Hello, friends! It’s my turn to celebrate the release of Kelly Miller’s latest Pride and Prejudice variation, Mr. Darcy’s Perfect Match. I have the pleasure of sharing an excerpt with you today, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!
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In this excerpt, Darcy converses with his aunt Lady Matlock at his London town house.
He entered the sitting room, presenting his best attempt at a smile. “Lady Matlock, this is a pleasant surprise.” He placed a kiss upon her cheek.
“Good afternoon, Darcy.” Taking her seat, his aunt gazed upon him with her inscrutable public expression, deceptive in its placid appearance. “Richard has been uncharacteristically mum and solemn whenever I bring up your name. Have the two of you had a disagreement?”
He took a seat across from her. “I suppose you could say we had a difference of opinion, but it is nothing of import.”
“I see.” Her eyes glimmered with a shrewd focus upon his face. “You are not quite yourself. You appear to be tired.”
“I have not slept well the past couple of nights because I returned home to find a great deal of estate business waiting for me. I shall be caught up soon enough.”
Lady Matlock retrieved the cup of tea she had served herself before his arrival. “I am having a small gathering for dinner this Friday. I should like you to attend.”
Not another of her deuced dinners! The “small gathering” was certain to include one or more unmarried ladies whom his aunt deemed ideal for him. Her tireless efforts to find spouses for her own sons had so far been fruitless, but finding a match for him was almost as great an object for her. In the past, he had found such dinners tedious; in his present state of abjection, it would be intolerable. “Forgive me, but I have too many obligations at present to commit to an evening away from home.”
Her dissatisfaction at his response was displayed solely in a slight tightening of the muscles in her lower jaw. “That is a shame.” She stirred in her seat as if seeking a more comfortable position.
In his eagerness for a new topic of conversation, Darcy infused a cheerful energy into his tone. “Georgiana has told me of her new friend, Miss Hester Drake. I understand they met at one of your gatherings. I am interested in hearing your opinion of the young lady.”
His ploy had the desired effect. While his aunt quirked an eyebrow, a wide smile overspread her countenance. “Yes. It is wonderful that they have formed a friendship. I was gratified to see the two of them get along so well from their first meeting last month at one of my luncheons. As you may know, Mrs. Drake has been a dear friend for most of my adult life. All of her children have grown to be sensible and admirable adults. I believe you are acquainted with James Drake?”
“Yes, we were friends at Cambridge, though I have not met with him for a year or so.”
“You do not spend as much time in London as you ought.”
Darcy’s attitude grew taut at this familiar complaint. As it was, he spent more time in London than he would wish.
“James Drake married a lovely young lady last year.” Lady Matlock rested her clasped hands in her lap. “Miss Hester Drake is the youngest child in the family, and Mrs. Drake did not allow her to come out until this Season, just before her nineteenth birthday.”
His aunt’s approval of Miss Drake and her family was pleasing and not unexpected, but he owed it to his sister to be absolutely certain of the people he permitted in her company. Mindful of treading with tact as he voiced his concerns, he spoke in a sober vein. “You may not be aware that Georgiana has had several…disappointments in the past with young ladies she befriended. Her characteristic shyness makes it difficult for her to form friendships as it is, and because of these previous disheartening experiences, I am cautious in allowing her to form new ones.”
Lady Matlock maintained her serene smile. “I can well imagine what those ladies who disappointed poor Georgiana were actually interested in—or should I say whom? But you need have no concern on that account with Miss Drake. Mrs. Drake is not pressing her daughter towards marriage—far from it. She would prefer to see Miss Drake remain unmarried rather than wed for reasons other than love. Mrs. Drake’s main object is to promote her daughter’s happiness. Unlike most leading families of our society, she and her husband do not seek to further their own connections through their youngest daughter’s marriage. Since her two older brothers and her older sister have all married well, Miss Drake is free to choose to marry for love or perhaps not at all.”
“That is a singular point of view.” From his aunt’s characterization of her family, Miss Drake was a fortunate and well-loved lady. Before he had fallen in love with Elizabeth Bennet, Darcy had given little consideration to what sort of marriage Georgiana might have. However, Mrs. Drake’s outlook towards the prospect of marriage for her youngest daughter aligned with his own wishes for his sister. Though he might have said otherwise a few weeks earlier, his sister deserved nothing less than a love match should she be fortunate enough to find one. He would not deny Georgiana the profound happiness he had sought, but failed, to attain for himself.
His aunt’s eyes gleamed, and she presented a smug smile. “Because of my intimate friendship with Mrs. Drake, I can tell you much about the young lady. Miss Drake’s poise and self-confidence helped her sail with ease through her presentation to the queen and the ball given in her honour. Her family name, beauty, and thirty-thousand-pound dowry have already drawn the interest of many eligible gentlemen of the ton. But Miss Drake has the added advantage of being intelligent, charming, and loquacious; so, as you might imagine, she had her pick of a large number of gentlemen who have called upon her.
“Nevertheless, in a warm and polite fashion, Miss Drake discouraged the suit of each of these gentlemen, imparting the information that, although she was much flattered by their interest, she felt she was yet too young and new to society to pursue a greater intimacy with any one gentleman. Her sweet and engaging manner left none of these spurned gentlemen affronted. On the contrary, most of them appeared to retain the hope that, if they bided their time, they would receive a more favourable answer in her second Season.”
“Miss Drake sounds like an unusual lady. The object of most ladies who come out is to find a suitor and to marry. Mrs. Drake did not object to her daughter’s decision to dismiss these gentlemen?”
“Not at all. Mrs. Drake regarded her daughter’s decision with complacency.”
As singular as the Drake family appeared to be, the material point was the lady’s demeanour with his sister. “Have you had the occasion to observe Miss Drake and Georgiana together since the luncheon?”
“I have. I escorted Georgiana to call at the Drake home on the Monday following the luncheon where they met. Mrs. Drake and I shared company with the two young ladies and their companions for a period of two hours, and it was evident they enjoyed each other’s company. My understanding is that, since then, the two have enjoyed regular visits in the presence of their companions once or twice each week.” Lady Matlock took a long pause to finish her tea and dispose of her cup. “Miss Drake attended an exclusive boarding school. She is an accomplished musician and is well read. I assure you that the lady is everything lovely and delightful. I doubt you could find a better friend for your sister.”
Darcy squeezed his eyes shut for a moment in an attempt to dispel the image of Elizabeth Bennet that intruded upon his mind at his aunt’s words.
Lady Matlock’s eyes contained a mischievous gleam. “I hope you will make Miss Drake’s acquaintance soon. I know well how exacting you can be when judging ladies. You are apt to find fault where others see perfection. Still, I dare you to find aught wrong with Miss Drake!”
“Indeed, I do not dare.” The blood drained from his face—he uttered those exact words last autumn at Netherfield Park in response to Elizabeth Bennet after she had dared him to despise her. Damn it! How was he to stop conjuring up the lady?
“One does not meet a lady with Miss Drake’s attributes every day. I trust that, once you have met her, you will agree with me.” With an enigmatic smile and a subtle nod, she stood, prompting him to do the same. “Since you are so busy, I shall stop in for a quick chat with Georgiana and then be on my way.”
As his breath released, he managed a sanguine tone. “It was good to see you. I am glad you stopped by.”
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About Mr. Darcy’s Perfect Match
When secrets are revealed and a family agenda works against him, can Fitzwilliam Darcy recover his damaged spirits and find happiness?
Following his disastrous proposal to Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcy returns to London from Kent broken-hearted and dejected. One bright spot penetrates his sea of despair: his sister, Georgiana, has finally recovered her spirits from the grievous events at Ramsgate the previous summer. She has forged a new friendship with Miss Hester Drake, a lady who appears to be an ideal friend. In fact, Lady Matlock believes Miss Drake is Darcy’s perfect match.
Upon Elizabeth Bennet’s arrival at the Gardiners’ home from Kent, she finds that her sister Jane remains despondent over her abandonment by Mr. Bingley. But Elizabeth has information that might bring them together. She convinces her Uncle Gardiner to write a letter to Mr. Bingley providing key facts supplied to her by Mr. Darcy.
When Mr. Bingley discovers that his friend and sisters colluded to keep Jane’s presence in London from him, how will he respond? Given the chance, will Darcy and Elizabeth overcome their past misunderstandings? What will Darcy do when his beloved sister becomes a hindrance towards winning the lady he loves?
Buy Links: Amazon U.S. | Amazon U.K.
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About the Author
Kelly Miller is a native Californian and Anglophile, who made her first visit to England in 2019. When not pondering a plot point or a turn of phrase, she can be found playing the piano (although like Elizabeth Bennet, she is errant when it comes to practicing), singing, and walking her dogs. Kelly Miller resides in Silicon Valley with her husband, daughter, and their many pets.
Mr. Darcy’s Perfect Match is her second novel published by Meryton Press. Her first was the Regency novel Death Takes a Holiday at Pemberley, a Pride and Prejudice romantic sequel with a touch of fantasy. Her third novel, Accusing Mr. Darcy, will be released later in 2020.
Kelly’s blog page is found at www.kellymiller.merytonpress.com, her email address is kellyrei007@hotmail.com, her Twitter handle is @kellyrei007, and she is on Facebook: www.facebook.Author.Kelly.Miller.
Connect with Kelly: Amazon Author Page | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
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Giveaway
Meryton Press is giving away 8 eBooks of Mr. Darcy’s Perfect Match as part of the blog tour. You must enter through this Rafflecopter link. Good luck!
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Thank you, Kelly, for sharing your new book with us, and congratulations on its release!
I read and enjoyed this book. Hester was an interesting new character, beating Caroline at her own game…in a way.
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Thank you, Sheila. I appreciate your comment, and I’m glad you found Hester interesting!
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Miss Drake sounds perfect for Darcy, if only she could put up with his character
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Interesting viewpoint, Vesper! Lady Matlock thinks they would be idea together. Thank you for your comment!
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Love these excerpts.
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Thank you, sagustocox! It’s good to know you enjoyed this scene between Darcy and his aunt.
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What a wonderful excerpt. It will be interesting to see if Miss Drake is using Georgianna to get to Darcy.
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Thank you, evamedmonds! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Miss Drake is a complicated character and her POV is revealed in the story.
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Lovely post. I can’t wait to find out what “arts and allurements” Miss Drake tries to use on Darcy. Kelly, congratulations on your latest publication. ♫
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Thank you, Jennifer. I appreciate your kind words and your generous support!
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Good excerpt, Kelly, but what is Lady Matlock doing? I agree, Sheila. Hester is an interested new character. Kelly wrote her well!
Thanks for hosting, Anna. We appreciate you.
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Thank you, Janet. You have organized a wonderful blog tour for me! I am glad you like this excerpt!
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Thank you so much, Anna, for your warm welcome and for hosting me today!
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Wow! I could feel the noose tightening and that scheming aunt is making plans and hoping Darcy will not bolt and run. She may have been talking about the attributes of Miss Drake for Georgiana’s sake but she was also planting seeds for Darcy’s sake. Oh, she is a matchmaker to the bone. Blessings on the success of this work. Thanks to Anna for hosting and thanks, Kelly, for the generous giveaway. Good luck to all in the drawing.
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Thank you, J.W., for your lovely comment! It is much appreciated!
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It looks like Miss Drake has two champions in Darcy’s aunt and his sister! I hope he’s wise enough not to succumb or be trapped.
I’m praying Elizabeth speeds to the rescue 🙂
I’m sure it’s me but I couldn’t access the Rafflecopter form. That’s the last time I even try as I find it really frustrating.
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Thank you, Glynis. I’m so sorry you had trouble with the Rafflecopter! I appreciate your loyal support very much!
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I hope that nothing comes of Lady Matlock’s matchmaking.
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Thank you for your comment, darcybennett! I believe Lady Matlock has learned from the past and is trying a new tactic here with Darcy, a more subtle approach.
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Miss Drake sounds so perfect that it’s mako une suspicious. Poor Darcy, he’s heartbroken right now and so vulnerable that he might fall victim of other people’s schemes.
I really liked this scene, Kelly. Beautifully written
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Your suspicions may well be correct, Belen. : ) Miss Drake certainly seems to have a fan in Lady Matlock. Thank you for your comment!
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Lovely, sensitive excerpt! Thank you for this generous ebook giveaway–I will add it to my blog’s sidebar.
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Thank you, Suko! I am glad you liked the excerpt, and appreciate you mentioning the giveaway on your blog!
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Ms Drake seems to be the perfect lady for FD- charming, accomplished with a good dowry, some friends/good connections and formally educated. What more can you ask for, right? Will we get to get to see some of her undesirable traits?
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Hi Buturot, yes! There are scenes of Miss Drake having private conversations with Georgiana, and Miss Drake’s POV is shown, so readers can view her thoughts. Thank you for your comment!
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Wonderful excerpt. Looking forward to reading. Congratulations!!
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Thank you so much, BeckyC! I appreciate that you came by to read it and leave a comment!
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A very entertaining excerpt but that doesn’t surprise me. Congrats on a great tale, Kelly,
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Thank you, Brenda! You are sweet to say so! I appreciate your comment!
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I always enjoy original characters, especially of cunning women trying to win Darcy. Congratulations.
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Thank you, KateB! I’m glad to hear you enjoy new characters! Miss Drake certainly makes a difference in this story.
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Miss Drake sounds like a singular young lady–she has everything going for her. So why does she remind Darcy of Elizabeth? Can he be interested in both? Nice writing, Kelly. Thanks for hosting, Anna!
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Thank you, Suzan. That is an intriguing suggestion! I appreciate your kind words and your generous support of me and other fellow writers!
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