Dear Tanya,
Thank you for continuing this wonderful story. At this stage of my life I don't have any time for anything but I somehow manage to check to see if you have updated your story weekly and yes yours is the only story I'm following. Your writting is wonderful and I enjoy trying to guess what will happen next. Even when I guess correctly your version is so much better than my imagination could ever be. You have a true gift and thank you for sharing it with us. Please update ASAP.

Wow! An update! Fantastic.

I very much enjoyed the switch to Darcy's POV.

I'm certain that Mr. Wickham will slither back into the story at some point, what with his history with Darcy being somewhat of a loaded rifle a la Chekov, but I'm enjoying their happiness in the meantime.

I think Gregory does love Caroline:

By Darcy's "scraps," I think he met Caroline.

I have been busy this summer-- and not made much time for my on-line reading... but when I checked in to see what might have been posted lately, what a great treat to find Chapt 31. Delicious! and as always, so well written. I would love this in book form. Even if the characters' names were all changed -- and it wasn't a D&E story -- this could stand on it's own. (That is supposed to be a compliment-- I hope it is accepted that way!) Love it! It's one of my all time favorites.

Elizabeth assumes that if Gregory knows Caroline Bingley is--or, was--in love with Darcy, that Gregory could then not love Caroline. But we don't always love the person who loves us--or, stop loving someone simply because he or she does not love back. How many people would take the person they love, even knowing the love is unrequited?

Darcy has struggled with this truth during his long separation from Elizabeth. Had he an inkling of how much she loved him, can we doubt he would gone back to her and begged her to return, Wickham or no? Well, maybe not immediately while Darcy was still in the fresh grip of anger, but once it cooled and he was left with his misery of missing Elizabeth desperately? But, he thought she didn't want him--sounds a bit like Bingley in canon, but Darcy wound himself in this quandary--with an assist from Elizabeth, who was in her own private hell.

And now, even when she is back and is everything accommodating in accepting and returning his attentions, he does not assume she loves him. Although he knows he loves her--the scene of him refraining from interrupting her play her music makes it abundantly clear he knows his own heart. But he doesn't know Elizabeth's.

What a nice surprise for them both to find it's MORE than having sworn life long fidelity AND greatly enjoying each other physically. That is a lot, but they really love each other, too. I wonder who will confess that emotion first?

Or, am I wrong? Does it really need to be said at this point?

What a wonderful surprise this update is! It's been quite awhile since i swinged by Mrs Darcy...very happy to see Tanya's update to this great story. I'm glad that the couple are opening up to each other now...hope they will not muddle up again and stick together to face whatever problems (Wickham??) coming their way. Look forward to the next instalment and thanks again for this great story, Tanya!

Tanya - thank you for this wonderful chapter - I'm so glad that you continue to work on this story - it is one of my favorites!

As for Darcy's comment about Eliz not knowing anything of love - I think it may have to do with the fact that you do not choose who you love no matter whether he/she loves you or someone else. Lord Gregory, for some reason, has chosen Caroline (maybe he is attracted to her or can't have the one he wants - Elizabeth?) and has decided to marry her.

I can't wait to see how Eliz/Darcy move forward.

Amy W.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Denise
It was lovely to get caught up after months and months of absence. I was wondering whatever became of your story and then found it on Mrs. Darcy's site. Bravo! And how nice to find Lizzy and Will so happy together. And Jamie home and married. Lovely. Thank you.

I am ecstatic to find out another very satisfying,drool-worthy and deliriously HMS. The issues that hurt and bothered Darcy and E. brought out in the open and dealt with. Love D & E. progress not only as Master and Mistress of Pemberly but more importantly the progress between them as a married couple. Bravo Tanya this story will be a classic and my favorite. More please!!! I am curious to know if ever Darcy will confess to E. the very reason of their separation,that is whatever did Wickham did to Darcy.I have my own speculation but yours is the only one that matters Tanya and will finally put the nail in the coffin so-to-speak. Thanks a million for continuing this amazing story.

Thanks for the wonderful update! The wait is always worthy!
Darcy is so sweet, so charming... Oh my God
Can't wait for more... Kisses.

Tanya....

Isn't it about time for more of this wonderful story! I need my "Strange Bedfellows" fix!

Hope to hear from you soon!!

Sandy

I would like to take up that drumbeat--it's time to hop into bed with Strange Bedfellows again.

Though I must admit--you left off at such a lovely point of accord between them that I almost fear the angst new chapters may bring--will Wickham rear his snakehead?

On a happier note, will D&E have a little DE? And will the two friends Bennet and Darcy be buds again now that -- well, you know, it really is all in the family.

Oh yes. Let D&E have a little DE.
I do so wish the story to carry on and to let it come to a good end.
I don't care so much about the other characters only want Darcy and Elizabeth to come to a good end soon.

I've been sick in bed for 2 days and treated myself with re-reading the whole wonderful story! From the beginning, with all the joy and pain and sweetness--I am in awe of such a wonderfully written story--all over again! Please update soon while I reread ASP!!

Thank you Tanya for sharing your gift!

Please Tanya bring this wonderful story out in book form.
It merits it and I certainly will buy it.

Tanya...with all of this holiday stress between Thanksgiving (the big turkey meal and all the guests and family, cleaning) and now getting ready for Christmas (cooking, family visiting, cleaning, etc.) I need some major relax time and I can think of nothing better than a new, long posting in "Strange Bedfellows"

Please, give us an early present and post soon!!



Lots of Hugs!
Sandy

Tanya, I don't know if you are susceptible to guilt trips, but let me try one. The one thing I would like most for the holidays is another installment of your fabulous story. And I'm dying.

Ok, not really.

And I shouldn't joke about something like that, but I really would love a new installment, and if I may put in a further request, something that doesn't end on a cliffhanger that will strangle me. But, really, I will take whatever you offer, cruel cliffhanger or no. Isn't it about time to find out what the deal is between Wickham and Darcy--can it be something so horrendous that it would come between Darcy and Elizabeth in their sublime connubial bliss? I cannot imagine that would happen, really, but I can imagine Wickham doing horrible things.

I bet your imagination is so much better than mine. Please, I'm begging--more!

Dear Tanya,

Since the guilt trips have not worked how about begging. I'm begging for one more chapter.
It is a very cold winter and we need to warm up with one or two chapters of your beautiful story.

Please Tanya, another chapter. I am snowed in up here in the north and I need something to make life bearable. Your story could just do that.

DITTO, DITTO, DITTO! Pretty Please....with lots of chocolate and whipped cream and cherries on top!!!

PLEEEASE!

MORE! WE NEED IT! IT HAS BEEN SO LONG!

I'm begging for more, too!

I cannot believe i haven't read this story until now! I, who fancy myself quite knowledgeable of the good p&p ff out there! i'm quite ashamed! Tanya wour story is amazing, i love the way you build your characters and the intrigue... i'm surprised you don't do this for a living. it took me 5 days to get to chapter 31, but i really enjoyed it. it now ranks pretty high amongst my favorites. of course i too hope for a new chapter, but no presure...i know how troublesome the process can be...

New Year, New Post???
We miss you Tanya!

Here you go, Taryn and all other Tanya's fans... Chapter 32 is up. Enjoy!

I can scarce believe my luck!

I was so happy to see a new chapter but then WICKHAM - this is his way of acting . Please post soon and don't separate L and D I think I couldn't bare that.
Thank you

Oh what a lovely looong chapter.
Except for the non reconciliation between B&D, everything was so beautiful, now the missing ring and the dastardly Wickham.
Please more soon Tanya, Irene

OMG Tanya has posted another chapter. What a fantastic surprise.

And what a gripping chapter it turned out to be.

Poor Lizzy! Trying desperately to get her brother and Jamie to be friends again. Quite naively really.

What a voice of mature strength Malvena is with her sensible words to Lizzie... and even Darcy seemed to think that the friendship would never get back to what it was.
But..............................................
What we all dreaded has happened......Jamie arrested for treason. Darcy's ring as evidence. And, I suspect, we all know who is guilty. But where is he? Will he accost Georgiana on her way back to Pemberley?

Malvena and Jamie know that the ring went missing before the massacre but surely the authorities will not take Malvena's word.

I think Jamie is in deep trouble and I do not know if even Darcy can save him. Or how

Brilliant brilliant chapter Tanya.

O.M.G. Tanya!! What a nail biter!! Will Malvina's young friend be able to testify that it was Wickham who handed over the map? Please, please tell us you won't keep us hanging here for long. Goodness...treason!!

A beautiful chapter in large part about the magnificent love that continues to grow between the young couple Darcy and Elizabeth--nice also to see the lovely state of marriage between Elizabeth's brother and his wife Malvina. Although the reticent Regency wife Elizabeth won't gossip with her sister about private moments with Darcy or ask about similar times Mal shares with Jamie, one of my favorite moments was this:

So, I loved this chapter and thank you, Tanya, for it.

Now to this chapter's bombshell revelation, the reappearance of the snake, the very thing I feared. Wickham has set Jamie up, and Jamie faces death for treason. As if that were not bad enouogh, it will not end there. Jamie's family and all his connections will be tainted for generations. (Benedict Arnold even to this day is hardly a proud name in the U.S., and it would be a similar situation for the fictional James Bennet.)

I wonder how many chapters it will take for this to be resolved and how fast you will offer those chapters? I have no doubt or question at all but that they will be good.

Also, what of Georgiana? I am happy to know that the colonel accompanied her back to Pemberley. Often, I am opposed to matching very young girls with men twice their age, but it did work for Colonel Brandon and Marianne. Also, although they are cousins, Georgiana is such a sheltered and hothouse flower, perhaps only someone who knows her very well could ever tend her in the best way. So, is the colonel her intended?

I must say I was disturbed early on in the chapter with this line from Darcy as he reacted to Georgiana's reluctance to accompany the group to London for Caro's wedding: I feared that was some foreshadowing of the reappearance of Wickham, but given he has already apparently wreaked havoc on Jamie, will he also threaten G in some way, too?

Again, thank you for this chapter. It came just as I had reread the previous one so often I knew it by heart!

I would thank you for the long wonderful update
but I'm mad that you did this to Jamie
I wonder where Wickham was, I knew things were too good to be true, I bet he did it, didn't he, mayhap he framed Jamie as well, as Jamie did not like him from the start. I hope one of the Tiger gang will be export to England to stand trial and testify and ensure that they mistaken Jamie.
Darcy & Bennet best-friendship no more, I don't think so, given that Jamie had the signet ring with him in India. I wonder when Jamie lost his ring anyway.

I am loving how Elizabeth and Darcy grow closer and closer. Even though there is a hint of sadness from Elizabeth about being childless, I am glad that she is having this alone time with Darcy. I think they need it.

I love your Malvena, she has spunk and a great deal of "tell it like it is". She and Jamie are so perfect for each other. I hope she stays strong through this ordeal especially being with child.

Is this part of the story is where Darcy comes in and figures things out and Jamie is finally freed with there friendship not going back to what it was, but becoming more than what it was? I hope so.

Your writing is aw inspiring with such descriptions as this:
"She had come to know the feel of Darcy's hands on her skin as he drew these things off her figure..."
and
" ...like sweet water. It tipped over the edge and flowed through her like a river, for a long, long, long time."

This was a great chapter. I love that it was lenghthy. I hope you don't keep us hanging for too long. Thank you.
teb

Thank you, Tanya, for another wonderful long chapter. Everything was looking perfect till Wickham (it has to be him right??) came to wreck it! Is this akin to the canon Darcy-to-the-rescue-of-lydia episode? I hope in this case, Jamie will be acquitted soon...and it could well be a chance for Darcy and Jamie to have an improved friendship. Please do not keep us too long from the next chapter!

DITTO! DITTO! DITTO! I can't add more than that except that I can't wait for more!

I came to this website with a feeling that Strange Bedfellows updated, and I can't believe I was right.

I've missed this story so much. I'm loving the time Darcy and Elizabeth have together. I can't wait for more. I hope that they will grow more open to one another.

Poor Jamie and Malvina! And for her to be pregnant and sick too.

Loving the drama in this series, but hoping for a quick update!!

Thank you for the great story!

Perhaps the real love of Lord Gregory's life was Darcy. (Go back to all the earlier innuendos just roiling beneath the surface about homosexuality). And are we ever to find out Wickham's dastardly deed?

A particularly lovely chapter. I thought once the consummation of D and E happened, it would be over. But apparently, there can be more than one consummation. Thank Heavens!

Just want to give a big thank you to Renee for supporting this story! Since HG is no longer around, if Renee didn't keep up this website we wouldn't have Strange Bedfellows!

Thank you Renee, also for supporting other authors I love as well!

Tanya – I love reading how the love between Elizabeth & Darcy has developed. But I hope Elizabeth does not misunderstand Darcy’s reticence regarding Jamie’s situation. Will he call Fitzwilliam back to town to aid with the investigation? The mystery man must be Wickham!

Tanya, I insist that if you are to leave us with this horrible news that you return asap with another post and a more cheerful outcome!

Smooches!

I thought things were winding down. I thought maybe Wickham really did die in the fire because I thought once D&E were physically together it was done.

I'm glad that my original thought that Wicky was still off doing his dastardly things was correct only because that means this lovely story has more to entertain us with.

I was so afraid that Lizzy was going to go balistic when she found out that the ring Darcy gave her brother is the reason he is tied to this case of Treason. Is all I can hope is that the Indian man who related the tale will say it isn't Jamie once he sees him.

More soon please
Geri

I can't breath, I can't breath! It's such an exciting chapter filled with everything! Thank you Tanya! I love this story so much and every time it's updated I know I would not be disappointed :)

What a fab chapter!!!

I can't believe it! That was a fabulous chapter ending. I look forward to seeing how the story gets fixed....it will be fixed, won't it?

Thank you, Lanie! My pleasure.

A fascinating and deeply disturbing development. After all this time, and so far from the events, how is Jamie to convince anyone of his innocence?
I wonder if Fitzwilliam's contacts will help.

Both Darcy and Malvina seem to feel Elizabeth is emotionally immature. This is a bit disconcerting. Perhaps her expectations are unrealistic, but she has matured greatly in her years away from Pemberley.

This story continues to fascinate.
Thank you,
JulietR

Wow, this story continues to be the best in JAFF. Excellent!! Although I have taken the opportunity to read it plenty here online, I hope the author will follow the trend into offline publishing because I would love to have this as an old-fashioned printed book in my hands.

This chapter particularly feels like we are starting a new story but with the rich knowledge of all that has gone before--the relationships, the comings-together, the regrets. I like the way Tanya seems to lead us one way but takes us someplace different--example, I was sure that Caroline's wedding would be a farce and the lady would once again live up to (down to?) her miserable reputation and behavior so far displayed. I love the way that that subplot is underplayed here, and I love the way we can luxuriate in the love affair that is Will and Lizzy, with echoes of Elizabeth's brother and his wife enjoying the same kind of happy marriage.

It all seemed liked fun and games until--with nary a hint of ominous music or gray skies, everything becomes quite serious. Their wonderful life, well, at least, Bennet's family, is threatened. No way that Darcy and Elizabeth can just walk away from that, right? Well, maybe--suppose Darcy says, it's their problem?

The moment reminds me of Elizabeth at her most dispairing after reading Jane's letter--she never dared hope Darcy would stick around once Lydia eloped with his worst enemy. I wonder what Darcy will do here?

What a great treat to read this wonderful post when the snow won't stop!!! I'm so hopeful D&E have come far enough in their relationship to not have this new development wreak havoc. So many secrets still to be revealed..write on, Tanya!! As fast as may be!!!

Many thanks

Thank you Tanya for another wonderful instalment.
It feels as if my birthday has come around for a second time this year.
Your story is so heartwarming and well written I can only say thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I wanted to cry when I read the last part of the chapter! my jamie trapped by that scumbag T_T
and what's worse, everybody thinks he's dead, how long will it take them to understand who's behind all this?
and about Darcy's reaction, I say he will act to protect Jamie, firstly, probably, thinking only about his own reputation, after all they are brothers now, he won't stand see his family tainted this way. But I'm hoping in the process they will become friends again? *_*
and above all, I hope to have my wish come true: tell me they will beat W ass!!!!

Yea! A new post, and long too! Loved it, loved it, loved it!

What a rare a treat! Yet another exciting chapter!

Thank you,

Sue

I agree. Keep up the excellent work, Tanya! You are the best. I can't wait for the next chapter - and it most certainly will be a wait . But please don't let it be too long!

Many thanks to Renée for continuing to host these stories. We are all grateful.