Welcome to the 2025 Austen Variations Advent Calendar, where our amazing authors will bring you a new gift every day from now until December 24th.
My gift today is a free short story, “The Most Natural Thing”. This is an old story that has appeared in an anthology, but never as freestanding before. It will only be available to download through Dec. 17. I’ll be back later this month with more freebies!
“The Most Natural Thing” is an odd duck in my writing. I wrote it many years ago at a time when ‘Dark Darcy’ stories were popular in the on-line JAFF community. In those stories, Darcy was given a golden opportunity to take advantage of Elizabeth Bennet’s misfortunes – and he did. Even though some of those stories were well written, I just couldn’t imagine Darcy behaving that way, so I decided to see what would happen if I put my Mr. Darcy in the shoes of the ‘Dark Darcy.’ No surprise that I was proud of him! Later I extended this to a novelette in three parts, but this is the original story.
Sorry, I’m limited to 250 e-pub downloads (ETA: All gone!) but there’s no limit to pdf downloads! Click on the version you want to download.
E-pub
Check back tomorrow for your next gift.
To see each day so far, visit austenvariations.com/2025-advent-calendar/
17 comments
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Thank you for your short story, Abigail. It was heartbreakingly lovely. I loved it when Darcy said, ““If you believe I am the sort of man who would so humiliate any woman, much less one I have loved, by taking advantage of her misfortune, you do not know me at all.” I have put your anthology with an extended version of this story on my Amazon wish list to buy in the future. Thanks for the nice Advent gift!
Author
You’re very welcome! That line was so very important to the Darcy I love to write about.
Thank you for this great gift!
Author
You’re very welcome. Happy Holidays!
Thank you so much for the free download!
I just finished your new book “Under the Netherfield Mistletoe” in one session and enjoyed it very much. It’s exactly the light fluff I needed right now!
Author
Any time! So glad you enjoyed Mistletoe. Sometimes we really do need fluff!
Thank you so much! I’m relieved to have the email today and am grateful for this gift 🥰📚🥰
Author
My pleasure, Glynis, and I’m glad the email is working again.
Thank you loo forward to reading it
Author
You’re very welcome! Hope you enjoy it.
Hi Abigail, thank you for your story. Before I download it, can you tell me if it is a clean story? Thank you
Author
There are no steamy scenes in this. Happy Holidays!
Thank you for the gift!
Author
You bet!
I did read this story…long ago. But thank you for sharing.
Thank you dear lady. Your books give me lots of comfort and company.
Thank you!