After Elizabeth Bennet's brutal rejection of his marriage
proposal, Fitzwilliam Darcy begins to wonder if Elizabeth's
harsh words are in fact true. Is he truly arrogant,
selfish, and incapable of considering the feelings of
others? Elizabeth's words continue to haunt Mr. Darcy long
after his departure from Kent. Although he accepts that he
has lost all hope of ever winning Elizabeth's heart, he is
determined to prove to her that he is not the man she so
heartlessly rejected. But when Mr. Darcy unexpectedly
arrives at Longbourn and seeks an audience with Miss Jane
Bennet, rumors begin to circulate that Mr. Darcy is seeking
to court Elizabeth's sister.
Mr. Darcy's presence at Longbourn creates a stir,
especially when he is adamant about a private meeting with
Miss Jane Bennet. Although initially not fond of Mr. Darcy,
Mrs. Bennet is delighted that her oldest daughter has
attracted another brilliant match so soon after Mr.
Bingley's much lamented departure from Hertfordshire.
Elizabeth, meanwhile, is stunned to find the man she
recently rejected in her own home and seeking the company
of none other than her sister. Dismissing all conjecture
that Mr. Darcy has taken a liking to Jane, Elizabeth
concludes that Mr. Darcy has visited Longbourn in order to
continue pursuing her due to injured pride. But when
Elizabeth learns that Mr. Darcy confessed his interference
in Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley's relationship,
Elizabeth begins to see Mr. Darcy in a new light.
In MR. DARCY AND THE SECRET OF BECOMING A GENTLEMAN, Mr.
Darcy is on a quest to remedy all the flaws that resulted
in Elizabeth's refusal of his marriage proposal. Although
Mr. Darcy does not dare hope that he will ever gain
Elizabeth's love, he seeks to change all the qualities in
him that Elizabeth found so odious. When Elizabeth sees
that the Fitzwilliam Darcy she rejected in Kent has been
transformed into a kind, sociable man that is even capable
of enduring the company of her mother and sisters, she
begins to question if she ever really knew Mr. Darcy at
all. After Elizabeth agrees to forget the painful
occurrence at Kent, Mr. Darcy is elated that perhaps all is
not lost after all. But when another man begins to show an
interest in Lizzie, Mr. Darcy knows he is in danger of
losing the only woman he has ever loved.
With so many Pride and Prejudice rewrites on the market it
is difficult for Austen fans to find a novel that will not
only entertain, but also respect and stay true to the
original novel and characters. Although the author took a
few minor and unimportant liberties with the storyline,
Maria Hamilton created a novel with scenes every Pride and
Prejudice fan longed to read in Jane Austen's version. In
MR. DARCY AND THE SECRET OF BECOMING A GENTLEMAN, the
readers are privy to Mr. Darcy's tormented thoughts as he
struggles with his all consuming love for Lizzie, while at
the same time coming to terms with his personal flaws that
led to her rejection. This is a novel that even Miss
Austen would heartily approve of!
When Elizabeth Bennet refuses his hand, Darcy is
devastated and makes it his mission to change. By
every civility in his power, Darcy slowly tries to win her
affections, but Elizabeth is not easily swayed. Darcy vows
to unlock the secrets that will make her his. He curses
himself for his social awkwardness and appearance of
pride, and sets out to right the wrongs he’s done her
family.
Elizabeth’s family and friends misunderstand his intentions,
and being in Elizabeth’s presence proves to be both
excruciating for the shy Darcy—and a dream come true.
For the first time in his life, he must please a woman
worth having, and the transformation leads him to a
depth of understanding and love that he never could
have imagined.