having just atched Tess last week I wondered when I read the previous chpater with the milking if that kissing a shadow line would come into play. Loved it-- so sweet. Looking fwd to your next chapter!
I love the way you take familiar words from both the book and movie version, toss them in a blender, and come up with a concoction both inspired and logical in context.
True!!! This is just that!!!!!
Thank you Lacy and Christina. Hope to continue blending things to your taste!!
Wickham is going to ruin everything, isn't he? I love how the younger girls are gaga over Collins/Darcy. Too funny! I love Mrs. Bennet. She is so funny in trying to be better than Mrs. Lucas.
I am thoroughly enjoying this story, though I am utterly perplexed about the whereabouts of the REAL Reverend Collins. Its been a month and no word of his condition after being shot and left for dead. Also, isn't Darcy's family concerned for him? Col. Fitzwilliam knew Darcy was leaving for Hertfordshire to "rescue" Bingley, but Bingley is now back in London. Malena, you have me hooked...I just hope you post soon so I can have all my questions answered!
Thank you dear Mimi.
All your questions will be answered soon, sweety, but not in next chapter. You can rest assure that Darcy's family and friends are looking for him. Mr Collins's life I have not saved in vain(for who would want to preserve his life with no purpose?)He will too pop up soon enough.
Delighted you're enjoying yourself and more so that you have told me you are. It means a lot to me!
MimiB writes "I am thoroughly enjoying this story, though I am utterly perplexed about the whereabouts of the REAL Reverend Collins. Its been a month and no word of his condition after being shot and left for dead."
It is a good point, but I find it funny because I really don't care what happens to Collins, LOL. Didn't bother me a bit that we have not heard hide nor hair of him. I figured he was either dead or had amnesia/has been captured by gypsies.
Malena, I hope you will come up with something amusing but I, for one, don't need a lot of Collins (seeing what you have written so far, it's a sure thing you will). meanwhile, I like having Darcy forced by circumstances to spend so much time with the Bennets.
Fear not. I know the readership is varied and I try to let everyone happy, but I have made up my mind to make this story Darcy Elizabeth centered and quite light.
I will make my best to add more humour, and I promise that Collins and all the other secondary characters will be introduced to add just that.
Whew! For a minute there, I was afraid Darcy would end upcompromised with Lydia and have to marry her. Although you have made Lydia in this story a sparkling (albeit silly) delight like everything else, I would hope that is not the direction in which Darcy tends.
Of course, he does know yet he is Darcy. But even when he forgets himself, he seems at his Darciest--doubting, for example, that he could have written the letter actually penned by the Toad but still willing to live up to his duty and keep his promise. So good!
Thank you Lacy. You have become a faithful correspondent! So good you see things in this way. Above all I want to keep him "Darcy", if you allow me the expression.
Lydia reminds Darcy of Georgiana. He would never see a girl of scarcely fifteen as anything else than a girl, regardless of her being the tallest of her sisters.
Loved the chapter. So now I have 2 fears. 1. Wicky is going to go do harm to Georgiana and take over Pemberley. And now 2. Upon Darcy return to Kent Lay d will take advantage of his loss of memory and say he and Anne are to be married and it is schedule right away.
Lastly everything always happens in three's so I keep wonder whate the third fear you will send our way.
Ditto to everything Geir said! I am wondering so much about William's future. Lydia is just a pill! Let her practice with the Lucas boys. Thanks for the fun chapter!
Nice try ladies! I am sorry to say that none near home! The bright side is that you will be surprised!!!!
Thank you for commenting, though. I love the feedback
Oh, good to know that Geri and the other ladies are off base because I'd hate to see Georgiana in danger from Wickham (again)! However, as much as I loooove surprises, I am simply impatient for your wonderful posts. Thank you for this terrific story, Malena. Lydia is a hoot; and this new, (almost) pious version of Darcy is beyond charming! How can Lizzy resist falling in love with him?
"and this new, (almost) pious version of Darcy is beyond charming!
Wow! That is soo close home, Mimi!
Thank you for commenting. The new chapter will be ready pretty soon, I promise.
kiss
"She was too busy hating him to acknowledge Darcy's partiality, and he was too afraid and confused to act upon his feelings."
I love how you build from there and show them being drawn against their wills to each other--like centrifugal force,LOL. Your use of dialogue from "Mansfield Park" were was inspired, as Elizabeth makes fun of what she thinks is William's profession--this fit so well in the story. In fact, you know how to pull in just the right words and images not only from the book but also the various movie versions and rejigger them to your purposes.
The plot development with Colonel Fitzwilliam thinking a letter from his cousin is a ploy and that Darcy is having a fling in the wilderness--well, I did not see that coming, but it makes perfect sense.
Sorry to go on and on, but your story is so funny and yet so darned logical in its unfolding that I am, as the real William Collins might say, in raptures.
My dear Lacy, you are welcome to go on and on as much as you like. In fact, I really appreciate the fact that you took the time to tell me exactly what you liked.
Personally, I particularly like the image I get of Darcy's transformation from demon to dark angel...
Dearest Renee, thank you for your warm words.I am soo happy you are enjoying the story. Hope the rest of it keeps up with the beginning.
ooooh, the plot thickens. And with the Colonel coming too!! Post soon!! My thanks. And I am such a sucker for Elizabeth riding with Darcy scenes. So intimate!!
This is one of the cleverest stories I've ever read in fanfiction. I love your use of the "pleasing plague," which comes from the first stanza of "Je Ne Sais Quoi."
Yes, I'm in love, I feel it now,
And Celia has undone me;
And yet I'll swear I can't tell how
The pleasing plague stole on me.
I am such a sucker for Elizabeth riding with Darcy scenes.
So am I. To my thinking the best one I have ever read was written by Tanya, in A Singular Proposition. They ride away from Pemberley house to a hiden place where they make love languorously in front of a shimmering lake. *sigh*(or was it in the lake? *shiver*!
I love your use of the "pleasing plague," which comes from the first stanza of "Je Ne Sais Quoi."
Thank you for reminding me of this! I should have acknowledged it. .
As to the rest, there will be quotations from Austen, Bronte,Shakespeare and many others all along the story. Forgive me if I do not acknowledge every one of these right away. I am sure the intelligent reader will discover them, anyway. I will write a complete acknowledgement at the end of the story, but feel free to comment on them every time you spot them.
Col Fitzwilliams is certainly missing a few rungs to get to the top of the latter! What a idiot.
I was so glad to see that Elizabeth is starting to like him. I almost wish she'd tell him of their first meeting but that would hardly be proper fo her to discuss.
I've read MP and I'm ashamed to say I didn't even notice the part borrowed. :(
Please post again soon and need I say I love your story.
Geri
Oh no, Malena, you mistake me. There's no need to acknowledge the quote. I thought others would welcome the context. (plus a little bit of showing off I guess.) And I think the whole poem is charming, so I was delighted to see you use the phrase.
As for ASP, they rode to the lake, made languorous love both beside the lake and then inside the lake. What a night!
Col Fitzwilliams is certainly missing a few rungs to get to the top of the latter!
Poor man! I have this prejudice against most military men!
I thought others would welcome the context.
Am sure they did, Ophelia. It is not everyday that a reader discovers these pearls. Thank you.
By the way, what a beautiful name you have!
I loved the baptism scene. That was very touching!
I had thought of a scene in the cementry in keeping with the gotic/Romantic notions of Austen's times. We will see. Perhaps later. I think that the situation helped Elizabeth warm to him better.
I see and sympathise with Geri's point about Colonel Fitzwilliam having a duh-moment by not realizing something is wrong when he gets the strange letter from Darcy.
But I don't think the colonel is stupid and in fact, perhaps rather, the colonel was thinking too much--coming up with the involved explanation that Darcy had sent the letter as a ruse, Darcy knowing his cousin the colonel is familiar with his handwriting. I could see the colonel starting to have some second thoughts? At least, now he knows that Darcy is in Hertforshire and seems to be well, so this is not the end of this plot development, eh?
Oooooh, Malena! Thank you for the two new lovely chapters! I loved having Lizzy choose a wife for William. She will choose herself, I hope, or she is a fool! These chapters were just wonderful...so full of spark & electricity!
Just catching up with your very witty & clever story! You have my poor Darcy in quite a soup; I'm wondering after this last chapter if reality will be coming soon by way of Colonel Fitz or if Darcy will be clueless until he hits Rosings....Glad to see Lizzy opening her heart to Darcy and can't wait to see how he'll feel about Lizzy when he realizes who he really is...the baptism scene was very sweet...looking forward to reading more of this wonderful story. Btw, how many chapters do we have left?? Inquiring minds want to know!!
Thank you ladies,
Reality is at the door, so you can expect a little angst. There are twenty four chapters so far, Frances. But that is never definite. Many times I merge two or more or write a new one because I have thought of a funny scene and must add it somehow...
The baptism scene is an example of it.Originally, Elizabeth was lost in a storm, but that sort of thing is so over used, I am glad I thought of the baptism.
This was a lovely Valentine gift, Malena. Thank you for two rich chapters. I loved watching fall in love.
The only thing I would have liked but did not get was a proposal! It seemed he came awfully close. When he returns from Kent, will Elizabeth have found him a bride, and will that bride be herself--or, yikes!!--someone else? Or, will he not return from Kent because once there, he will be disabused of the notion that he is Reverend Collins? Will his love for Lizzy dissipate once he knows he is Darcy--nevah! Ah, please?
As you can see, you have worked me into a fine frenzy. Not only do I love the way you are plotting this re-telling, I love your writing, so witty. More, please, as quickly as you possibly can but don't stint on your excellent quality. This has been getting better, as impossible as that might seem, with every chapter.
NOOOOO he can't go to Hunsford before he preposes
Because Lady Catherine will see this as her chance to convince him that he has in fact preposed to Anne and they are to be married.
Come on Col please please come to the rescue.
Geri
PS most important I love the story more soon please.
I have really been enjoying this story and I was delighted to read two chapters today. Sadly they finished too quickly. Malena please write more....soon
Come on Col please please come to the rescue.
Geri
Dear Madam,
Indeed I find myself quite overpowered by the latest news regarding my cousin. Has any other fellow been involved, I daresay this comportment would have been quite natural. I am anxious to part with my present business which detain me in Bath and attend to your request. Rest asure I shall be on my way to Hertfordshire before the next se'nnight,
Your's and &c
Honourable Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam
With Chapter 11, you again combine the marvelous inventiveness of your own plot (including Mrs. B's deciding to instruct her daughters in the ways of birds, bees and apparently, pigs--I'm glad Darcy realized this was NOT a good opportunity for an impromptu proposal), with a skilful blending of words from the original to make magic happen.
And now it seems Wickham is firmly in the mix?
I am eagerly awaiting your next post!