Lizzy Bennet’s Diary: Chapter Ten by Cassandra Grafton

LBD 2005 SC3 painting1ALBD 1995 SC3 Painting1AIt’s time for the final extract from Lizzy’s journal as Lizzy Bennet’s Diary concludes below! I hope you have enjoyed them, and thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout the posting of the story. You are all brilliant!

A couple of things of note: firstly, as these extracts only cover Darcy and Elizabeth’s relationship as far as their engagement, they do not touch upon the US ending of the 2005 film; this chapter does, however, go a little beyond the UK ending, as I felt a little dissatisfied with it and wanted to end it a little more romantically! I hope you will forgive the liberty. 

Secondly, for anyone who has followed The Darcy Brothers, you will notice a similarity in a childhood name of Darcy’s near the end of the chapter. This is not coincidence – I first used it back in 2006 when I wrote this story and recalled it when writing a particular scene in The Darcy Brothers and decided to use it there too!

If you’ve missed the other chapters, you can find them in the Readers’ Library here at Austen Variations.


 

Lizzy Bennet’s Diary

Extracts from the Journals of Miss Elizabeth Bennet

~o0o~

Chapter Ten

Longbourn, the 27th day of September

He loves me yet! And I am to become Mrs Fitzwilliam Darcy – how shall I bear such happiness as this?

Longbourn, the 28th day of September

I could scarce hold my pen steady last night; my joy is all consuming, flowing from my toes to the very tips of my fingers. I find myself smiling at naught and struggle to contain the laughter bubbling up inside me, such is my delight in my altered circumstances!

Yet a day such as yesterday warrants no little attention in these pages and though I must own paying court to my journal was never furthest from my mind than when I finally retired for the night, this morning, I feel it incumbent upon me to record here the outcome of my early morning walk, for has not this book of mine witnessed every nuance of our acquaintance, both fair and foul? Indeed, were it not for the comfort derived from pouring my thoughts and feelings into these very pages, I feel sure madness would have taken me, and I would therefore not be sensible of the good fortune that has befallen me. As such, I shall endeavour to be calm and direct my thoughts back to when I set out in low spirits for my solitary dawn ramble.

~o0o~

I had walked out into the dim light of a pre-dawn morning shrouded in mist; a morning typical of any other in early autumn. It was fortunate I had thought to throw on my old familiar coat, for there was a distinct chill in the air, and I hugged it close to me as I walked, seeking both its warmth and comfort.

My mood upon entering the garden could not have been more depressed. Not only had the brief glimpse of Mr Darcy the day before reopened tender wounds, but the knowledge he was even then likely to be preparing for his departure for Town brought a sweet sorrow all its own.

The shock of Lady Catherine’s visit the night before had receded somewhat, and I found myself shrugging off the encounter – for what good could come from dwelling upon such things? How she even heard such a report was beyond my comprehension, and her insults towards myself and my family only served to remind me of one immutable truth: I am not the only person with the honour of relatives whose behaviour sometimes beggars belief.

My feet seemed to know their own purpose, for whilst I remained deep in my thoughts, they led me across the footbridge and into the fields beyond… the pasture land lying between Longbourn and Netherfield Hall. What their intent was in taking that direction, I know not. My eyes were cast down as I kicked my way through the damp grass, yet suddenly a strange feeling took hold.

I cannot explain whence it came, but an inexplicable sensation swept through me, and I slowly raised my head and glanced to my left… and there he was: Mr Darcy. My first instinct was to dismiss the sight as a figment of my imagination, so focused had I been upon the gentleman in question. Yet with a heartfelt sigh, I acknowledged he was real; this was no apparition. Even now, a day later, as I sit here in the warmth of the sun, I shiver – my skin tingles at the very memory…

13 anw wtrmrkA myriad of thoughts passed through my mind as Mr Darcy approached, not least of which was how he came to be there at such an hour. That his rest had been as disturbed as mine had not occurred to me until he confirmed it.

I had little enough time to school my thoughts into any semblance of order, nor for tempering my emotions; indeed, the impropriety of our meeting, un-chaperoned and at such an early hour, dressed as I was in my nightclothes, failed to register upon me at the time. I might well be shocked at my own lack of regard for such things, but it is not so. I hold little doubt he was equally unaware of my state of dress, for it was some time before I finally took note of his own dishevelled look. In truth, it was an unbidden memory tugging at the recesses of my mind that finally brought it to the fore.

For his appearance was not dissimilar to when he delivered his letter to me at Hunsford Parsonage… but I am somewhat distracted once more – perhaps because I can yet recall the warmth of being held against him, feeling the fabric of his riding coat against my cheek, the comforting strength of his arms about me and the steady beating of his heart below my ear. But I am ahead of myself… casting my eye back over these dreadfully chaotic meanderings, I see I was recalling his approach across the field.

I am certain there were previous moments in our acquaintance when I was forced to admit to likenesses in the turn of our minds; indeed, a perusal of some of the earlier pages of this book would surely prove my point. Yet I do not think we could ever have been so closely aligned in mind and spirit as we were at the moment when we met in the field, both attempting to walk off the effects of a troubled and sleepless night.

As I knew not what to expect from this encounter, all I could do was stand and wait, and try to steady my heart, which was beating fit to burst within my breast. A formal greeting was quite beyond my powers of speech, yet contrary to my expectations, words did come forth from my lips, though with no apparent thought for decorum or politeness. We tumbled unconsciously into a brief but rapid discourse; before I had time to feel appalled to learn he also had suffered a visit from his aunt (or to reflect upon the repercussions), he was responding to my offering of thanks for Lydia and Jane’s current situations by saying words which robbed me of both coherent thought and breath.

It is most fortunate silence was the response best suited to his avowal, for I could not have formed a word should even my life have been in jeopardy. Then, as the import of what he was saying, his avowal of constancy, struck me, I felt a rush of emotion flood my body, and I had to swallow hard on a sudden constriction to my throat.

Stepping even closer (enough to steal what little composure I had left), he soon left me in no doubt whatsoever over the depth of his feelings for me. My eyes fill with tears even now to recall his expressive declaration. Was any woman ever so fortunate as I, to hear such words said with such genuine warmth? I declare it to be impossible. His taking such a step, despite the damning connection of Wickham, despite my harsh words at Hunsford, despite everything, was almost beyond my comprehension and most certainly beyond my wildest dreams.

Bereft by now of any remnant of good sense, adrift on a wave of happiness the like of which I have never felt before, I could still find no words; yet I knew I must act, respond a way which would quickly reassure him of my acceptance. All these notions rushed through my mind in a matter of seconds, swiftly succeeded by a vivid memory of his voice speaking his earlier proposal: “Please do me the honour of accepting my hand”.

And then I knew what must be done; I stepped forward without further hesitation, took his hand in mine – I know not whence the courage came (I am determined to call it courage, for fear I might have to accept I was indeed brazen rather than brave) – and pressed my lips against it.

14 h wtrmrkHow my face warms to recall the look upon his face: the depth of his gaze, the gentle touch of his hand upon my cheek. I could sense his vulnerability, knew there were words I must express, yet we seemed unable to break eye contact until by unspoken mutual consent we slowly moved forward to rest our brow upon each other. How I savoured this moment; we stood like so for I know not how long. I was conscious of the sun’s rays as they filtered through the trees, even then beginning to spread a little warmth upon my skin, as the early morning mist slowly diminished around us. I felt anchored in a harbour of love and safety, unwilling and unable to break the spell which seemed to have been cast upon us.

I cannot believe I write such words! How I would laugh if perchance I happened across a book that dwelt upon such sentimental notions! Yet it is the truth of the matter.

At some point we both stirred. I felt a little hesitant to meet his eye after such a connection, conscious of my forwardness in making the gesture I had; yet the shyness could not endure, and we smiled at each other – our first shared smile of true understanding. Each minute seemed to improve upon the last, such emotions did his every look stir within me. We studied each other with open curiosity for a moment; I know not if his thoughts turned upon the same, but for myself I must own having the freedom to look openly into his eyes for the first time, to study every nuance of his face at such proximity, was a pleasure I anticipate repeating often.

10 changed sentiments0218 wtrmrkWe turned then instinctively for Longbourn, my hand now tucked securely in the crook of his arm, and as we paced slowly across the wet grass we began to talk. It is most fortuitous Lady Catherine made her officious visit to us both – for it is to her I am indebted for this state of contentment. She gave him such hope he could no longer wait until his next visit to Hertfordshire to know his fate.

It was, however, reassuring to learn we were not solely indebted to her Ladyship, for he did confess he would have returned soon enough. He admitted he had felt he simply could not let me go without attempting once more to ascertain the current state of my affections – but who knows how long we would have stepped around each other, convinced of each other’s indifference as we were?

Needless to say, upon our arrival at Longbourn it did not take us long to acknowledge the folly of our actions. My absence had been detected, but being the habitual early riser and walker I am, there had been little concern over my apparent “disappearance”.

My reappearance was quite the contrary: attired in nothing but my nightgown and an old coat and on the arm of a rather informally dressed Mr Darcy, it soon became clear that I was the cause of no little upset.

As it was, the distress and consternation caused by this apparition was sufficient to render Mama temporarily speechless (a matter for which I later commended him – though he did confess he could not always promise to walk about dressed thus merely to bring respite from Mama’s effusions).

Papa’s raised brows and stern expression were replaced by a puzzled frown when he learned our visitor had come to speak with him; Mama mouthed like a fish out of water, Mary’s eyes widened and Kitty attempted to suppress a burst of giggles – poorly, I might add. Jane’s eyes darted between us both, and then a smile spread across her face – (she confessed to me later Bingley had entertained the notion there might be something, but Jane had denied the possibility).

How impatiently I paced outside Papa’s library! No doubt it was a wait of little more than a few minutes, yet it felt like ten fold. None of my family had known of my growing feelings for him; Mama had never been anything but uncivil towards him. Papa to be fair had never commented one way or the other, but must have been as deceived in general as most of the local populace as to his true character. How or if his perception had altered once Wickham’s true nature was revealed, I knew not.

But soon the suspense was over. Papa was surprised and not a little concerned at first, but his realisation of the sincerity of my love and respect led him to willingly give of his consent. Then, knowing as he does now to whom we are beholden for Lydia’s salvation, he expressed great relief. It would seem Papa can live far more comfortably with being indebted to my husband than to my uncle!

Our reunion outside was all I could have wished. He caught me close, and I savoured being wrapped in his warm embrace. Privacy, of course, was lost to us until we determined to walk to the lake; I knew full well the habit of my family to eavesdrop behind doors but remained confident they would refrain from the indignity of using trees for the same artifice.

9 unchanged affections0241 wtrmrkAnd so at last the moment came when both the opportunity and my presence of mind permitted me to let him know how much he means to me, how very deeply I love him. My cheeks grow warm once more, and my stomach clenches as I recall my… our… first kiss. How can something one has long tried to imagine be so much more than ever anticipated? I can still feel the pressure of his mouth against mine… but then, perhaps that is because I have more than just one kiss to recall!

Had it not been for our mutually perceived need to return to our respective residences to make ourselves respectable in attire, I doubt either one of us would have relinquished the refuge we had secured by the lake. But part we did. He borrowed a mount from the stable, promising to return it with a servant forthwith and to return himself that afternoon; his delay in his return to Town meant he had some tiresome matters of business to attend.

I repaired to the bedroom, shadowed closely by my dear Jane, who could not rest until I had told her all. Her surprise was great, but she spared me after only a little teasing over my reactions the previous day, both to his unexpected visit and that of his aunt. She then left me to my daydreams, as she was expected at Netherfield for the remainder of the day.

~o0o~

I have taken a moment to read back through the pages I have filled this morning and am much amused to note I have barely acknowledged Darcy by name, so subconsciously ingrained in my thoughts has he been of late. But I will persevere with my good intentions, and attempt to complete my description of yesterday.

~o0o~

And so Darcy returned at last, yet my delight in his particular company was short-lived, hampered as we were by that of everyone else. No more than five words did we manage to exchange during an interminable afternoon, before he became trapped behind closed doors with Papa, and as dusk began to fall I was in despair of even seeing him before he must take his leave.

Even when we were reunited and gained some privacy in the drawing room, our weariness from our sleepless night caught up on us and before either of us was aware, we had drifted into a deep repose.

We must have slept for some time, for the next thing I recall was being woken in the most delightful way – it makes me blush to think of it… the pressure of Darcy’s lips leading a trail across my cheek towards my mouth finally roused me from my pleasing slumber. There, I have written it! I was kissed awake, and how it makes me smile! Indeed, it is fortunate that the drawing room door was closed… though how it came to be we know not, for we most certainly left it ajar upon entering the room.

There was barely time to pretend an admonishment for such behaviour (and reward his efforts) when we became aware of a disturbance out in the hallway, and we assumed a respectable distance between us before the door was thrust open and Mama entered, followed by Bessie with a laden tray of tea and cake. Indeed, such was the rapidity with which the room then filled, with Jane and Bingley, Kitty (accompanied by both hounds), Mary and finally Papa, I have my suspicions they were outside the door all along, waiting for some indication we were awake.

As far as we can detect, supper had long been over, and Papa had decided we had slept long enough. Mama’s sense of hospitality had refused to let send the gentleman off without offering some form of refreshment, and Bingley had apparently reinforced the notion, reminding his friend he had now missed both breakfast and supper all in one day, and how was anyone expected to sleep on such an empty stomach?

The following hour soon passed, as time will when such contentment is to be found. The drawing room was rather congested, but pleasantly so. Seats were lacking and as Jane insisted upon joining me on the couch, pulling Bingley down beside her, Darcy and I were thus obliged to sit closer together to make room. There are times when I suspect I have under-estimated my dear sister!

But I do not complain – far from it. With the general distraction of such a crowd, and our proximity to each other, it gave us the opportunity for some long overdue private discourse, of which there had been little since morning. It is most odd to look back upon that hour and recall we were indeed in company, for our low-voiced conversation was of a relatively intimate nature, and the novelty of our situation and the tentative discoveries we were making of each other caused more than one blush to stain my cheeks, and Darcy to flex his fingers nervously at times – until I boldly repeated my action of the morning, and took his hand in mine to still his agitation.

His surprise upon my doing this was evident; yet I would not relinquish his hand and with a small nod from him, and a squeeze of my own hand in return, we continued our discussion.

We were speaking of his given name. I had referred to his letter, whence I learned he was named Fitzwilliam, and this mention of events at Hunsford had given us both a second’s pause and no little discomfort. However, the conversation proceeded to take a lighter course. Darcy revealed that only his parents had ever called him by his full name, his sister and his cousins calling him Fitz. Miss Darcy, being so many years his junior, had struggled as a young child to master this; then, much to my delight, he confessed for some time she referred to him as “Fish”, and it was only when she was old enough to comprehend the matter, it evolved into the correct derivation – something his cousin, the Colonel, had made much sport of over the years.

I was unable to suppress my amusement at this disclosure, but was deeply touched a man whom I had believed uncomfortable with the notion of being laughed at would share such a story. It was agreed between us that in privacy, I too would call him Fitz, but I could not resist implying that I may not be able to resist joining Colonel Fitzwilliam in having some difficulty in forgetting his sister’s charming initial endeavour!

~o0o~

And there – I am done; the day is recorded for posterity’s sake. I am struggling to contain my desire to be in Darcy’s company once more and must cease my ramblings to summon Bessie. Today, we are all invited to Netherfield for dinner, and Jane and I are to visit this afternoon so that she may go over the house with Bingley and his housekeeper. It will give us all an opportunity to talk further and make our plans without the constant interruptions Longbourn presents.

Much as I love my family, and tolerant of them all as Darcy was yesterday, I believe it only fair he be allowed some respite from their somewhat overwhelming presence. Yet I must acknowledge here finally that Mama was suitably restrained in Darcy’s company yesterday – I believe she remains in some awe of him, though she did have the temerity, upon his departure last night, to beg him to forgive her for her initial dislike of him!

I know not how I did not draw blood, so hard did I bite my lip to stop my laughter from bubbling up over Darcy’s response. I shall look forward to emulating my soon-to-be husband, for his expressionless countenance as he replied was the work of a master: “I have come to the understanding that it is a family trait, Mrs Bennet, and one that I am practised at pardoning.”

The End

20 ab wtrmrk

Once again, many many thanks to everyone who has commented on, shared and Tweeted the chapters over the past ten weeks. Special thanks go also to Janet of JT Originals for the lovely drawings and the covers she made for the story.  

 

52 comments

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    • Carol hoyt on June 29, 2014 at 12:54 am
    • Reply

    Sad to see this lovely story is over.
    Well done !!!

    Thank you!!

    1. Thank you, Carol, and thank you also for supporting the story throughout its posting!

      I am so pleased you enjoyed it and I can’t tell you how much it means to me to hear from readers!

    • Carol on June 29, 2014 at 1:00 am
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    Like the ending, but hate that your story is finished. Will miss the weekly chapters of “Lizzy Bennet’s Diary.”
    THANK YOU. Please let us know if you publish as a book.

    1. Thank you, Carol, for following the chapters and sharing your comments! I really have appreciated it.

      I had no plans to publish this, but am toying with releasing it as an ebook with all proceeds going to a Jane Austen related cause. The difficulty with publishing is that I would need to remove any reference to scenes from the film, which could be tricky!

        • Joy Dawn King on July 1, 2014 at 2:31 am
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        I would so buy it, Cassandra. First, to read it when I feel inclined. Second, to support a good cause. Please do it. Please?

        1. LOL Joy! You are so sweet! I am mulling the idea over – it’s just a case of how much I need to adjust it to avoid copyright infringement without damaging the purpose of the story!

    • LeslieGB on June 29, 2014 at 1:38 am
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    Dear Cassandra,
    I have really enjoyed your wonderful story and I’m sorry for it to end. I would love for you to continue Lizzy’s Diary and I look forward to your futures posts on Austen Variations. Janet’s drawings are beautiful. She is very gifted.

    Thanks, –Leslie

    1. Thank you, Leslie! I really am grateful for your support!

      Yes, Janet has done a lovely job, hasn’t she? I have just turned the page on my Janet Taylor calendar and it’s always a pleasure to see a new drawing at the start of each month!

  1. So sad that it’s all over, but enjoyed the happy ending, of course, Cassandra!! It would be great to have a continuation at some point. 🙂

    I second Leslie’s comment — lovely illustrations by Janet.

    1. Thank you, Monica! Thank you also for the many many shares and Tweets you have done for me over the last 10 weeks! You are a star!

    • J Dawn King on June 29, 2014 at 7:41 am
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    And I third the comments about continuing this ANDJanet’s art.

    Cassandra, this was a delight to read. A pure delight. Thank you so much for putting Lizzy’s thoughts into print. You are such a skilled writer and have an outstanding ability to convey strong emotions in a few well-chosen words. I am grateful, but sad that my weekly visits are over. Sigh!

    1. Aww, thanks so much! I am so pleased you have enjoyed the story and thank you for following it!

    • Deborah on June 29, 2014 at 7:43 am
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    Cassandra.

    I fourthly (is that a word?) State how much I loved the story, would love a continuation, and adore Janet T’s illustrations. I am so sorry the diary excerpts are over, and absolutely loves them. Don’t know what I will do on Sunday early mornings, and will dearly miss these posts. Loved the culmination of the story as you wrote it. I don’t care for the American ending.

    Thank you so much for sharing this. I look forward to more of your writing on AV and in general. I loved the diary and will reread it in its entirety shortly. 🙂

    1. Deborah, I cannot thank you enough for your constant support and detailed comments on every chapter! You have been so kind and I hope you know just how much I appreciate it!

    • Martha Claycomb on June 29, 2014 at 9:14 am
    • Reply

    Absolutely loved it! Thank you.

    1. Thank you, Martha!

  2. I enjoyed this so much! Thank you. I especially like Lizzy’s sense of humor. Maybe one day you can write Elizabeth Darcy’s Diary 😉 I know she won’t have as much time to write – responsibilities and what-not, but we’d all love to see it. 🙂

    1. LOL Monica! It might be a bit… risqué!

      Thank you so much for commenting and sharing your thoughts, I really appreciate it!

    • Sheila L. M. on June 29, 2014 at 9:44 am
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    jeopardy. The, as the import = Then, as the import

    Same matter of dropped letter. Hope you don’t mind me pointing it out.

    Loved, loved, loved the ramble through Lizzy’s thoughts/writings. Soooooo romantic. Sigh!

    Also loved that they nodded off together and she was awakened by a kiss. More than makes up for the loss of the “American” ending. And aren’t you clever, Jane, to squeeze in on the couch with them so BOTH couples have to sit close together allowing for hand touches and intimate conversations.

    Thank you for this more than satisfying ending – am so going to miss having diary excerpts to read. And thank you to the artist for making it a picture-perfect-piece, in addition.

    1. Sheila, always happy to have things ‘caught’!! 😉

      Thank you so much for your support over recent weeks. I value every comment made on every chapter because knowing what the readers think is the most important thing of all.

      Yes – who knew Jane could be so clever?!?!

    • Kathy on June 29, 2014 at 2:16 pm
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    Thank you for this great rendition of the beloved story. I didn’t realize until you mentioned in one of your intros that the ending of the 2005 movie was added on when test audiences were not satisfied. I can see why that would be – even with the original book, we are all wondering about the continuing romance of Elizabeth and Darcy, and the P&P original didn’t really tell us enough there! Your ending was very satisfying, and Darcy’s response to Mrs. Bennet was perfect.

    Will this finished product be available in the Reader’s Library in one “link” as opposed to (re)reading it in separate chapters/links?

    1. Thank you for your continued support throughout the posting of the story, Kathy! Your comments have been much appreciated!

      I am pleased you like the way I ended the story (I felt Darcy deserved to have the final word!) and you found the extra ‘scenes’ with D/E successfully filled the gap from the film!

      I am not sure what happens with finished stories as this is the first time I have posted one on Austen Variations! If not, I am happy to send you a PDF if you would like one.

  3. I love the story very much and it has some of the sweetest and endearing scenes ever. I would like it if you can publish it in pdf format and put it in the free e-books section so that readers like me can load into e-book reader and be able to read it anywhere without the use of internet connection. Have you ever considered doing it?

    1. Luthien, thank you so much for your kind comments and support during the posting of the story.

      I can put it into PDF format for you if you send me your email address. Mine is cassandra (dot) grafton (at) gmail (dot) com.

      I hadn’t planned to publish because I believe I would have to remove any references to specific scenes in the film (e.g. the bust at Pemberley would have to revert to a portrait as in the book) because the script is protected under copyright law? However, I have been thinking I would like to do so and price it really low but donate any profit made to a Jane Austen related cause. I am mulling it over!

      1. Thanks a lot, Cassandra. I’m gonna email to you now.

        • Deborah on July 2, 2014 at 2:20 pm
        • Reply

        Cassandra, I hope you wouldn’t consider it forward of me, but could I also possibly have a pdf copy?

        1. Of course you can! I will send over in the morning!!

            • Deborah on July 2, 2014 at 6:47 pm
            • Reply

            Thank you so very much. 🙂

    • Peri Lane on June 29, 2014 at 4:31 pm
    • Reply

    Ahhh, such a satisfying read. The past weeks have been a pleasure! Thank you!

    1. Thank you, Peri! Really appreciate your letting me know you have enjoyed it!

    • Maureen on June 29, 2014 at 4:32 pm
    • Reply

    These weekly installments have been a joy to read. Thank you so much for such a heart felt look into Lizzy`s feelings. I am sorry it is over, but I thoroughly enjoyed the ending.

    1. Thank you, Maureen; I am so pleased you liked my ‘take’ on the ending!

  4. Cassandra, have truly enjoyed all these extra scenes! Since Elizabeth is my favorite character, ‘hearing’ her thoughts is a grand treat! It feels like we are peering over her shoulder as she writes.
    Thanks for putting out so much effort for our enjoyment!

    Did I miss the puppy’s name? Do we get to vote? 🙂

    1. Thank you for commenting, Dave! I am so pleased you enjoyed these diary extracts!

      What a great idea – a vote for names for the puppy! I never even thought about it!

    • Carole in Canada on June 29, 2014 at 5:05 pm
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    Beautifully written Cassandra…I will actually have to watch the 2005 version again especially now that I have Lizzy’s Diary entries to go by. It should help me enjoy it more. I too will miss these Sunday chapters. I also think the entries should continue so we can hear more about Elizabeth and ‘Fish’ Darcy!!!

    1. Thank you, Carole! You have been such a wonderful support throughout the posting of this story, and I really truly appreciate it!

      I am pleased you enjoyed it!

    • Briar on June 29, 2014 at 11:13 pm
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    Really loved your story! Thought I would let you know as this is the last chapter ;(
    Am looking forward to reading some more of your work!

    1. Thank you, Briar (what a great name!)

      I am very pleased you enjoyed it and thank you for taking the time to let me know! Much appreciated!

    • Diana O on June 30, 2014 at 1:18 am
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    Having suffered a number of distractions the past few months, I confess that I didn’t follow the story from the beginning, but on seeing the notice of the “last” posting today, I spent the evening reading all 10 installments. What a lovely gem this story is – so closely aligning with the film that I could envision many of the scenes described as I read, taking particular delight in the gaps that were filled by your creative mind. Kudos on finishing it!

    1. Thank you, Diana! I am sorry life has been such a trial lately but I am so pleased you found a window of opportunity to sit and read for a while!

      Thank you for sharing your thoughts, I am so pleased you enjoyed it!

    • Eileen on June 30, 2014 at 8:15 am
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    That was a lovely ending! I remember discussing the ending of this movie with my older sister, who lives in the states. She thought the tacked on kiss at the end was strange. I had no idea what she was talking about since I had seen the non-US version. Neither of us were satisfied with either ending. I am quite satisfied with yours. 🙂 It fills in the blank left by the movie.

    Of course I would also love to read more of this story….can one ever get enough of ODC? I must say I enjoyed the humour in that last statement, and would love to read Lizzy’s thoughts as she discover this less rigid side of Darcy.

    1. Eileen, thank you! I am so pleased you liked my ‘take’ on the ending. I found the UK ending too abrupt, I wanted to see ODC reunited and I just didn’t take to the US ending.

      I thought I would give Darcy the final say in the story – Lizzy has said quite enough!!! 😉

  5. Such a lovely ending to your delightful diary entries. You have an amazing talent for getting in the minds and thoughts of the characters. Reading all the things that Lizzy wrote in her journal but would not say out loud gave much insight into her true feelings It was wonderful! I too will miss these weekly installments and look forward to whatever you have next in store for us. You are a brilliant author.

    Thank you for the credit to my art and and covers. I enjoyed doing the covers for you as it was a pleasure working with you. Thank you also to all who left such inspiring comments about my art. It was wonderful to read your thoughts!

  6. Janet, sending hugs and a huge thank you for allowing me to use your lovely artwork to illustrate the diary entries. They really have enhanced the story telling and I am so pleased the readers have enjoyed them too!

    Thank you again for the delightful ‘covers’ and for all your continued support! I am so pleased you enjoyed the story!

    • Jan Hahn on July 3, 2014 at 3:11 pm
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    Lovely, lovely work, Cassandra! I have enjoyed it so much. The ending was perfect, much better than either version of the 2005 movie, but the line that will stay with me is this: “There, I have written it! I was kissed awake, and how it makes me smile!” I can’t imagine a more delightful way to be awakened than by a kiss from Mr. Darcy! Hope you’re writing something new and that we’ll see it soon.

    1. Thank you, Jan! So pleased you enjoyed this. I was working on another Regency story, but I was inspired last week by staying in Jane Austen’s Bath home and spending so much time in her steps in Hampshire to start something entirely new! We’ll see how it goes! Hope you are also working on a new story!

    • Carol on July 5, 2014 at 1:22 am
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    Cassandra,
    Would it be possible to also send me a pdf version of “Lizzy Bennet’s Diary?” Just in case you do not publish as a book. Thank you.

    1. Should be in your Inbox by now! Thank you so much for wanting a copy! 😀

    • Anji on July 21, 2014 at 4:56 am
    • Reply

    I’ve been “lurking” lately and just found time to pop in, belatedly, to say how much I’ve enjoyed reading these Diary extracts. Like several others, I don’t care for the alternative US ending of the film. Thankfully, it’s an extra on my DVD, not part of the film itself.

    Lovely to meet you recently, Cassandra, and to hear that the muse has struck again. Looking forward to reading more of your work in the future. Meanwhile, could I be really cheeky and ask, like Carol, for a pdf copy as well?

    Now I’ve got to catch up with Persuasion 200.

    1. Anji, so sorry, I’ve only just seen this!

      Yes, it was lovely to meet you; I really enjoyed our lunch in the sun!

      I’ll send you a copy over now!

    • Cristina on December 30, 2016 at 3:28 pm
    • Reply

    Cassandra, you will be surprised to see this comment now. While checking out the different areas of Austen Variations, I found the reader’s library area. I found Lizzy Bennett’s diary. I have been reading it over this holiday period. I have enjoyed very much your take on Lizzy’ s thoughts and also reading everyone’s comments. I realize that many of them are faithful followers of all things Austen. It is humbling and so exhilarating to know that there are many others with whom I can share my passion.
    Thank you very much for this delightful story and I will now look forward to the continuation of Mr Darcy’s Quest.

    All the best for 2017!:)

    1. Aw, Cristina, thank you!

      This was written so long ago (back in 2005/6 originally). It was my first attempt at a Regency ‘voice’ and although I edited it back in 2014 before posting it here at Austen Variations, I am aware it’s still a very early work! I am pleased you enjoyed it, though! 😀

      Look forward to seeing you over at Mr Darcy’s Quest and a happy 2017 to you too!

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