Sorry, Charlie…: Guest Post by Jayne Bamber, Author of Strong Objections to the Lady (with Excerpt & Giveaway!)

I’m delighted to welcome Jayne Bamber back today to celebrate the release of her latest novel, Strong Objections to the Lady. She’s here with another interesting discussion about Charles Bingley, and to share an excerpt and giveaway. Please give her a warm welcome!

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Sorry, Charlie…. 

It’s great to be back at Diary of an Eccentric! I am here to share an excerpt from my new release, Strong Objections to the Lady, but first, I think I owe Charles Bingley a big apology! 

When I was here back in January on the blog tour for my first novel, I boldly decreed that Charles Bingley is a Hot Idiot, and while I can’t entirely retract that, I gotta say, I still think he’s a good guy. He has a role to play in my new release, and this time I was really excited about giving him a time to shine. 

Though I just take a sharp turn from canon (as usual!) in Strong Objections to the Lady, things work at well for Charles Bingley just as soon as he, like our other beloved characters, begins to deserve his HEA. He is just as easily led by his sister as ever, but I gave him just a little nudge in the right direction, toward growing up, with some help from a very unusual ally. 

Of course, there’s always been lots to love about Mr. Bingley. Jane Austen tells us of his myriad charms, and it is no surprise that Jane Bennet was instantly smitten. Aside from being rich and handsome, which a gentleman ought to be if he possibly can, Mr. Bingley really does try to put his best foot forward in the neighborhood. You know, before he gets duped into ditching them to go back to London. 

From the moment he arrives in the neighborhood, Mr. Bingley is an ideal neighbor. He’s delighted by everyone in the neighborhood, even making a point to commend Charlotte Lucas, who doesn’t have the greatest luck with gentlemen. He dines with the officers and invites them all to his ball, and when a local lady takes ill at his house, he allows her and her sister to stay with him for as long as they need. 

In addition to all this gentlemanly affability, he really does try with poor Darcy. He’s having a ball, making new friends, and poor Bingley really does wish Darcy would lighten up and have some fun! Of course, we find out later why Darcy doesn’t enjoy himself as much as Bingley, but we can only imagine that in all the years of their friendship, Bingley has usually had more success in lightening Darcy’s mood. 

Bingley gets a lot right, before he is steered so wrong by Darcy and his sister, but even then – well, we are all fools in love, right? 

In Strong Objections to the Lady, Mr. Bingley begins foolishly in love, and Darcy has his hands too full with family drama and a Bennet sister of his own to help Bingley undo the damage he’s done by abandoning Jane. Left to his own devices, he fumbles at first, but learns all the right lessons along the way.

 The excerpt I want to share today is one of Mr. Bingley’s first appearances in the tale, although we learn that he has had an “off-screen” encounter with Jane while she was staying with the Gardiners in London…. 

Darcy had no opportunity to speak privately with Bingley, as much as he wished it, until they had set out on horseback for Humphrey Hall. The ladies set out in their carriages, while Henry and Arthur rode together at some remove – likely scheming amongst themselves.

Darcy knew there was something missing from his understanding of the situation, for he had expected Bingley’s presence to please Elizabeth for her sister’s sake, and that Elizabeth had reacted with such discomfort led Darcy to suppose that Miss Bennet may not look fondly on Bingley’s arrival. It was possible that Bingley had seen Miss Bennet in the two days that had elapsed in London between Darcy’s visit with Bingley, and Miss Bennet’s sudden arrival in Kent. Richard seemed to suspect it, and after some gentle prodding, Bingley himself confessed it.

“Of course I went to her straight away,” Bingley owned. “You told me she cared for me, which I knew all along, of course. I was mighty angry with you, and Caroline too, but not without hope that Jane would forgive me.”

Darcy glanced over at Bingley from the side of his eyes and gave a slight shake of his head. “I would not have known you were displeased with your sister, as you have brought her with you,” he said cautiously.

“Well, I did not know we would be making such an excellent house party of it, or I might have left her in London,” Bingley said with an affable laugh. “I thought I would need a hostess in order for Jane to visit me, and Caroline was wishing to be a part of the merriment, you know.”

“I see,” Darcy said. “And when you saw Miss Bennet in London, did she, as you say, forgive you?”

Bingley frowned; it was an uncharacteristic expression for him, but did not last long before he broke into a persistently cheerful smile. “Not exactly. Jane was angry with me for not coming sooner, though of course I had no notion of her being in Town all that time. It was not the amorous reunion I had anticipated, but of course she had just heard of her cousin’s death, and was quite distressed already – poor timing, that is all.”

Bingley was determined to be nonchalant about it, but Darcy wished to impart some caution to his friend, for everyone’s sake. “Yes, Miss Bennet has taken her new responsibilities as heiress to Longbourn very seriously.”

“Well, it is not as though I am some fortune hunter with questionable motives,” Bingley laughed. “I was madly in love with her before her prospects improved – she must know she has nothing to fear.”

“You were not aware of her feelings at the time – it may be possible that she had no assurance of your feelings, either.”

“Come now, Darcy, of course she did! You said that Miss Elizabeth told you Jane was merely being shy and modest in concealing her affection for me. Nobody could ever accuse me of being shy or modest!”

“Well, that is true, but your leaving Hertfordshire so suddenly….”

“Which was your idea,” Bingley interjected.

“Yes, I agreed with your sisters that it was prudent at the time. However, you must endeavor to show her that your renewed interest is not the work of a mere moment, as your departure was.”

“Of course I shall, Darcy. Really, there is no need to trouble yourself, my old friend. Your advice is valuable to me on a great many things, to be sure, but I should hardly put wooing ladies on that list! No indeed, I think I shall do better to follow my own instincts this time.”

Darcy could not argue with that – it was likely that without his interference, Bingley and Jane Bennet would already be wed. However, Bingley’s optimism was still troubling. Elizabeth had made it clear when she refused him that Jane’s discomfort was an insuperable obstacle in their relationship, and Darcy could not like that his own chances at happiness hinged on Bingley’s unpredictable finesse.

“Besides,” Bingley continued as Darcy brooded silently, “I have other resources.” He gave a jolly waggle of his eyebrows.

Darcy groaned. He had seen Anne and Bingley conversing many times over the last few days, thick as thieves, and he could not like it. Anne was still so new to society, and her enthusiasm for everything may yet prove another source of collateral damage in such a delicate situation. “You mean my cousin?”

“Yes, and her lady grandmother as well. I was flattered beyond anything that Lady Augusta should take an interest in my problems, but then I suppose she is not too old to appreciate the romance of it all.”

Darcy grimaced. “I cannot think it wise for you to look to outside assistance, Bingley, when it proved such an evil last autumn. My interference was misguided, and I am not sure that more interference will be the cure. Anne, in particular, may not be the most reliable conspirator.”

“Conspirator! You are very severe upon your cousin, Darcy! Indeed, I think it must be a habit of yours, for in all the years of acquaintance, you have never even given a truly accurate description of her! She is far livelier than I expected, and so very amiable. She seems to dote on the Bennet sisters.”

“That is the material point,” Darcy countered. “It has been many years since Anne has had such pleasure in female companionship, and I should hate for her new friendship to be jeopardized by her involvement in this matter.”

Bingley laughed, but Darcy could see that he had wounded his friend. “Come now, Darce, I hate to hear you speak as though you think I shall fail,” he said evenly. “I am no fool – and I believe it will come out well.”

Darcy could not agree with these last two statements, but neither could he judge his friend too harshly. He could infer that Bingley had been rebuffed by Miss Bennet when he visited her in London, but Darcy, too, was a man in love, and desperate for a second chance; this was hardly the time for hypocrisy.

 

 

Strong Objections to the Lady is available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited now, with a paperback soon to follow. Til then, I hope you enjoyed this excerpt! I will be sharing more excerpts throughout my blog tour, and there is an e-book giveaway you can enter by clicking here. You can also follow me on Facebook for more updates!

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Thank you, Jayne, for being my guest today, and congratulations on your new book!