Hello! I am taking a break from editing to give you an update and share a little bit I wrote in order to fill a hole. By the time you read this, An Interrupted Proposal should be on its way to the editor. (Next month, I’ll share the cover.) Before it can go, I have to tie up some loose threads, one of which is Elizabeth’s grandmother. Those of you who read An Interrupted Proposal while I was posting it, might remember Elizabeth telling Darcy about staying with her grandmother when Mrs. Bennet was having a fit of nerves. While working on the rewrite, I realized we never met Mrs. Gardiner.
In order to put a scene together for the book, I decided to write Elizabeth’s letter telling her grandmother that she was engaged. I hope you enjoy it.
Gracechurch Street
London
Thursday
23 April 1812
Dear Grandmamma,
I am certain you will be quite surprised by what I am about to share, but I assure you I am not being facetious. I am engaged to be married to none other than Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley in Derbyshire (the man I swore I would never dance with – though I did at the Netherfield ball). I encountered him while in Kent visiting dear Charlotte. She is well and seems to be content in her circumstances, though I never believed it possible to be content with Mr. Collins. Of course, I never believed I would accept Mr. Darcy’s proposal either. But I didn’t initially – that is I stopped him from proposing because I was so surprised when he declared his love for me. Oh, Grandmamma, I am making a hash of sharing my news. Suffice it to say that I am deliriously happy and my thoughts are in a jumble.
Jane says hello and she hopes that you will consider returning to Meryton for our weddings. She and Mr. Bingley will be sharing Fitzwilliam’s and my wedding day. Fitzwilliam says that, if you are unable to attend, we will visit you in Bath. He is desirous of making your acquaintance. He also included you in an invitation to Pemberley (he has corrected me to say that WE are inviting you to visit OUR home).
Mrs. Gardiner, I have relieved your lovely granddaughter of her pen so that I might assist her in delivering our happy news. As I am certain you are aware, Elizabeth and I did not begin our relationship on equal ground. Having been properly chastised by her while in Kent (a story she promises to share once in your company again), I determined I could not allow her to continue with such a poor vision of me. Upon hearing of your influence on my dear girl, I wished to meet you to improve whatever misperceptions you might have of me from her earlier correspondence. I pray that you are able to attend our wedding which should take place near the end of May. If not, as Elizabeth mentioned, we will journey to Bath during our wedding trip so that you might be able to assess our happiness and ease any concerns you might have. In addition, you are welcome at any of our homes whenever you desire to visit. I will now return the pilfered pen to your granddaughter so she might finish her letter. -FD
Is he not the most odious man, to take my pen and then write such lovely things. Oh, Grandmamma, you must attend our wedding. I know that your cottage has been let to my uncle’s new clerk and you dislike staying at Longbourn with Mamma, but could you not make an exception this once? If not, perhaps you could stay at Netherfield with Mr. Bingley and Fitzwilliam (although I believe you will dislike Mr. Bingley’s sisters more than Mamma – she is not intentionally cruel as they are).
We leave tomorrow for Longbourn, so please send your response there. No matter your reply, I hope to see you soon.
All my love,
Elizabeth Bennet (soon to be Darcy)
***********
Queen Square
Bath
26 April 1812
My dearest Eliza,
It will most likely come as a shock to you that I am not as surprised as you expected me to be regarding your news. The former Miss Lucas and I have long been in communication, and she had shared her suspicions regarding Mr. Darcy’s attention to you while in Hertfordshire. Even had she not, your insistence that you felt nothing but dislike for the man was so enthusiastically stated in nearly every letter, that I began to suspect, in The Bard’s words, that “the lady doth protest too much.”
I cannot begin to tell you how pleased I am that you and your young man have overcome whatever obstacles of pride and prejudices that had initially blocked your path. Please assure Mr. Darcy that I have never given your earlier complaints against him the weight that he fears I did. Knowing you as I do, Eliza, I understand that it was your disappointment in being brushed aside which allowed your sensibilities to speak louder than your sense. Having had a hand in raising you to be a rational creature, I am pleased that you allowed Mr. Darcy to reveal his true self and accepted that you were wrong in your first impression of him.
Now, as to your and Jane’s weddings, how could you consider that I would not attend? Of course, I will be there, and I will stay at Longbourn, if your parents are agreeable to the idea. I will take advantage of every moment I have with my Eliza before she removes herself to the cold and distant Peak District. Do not take that as a refusal to visit the vaulted Pemberley but only expect me in summer. For now, I shall endeavour to arrive in Hertfordshire by the 16th of May.
All my love, my precious child,
Olivia Gardner
This won’t be in the final book, just a little exercise to get my brain started, but I wanted to share it with you since you have been on this journey from the start.
Watch for An Interrupted Proposal coming out the end of August.
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