The final adventure begins with the gossip that plagues Charlotte Collins’s life after when the scandal of Lyme has occurred. To add to the woes of the Cumberland Plateau, war has now broken out and there shall be national uproar.

Amidst all the chaos, the Darcys, Fitzwilliams, and others leave Lyme to travel to Rosings Park, which is the first time in which Elizabeth will visit the home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. At Pemberley, all must now prepare for the marriage of Georgiana to Jason Whitfield, and two complications spring from the event. Follow all these different paths which are fun for some and grave for others. Here comes the conclusion of so many intriguing roads!

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Release Date: May 26, 2025
Genre: Historical | Regency

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Excerpt

Chapter One
It's a Truth, General Unrecognized

 

When Charlotte entered with Captain Wentworth and Harvill, I felt a slight pity for her—and relief. For in the midst of being at Cumberland did I notice that Captain Wentworth had quit the house to seek her out, and it would be either for her benefit or for her misfortune.

Yet upon them entering, and seeing their comfort with each other, I could see that the interaction had not been a tumultuous one in her case. Upon seeing Mr. Darcy and me in the crowd, Charlotte immediately began to make her way toward us. Before reaching us, she was intercepted by Maria, who took her hand and spoke some very desperate words. I saw Charlotte pat her shoulder and then they both made their way toward us.

“Distressing business this all is,” she said when she had approached.

“To which are you referring to?” I asked. “The elopement or the news of war?”

“Both,” Charlotte said.

“Yes, it is very hard.”

“And harder for them,” Mr. Darcy said, eyeing Lady Russell, Mr. Russell and Miss Elton.

“Yes,” Jane said. “For this was meant to be their time of happiness, and now it shall forever be etched in their memory as the engagement party where two of their guests eloped and war was announced.”

“They have been overshadowed by tragedy then,” Jane Austen acknowledged. “But only if they let it.”

“What do you mean?” Jason asked her.

“I mean that, at first, they must be frustrated today. Then tomorrow it shall be a bitter wound, the next day it shall feel as if it is an annoying cut, then the day after that, it shall be an interesting memory. And then the day after...”

“It shall be a good story,” Colonel Fitzwilliam finished.

“Precisely.”

“However,” Georgiana said, “I do not think they will view it as so.”

“No, they shall not,” I replied. “And therefore, we had best to find a way to show it to them in that manner.”

“Oh,” Maria said, “it could be regarded as such. But I am still thinking of our mother, Charlotte. She must be so frightened.”

“Our mother?” Charlotte asked, startled. “What does she have to do with any of this?”

“Oh, you did not make the connection?”

“No.”

“It's Samuel. War has finally started right when Samuel has gone to America!”

Charlotte's face became immediately flushed as she realized that her brother was then traveling to the very country that ours was now declaring war upon. Feeling suddenly guilty for not having thought of him sooner, she blushed.

“Oh, poor Samuel!”

“Do not worry,” I replied, doing my best to offer solace, “I promise that he shall be fine.”

“But we do not know that,” Maria cried. “He could be attacked or arrested when he arrives there.”

“He shall not be. Samuel is smart and he has known how to conduct himself. Also, Philadelphia has too many ships traveling from England to arrest any of their passengers upon arrival.”

“Yes,” Jason replied. “Having lived there I can tell you that it will not be so terrible for him. Look at it any way that you like. If he is wary and says nothing that could be regarded as controversial, he shall be well.”

“What is the matter?”

We all turned, and Captain Wentworth had approached us and overheard the last of our conversation.

“Forgive me, but I could not help but see that there is a different sort of alarm with your lot,” he began.

“No apologies are needed,” Charlotte said. “It is only that another shocking revelation has reached us.”

“Of course, for we did not have enough of those,” he replied, trying to make light of it all, “for it never rains, but it pours. What has occurred?”

“It is our brother, Samuel. Weeks earlier, he traveled to America.”

“Is he there now?” Captain Wentworth asked, his brow furrowed.

“If he has not arrived already, he will soon be.”

“Oh... I am sorry, Mrs. Collins and Miss Maria. That is indeed distressing, yet there is hope. He will be fine, I can assure you.”

“Are you certain?” Maria asked. “There is no guarantee sir.”

“You are right, there is none. But Miss Maria, never lose hope.” He then turned to the rest of us. “I have just come to tell you that our search party shall begin, and we are about to take our leave in search of the runaways.”

“Do you not need our assistance?” Colonel Fitzwilliam asked.

“Many of us men in the company shall depart for them, therefore you must remain, to look after our gentlewomen and keep everything calm.”

“How long do you plan for your search to last?” Jane Austen asked.

“Whether we find them or not, we do not plan to be gone for more than four days. Worry not, we shall hopefully find them.”

“Good luck then,” Mr. Darcy said.

Captain Wentworth bowed to us slightly, gave Charlotte one last look and then he left with the search party.

Charlotte watched him as he left and all the other guests wished them well, with much anticipation. As they were all distracted with the heroes’ departure, I approached Charlotte and whispered in her ear.

“Come this way and walk with me. For there is obviously something you are withholding.”

Charlotte nodded, compliant and she moved away from the throng and followed me as we took a turn about the room.

“You came here with Captain Harvill and Wentworth,” I began, “but I am quite certain that Wentworth had left earlier. Do you know of this?”

“Yes, he came to the inn to see me.”

“Did he see you in private?”

“It may have been improper for him to see me alone and in my room, but Elizabeth, believe me, it was quite necessary.”

“I am not judgmental; I am simply wishing to make certain that the interview went well.”

“It went...it was unfulfilled.”

“How so?”

“We did not get the chance to say all that we wished to before Harvill came in upon us.”

“What did you speak of?”

“Of my own folly.”

“And what folly is that? Given the circumstances, I daresay that your jumping into the ocean is now regarded as miniscule.”

“Not only that, but my actions with Benwick. Lizzy, even Wentworth believed that Benwick and I had formed an attachment. He had come to The Queen's Right Hand to offer me his condolences, which means I allowed myself to appear as if I was...a flirt.”

“You were not being a flirt, but only social.”

“And now I am not so sure. Perhaps I was being overtly kind for I was happy to have had an ally at Cumberland, and now I fear censure.”

She placed her hand on my arm.  “Lizzy, if Wentworth and the rest of our company thought so, then that means all the other guests thought so as well. Now I shall look as if I am the one who was either used for the ruse, and was a dupe, to which Benwick made a fool of me. Or I would be viewed as their accomplice. It is more likely that it shall be the first as opposed to the second, but now they shall ridicule me when my back is turned. They shall look on me with pity and will not believe that I have not been injured by this all.”

“Oh, Charlotte, you need not fear their thoughts. And surely they will not think so, but hopefully will only be preoccupied with the news of war and the search party.”

Yet it was not to be so.

For after the search party left and the subject of the war had been quite exhausted, Charlotte would prove to be correct. Many in our company began to speak of the eloping couple and there were many subtle looks at Charlotte.

“Indeed,” Lady Russell had said, most guardedly, “this is all so much of a shock. For in regards to them both, I would have thought Miss Crawford's attentions were elsewhere... as were Captain Benwick's.”

“Indeed,” Mrs. Applegate said. “It does go to show you just how we often never know people. No matter how we think we do. And of the inconstancy of affections as well.”

“Yes, but it is all so vexing!” Miss Elton exclaimed “For this to happen under our very roof here, it makes one feel so forlorn and almost to blame.”

“You are not to blame,” Mr. Russell said.

“Very true,” I said. “Miss Elton, you have been a delightful hostess as well as offering us many diversions. You cannot control the actions of others, nor shall you ever be responsible for them.”

“No indeed,” Mr. Bingley said, “And this is your engagement party. Pray, Mr. Russell and Miss Elton, do not let the rash actions of a couple deter you from enjoying this most special time of your lives.”

“Indeed,” Mrs. Applegate said. “That is what makes their elopement all the more scandalous. They chose to do it in the wake of your blissful moment. Utter selfishness.”

“I do not think any time would have been a good time for it,” Mr. Darcy said. “Mrs. Applegate, and it will never be so simple to tie them down to wishing to ruin Mr. Russell and Miss Elton's happiness. All that we can tie them down to is being rash and selfish. Yet malicious intent is not something that should be laid at their feet.”

“Either way, this is a most alarming affair,” Lady Russell said. “And will be much talked of.”

“Oh, pray,” Miriam said. “For the sake of Mr. and Mrs. Crawford, who are devastated and have taken refuge in their room, let us speak no more off it. As well as not spread the news ourselves, for this is already hard for them, and would be even harder if we spoke in a way that the rumor shall spread and followed them even when they leave this place.”

“Oh,” Miss Elton replied, “of course. That is very wise.”

The subject of the conversation then shifted to the newly declared war that was up ahead, and we all pondered how long it would last, how much of Parliament's money would go into financing it, and would it be as much a war fought with our navy as with our armies. This would call both kinds of men in our military to the fronts.

What was more devastating, men such as the Admiral and the Captains were acquaintances who we all had a mutual affection for, might be swept up in it once more. Indeed, it was most distressing, therefore I very soon decided to not think of the Captains and the Admiral being taken away from us as soon as they had come.

While the conversation continued on the subject of war however, I knew that the people, when they left Cumberland, would spread this news to everyone in their social sphere. For it is a truth, generally unrecognized, that humans have a tendency to not be able to tell when they are being inwardly hypocritical. We often speak of the decorum of not spreading rumor and scandalous news. Yet when it does occur, we are the first to cling to it, dwell on it, and wishing to spread it and not care for the harm we do.

This is the even-handed dealing of the world. We speak well...but we spread harm. And if there is one thing that is almost as frightening as war, it is the high circles of the ton, and the fright of being amongst the vicious elite.

 

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