Tender Affection

An attempted assault leaves Miss Elizabeth Bennet seeking tender comfort from the man she had, at one time, abhorred. Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy's gentle compassion fosters a budding affection as the couple grows to acknowledge each other's weaknesses and failings while recognizing their own. From Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, we know Mr. Darcy as a man willing to make phenomenal changes for the woman he loves.

In this sweet Regency variation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Fitzwilliam Darcy's eldest son sets out to seek a bride. Alexander Fitzwilliam Darcy is the spitting image of his father - in looks, temperament, and his inability to impress a woman not particularly wanting to be impressed. Darcy, against the loving advice of his intelligent wife, decides to help his son along. In the process, the forever kind of love our dear couple has for each other is displayed as tenderness meets stubbornness and affection meets determination.

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy arrived in Hertfordshire with his sister’s words ringing in his ears. “You have a heart of stone.” He had no reason to doubt Georgiana Darcy. Or so he thought—until he met Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Each time he was in her company, Miss Elizabeth’s impertinence chipped away at Darcy with her wit and kindness. By the time autumn turned into winter, he was captivated. In the springtime, Darcy felt stirrings of love. By summer, he would do whatever it took to convince her he was a worthy gentleman with a warm heart brimming with tender affection.

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy has reason to believe he does not have long to live. Knowing he needs an heir, he offers marriage to the only lady who has caught his eye and held his interest: Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Once exposed to the gentleman’s vulnerability, Elizabeth realizes she may have misjudged him. When he extends to her the opportunity of eventually becoming an independent woman, she accepts his unexpected offer to wed.