Her Grace

***Warning: There are parts of this book which allude to domestic abuse, although there is not any graphic depiction of said violence.*** This a full length novel of about 115,000 words. This is not a P&P variation, rather is is a vagary which features the characters from that magnificent work by the one and only Jane Austen. Rather than protect their daughter like any good parent should, first Fanny and then Thomas Bennet push their 16 year old daughter Elizabeth into a marriage with a much older man who happens to be a duke. Fanny is seduced by the fact he is a duke, even if he is not interested in Jane, something she cannot believe at first, and his willingness to dower her remaining four daughters. For Bennet when the Duke offers to break the entail on Longbourn, after a certain condition is met, his half-hearted opposition to the match dissipates. At first, Elizabeth refuses to marry the man, and is adamant even if dragged to the church she will never recite her vows. However, after a private meeting with the vile duke, she agrees. The question is why would she change her mind so drastically. In that meeting, she demands certain clauses to be added to the marriage settlement. What are they and how do they change outcomes some had previously expected? We explore why the Duke is looking for a wife outside of the Ton in little market towns instead. We quickly see just how depraved the man is and why he is reviled by all in polite society. Is he the only villain in the tale? Both Lady Anne and Robert Darcy are alive in this novel. Even with them both being alive, their son manages to suffer from boot-in-mouth syndrome on more than one occasion, including when he meets Lizzy for the first time, who is still married to the Duke at that point. No it is not at an assembly and there is not that insult delivered. Including the much loved Biggs and Johns, there are some of my non-canon characters featured in this story, as well as some new ones. It is not an easy path for Lizzy to travel, but she is strong and intelligent, not to mention extremely protective of those she loves. We follow her to find out if she gets the HEA we all want for her. If she does, will it be with Fitzwilliam Darcy?
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