Vanity and Pride: A Pride and Prejudice Variation

by David Russel

“Vanity and Pride” is a regency Pride and Prejudice novella of approximately 35 K words, a light and romantic read, witty and amusing, recommended for those who love Elizabeth and Darcy’s immortal story.Despite his reluctance, Mr Bennet agrees to accompany his wife and daughters to the Meryton assembly. While there, he amuses himself with the folly of his family and neighbours and with their absurd reaction to the appearance of two eligible Mr Bingley, whom he has met, and a stranger — Mr Darcy.Being content to stay in a corner and enjoy his brandy, Mr Bennet happens to hear Bingley’s enthusiastic appreciation of the gathering and Darcy’s insulting response.Mr Darcy is oblivious to the fact that both Elizabeth Bennet and her father have heard his offensive remark about her being tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt him.Too amused to lose the opportunity for mockery, Mr Bennet confronts Darcy in his usual manner, making Darcy angry and ashamed at the same time.What nobody in Meryton knows is that Mr Bennet has a previous acquaintance with Darcy’s family through Lord Matlock, with whom he had been friends in his youth, and he had even had a secret school boy crush on Lady Catherine, Lord Matlock’s sister.How will our characters act and how will the story progress after the intervention of these original twists? What will happen when Mr Collins appears on the scene, talking constantly about Lady Catherine, and Mr Wickham follows with his defamatory stories about Mr Darcy?Will Bingley and Jane and Darcy and Elizabeth’s journeys towards happiness be shorter or longer than those we already know?

Kindle Edition

Published May 23, 2022