Love Inside and Out

By Moira Bianchi

Love can be whimsical; it takes pleasure in finding torturous ways to play with destiny.

It can be rather complicated to acknowledge, then deeply cherished, then painfully ripped away leaving hopelessness behind.

Other times it can be delayed and take forever to unite people who were always meant to be together.

And it can be fooled and played with, at the same time fondled and duped by young apprentices of its own art. How exciting it is to find one have been used as Cupid’s bullseye? A young heart taken over by overwhelming passion can find its equal in amusing and unexpected situations.

Whimsical, difficult, foolish... Isn't Cupid a spoilt child?

In three independent stories Apollo and Daphne play with Cupid as much as they are played with, intertwined by coincidences and similarities. This collection may be read together or separate, in any sequence. Aside from the different plots, the stories share peacocks, swans, liqueur, small books, slippers and carriages. Also servants and their own subplots developed differently in each story, Venice and the meager power women had over their own lives in the 19th century. Part of the fun lies on searching and identifying these elements.

3rd act is ‘Love inside and out’: A good humored Pride and Prejudice ‘what if‘. At the Hunsford Parsonage, by chance Darcy overhears a fateful discussion between Elizabeth and a newlywed Charlotte. Most intrigued by learning the fetching Miss Bennett is being blackmailed, he immediately claims the task of protecting her honor but learns he’s not her only protector...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Moira Bianchi
• Release date: Jan 25, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370602674

Moira Bianchi

A 40 years old architect and human engineer addicted to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice from the moment she first read ‘...Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her.’ After years consuming Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in fanfiction, movies, TV series and what else; she decided to try her hand on writing and loved it. Married for almost twenty years, mother a tyrant prince of her own, Moira lives in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Book preview

Copyright

LOVE IN THREE ACTS is a work of fiction inspired by Jane Austen´s Pride and Prejudice. Names, characters, places and incidents either are a product of the author´s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

Most characters come from Ms Austen’s novels, a few from Shakespeare’s Richard III and although several characteristics and situations are presents, their names are freely and respectfully used.

Each ‘Act’ is named after a famous song from the 70’s and 80’s. The introduction describes ‘Venus and Cupid with Satyr’ by Antonio Allegri da Correggio and Luca Cambiaso. Opening the book are ‘Titania and Oberon’ though. The author has no rights over any of these works but is greatly thankful for the inspiration.

Rights to Ms. Austen´s work belong to her legacy.

Cover by Bianchi and Neiva. www.ideias&kits.com

Work registered at EDA Biblioteca Nacional – Ministério da Cultura – Brasil - 2015.

www.moirabianchi.com

Copyright © 2015 Moira Bianchi

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

ISBN-13: 978-1542594363

ISBN-10: 1542594367

LOVE in three ACTS

Moira Bianchi

Rio de Janeiro – 2017

Moira in Petticoats

A word from the Author

Writing Historical romance was something I never thought myself capable of, always feared such an enterprise but suddenly I was struck with a very plausible thought: a man, especially a rich one, probably did whatever he wanted in spite of propriety (if he could disguise it) and not even the object of his affection would have a strong voice over his whims.

I have a slight resistance to historical romances in which the heroine loses her will and personality once married or engaged-to-be-married. Discussions of Austen’s pre-feminist value are long and passionate, I’ve witnessed a few even, and it’s not my intention to dwell in that field.

So, here are my versions of what a courageous lady could be back in the day… Of course, they are in no way accurate enough – I’m not a historian, neither researched enough to write a bible on the matter, I’m simply having fun…

In three acts, love struggles and fights with fate.

1st act is ‘Love hurts’: A continuation of my beloved Pride and Prejudice. In the first blissful months of her new life as Mrs. Darcy, Elizabeth finds out what is expected of her and Darcy discovers he is the one in need of adjustment.

2nd act is ‘Eclipse of the heart’: An alternative universe for Pride and Prejudice. Fate plays Darcy and Elizabeth well and they only meet several years after the Bingleys’ wedding. As life hasn’t been kind to both of them, they find in each other not only friendship or solace but also love and hope.

3rd act is ‘Love inside and out’: A good humored Pride and Prejudice ‘what if‘. At the Hunsford Parsonage, by chance Darcy overhears a fateful discussion between Elizabeth and a newlywed Charlotte. He is most intrigued by learning the fetching Miss Bennett is being blackmailed and immediately claims the task of protecting her honor but learns he’s not her only protector...

The three stories are independent although they share characters and situations. They may be read together or separate, in any sequence.

Always and truly, I dedicate this book to my husband and son who still don’t think I’m crazy for obsessing about Pride and Prejudice this much.

Have fun, dear reader.

M.

Table of contents

Moira in Petticoats

Contradictions and varieties

THIRD ACT

LOVE INSIDE AND OUT

Eavesdropping

Competition

Secrets

Connections

Courtship

Paladins

A proposal

Engagements

Cleverly curious

Winner and losers

Anxiously curious

Epilogue

FIRST ACT

LOVE HURTS

THIRD ACT

ECLIPSE OF THE HEART

About the Author

Other titles by this Author

Contradictions and Varieties

Picture such scene: a beautiful woman is asleep in the woods in a sunny summer afternoon over a satin sheet of the deepest blue, a child peacefully napping by her side. Unbeknownst, a man is lustfully watching.

Or another: Also in the woods, a beautiful woman is playing with a child and as she is taller, she teases him holding his toy above her head. Lurking on the side, a man tries to steal the child’s remaining toys.

Lovely scenes or intriguing images?

The beautiful woman is Venus (in Roman mythology, or Aphrodite in Greek), the Goddess of love, beauty, desire and prosperity.

The child is Cupid (Eros in Greek mythology), sometimes pictured as her son who as a naughty child exposing her to danger at times, protecting with his arrows at others.

The man is a foreigner, a by-passer, uninvited and unwanted but so very important to the scene. Satyr, a man with horse-like legs and tail , seduced by Venus’ beauty even when Cupid doesn’t stir him towards her.

No matter the differences between the versions of the mythological scene, the feminine power is latent. She controls both the man and the child; her power is natural, effortless.

Power to control love itself… How seductive.

What one wouldn’t give to control her own heart, to stop it from bleeding and find a way to solve the difficulties placed in love’s way?

Or what one wouldn’t pay to find love after her life was played with by Cupid, by fate, by bad luck? How valuable is courage to acknowledge an old heart can indeed find love again?

And, how exciting it is to find her own heart has been used as Cupid’s bullseye? A young heart taken over by overwhelming passion can find its equal in amusing and unexpected situations.

The three stories in this collection are united by Aphrodite, teased by Cupid, challenged by Satyr while playing with Daphne and Apollo. Part of the fun lies on the search for the way they are depicted.

Also, dear reader, you may find it amusing to discover the stories are linked in a subversive whimsical way by peacocks, swans, liqueur, small books, slippers and carriages. Three different ways to play with common elements of 19th century life.

Oh, and there is Venice; the meager power women had over their own lives back then; contraceptives …

THIRD ACT

LOVE INSIDE AND OUT

This story, with its own contradictions, swerves from Pride and Prejudice’s Chapter 30 in a slightly big variation…

Eavesdropping

‘I don’t understand you, Lizzy.’

Eye roll.

‘You used to fight back when someone cornered you.’

Deep sigh.

‘You can pretend to ignore me but-’

Elizabeth looked up as the door opened.

‘Mrs. Collins.’

Charlotte raised a hand to shush the maid without wavering her defiant stare.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. ‘Miss Bingley has not got me cornered.’ A listless and unreliable statement.

‘She has and unbelievably you, of all people, accepted her blackmail.’

At the smallish foyer, two pairs of similar green eyes regarded each other in disbelief.

‘Pray, Charlotte, don’t blame me. It would be my ruin if she decided to babble…’ Elizabeth’s shoulders sagged. ‘It was most unfortunate to have been discovered by her.’

The green eyes were wide now, brows raised.

‘Mrs. Collins, I-’

‘Hanna, just a moment.’ Charlotte asked impatiently. ‘Look, she proved she meant it when she took her brother away after you refused her scheme. I thought you’d fight back when she said you were better than Jane for Mr. Bingley…’ there was latent disappointment in her tone.

One pair of green eyes had now a flash of jealous contempt.

‘Ma’am?’ The maid tried again impatiently.

‘Wait, Hanna.’ Charlotte pressed Elizabeth with a slight turn of her head to glance at the maid.

‘Well…’ Elizabeth felt her stomach churn and repented from having eaten anything at all for breakfast. ‘If Ms. Bingley decides to make my life more difficult, I can spend a sojourn in Scot with your cousins, Charlotte.’

‘My cousin seemed partial to you last time he visited Meryton...’ She smiled sideways, the owner of the upset green eyes squirmed, the maid shifted form foot to foot. ‘But would you run?’ Charlotte asked incredulously.

‘It may solve a few problems.’ Elizabeth shrugged and waved her brows at the maid.

‘Yes, Hanna.’ Charlotte sighed.

‘You have callers, ma’am.’ The maid stifled a small grin of satisfaction. ‘Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy.’

Elizabeth’s face paled and her eyes widened, Charlotte was instantly on her feet. ‘Send them in, Hanna, please.’

‘If they heard us, Charlotte, prepare to die before you even become with child.’ Elizabeth whispered fiercely.

Charlotte shook a hand at her friend and put a smile on her face when the tall dashing gentlemen appeared all too soon in her morning parlor’s door. ‘Mr. Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what a delightful surprise!’

Darcy eyed Elizabeth the moment he stepped through the doorframe. She looked lovely in a light blue morning gown, her hair piled up on top of her head, cheeks rosy probably from long walks under the spring sun… How could ugly and boring Caroline Bingley ruin such an adorable vixen? What big secret this minx had?

‘Good morning, sir!’ Charlotte curtsied. ‘My friend Miss Elizabeth Bennett.’

Both men bowed. ‘Mrs. Collins. Pardon for this impromptu visit. You see, we arrived at our Aunt’s estate but an hour ago, so we were in dear need of amiable sensible conversation.’ Colonel Fitzwilliam said good-humored and was pleased to see one lady chuckle and the other laugh.

Elizabeth raised her hand to her lips a second after she saw Darcy’s eyebrow shot upwards with her reaction to his cousin’s tease. Her eyes continued to laugh though, for she considered the poor soldier was indeed bored to death of spending time with the brooding snob cousin of his.

‘Miss Elizabeth, may I enquire after your family?’ Darcy asked hoping her laughter would still come out and in his head he saw her dance towards him, hold his gloved hands and sit with him on a couch to tell a silly anecdote of one of her silly sisters. Instead, her face hardened and he barely heard her answer they were all in good health.

She was trying hard to command her mind to read his and try to find out if he had heard their conversation. Nothing much was said, the secret was not mentioned, could he dismiss Charlotte´s chitchat as gossip? She furiously hoped so…

He kept seated at a corner of the smallish parlor observing both ladies – mostly Elizabeth – and it was clear they were controlling their reactions. Yes, they were overheard and yes, oh how much he wanted to discover what evil Bingley’s sneering sister was doing to this lovely lady who still bewitched him so.

These last months since he left her in Hertfordshire, he had tried to forget about her eyes and impertinence but it seemed a curse: the more he remembered her liveliness and affectionate behavior to her sister, the more details came to his mind and suddenly no fencing or days spent in the club could deviate his mind from her arch smile. His fixation was coming to a point of wondering how much time he’s spend from Kent to Longbourn and for how long his valet disguise his absence on his aunt’s dinner table…

Casually he was told the parson’s bride had visits the moment he arrived.

Luckily he could confirm who this visit was.

The lovely little lady who, towards him, was all polite indifference; towards his cousin, smiles and teases.

Before the parlor’s door opened again, Darcy’s heart and mind made a few good agreements.

One: he would find out what this secret was;

Two: he would solve whatever problem Elizabeth had to render her free of any blackmail;

Three: if it was something he wouldn’t be able to solve, he would at least keep her safe.

The Fourth and last conclusion was obvious: he would not be without her.

And suddenly entered with alacrity a sweaty and giddy Mr. Collins. ‘My dear, my dear!’ He repeated in an exaggerated manner. ‘Charlotte, dear?’

‘Here, sir.’ She said pressing an apologetic smile.

‘The great Lady Catherine de Bourgh has her two nephews visiting-’ He stopped short in the middle of the small parlor, cheeks on fire. ‘Mr. Darcy.’ An obsequious low bow. ‘Colonel Fitzwilliam.’ Another.

Both man greeted him back.

‘I was not aware you had intentions of calling on us or I would have made myself available at the big house.’

‘Do not fret because of us, sir.’ The Colonel smiled sideways. ‘We took a walk and decided to pay our respects to the ladies. My cousin remembered Miss Bennett from his caring for the Bingley baby and- Ouch.’ He frowned looking at his anklet where Darcy had kicked.

‘But of course, I also made his acquaintance at Hertfordshire, during a most prestigious ball.’ A weird smile. ‘Lady Catherine has humbly invited us for te, my dear.’ He held his wife’s hand. ‘All of us.’ The weird smile was back, this time directed