My Cousin Caroline: The acclaimed Pride and Prejudice sequel series The Pemberley Chronicles Book 6
Page 41
Julian had seemed fascinated as he watched her eyes shine and heard her voice rise gently as she spoke. Clearly, Jessica was growing a little restless with the sheltered existence she led in Derbyshire and he sensed a desire for something new and perhaps a little more exotic than her present life afforded her.
He understood her inclinations but was conscious of the need to be cautious in encouraging such yearnings. Remembering another young woman, whose desire to break out of the narrow confines that had circumscribed her life had led not to satisfaction and happiness as she had hoped, but disappointment and disaster, he had paused awhile before speaking.
His memories of Josie, still too fresh and painful, had made him somewhat more circumspect in his response. Reminding Jessica that she was young enough to look forward to all of those things she had mentioned and many more experiences besides, in the years that lay ahead, he had said, “There will be time enough for you to enjoy all these experiences and more; I do not doubt that you will find time in your life to do so. Remember only, dear Jessica, that life is best enjoyed at leisure, without undue haste or desperation, with time for judgment and discrimination as well as enjoyment. We are not all blessed with the capacity of John Keats to drain life's cup to the lees in a single draught.”
Surprised by his words and the quiet intensity with which they were spoken, Jessica had asked, “Do you merely advise me in a general sense against haste, or do your apprehensions arise from a perception that I am too bold in dreaming of discovering and experiencing what is new? Is it because you think I would act rashly in attempting to grasp what is outside my reach?” and her voice trembled a little, as though she had felt chastised.
He responded directly, “Certainly not. Your dreams are not too bold, far from it. What would we be if we did not dream, however impossible the goal? Much of my own work is built upon a dream that we may find something that is hidden from us; something that might change the lives of millions of people. I merely wished to remind you of the great gifts of youth and enthusiasm, which are yours, which I pray you will hold on to for many years, expending them sparingly and with care as you enjoy all that life will offer you in the future.”
She looked unconvinced. “And do you really believe that my life lived here, in Derbyshire, is likely to hold such promise in the future?” she asked, with an astonishing degree of frankness that compelled his own reply to be equally honest.
“It could, but if it did not, it does not follow that you should remain all your life in Derbyshire. Jessica, our lives are circumscribed not by geographical boundaries, but by the limits of our minds and our capacity to persevere in pursuit of an ambition. There is no obligation that we should continue to live out our lives only in the place of our birth, is there?
“Nor is there any reason to suppose that your life will be so constrained— after all, mine was not. I was born and bred here and rarely left the county except to accompany my parents to London or Scarborough or some such place, until I went to Cambridge. Well, you see me now…”
“I do indeed, on the verge of a great adventure in the unknown depths of the African continent! A considerable transformation by any measure! Would that we might all aspire to such an exciting achievement,” she declared, making him laugh and breaking the tension of the moment.
Postponing any further argument that she might have mounted, as they approached the entrance to Pemberley House, Jessica threw one last pebble into the pool of their discussion and waited for the ripples.
“If it had been at all possible, I should have wished very much to go to Africa with you,” she said in a teasing kind of voice and was surprised when he said, quietly but very seriously, “If it had been possible, Jessica, I should have liked it too, very much.”
When she turned to search his face, she saw not a trace of equivocation upon it. She had then to accept that he had meant every word.
That night Jessica recorded her thoughts in her diary, admitting to herself for the first time that she was falling in love with Julian Darcy.
The Pemberley Chronicles
A Companion Volume to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
The Pemberley Chronicles: Book 1
REBECCA ANN COLLINS
“A lovely complementary novel to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
Austen would surely give her smile of approval.”
—BEVERLY WONG, AUTHOR OF Pride & Prejudice Prudence
The weddings are over, the saga begins
The guests (including millions of readers and viewers) wish the two happy couples health and happiness. As the music swells and the credits roll, two things are certain: Jane and Bingley will want for nothing, while Elizabeth and Darcy are to be the happiest couple in the world!
Elizabeth and Darcy's personal stories of love, marriage, money, and children are woven together with the threads of social and political history of England in the nineteenth century. As changes in industry and agriculture affect the people of Pemberley and the surrounding countryside, the Darcys strive to be progressive and forward-looking while upholding beloved traditions.
* * *
978-1-4022-1153-9 • $14.96 US/ $17.95 CAN/ £7.99 UK
“Those with a taste for the balance and humour of Austen will find a worthy companion volume.”
—Book News
The Women of Pemberley
The acclaimed Pride and Prejudice sequel series
The Pemberley Chronicles: Book 2
REBECCA ANN COLLINS
“Yet another wonderful work by Ms. Collins.”
—BEVERLY WONG, AUTHOR OF Pride & Prejudice Prudence
A new age is dawning
Five women—strong, intelligent, independent of mind, and in the tradition of many Jane Austen heroines—continue the legacy of Pemberley into a dynamic new era at the start of the Victorian Age. Events unfold as the real and fictional worlds intertwine, linked by the relationship of the characters to each other and to the great estate of Pemberley, the heart of their community.
With some characters from the beloved works of Jane Austen, and some new from the author's imagination, the central themes of love, friendship, marriage, and a sense of social obligation remain, showcased in the context of the sweeping political and social changes of the age.
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978-1-4022-1154-6 • $14.96 US/ $17.95 CAN/ £7.99 UK
“The stories are so well told one would enjoy them even if they were not sequels to any other novel.”
—Book News
Netherfield Park Revisited
The acclaimed Pride and Prejudice sequel series
The Pemberley Chronicles: Book 3
REBECCA ANN COLLINS
“A very readable and believable tale for readers
who like their romance with a historical flavor.” —Book News
Love, betrayal, and changing times for the Darcys and the Bingleys
Three generations of the Darcy and the Bingley families evolve against a backdrop of the political ideals and social reforms of the mid-Victorian era.
Jonathan Bingley, the handsome, distinguished son of Charles and Jane Bingley, takes center stage, returning to Hertfordshire as master of Netherfield Park. A deeply passionate and committed man, Jonathan is immersed in the joys and heartbreaks of his friends and family and his own challenging marriage. At the same time, he is swept up in the changes of the world around him.
Netherfield Park Revisited combines captivating details of life in mid-Victorian England with the ongoing saga of Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice characters.
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978-1-4022-1155-3 • $14.95 US/ $15.99 CAN/ £7.99 UK
“Ms. Collins has done it again!” —BEVERLY WONG, AUTHOR OF Pride & Prejudice Prudence
The Ladies of Longbourn
The acclaimed Pride and Prejudice sequel series
The Pemberley Chronicles: Book 4
REBECCA ANN COLLINS
“Interesting stories, enduring themes, gentle humou
r,
and lively dialogue.” —Book News
A complex and charming young woman of the Victorian age, tested to the limits of her endurance
The bestselling Pemberley Chronicles series continues the saga of the Darcys and Bingleys from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice and introduces imaginative new characters.
Anne-Marie Bradshaw is the granddaughter of Charles and Jane Bingley. Her father now owns Longbourn, the Bennet's estate in Hertfordshire. A young widow after a loveless marriage, Anne-Marie and her stepmother Anna, together with Charlotte Collins, widow of the unctuous Mr. Collins, are the Ladies of Longbourn. These smart, independent women challenge the conventional roles of women in the Victorian era, while they search for ways to build their own lasting legacies in an ever-changing world.
Jane Austen's original characters—Darcy, Elizabeth, Bingley, and Jane—anchor a dramatic story full of wit and compassion.
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978-1-4022-1219-2 • $14.95 US/ $15.99 CAN/ £7.99 UK
“A masterpiece that reaches the heart.”
—BEVERLEY WONG, AUTHOR OF Pride & Prejudice Prudence