A Book Birthday Celebration! by Jennifer Altman

Hi, friends! As some of you may have noticed, it’s been a while since I’ve posted here. To be honest, it hasn’t been the greatest year, and (to borrow a phrase from the lovely Joana Starnes) I’ve been spending some time hiding under my bonnet. But the good news is that things are starting to look up! After a very long hiatus, I’ve begun writing again (hooray!) and am about halfway through my current work-in-progress. Which means if all goes well, I’m hoping to have another book out before the end of the year. And although I’ve been largely absent from social media lately, you can expect to start seeing me around more often—just be prepared for plenty of dog photos, since these days my life seems to revolve around keeping up with my 1.5 year old Cavapoo, Penny. 🙂

But since you probably didn’t come here to read about unruly puppies, let’s get to the topic of today’s post!

When looking at the calendar recently, I realized that I’ve got a book birthday coming up! This Saturday marks the second anniversary of my second novel, Faults of Understanding. 🎉 So, what better way to celebrate than with a flash sale and a giveaway! I’ll have more details on that at the bottom of the post, but first, I thought I’d whet your appetite with a little excerpt.

As you may know, Faults of Understanding is an “early marriage scenario,” with Darcy and Elizabeth marrying before falling in love with (or truly understanding) one another. The following scene takes place shortly after the Darcys return to Pemberley following their nuptials, and as you’re about to see, things have not gotten off to the best start for the newly married couple.

Faults of Understanding

Excerpt

Darcy crossed to the armchair by the fire, sinking into the deep cushions. The entire evening had been a fiasco. After all his careful planning—sending an express to his housekeeper, asking Mrs. Webb to prepare a feast fit for a queen—it had all been ruined. Elizabeth had scarcely reacted to the elegantly laid table or the wide variety of gourmet fare. Instead, she had stared at the first course with revulsion, claiming that to take even a bite of the Lobster en Gelée would make her ill. And then she had proceeded to take him to task for his behavior? To say that she felt bullied and to intimate that it had been his intention to humiliate her! As though he were no better than some common ruffian.

Raking his fingers through his hair, Darcy took a long swallow of his drink. In truth, it was not just the evening that had been a debacle. That, he might have recovered from. No, his descent into hell had begun the minute he stepped out onto that balcony at Netherfield to hear Elizabeth speaking with her sister. How he had managed to go back down the stairs and greet her in the entrance hall with any degree of equanimity, he still could scarcely fathom. He had wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, to rail against his fate. How dare she stand before him with that pert expression, that half-smile pulling at her lips, after the things she had said? She had married him under false pretenses, acting the part of the joyful bride, when all the while there was nothing but hatred in her heart.

From that moment on, the entire journey north had been a misery. He had scarcely been able to look at his new wife. Every time he had so much as glanced in Elizabeth’s direction, the conversation he had overheard played out again and again inside his head.

“I know better than anyone how you feel about Mr. Darcy. You have made your aversion plain from the moment you were introduced. You can scarcely tolerate the gentleman’s company, and now you have pledged yourself to him for all eternity.”

It had been Miss Bennet who had voiced those words, but his wife had said nothing in protest. Darcy remembered how he had held his breath, waiting for Elizabeth to contradict her sister. To say that Jane had misunderstood. That of course she did not despise the man she had just married.

But no such reassurances fell from Elizabeth’s lips.

Instead, Darcy had heard her sad sigh. “You must not speak so, Jane… It is done now. Besides, many people marry without affection.”

And then, Jane’s soft reply, “But you have not simply married without affection; you have married a man you vehemently dislike.”

Darcy reached for his glass, draining the remainder of the amber liquid and reveling in the pain he felt as it scorched a path down his throat.

It was no more than he deserved. If his life was ruined, he had only himself to blame. She had given him a way out, and he had refused to take it. What had possessed him to insist on standing by his offer of marriage after Elizabeth had made it clear that she had no intention of accepting her cousin?

Damn fool! You should have run like hell when you had the chance.

But no, he had been too stupid to see the truth. He had been living in a dream world—picturing intimate dinners and romantic interludes, while Elizabeth saw their union as no more than a marriage of convenience. A pact she made with the devil for the sake of her family, just as she would have done with Collins. She had merely sold herself to the highest bidder.

Slamming his glass down upon a nearby table, he lurched to his feet, staggering to the fireplace before slowly shifting his gaze to the door at the opposite end of the room. The door that led to the sitting room that connected his apartment to his wife’s.

Well, that was one good thing to have come out of this disaster of an evening. At least Elizabeth would not be expecting him in her bedchamber, which would save him from having to make excuses for his lack of interest in the physical aspect of their marriage.

Returning to his chair, Darcy dropped his head in his hands. God help him, as much as he was loath to admit it, a lack of desire was certainly not the problem. Were that the case, he would not be ordering cold baths. But there would be no intimacy, no children. On that he was resolved.

For although the women he had taken to his bed had been few and far between, they all had one thing in common: they had come to him willingly. Never in his wildest imaginings had he contemplated forcing his attentions on any woman, and he was certainly not about to start with his own wife.

Not that he thought Elizabeth would rebuff his overtures. She had made her readiness plain the night of their wedding. He could still see her standing outside the door to her bedchamber at the inn, looking up at him with questioning eyes…

Luckily, it had been easy enough to put her off, as he had not intended to share her bed at a coaching inn in any case. But now that they were settled at Pemberley, she would no doubt wonder at his reluctance to consummate their union.

Darcy groaned. How had this happened? Was it less than a se’nnight ago that he had lain awake, imagining their first coupling and dreaming about all the ways he would please her? Now they were man and wife, and it was not to be.

Darcy shook his head and a bitter laugh rumbled in his throat. Oh, how the lecherous men at his clubs would ridicule him if he were to share his thoughts. He could almost see them now, looking down their noses and mocking him for his sanctimonious code of honor and his precious principles. Even his cousin, Richard, who was like a brother to him, would rib him mercilessly. Indeed, no one of his acquaintance would eschew lying with his own wife simply because he realized she did not love him. Good God, if that were the case, half the gentry would find themselves without an heir.

But Darcy could not do it. He would never be able to lie with Elizabeth knowing that the marriage bed would be a chore for her. He would simply have to find a way to make it clear to her that theirs would be a marriage in name only. He would not be able to look himself in the mirror otherwise.

Lifting his gaze, his eyes came to rest on the writing desk in the corner of his chamber. A lone letter sat on its surface, awaiting his reply. Crossing to the desk, he unfolded the thick vellum, staring down at Bingley’s unruly scrawl.

Well, that was one thing he could remedy. He had not been able to save himself, but he could save his friend.

Slowly, he sat, listening to the scratching noises his pen made against the parchment as he poured out his thoughts in wrathful strokes.

Bingley,

You write seeking advice, and so I shall give it. Although it pains me to say this, I must agree with your sisters.  While Miss Bennet is clearly an amiable young lady, her serene disposition and mild manners have led me to believe that she does not possess a heart that will be easily touched. Likewise, in my observations of her behavior towards you, I have noticed no evidence of any peculiar regard. It is therefore my estimation that should she accept your offer, it would merely be for the betterment of her family and nothing more. Pray, forgive my candor. My sole object is your happiness. However, to that end, I must persuade you against returning to Hertfordshire at the present time. Doing so would only give rise to expectations that it would not be in your best interest to fulfill. You would do well to remain in Town—or better yet, at your relations’ in Scarborough—until such a time as you have mastered your feelings in this matter.

I remain, as always, your servant and friend,

Fitzwilliam Darcy

Darcy watched as the deep red wax spread across the parchment, like a pool of blood seeping from an open wound. No, he would not see Bingley trapped as he had been. Better for his friend to form an alliance based on fortune and connections than to find himself married to a wife who could scarcely tolerate his company. The pain of loving a woman who did not return those feelings was a curse no man should have to bear.

Not that he loved Elizabeth. Heaven forbid.

For should he ever succumb to such a sentiment, he would be well and truly damned.

Thanks so much for reading! As I mentioned above, the ebook is on sale from now through Monday, May 29th for $1.99! So, if you haven’t had a chance to read, now is definitely the time! You can pick up your copy HERE.

Additionally, I will be giving away a choice of a free ebook, audiobook, or signed paperback (U.S.) to THREE lucky winners! To enter the drawing, please comment below and tell me: Something good that has happened to you this year, OR let me know what JAFF you’ve read recently that you’ve especially enjoyed. 🙂 I’m woefully behind on my reading, so I’d love to hear some of your favorites!

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with some puppy spam. 🙂 Here’s Penny, living her best life at daycare this week.

Until next time!

JA