Copyright Copyright © 2010 by Sharon Lathan Cover and internal design © 2010 by Sourcebooks, Inc. Cover photos © Getty Images/Benjamin Bathurst (1784-1809) (who disappeared mysteriously between Berlin and Hamburg while travelling with dispatches from Vienna), Bridgeman Art Library/Court Ball at the Hofburg, 1900 (w/c) Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks, Inc. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author. Poems quoted by Darcy in Chapter 9: “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” by Christopher Marlowe, 1599 “Your Smile Stops the Minutes” by Stephen Lathan, 1986 Published by Sourcebooks Landmark, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410 (630) 961-3900 FAX: (630) 961-2168 www.sourcebooks.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Lathan, Sharon. In the arms of Mr. Darcy : Pride and prejudice continues / Sharon Lathan. p. cm. 1. Darcy, Fitzwilliam (Fictitious character)--Fiction. 2. Bennet, Elizabeth (Fictitious character)--Fiction. 3. Married people--Fiction. 4. Marriage--Fiction. 5. England--Social life and customs--19th century--Fiction. 6. Domestic fiction. I. Austen, Jane, 1775-1817. Pride and prejudice. II. Title. III. Title: In the arms of Mister Darcy. PS3612.A869I55 2010 813’.6--dc22 2010018226 This novel is dedicated to my husband, Steve. For over twenty- four years this amazing man has proven to me what romance and true love are. The poem that Mr. Darcy writes and recites to Elizabeth while dancing on Twelfth Night was actually written for me by my husband, at the time my fiancé, and he still quotes it from memory often while gazing into my eyes, just as he did all those years ago. Because of him, my tale of happily- ever-after is possible. Honey, I love you forever! You truly are my soulmate, my blood and bone. Table of Contents Front Cover Title Page Copyright Dedication Cast of Characters Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Acknowledgments About the Author Back Cover Cast of Characters Fitzwilliam Darcy: Master of Pemberley in Derbyshire: 29 years of age, born November 10, 1787; married Elizabeth Bennet on November 28, 1816 Elizabeth Darcy: Mistress of Pemberley: 22 years of age, born May 28, 1795 Alexander Darcy: Heir to Pemberley; born November 27, 1817 Georgiana Darcy: 18 years of age; companion is Mrs. Annesley Colonel Richard Fitzwilliam: 33 years of age; cousin and dear friend to Mr. Darcy; second son of Lord and Lady Matlock; regiment stationed in London Lord Matlock: the Earl of Matlock: Darcy’s Uncle Malcolm, brother to Lady Anne Darcy; ancestral estate is Rivallain in Matlock, Derbyshire Lady Matlock: the Countess of Matlock: Darcy’s Aunt Madeline, wife to Lord Matlock Jonathan Fitzwilliam: Heir to the Matlock earldom, eldest Fitzwilliam son; wife is Priscilla Lady Annabella Montgomery: sister of Richard and Jonathan Fitzwilliam Charles Bingley: Longtime friend of Mr. Darcy; residence Hasberry Hall, Derbyshire; married Jane Bennet on November 28, 1816 Jane Bingley: elder sister of Elizabeth and eldest Bennet daughter; wife of Mr. Bingley Caroline Bingley: sister of Charles Bingley Louisa Hurst: married sister of Charles Bingley; husband is Mr. Arbus Hurst; residence London Mr. and Mrs. Bennet: Elizabeth’s parents; reside at Longbourn in Hertfordshire with two middle daughters, Mary and Kitty Mary Bennet: Elizabeth’s sister; middle Bennet daughter Joshua Daniels: betrothed to Mary Bennet; son and partner of Mr. Darcy’s London solicitor, Andrew Daniels Katherine (Kitty) Bennet: Elizabeth’s sister; fourth Bennet daughter Lydia Wickham: Elizabeth’s sister; youngest Bennet daughter; married to Lieutenant George Wickham, stationed in Newcastle Edward and Violet Gardiner: uncle and aunt of Elizabeth; reside in Cheapside, London Dr. George Darcy: Mr. Darcy’s uncle; brother to James Darcy; resides at Pemberley Lady Simone Fotherby: widowed Marchioness of Fotherby, Buckinghamshire Marchioness of Warrow: Darcy’s great-aunt; sister to his grandfather Sebastian Butler: grandson to Lady Warrow; future Earl of Essenton Lady Catherine de Bourgh: Mr. Darcy’s aunt; sister to Lady Anne Darcy; residence Rosings Park, Kent Anne de Bourgh: daughter of Lady Catherine; Mr. Darcy’s cousin Dr. Raul Penaflor Aleman de Vigo: betrothed to Miss de Bourgh Stephen Lathrop: Cambridge friend of Mr. Darcy; residence is Stonecrest Hall in Leicestershire; wife is Amelia Henry Vernor: family friend of the Darcys; residence is Sanburl Hall near Lambton, Derbyshire; wife is Mary, daughter is Bertha Gerald Vernor: son of Henry Vernor; childhood friend of Mr. Darcy; wife is Harriet; residence is Sanburl Hall Albert Hughes: childhood friend of Mr. Darcy; wife is Marilyn; residence is Rymas Park near Baslow Rory Sitwell: Derbyshire resident and Cambridge friend of Mr. Darcy; wife is Julia; residence is Reniswahl Hall near Staveley George and Alison Fitzherbert: Derbyshire residents and friends; residence is Brashinharm near Barlow Clifton and Chloe Drury: Derbyshire residents and friends; residence is Locknell Hall near Derby Charlotte Collins: Longtime friend of Elizabeth’s; married to Rev. William Collins; resides at Hunsford, rectory of Rosings Park in Kent Mrs. Reynolds: Pemberley housekeeper Mr. Taylor: Pemberley butler Mr. Keith: Mr. Darcy’s steward Samuel Oliver: Mr. Darcy’s valet Marguerite Oliver: Mrs. Darcy’s maid Phillips, Watson, Tillson, Georges, Rothchilde: Pemberley footmen Mr. Clark: Pemberley head groundskeeper Mr. Thurber: Pemberley head groomsman Mrs. Langton: Pemberley cook Mr. Anders: Pemberley head coachman Mr. Burr: Pemberley gamekeeper Mr. Holmes: falconer Mrs. Smyth: Darcy House housekeeper Mr. Travers: Darcy House butler Reverend Bertram: Rector of Pemberley Chapel Mrs. Hanford: Nanny to Darcy firstborn