The Mystery of the Missing Heiress: A Pride and Prejudice Variation Novella

By Riana Everly

It is the summer of 1811 and Fitzwilliam Darcy is consumed with worry. His sister and her new companion were expected at Pemberley three weeks ago, but they seem to have vanished into the air. Is Georgiana safe? Is she even still alive? And is Mrs. Younge a victim in some nefarious plan or is she behind the disappearance?

Darcy's friend Ecclesford tells him of a smart young investigator who might be able to help... and at the same time he might help Ecclesford with a romantic problem of his own.

In this prequel variation to Pride and Prejudice, private investigator Alexander Lyons makes his debut and sets his remarkable intellect to work to help Ecclesford win his bride and to solve the mystery of the missing heiress!

This is a novella of about 19000 words.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Riana Everly
• Release date: Jun 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781777150440

Book preview

The Mystery of the Missing Heiress

A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE VARIATION NOVELLA

MISS MARY INVESTIGATES

BOOK ZERO

RIANA EVERLY

Contents

Missing Heiress

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

More from Alexander Lyons

Prologue

11. An Unpleasant Morning

About the Author

Other books by Riana Everly:

Missing Heiress

A PRIDE AND PREJUDICE VARIATION NOVELLA

By Riana Everly

RIANA EVERLY

THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING HEIRESS

Copyright © 2020 Riana Everly

All rights reserved.

Published by Bay Crest Press 2020

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

No parts of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. Under no circumstances may any part of this book be photocopied for resale.

This is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and situations within its pages and places or persons, living or dead, is unintentional and co-incidental

Cover art by Hadassah Swayze

Cover design by Mae Phillips at coverfreshdesigns.com

ISBN-13: 978-1-7771504-4-0

Vellum flower icon Created with Vellum

Acknowledgments

The person I have to thank the most for this novella is Mary Bennet, who does not even appear in it! She was the inspiration behind the Miss Mary Investigates series, and it was through her that I met my new hero, Alexander Lyons, star of this story.

In the first full novel in the series, Death of a Clergyman, I refer to the history Alexander and Mr. Darcy have from when Alexander found Darcy’s missing sister. Then one of my beta readers asked me, What happened in that story?

This is where we find out.

I hope you enjoy it.

One

THE MISSING HEIRESS

Fitzwilliam Darcy picked up his drink, put it down again, and then, as if coming to some earth-shaking decision, picked it up once more. He did not drink, but held it in his hand as if it held the answers to the universe.

Darcy? You have been out of sorts all evening. I have yet to get two words of sense out of you. What is the matter? Peter Ecclesford, tall and slim and very fair, peered out from behind a pair of owlish spectacles.

Darcy blinked and put down his brandy once more.

Forgive me, Ecclesford, he sighed at last. I confess to being… distracted. No, disturbed. Greatly disturbed. I cannot find word of her anywhere. Darcy crossed his legs and shifted in his chair. No position seemed comfortable. He placed one ankle on the opposite knee, as his aunt had chastised him never to do, and shook his head. 

Will it help to tell me? I may be able to help. Ecclesford’s look was sincere and Darcy knew his friend was correct. The two had been schoolmates at Eton as boys, friendly but never friends, and then parted ways when one went to Oxford and the other Cambridge for university. It was only as men that they were reintroduced and developed the friendship that had eluded them as lads. Ecclesford would never quite be as intimate a friend as Darcy’s cousin Richard, but his company was always pleasant and Darcy was never upset to spend some time in the other man’s company. He had both native intelligence and a thoughtful manner, and he often had some insight into matters that proved useful.

Yes. Darcy trained his dark eyes on his friend. Perhaps I shall. Heaven knows, it has been gnawing at me and perhaps my pain shall be lessened with the telling of it. Now he finally raised the glass to his lips and took a sip. The sun still brightened the sky, despite the progression of the day into evening, and it shone clearly through the spotless windows of the club, illuminating the amber liquid and glinting off the fine crystal of the vessel. The brandy slid down his throat and Darcy fell back into his chair to relate his woes to his friend.

My sister, Georgiana… He looked up and Ecclesford nodded. Ecclesford had met Georgie once or twice when he had come to dine at Darcy’s town house, but the two had exchanged no more than four of five words in all the time they had known each other. You see, the thing is, Georgiana has disappeared.

Ecclesford stiffened and his pale blue eyes widened behind their lenses. Disappeared?

Darcy nodded. She had been at school, but was most unhappy there, and I resolved to find her a companion instead. The two seemed to rub along well together, and I was pleased with my decision. They were supposed to join me up at Pemberley at the start of July. I had planned their journey from London to the last detail, and knew to the hour when they ought to arrive, but… his voice trailed off.

They never arrived? The pale eyes blinked.

Just so. Darcy let out a bottomless breath and collapsed further into his chair. I sent messengers to every stop, every hotel, every toll gate between my estate and London, and not a soul had seen them. It was as if they had disappeared into the ether. I made immediately for London and have been searching for them since. Richard, he mentioned his cousin, a colonel in the regulars, has been at it with me, for we are joint guardians under the terms of my father’s will, and even with his military connections, we have found nothing. Nothing! His long frame seemed to shrink as he spoke.

Ecclesford’s expression was mild, but his mind was shrewd. She is wealthy, I presume.

Why, yes! What had this to do with her disappearance? She has a dowry of thirty thousand pounds.

More than enough to entice many a lover. Oh, that I had such a problem. These last words were muttered under the blond man’s breath. Could she have been taken advantage of by some unscrupulous man, or otherwise be sought for her fortune? An heiress with that sort of wealth is not to be ignored!

Oh God… Darcy had briefly considered this possibility but immediately discarded it, more from wishing it not to be so than from any solid evidence to the contrary. What am I to do?

Ecclesford took a drink from his own brandy glass. Allow me, if I may, to tell you a story. Afterwards I shall explain it. Darcy nodded and his friend began to speak.

As you know, I am the fourth son of a baron. My lineage is impeccable, he grinned in self-deprecation, but my finances are not. I must support myself, make my own way in the world.

This Darcy understood well. His cousin Richard, despite being the son of an earl, must rely on his military commission for his livelihood. He nodded and his friend continued.

"I undertook to study the law, which I enjoyed, and have joined my uncle in his practice. Some time ago, perhaps two years, a most interesting case