Darcy's Courtesan: A Sensual "Pride & Prejudice" Variation by Abbey North ★★★★☆
Mr Bennet died. Mr Collins inherited Longbourn and immediately moved in, with his wife Charlotte.
Mrs Bennet and her daughters would have been homeless without Charlotte’s intercession. Instead, they reside in a small cottage on Longbourn estate.
Around the same time, Lydia eloped with Mr Wickham and was never heard of again, thus blighting the Bennet family reputation.
For two years, they live in genteel poverty. Then, the now widowed Mr Collins wants to have Elizabeth as his second wife and will not take no for an answer.
Elizabeth, Jane and Kitty flee to London. Their ruined reputation means that Uncle Gardner cannot help.
Elizabeth looks for work with little success, when a chance meeting with an old acquaintance opens up a whole new world!
Elizabeth decides to undergo training as a courtesan at Tigerlily, an upmarket bawdy house.
Fitzwilliam Darcy once proposed to Elizabeth and seeks to divert Elizabeth from her chosen course.
When Elizabeth is determined and refuses a second offer of marriage, he offers to undertake her training, instead of the staff at Tigerlily.
Elizabeth is
installed in Darcy House with her sisters and learning the skills necessary for a courtesan, whilst trying to hide her actions from Jane and Kitty.
Elizabeth discovers a deep and abiding passion with Fitzwilliam.
It only deepens her love for him.
She had refused his offer of marriage to protect him from scandal, as she thought Darcy only offered as a duty.
She wonders if there is any hope that he might love her again. Can she ever be more than Darcy’s pupil?
Meanwhile she must make plans for the future and starts to look for a Protector, who wants a mistress.
Darcy is afraid of further rejection, so keeps his feelings to himself. He struggles with jealousy and hurt, that Elizabeth wants to move on to a Protector. In order to keep her close, he offers to make her his permanent mistress.
Elizabeth accepts his offer with relief. She loves him and would have struggled to cope with intimacy with anyone else.
Darcy tries to offer marriage, but for a long time Elizabeth resists, convinced that the scandal would ruin Darcy’s family reputation.
Eventually she recognises that love still exists between them, allowing her to soften her stance.
As Elizabeth is introduced as Fitzwilliam’s betrothed, she is on the cusp of obtaining everything in the world that could make her happy.
However, an old enemy sees the opportunity for blackmail which may mire them all in scandal.
Said enemy meets a very satisfying denouement!
Appearances from an unrepentant Mrs Bennet and the odious Lady Catherine add flavour.
A happy ending is guaranteed and is very pleasing.
Sensuality with the deepest love. Elizabeth and Darcy are delightful.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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