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Words cannot express how much I adore this story. I was devastated when I first read it to discover it was a WIP, but I am thrilled to bits to see that you are still posting. And what a post! The emotion in your story is wonderful. I feel very fulfilled after reading one of your beautifully descriptive chapters. As an angst lover, I have held my breath with anticipation as our couple has bobbed upon the story seas of their misunderstandings. I, for one, am ecstatic that there is more to this wonderful story. Thank you so much for the privilege of reading your work.
I couldn't believe it when I saw a new chapter had been posted so quickly after the last one!
Dare I hope that this becomes a trend?
I can't help wondering if Mr. Darcy's death was a plot device to get Elizabeth back to Pemberley while Darcy is there, or whether there's some significance to his having to die before they can reunite. It reminds me of Moses getting to the Promised Land but not being able to enter it. Only his followers were given that privilege.
I also have a question: What did Darcy mean when he says, " 'Elizabeth, you do know I have never-....Not in word or deed." Losing this one battle, he closed his eyes his expression pained." What does "Losing this one battle" refer to -- which battle?
Wow, two chapters within a week. What a great story...cant wait to see where it leads from here. WooHoo!!!
I must admit I have only recently discovered the "mrsdarcy" website and have thus only read a few of the fanfiction stories. Tanya, having read yours, I am very much impressed by your style and your abilities of inventing such surprising and complex plots!! Your imagination appears to be endless I truly hope this story doesn't end too soon, although I admit I can hardly wait for the next chapter...
Tanya, What a mixture of emotions in one wonderful chapter. I know I have said it before but you are a great writer. I was glued once again to every word you wrote.
I tell you Elizabeth has been driving me crazy for some time and in this chapter I just wanted to shack her silly when she wouldn't / couldn't talk to William. I just hope they don't slip up now that they have finally started opening up. As always I look forward to more. Thank you for such a Great story.
Count me in with all the rest. I love this story and, yes, the angst. You write emotional turbulence so well. I am a) excited to hear more chapters are coming as I think that both E&D have lots more to clear up between them and b) stressed because I don't know if I can take the wait between the chapters.
I also want to know where is Cat? Why did he run away in the hallway? Is he shunning Elizabeth? Given his allegiance wholly to Darcy? And, will Darcy mend the fence with Jamie? Did Wickham really die-doubt it, his sort never get their due?
We need a promise that you will encourage the muse to write faster and also that you will publish this. I want a copy (soon!).
Thank you so much for another superb chapter Tanya.
It's posting an even bigger surprise than the last one!
I must admit I had to stop reading it at one stage, when Darcy was admitting he would let Elizabeth go, if she still wanted it. God! what desolation and sadness. I just wept! And Elizabeth! I could have shaken her!
Darcy, desperate in his need to know if she had a care for him. She just couldn't tell him. What utter despair they both suffered.
Their reconcilliation was just so real .........I don't think it was desire they felt, but it was there obviously, more a need for comfort, physical and emotional.
Darcy and Jamie still haven't made their peace.....I feel there is more to come...... and Jamie is a little suspicious of why Elizabeth is staying. Did Darcy force her?? WE know he did not... and she has told him she cares for Darcy. We will see..but I think their day of reckoning regarding their past troubles will come.
And of course there is Wickham............I do not think for one minute that he is dead...that would be too easy! And Tanya has mentioned the owl ring again in this post ....is it a clue?
And Valerie and the letter............... that problem needs to be addressed as well, I suspect.
Not who wrote the letter, but were the contents the truth??
You have spoiled us a bit Tanya with two chapters so close together, please do not wait too long to post again.
And please not to much angst .......some little angst is ok with me, but not big D&E angst. Separation angst! Just couldn't take it!
Simply the best chapter so far because D & E are reunited. You're writing I don't have to tell you is superb.I was reading this at work in the wee hours of the morning and tears are just flowing,my co-workers was worried if I received a terrible news.SIGH!I just hope that it's not too long for the next post. Thank you once again.
annj
Awesome chapter, Tanya! I have a big, stupid smile on my face, and you are directly responsible.
Thank you.
Debbie
How very happy I was to see a new update so soon and what a glorius chapter it is! The only sadness was in thinking that it might be ending soon -- except that would put us out of our bittersweet misery. Then I saw the message that the story is not ending soon and that is good news indeed. More bittersweet misery is on the way -- and more deliciously satisfying writing -- and more of these characters who have lept off the page and become real as well as a part of our hearts. What a gift, Tanya. Thank you. However, sometimes that Lizzy drives me a little crazy -- I have to keep reminding myself how young she is.
The emotion in this chapter was so convincing and real. I found myself in tears and also remembering vividly the pain of my own father's death. I also felt the immense relief when E&D finally found their way back to each other. What a wonderfully appealing vulnerable Darcy, openly declaring his need for her. What excruciatingly poignant moments that only made reconciliation so much more fulfilling.
It makes sense that there is much more to this story as there are still big issues at stake. Tanya is not one to gloss over these things and will take her sweet time to make certain each detail comes together. She is a writer that we can trust not to be hasty or rash.
But like someone else has said, now that we've had two installments so close together, it will be even harder if we must wait long. However, we will wait. This is an amazing and wonderful story that we have remained faithful to for quite some time.
Thank you again, Tanya, for sharing your gift with us.
I also have a question: What did Darcy mean when he says, " 'Elizabeth, you do know I have never-....Not in word or deed." Losing this one battle, he closed his eyes his expression pained." What does "Losing this one battle" refer to -- which battle?
Ophelia, I have been thinking about the above question and I think Darcy has decided to be truthful with Elizabeth about past events.
The spectre of Valerie and that night at Vauxhall Gardens and the knowledge that Elizabeth knows about it has probably played on his conscience and he will try to be honest when the topic comes up.
However, he did not know about Miss Bingley's affection for him, therefore he could not be honest with her! Therefore he lost that battle. It pained him because he desperately wants to be honest with Elizabeth ..... he WAS honest with her... because he did not know!
But I believe he will face the question of Valerie soon and I hope ha handles it well.
I don't know whether any of that makes sense!
I think your comments are interesting, Deirdre. They made me think, but it still seems odd that he would say one thing and mean another if he's trying to be honest. Someone suggested earlier on this thread that we don't know what happened with Valerie, but we do. He was impotent and realized he couldn't "love one woman and bed another."
It seems clearer and clearer that Caroline wrote the letter. But what the heck is she doing there? is she Lord Gregory's companion? Does Gregory look so bad because he realizes she loves Darcy, not him? Or because he's genuinely grieved about Mr. Darcy's death. Did they stay in the same room? Why else would she be there? She's not a particular friend of Darcy's.
I can't decide if some of these puzzles are, on the part of Tanya, witting or unwitting (she has nothing to reproach herself with though: Shakespeare did that all the time -- forgot something he had written earlier and writes a puzzling line later that seems to be perplexing and make one scratch her head.)
I trust Tanya's unconscious perceptions and conscious skill to continue to give us one of the best stories in fanfiction.
you don't know how excited i was to see that tanya had updated strange bedfellows. its one of my all time favorite fan fictions to date. I just hope she keeps updating and doesn't leave her readers in suspense! Its such a great story, and so well written. Bravo tanya!
Wow! What wonderful updates! I had some crisis at home for the last few mths and now all is looking good, thus am going back to fanfic, and here i got to read Tanya's 2 new chapters!
Finally they have come to an understanding and i hope they will trust each other enough to go thru whatever that is coming to disrupt their lives. Hope we don't have to wait too long for your next update, tanya! Big thanks for this great story!
Hi Lacy
Can I just pick you up on one thing in your post - Darcy certainly does know about the letter.
Lord Gregory showed it to him. He also told Darcy when Elizabeth asked if any of it was true he lied. He said Darcy thought too much of her to dishonour her.Something like that, there was more but I cannot remember without reading that part again.
So in my view Darcy has big guilt about this episode.
As regards the conjecture part of our posts well... everything is in the eye of the beholder or the mind of the reader!
Part of the joy and fun of reading a story for me is imagining what the author meant by this, that or the other! Rightly or wrongly!
I might be totally off the plot with all my theories but boy is it good fun!
Lacy, I think Tanya is smart enough to know that neither Deirdra nor I meant any negativity. I compared Tanya to Shakespeare, and one can't do better than that. Plus she strikes me as someone who doesn't need defenders. To generate so much enjoyment and speculation is a great compliment. I just came from a JASNA meeting, and all we did was speculate about Austen's books. One starts with the words on the page and tries to tease out meaning. And so ideas flow, and people of good will may disagree.
But, point taken. I'll try to read more closely, something I've been telling my literature students to do for the past 30 years -- a skill that is never fully mastered, or there would be no material for dissertations.
And, uh, Darcy did know about the letter. Lord Gregory told him. I would also ask you to read my earlier remarks more closely about inconsistencies. They happen all the time with the best of writers. That's what editors are for. There wasn't a whit of criticism implied for Tanya there.
Due respect and affection accepted. Now let's get back to our enjoyable discussion and let our wonderful Mrs Darcy (Renee) monitor any remarks that may seem untoward.
Susan
Two wonderful chapters, taking us through despair to hope. I am so glad to see Tanya back and posting! The account of Elizabeth's return and her gradual opening to Darcy's misery and desire was both beautiful and entirely credible.
Having worked for 20 years on and off in Kolkata (Calcutta), and having seen the graves of many of the British who came here in the city's several churches, I have really enjoyed Tanya's descriptions of the Raj.
I do want to go back and read the story from the start. In the process, I guess I may come up with inconsistencies, but it is a tribute to Tanya's work that we feel motivated to do that, and to subject her work to the literary critique more usually associated with published texts. It's intended as a compliment; and I hope that is how it will be received.
Thanks
JulietR
I was pleasantly surprised a week ago when I found, by accident, a new chapter, so imagine my shock when another one was posted. Dare I hope that posting will be regular from now on?
Now about the story, I'm glad for the reconciliation, it was a big step for them to admit that they don't want to be apart now or ever, but they still have a long way to go. In the previous chapter Elizabeth laid all the blame on Wickham and Darcy still doesn't feel that he has to explain anything to Elizabeth. Speaking of Wickham, I suppose he's not really dead, is he? That man pops up at the worst possible moment.
I'm also curious about Miss Bingley and Lord Gregory. Miss Bingley was displeased with him (or was it also the other way around?) and if I recall correctly Lord Gregory had mentioned that he had to take Darcy's scraps or something like that. But since, the story is far from complete I hope we'll get some answers on that front.
Anyway, Tanya, thank you for continuing this story. It is one of my favourites and the only JA fanfic I'm following these days.
First off - kudos to Tanya for a wonderful story! I'm so happy she posted earlier than I would have imagined - after a loong hiatus...
I just found an ironic part in the story(minor detail):
*scene: Elizabeth asked to see Mr Darcy Senior...
Inside the room, Darcy set his taper upon the mantel. Elizabeth shivered, cuddled more tightly into her shawl
....during her conversation with Darcy Junior, still in the same room...
She shivered and regretted not having her shawl with her.
oopsss
Tanya,
I'm glad to see that things are finally coming along. I'm happy to see Jamie and Malvina happy with a Tommy and that Lizzy has decided to stay with Darcy and be his Mistress of Pemberley. I could feel Lizzy's pain at not seeing Mr. Darcy one last time, however. I felt a bit sorry for Caroline. Not a lot... just a bit, but I'm sure that will pass.
I'm not sure as to Wickham's fate. Is he really dead or is the presumption a wish? Something in my gut says he will be back. And with him, the truth as to the hatred between Will and Wickham.
Aimee
Copy of the comments on Strange Bedfellows for which the posters opened a new thread:
Oh my Gosh Tanya that was a nice long chapter full of wonderful happenings with James' return, marriage and birth of his and Mel's son. And of course longing for Elizabeth and William to finally connect again. I hope you tell us how William has been fairing in the next chapter, its been awhile since we have heard much of him and his family. Thanks again and of course I will be looking forward to the next chapter.
Julia42
I am soooooooooooooo excited to see a new chapter. I'm glad that E is realizing what a mistake she has made. I wonder what Darcy has been doing all this time. I hope he has been a good boy. This couple does not need any more problems of the past to crop up. Tanya, I loved it all and am anxiously awaiting more. Especially since I can't see how you can avoid the subject of Darcy and Elizabeth. Malvina has helped her and I believe she will continue to do so in her reconcilation with Darcy. Hopefully there will be one. Please post soon!!!! Thank you!
Cindy
first off thankyou for posting and such a long one.
now that mal and jamie have pretty much found there happy ending i hope to see more of lizzy and darcy. i fear the only thing that can bring their stubburn-heads back together is an illness with either one of them. she was chilled in the last scene, so it is a possibility.
2 years is a long wait for these two. she is no long an innocent naive child that she once was. i'm glad mal enlightened her about wickham.
some questions on my mind:
why has he still not sought her out eventhough, it is almost been 2 years? u would think that after 2 years he would propelled to do something.
why was he with miss bingley? i know he was friends with her brother, but still.
why did he not acknowledge her? at least lord gregory bowed to her.
why hasnt mr darcy sr. sought her out after all this time? she visted that once early on, but not since
why is jamie so mad that darcy was there? i thought he had reconciled all that in the past
thankyou, thankyou for posting. please, i'm grovelling here, please don't take so long to post next time. in the meantime i will be your loyal fan who checks often for upadates
Mags
Hi Tanya, It's wonderful to see you posted a new chapter! I reread SB to refreash my memory about this excellant story! Although,Regency life moves extremely slow compared to our day,I am a little depressed about the amount of time that has past between D&E 's estangement! The only conclusion I come to is your using time to heal the pain and mature both characters! Since you implied that both are truly in love with each other there only happiness is with each other! Looks like your bringing them together by passings ,which should stur those deep true love feelings they have repressed for so long to there hearts once more! One can only hope there pain and suffering will come to an end soon! Thanks so much for your continuing this story it is greatly appreciated ! Post again soon,PLEASE!!!!!
DLSchickel
What a wonderful, emotional, gripping, sad chapter! I'm so glad to finally read about Darcy and Elizabeth back together and the romance in this story is better than any other one I've read. Glad to hear it's not ending yet and I just hope that my heart can stand the waiting!
Ara
Great chapter. I'm so glad that Jamie & Malvina are together and happy.
Now Elizabeth needs to find a way to work things out with Darcy.
Love your writing...
Leona
What a truly fantastic surprise!
I was whooping for joy when I saw an update from Tanya!
It was a wonderful chapter - but the tension!
I thought Malvena would never tell Elizabeth about Wickham but of course she had more important things to worry about. Jamie's safety being one of them! And the birth of their child.
I loved how you got through both their journeys from India without too much angst and got Malvena to Elizabeth...... and finally warn her of Wickham's charater. But Elizabeth had already worked most of that out herself which made the parting from Darcy all the more painful and fraught.
She is now a little bit older and wiser and more mature but at what cost?
Malvena's strength of character and her maturity shone through in her talk with Elizabeth.
But also the change in Elizabeth began to show as well. She knows she was a fool to believe Wickham......and has probably lost Darcy for ever, in her eyes.
And then the end of the chapter.............
What a place to leave it .........
Now that Jamie knows Elizabeth's true feelings for Darcy will he intervene?
I am in great anticipation of Jamie and Darcy's meeting .............they must meet sometime!
Will Darcy have seen in Elizabeth the same 'intense sadness' as was etched on his face?
Someone must make the first move...but who will it be?
Please please please post soon Tanya.
PS
What a great day this has turned out to be!!
Deirdra
Chapter 29
Thank you, Tanya for making today so special. I was hoping that we'd get a new post soon and you gave it today. This was the story that got me hooked on JAFF. Without it I wouldn't have joined any other groups or boards looking for more of your story.
I'm glad about Jamie and Mal. It was very touching, but I'm really dying for D and E! Please let it be soon, even if they are fighting!
Amy Lynn
Tanya,
Thank you so much for this new posting. I have enjoyed this story from the beginning. It is one of my all time favorites.
It seems that all the characters are together in England, but I fear that Wickham is not dead and with Jamie's missing ring, he will still attempt some further damage against Malvina and Jamie.
As for Darcy and Elizabeth, I can only hope that you will be able to bring them back together before the end.
Thank you so much and I will be diligently looking for more soon, I hope.
Sandy C
Thank you! thank you! i wonder f Darcy knew it was her bother whos acted in that private way with her? Did they know eahe other? I don't remember, but I think not!...did I guess right the plot?...
One of the best story I ever read!
Anushca
OMG you made my day with your new post of Strange Bedfellows!!!!! I loved it, and my heart is aching for Darcy and Lizzy. I cannot wait for the next chapter hurry please.
Thanks for making my day!!
Teri
Dear Tanya,
Thank you, for continuing with this wonderful story.
I loved that you have resolved Jamie's life (bringing him back to England, Marrying him, and having him become a father to a son the heir of Longbourn). You even got Elizabeth to learn that Wickham was evil and that she was happy with her husband and that she misses him and yes she loves him. She even got to see him. Pleas post soon!!!
FDE
Dear Tanya,
Thank you for another great chapter!!!
I loved that so many things got corrected with Jamie (back in England, married, and a son). I'm so happy that Elizabeth know that Wickham was not a good man and that she cares for her husband. She realizes that she was happy with him and she realizes that she wants him but she doesn't think he wants her. Can Jamie talk to Darcy and let him know that his sister loves him. Pleas post soon! Thank you for not giving up on this story. I love it your writing is beautiful.
Love ya,
FDE
Thank you thank you thank you!!!! words cannot describe how happy I was to be reading this brand new chapter of Strange Bedfellows. I really feel that I cannot say more than thank you so much all over again, times ten if I may..:p
It makes me feel teary, happy, amorous and alive~~~~
But it doesn't really feel like the story is quite done... and secretly, I don't want it to be:) I'm ever so happy we've gone over the major angst...*whew* what a hump! But it's just one of the many pleasures to know that this story might still be going on and on...
thank you so much again for all your hardwork!!
OMG!!!!! I was in the middle of studying for one of my finals when I took a small break and magically ended up at Mrs. Darcy's site (go figure). I can not tell you how happy I was to see that you POSTED! I jumped off the bed, yelled and did a little dance. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good and so worth the wait! Little Tommy that was a wonderful surprise and the part about Ruth was perfect. It takes a great writer to create OC that the reader cares for almost as much as the original main ones. And you have done this with Jamie, Mal, Ruth, and Old Mr. Darcy. But my favorite part was when Darcy and Elizabeth meet again, I screamed with happiness!
Kathryn
P.S. After rereading this post I think that I might be coming across crazy or something but the truth is that I really do not have the words to tell you how much I LOVE your story and writing and have loved it for so long. (Close to four years. WOW! has it really been that long) Keep it up you are an amazing writer.
I was so happy to see that you had posted new chapters. I couldn't believe it when I saw you were writing and Elizabeth and Darcy after what seems like forever. Then, not only did they finally meet again after all that time, they reconciled. Hooray! I have been waiting for this for a very long time. Thanks so much for bringing them back together! I am still curious what the big untold secret is, but hope that there won't be too much angst involved (or at least not a few years worth next time).
Thanks so much for posting new material. This is my all time favorite P&P fanfic and I had started to worry that I would never get to see them reunited. You made my day.
I feel like I've been following this story for years. I had to go back and read from chapter 22 on to get caught up.
Tanya ... you are so talented! This is such a complex story with seeds planted all along the way. I am currently living in fear that Wickham was the one who passed the maps to the enemy and will somehow frame Jamie for it using the Owl ring. I always knew Wickham was bad but his evilness in this story knows no bounds! I know Darcy and Jamie will reconcile but I fear Darcy will have to somehow save Jamie when Wickham's true evil acts are found out. Hopefully, he will not have to bring up the past. Now my imagination is running away from me!!! We have been so fortunate to get two very long quick posts ... I'll wait patiently for the next!
Anne
Wonderful story- thank you soooooo much for continuing it. You are a very talented author.
Tanya I'm so glad to be able to read more of this wonderful story.
Keep writing; you rock
Tanya, let me say that you are my favourit fanfic author ever! I read this story for the first time a year ago. It gives me great hope now that you've continued it. Pleas, your style and wit, portrayals and emotions are all terrific! I would be delighted to see a conclusion to "Strange bedfellows"
Sincerest regard
Elizabeth Julianne
When you love JA fanfiction as much as I do, and read as much of it it as I do, then it really takes something for a story to rise to the top of my list. Your story is something special to me--really--and I know I love and praise a lot of things and mean all of it--but yours, this story--I am speechless actually.
How long do you expect it will be? I could see this going on for another 30 chapters--or more!, and while I wish I could have them all right now, I know I am going to be sad when this ends. But still lots of story left, I hope???
First of all: I simply couldn't believe my eyes!!! not one but TWO chapters! and it's not even christmas
and how happy to see mal and jamie together *_* I wanted to cry when they met at the Serpentine! and a little one for them too, isn't it sweet! they deserve some happiness and quiet life!
but but but, obviously what I'm dying to talk about is lizzy and darcy... oh my god, wasn't it about time they met again!!!!
I think - and I'm glad I was not the only one here XD - I positively shouted at my screen trying to knock some sense into lizzy! especially during the talk near the fire and the morning after they made love. Good God lizzy, TALK! SAY SOMETHING! YOU STUPID GIRL! (you should have seen me...)
but lucky for us darcy is so in love he couldn't stand to see her cry, and that saved us... for now at least!
my theory is that we'll see more angst between the two, too many things unsolved still.
and:
I agree with most of you that Wickham is not dead. I think he has the ring and will use it to seduce Georgiana once she is out of Darcy and Lizzy's sight. She is now sixteen and might leave home with a new companion (Mrs. Young. she might be approached by a handsome old, long lost friend of her brother who has a ring to prove his close ties to her brother. Frightening thought.
Posted by: Sue
This is the best fanfic ever and this chapter was brimming with hearfelt emotiona nd dripping with passion and angst. Please write more soon and then publish it.
drsuebee
I cannot believe I've deprived myself of happiness all this time. ;-) I didn't even bother checking for posts, and here were two WONDERFUL ones sitting here all this time! I'm as bad as Lizzy.
God, I loved that last chapter!! Honestly, Jamie & Mal don't interest me that much (please don't be mad at me!), I'm there for Lizzie & Darcy!!! And I'm SO glad that they're FINALLY together!!!! But I would like to see them talk about the who.. I mean the "mistress" thing... Because, like Elizabeth, I would not feel quite secure untill I knew there was nothing between him and the bit.. woman. She needs to see that she is beautiful too.
I keep wondering if Valerie is going to rear her ugly head and cause trouble. She is in love with Darcy and even though we haven't heard of her, I'm sure she has been keeping tabs on Darcy. She is in love with him ins't she or at least was hoping she could keep him for herself. I just want to read more. There are a few unanswered questions. Please post soon! By the way, I am also selfish when it comes to E & D. I like Jamie and Mal, but could live without much detail.
My God, they're together again! Thanks so much, Tanya!
I'm so curious about what's going to happen from now on... Please, update as soon as you can.
Kisses
Curious little italian monkey here to check if there is any chance we might have a new chapter to read for the holidays?!
^_^ ciao to tanya and all SB fans
Wow!!!! RL has kept me away from the wonderful world of JA for too long, and I couldn't be more thrilled to come back and see new posts (plural!) for Strange Bedfellows. It is the first JA fiction I've ever read, and it's without a doubt my favorite.
This last chapter, especially, was beautiful. I know that Darcy and Elizabeth have several major issues that still need sorting (which means more story for the greedy readers!), but hopefully they're on the same page now. Both of them know that they want this marriage to work, so they have the freedom to be honest and sort through their problems. I can't wait to see them mend and grow. Tanya, you write so beautifully and give everything so much depth that is often lacking, and I'm excited to see where you take it from here. Thank you! And thank you, Renee, for posting this story on your site!
P.S. These new chapters and my long absence give me an excuse to re-read the story again! I can't wait!