Georgiana’s Story – An Excerpt
When I spent those four or five years writing “Darcy and Fitzwilliam” I was just a happy little person, jotting down fantasies that had popped into my head. Fanatsies about Pride and Prejudice and how I never seemed to want the story to end, after the mini-series, or after the movie. I had no idea what I was doing, I still don’t know what I am doing, and that is not modesty talking, just fact. Anyway, I rambled on and on, in the writing sense, with various scenes jumping into the book like Republicans into a primary.
By the time I had over 200,000 words crammed into my computer I submitted the book – two thirds of it was accepted. I was forced to cut out about 65,000 words. Not an easy task when you thought you had written the Regency’s answer to Gone With the Wind. They forced me to cut the last part, Georgiana’s Story.
I was bitter and brooding, like a law firm commercial, until I discovered Kindle and Nook self-publishing. I took my cut up little end section about Georgiana and made a short story. It is on sale now on Kindle and Nook for only $.99.
Here is an excerpt from Georgiana’s Story:
Darcy had slipped out the back door of his home moments before his Aunt Catherine had barged through the front, feeling only a slight twinge of guilt over his abandonment. He needed a few moments of tranquility in his life and there was one place in London he knew with a certainty could make him feel better again. Whistling, he turned west and leisurely strolled the five blocks to the newly purchased Fitzwilliam town home. Gingerly threading his way among gardeners and landscapers, he jogged down to the lower servant’s door and entered, all the while sidestepping boxes and rolled carpeting, masons and plumbers. He quickly came upon his cousin who had settled into the kitchen to discuss with the obdurate cook his wife’s lunch in detail.
“Our house is in chaos so I thought I might come here for sanctuary.” Darcy ducked just before a ladder carried by two men swung around behind him.
“It always saddens me that you are desperate enough to consider this is an improvement.”
“Catherine just arrived.”
“Say no more.”
“Feed me.”
“Good God, you are pathetic.” Turning to the cook he requested an early tea be brought up to the family room. He then turned to his cousin again. “Let us go through the library before we are killed by a loose hammer.” Fitzwilliam glanced over his shoulder as he heard part of a wall being destroyed. “I will never understand women. We purchased this house because Amanda deemed it absolutely perfect, and then she set upon changing it completely.”
“This must be costing you a fortune, Fitz.”
“Not me. Amanda. She has finally obtained the inheritance she received from her father. It had gone to her first husband and that idiot tied the money up with enough loopholes to make any solicitor salivate; it’s taken them the entire five years to untangle the unholy mess. And then, instead of putting it aside as I recommended, she begged me to let her spend all of it on this damnable house. Seems my father has finally condescended to meet her and she is very anxious to make a good impression, believes he will more readily accept her if the curtains are new. Poor dear, she’s bound to be disappointed. He promises to be here in August for her confinement but I have my doubts. He’s been coming into town regularly for months and has never bothered to contact us.”
“I thought your father hated town.”
“So did I. Evidently, from the rumors I’ve heard, he’s discovered opera dancers.”