. But will the secrets between them be their undoing?

Book Links

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Author Bio

Amy D'Orazio is a former breast cancer researcher and current stay at home mom who is addicted to Austen and Starbucks in about equal measures. While she adores Mr. Darcy, she is married to Mr. Bingley and their Pemberley is in Pittsburgh PA.

She has two daughters who are devoted to sports which require long practices and began writing her own stories as a way to pass the time she spent sitting in the lobbies of various gyms and studios. She is a firm believer that all stories should have long looks, stolen kisses and happily ever afters. Like her favourite heroine, she dearly loves a laugh and considers herself an excellent walker.

Author Links

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Giveaway

Amy's publisher is happy to sponsor eight e-books of A Short Period of Exquisite Felicity to encourage reader participation. All you need is to tweet and/or comment on each of the tour stops to increase your chances at winning. Then fill up the Rafflecopter form to register your entries. This international giveaway closes at midnight ET on 8 March 2018.

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