Earlier in Austen in August, Alexa Adams stopped by to offer up her thoughts on "Amelia Webster," a piece of Austen's juvenalia; she also offered up a giveaway of that same story, which she'd hand-bound into adorable little folios.Today, she stops by to offer us a look at her next book, Holidays at Pemberley, which is the 3rd in her Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice series. To go along with this excerpt, she's giving you guys a chance to win books 1 & 2, First Impressions and Second Glances, which I reviewed last week! Click through to read the full excerpt and enter to win!from Holidays at Pemberley, or Third Encounters:
She looked only to see fault, and plenty did her acute eye find. Mr. Wickham was too self-assured for one of his origins: his manner too easy, his grace unnatural, and his conversation too forward. His wife fared little better, being found both pert and inveigling, a combination for which Lady Catherine could not account.
However, showing surprising restraint, her ladyship shared none of her observations until everyone was seated at table and the first course laid. Having imbibed her fill, she was no longer willing to delay interrogation. “Mr. Wickham,” her voice carried down the table length, “Neither I nor anyone else in this house understood you and your wife to be spending the New Year at Pemberley. Pray, what brings you here in such secrecy?”
Thirteen pairs of eyes looked to him in expectation, while Mrs. Wickham only stared intently at her hands, Mr. Bennet renewed his attention to his plate, and Colonel Fitzwilliam snickered. “I have a sentimental devotion to this house, your ladyship,” came the smooth reply. “I can think of nowhere else I’d rather be at anytime of year.”
“That’s very well, but it does not answer you should appear uninvited, which is what I suspect you have done.”
“I agree with Lady Catherine,” Lady Stratton said sternly, glaring at the Wickhams, “and am most interested in hearing an explanation for such effrontery.”
“Excuse me, ladies,” Mr. Beaumont asserted himself, though not in firm tones, “but I fear you must be mistaken. Mrs. Wickham was expressly invited by Mrs. Darcy herself.”
Elizabeth almost intervened, but Lady Catherine was too quick for her. “And what makes you believe so? Do I not know my own niece and nephew well enough to see they have been intruded upon?”
“We know,” Lydia stepped to her quaking husband’s defense, “because Mrs. Wickham told us so.”
Caroline glanced to Elizabeth, but as her hostess did not pounce upon this opportunity to expose her, she quickly diverted her eyes back to her hands, just in time to hear Kitty, compelled by the increasing distress she perceived in Georgiana, scold, “You know nothing of it, Lydia, and ought to know when to remain silent!”
Lady Catherine ignored this to stare down her intimidating nose at Mrs. Beaumont. All eyes were on her as she rose from her chair, a gesture accompanied by the noise of all the gentlemen’s chairs as they likewise stood, and pronounced in booming tones. “I’d advise you against taking the word of a woman who would degrade herself in a Scottish marriage to the son of Pemberley’s former steward!” Mr. Beaumont’s jaw dropped in horror, and he edged his chair away from Mr. Wickham, next to whom he was sitting. “Darcy!” she barked. “Am I to sit at table with such company? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?”
However, showing surprising restraint, her ladyship shared none of her observations until everyone was seated at table and the first course laid. Having imbibed her fill, she was no longer willing to delay interrogation. “Mr. Wickham,” her voice carried down the table length, “Neither I nor anyone else in this house understood you and your wife to be spending the New Year at Pemberley. Pray, what brings you here in such secrecy?”
Thirteen pairs of eyes looked to him in expectation, while Mrs. Wickham only stared intently at her hands, Mr. Bennet renewed his attention to his plate, and Colonel Fitzwilliam snickered. “I have a sentimental devotion to this house, your ladyship,” came the smooth reply. “I can think of nowhere else I’d rather be at anytime of year.”
“That’s very well, but it does not answer you should appear uninvited, which is what I suspect you have done.”
“I agree with Lady Catherine,” Lady Stratton said sternly, glaring at the Wickhams, “and am most interested in hearing an explanation for such effrontery.”
“Excuse me, ladies,” Mr. Beaumont asserted himself, though not in firm tones, “but I fear you must be mistaken. Mrs. Wickham was expressly invited by Mrs. Darcy herself.”
Elizabeth almost intervened, but Lady Catherine was too quick for her. “And what makes you believe so? Do I not know my own niece and nephew well enough to see they have been intruded upon?”
“We know,” Lydia stepped to her quaking husband’s defense, “because Mrs. Wickham told us so.”
Caroline glanced to Elizabeth, but as her hostess did not pounce upon this opportunity to expose her, she quickly diverted her eyes back to her hands, just in time to hear Kitty, compelled by the increasing distress she perceived in Georgiana, scold, “You know nothing of it, Lydia, and ought to know when to remain silent!”
Lady Catherine ignored this to stare down her intimidating nose at Mrs. Beaumont. All eyes were on her as she rose from her chair, a gesture accompanied by the noise of all the gentlemen’s chairs as they likewise stood, and pronounced in booming tones. “I’d advise you against taking the word of a woman who would degrade herself in a Scottish marriage to the son of Pemberley’s former steward!” Mr. Beaumont’s jaw dropped in horror, and he edged his chair away from Mr. Wickham, next to whom he was sitting. “Darcy!” she barked. “Am I to sit at table with such company? Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?”
****GIVEAWAY****
Alexa has offered up one copy each of the first two books in her A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice series, First Impressions and Second Glances, to 2 lucky winners. Though these are part of a series, each can be read as a standalone, so if you haven't read book 2, no worries, you can still jump right in if you win!
This giveaway is international. Ends September 7th, 12a EST. Fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter.
Please note: As with all Austen in August giveaways, you must fill out the giveaway registration form here in order to enter. This only has to be done once, and then you are free to enter all giveaways. Invalid entries will be deleted. Please do not leave any sensitive info or email addresses in the comments! Thanks!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
 |
| Click the pic to be taken to the Austen in August Main Page! Thanks to faestock & inadesign for the images used to create this button. |
that looks/sounds like a good read ;)
ReplyDeleteLoved the excerpt ! Love holiday reads :)
ReplyDeleteI love holiday books, the excerpt is intriguing.
ReplyDeleteCaroline as Mrs Wickham? That is SOMETHING I NEED TO READ!
ReplyDeleteI agree! That sounds like an ideal match and a really good "what if" concept for an adaptation.
DeleteSo disagreements over the Christmas holidays are nothing new - like to read who wins out in the end
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I look forward to the new release. Thanks for sharing the excerpt! I really enjoy this series.
ReplyDeleteAh I loved the excerpt! It's always nice to see Lady Catherine get her due ;-)
ReplyDeleteI did not want the excerpt to end. Wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteLady Catherine is hilarious here!
ReplyDeleteThanks Misty! I'm thrilled so many enjoyed the excerpt. The book comes out November 20th.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed it... and Mrs.Wickham O_o and lady Catherine :D
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book ... intriguing. I enjoy Christmas books.
ReplyDeleteI love ANYTHING with a Jane Austen theme.
ReplyDelete