Showing results by author "Carrie Mollenkopf" in All Categories

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that while a man in possession of a fortune may be in want of a wife, there may be ladies who do not reciprocate. This may be especially so when the man in question not only possesses the rightful inheritance of said ladies, but is also of a most odious disposition and less than agreeable in appearance. Such was the lot of five young women near the town of Meryton. Not only had they no fortune, their own father, an absentee parent at best, had not the foresight to put aside a single pound should they not have the opportunity marry. For this sole ...

Elizabeth had often fantasized about what life at Pemberley would be long before her marriage. Upon first impressions, the estate was grand and offered everything a lady could ever possibly want, including a handsome man who loved her. However, as dreams often do, hers is altered by reality. Pemberley, in all its grandeur, is in a constant state of decay and requires the care of a mistress to be returned to its former state of glory. However, when Elizabeth gladly takes up this responsibility, not all are pleased with the changes. An intruder, resentful of the interference, will go to great...

“What is that letter there, Dalton?” “Which letter, Madam?” he replied, slightly disappointed that his opinion had been so easily forgotten. “The one with the gold seal, you dolt!” Lady Catherine, having not worn her spectacles and unwilling to admit that she could no longer see as clearly as in her youth, gestured to a large rose-colored letter, sealed with a thick glob of golden wax. Peering down, the elderly man was also unable to make out the spidery script, but he knew a royal crest from memory. “I believe it is a letter from our dear monarch, milady.” Catherine’s ...

After the marriages of her sisters, Mary Bennet is left to run the estate of Longbourn in their absence. Forced to manage a crumbling house in need of repairs, as well as respond to the demands of her mother, Mary makes a most disturbing discovery. How long had the skeletal remains of a long dead woman been hidden in the cellars? Who is she and how did she get there, locked inside a storage cell? With the assistance of Meryton's newest physician, Mary will endeavor to learn not only the identity of the woman, but also the location of her dowry. Will her efforts allow Mary to gain a long ...

Mary Bennet, now financially secure with the entailment to Longbourn dissolved, concentrates on how to rectify the deficit in her education. Unfortunately, each tutor is dismissed within weeks of hire as none meet her exact needs or prove to be critical of her desire to obtain a man's education. It is only with the arrival of Grayson Everfield that her prayers are answered. The handsome, educated man appears to be all that she is seeking, but how does his presence affect her standing relationship with Dr. Atlas Sutton? Unfortunately, perfection is not what it seems to be as human remains ...

Romance with a bit of mystery. This tale follows Kitty Bennet in her quest to find true love, and she will settle for nothing else. Sassy and strong willed, Kitty defies the role that society deems she must follow and chooses to follow her heart. From the idyllic Meryton countryside, to the ballrooms of London, to the wilds of Scotland, Kitty chooses her own path, often filled with unexpected turns... one leading to the finding of her soulmate and a bit of trouble along the way.

“Fitzwilliam Darcy, you are a complete idiot!” Elizabeth snapped before slamming the now filled trunk. The motion, so sudden, spooked the cat who leapt from his place to rub circles around her limbs. Scooping the mewing creature into her arms, Elizabeth rubbed her face into its fur, finding a measure of comfort. “No wonder lonely old women keep cats; they are much better than husbands,” she insisted, wondering if Charlotte would part with the cat. Three weeks had elapsed since she had arrived in Hunsford, and Elizabeth had seen enough. Charlotte, by her own admission, was perfectly ...

A man in possession of ten thousand a year is truly a valuable catch, but how exactly does one maintain an estate the size of Pemberley when he is constantly beset by in-laws that drain his income? In the changing times of the early 1800's even landowners such as Fitzwilliam Darcy must adapt to preserve their inheritance. Tenant farms, once the mainstay of estates, are now abandoned as residents flee to the cities to take advantage of new opportunities, and steam powered machinery takes their place.Technology is growing by leaps and bounds, redefining the world as social classes begin to ...

Elizabeth Bennet Darcy appears to have a perfect life. She has a handsome and loving husband, a beautiful son,wealth and respectability, but the unexpected arrival of her youngest sister Lydia threatens to turn her world upside down. Not only do she and Darcy break the vow to never welcome the Wickhams to Pemberley, unfortunate events escalate and Darcy finds himself accused of murder. With another child on the way, Elizabeth must rely upon her greatest strengths of character to prove Darcy's innocence, but will it be enough? A tale of jealousy, suspicion and lies that will test Darcy's ...

Mary Bennet finally feels as if her life is coming together. She has found a soulmate in Dr. Atlas Sutton and accepted his hand, Longbourn is secure and her days are filled with purpose. But is it too good to last? While the engagement is yet to be announced, the return of Lydia Bennet Wickham and her troublemaking husband threatens to destroy Mary's happiness. Always in desperate need of funds, the Wickhams do their best to interfere with Mary's comfortable situation, resulting in mystery, murder and trouble for all. Will Mary triumph, or will she once again succumb to the demands of her ...

Why must a lady marry at all? Of course a person must have means… and the Bennets had none. But surely her father would live to be a great age. Not yet fifty, Mr. Bennet had years before they must worry about Mr. Collins casting them out. It was only Mama that was difficult. Some days Lizzie believed that her mother would marry each one of them off at the first opportunity, regardless of personal wishes or lack of affection. But, as her mother’s child, she could be equally stubborn. Elizabeth Bennet would marry for love and nothing less. However, when she believes that her father is ...

When George Darcy's brother suddenly dies, he finds himself discharged from the Army and in possession of an estate in a terrible state of neglect. Not only has his brother run up considerable gambling debts, he has damaged the family name to where respectable families deny any connection to the Darcy's. To make matters worse, all but three of Pemberley's servants have abandoned the estate due to non payment of salary and abuses. As George Darcy attempts to rectify the shambles of his family home, gossips feast upon the new addition of a beautiful widow as housekeeper. Mrs. Elspeth Reynolds...

"You know the estate far better than I, but one day, you will marry and leave. Then where will I be?” Elizabeth said gently. This admission, true in nearly all ways but one, sent another wave of embarrassment upon Georgiana’s features. However, this time she smiled shyly. “Do you really think so? I mean…marry?” “I think it will be sooner, rather than later, especially from the way Mr. Penwick looks at you.” “I do admit to finding him very agreeable, in all manners. But I wonder…” she replied, but suddenly her voice trailed Staring out across the placid lake, the pleasant...

When Elizabeth Bennet marries Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy it is believed that she will want for nothing. He is handsome and wealthy, but most importantly loves her dearly. However, all is not as it appears when Elizabeth becomes mistress of Pemberley. Running an estate is much more than dinner parties and afternoon tea. Keeping up appearances in the face of financial strain can be difficult under the best of circumstances. Will Lizzie and Darcy's love be strong enough to withstand the storms brought by natural disaster and interfering families? Or, will they give in to the demands of society and ...

Lydia Bennet has managed to find a husband just before her sixteenth birthday and before her elder sisters. However, she quickly finds that the old warnings of the risk in marrying in haste are true. Soon, her prince Charming's golden glow becomes tarnished by reality. George Wickham is not the gentleman he pretends to be. The youngest Bennet must depend on her personal pride and stubborn streak to survive when her life is turned upside down. Lydia's trials take her from the cold North of England to the Outback of Australia. Will the happiness she seeks be realized or will her dreams become...

After Elizabeth Bennet refuses the proposal of the most arrogant man in England, she has little time to ponder what might have been when a sudden carriage accident claims the life of the Reverend William Collins, leaving his wife, Elizabeth’s dearest friend, badly injured. Caring for Charlotte as she recovers, Elizabeth’s strong spirit pervades Rosings Park, much to the great dislike of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. But simply sending Elizabeth home is not enough as her influence over Anne de Bourgh drives the heiress to seek a future that does not involve an arranged marriage. When matters...

“I have just received a letter from Charles. He has invited us to stay at Netherfield for several weeks. They are hosting a gathering for one of the local young ladies. The daughter of Sir Alvin Bixby. Of him, I cannot say much, having met the gentleman but once, but without a mother there would be no one that can see to such things as her coming out and what not. Jane must be in her element with preparations. But I must say, it has been far too long since the children have seen their grandparents. We really must accept. Are you up to a journey so soon?” To this, Elizabeth could not ...

Hertfordshire, England 1813…. Margaret Bennet, with skirts hiked past her ankles, ran across the kitchen garden, caring not who either witnessed her unladylike scamper, nor who got in her way. Resembling a hen in search of a wayward egg, she quite blended in with the chickens in the yard who took flight from their nests at the sight of her. But haste was to be made, and there was not a moment to lose. Netherfield Park had been let, and even better, to a gentleman, reportedly of great wealth, nearly five thousand a year. And although her inconsiderate husband had yet to call upon the ...

Just Elizabeth Darcy longs for another child with no success, an orphan is mysteriously thrust into her care. Unfortunately, of the only people who know of his origins, one lies dead, murdered by an unknown hand, and the other, suffering from an illness brought upon by shock, cannot speak. Who was the unknown woman meeting Lambton's aged vicar in the churchyard? And why was she in possession of a child that was not hers? Will this orphan baby be the answer to Elizabeth's desire for an addition to her family? Does Darcy share this feeling? Read an excerpt from Mrs. Darcy and the Churchyard ...

When Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy indulge in a much needed holiday, it is far less than restful. From the opera houses of London to the beaches of Brighton, dangers follow as they attempt to save a new acquaintance. Read an excerpt from Mrs. Darcy and the Soprano's Suitor. “Miss Milton! It is Elizabeth Darcy. I trust you are enjoying your stay?” Turning, the young woman’s countenance broke into a smile, but it was short lived. While the presence of the Darcys was not entirely unwelcome, the sight of the man whose constant presence had been as yet considered coincidental, now drove ...