After the death of her spouse, the Dowager Duchess of Felton takes up residence in her property, Netherfield Park. Having met the Bennets on her previous visit to the estate, Lady Felton decides that taking an interest in Mr. Bennet's older daughters will help give her some purpose and distraction from her personal grief.  

Elizabeth Bennet inherits a stunning fortune. Mr. Darcy left Hertfordshire to escape his attraction to her—will her sudden wealth pull them together or drive them further apart? February of 1812 brings startling news to Longbourn; a distant relation has left Elizabeth an astonishing fortune. She is overwhelmed by a multitude of suitors in pursuit of her wealth but is determined to never marry a man who only loves her money.

Disheartened and convinced by Elizabeth's assertion of Miss Bingley's character, Jane Bennet insists Elizabeth return to London with the Gardiners after Christmas to provide her with a reprieve from their mother, who has not accepted Elizabeth's rejection of Mr. Collins's suit.

What if Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy spoke honestly to each other in Kent and clarified any misconceptions prior to his making his proposal? What would happen if Mr. Bennet made an ill-fated attempt to resolve the issue of the entail only to create a much bigger problem for his family and Mrs. Bennet were even more of a shrew than in canon? What if Mr. Bennet had a secret reason to encourage the couple to marry quickly and before returning home? Will they ever be able to overcome the resentment that results from Mr. Bennet's manipulations or from Mrs. Bennet's subsequent behaviors?

Fitzwilliam Darcy has had enough—enough of the ton and their speculations, enough of matchmaking mamas and their eager daughters, and enough of his family’s expectations that he will eventually marry his cousin Anne. Craving solitude and peace after discovering his sister with George Wickham in Ramsgate, he accepts an invitation to visit Netherfield Park from his friend Charles Bingley and travels to Hertfordshire, where he hopes Georgiana will recover from her disappointment in relative privacy.

A slightly more immature Elizabeth Bennet meets Fitzwilliam Darcy London two years earlier than in canon. As a second son, Darcy has chosen the life of a barrister so there are fewer obstacles in their way, and they quickly fall in love. Using the fortune left to him upon his father's death, he invested with Gardiner to make his own fortune, making it easier for the two to wed, along with a legacy set aside for second sons by Darcy's grandfather, the late Earl of Matlock

Mrs. Bennet and her sister are bound for Bath to take the waters. The mistress of Longbourn could not part from her duties if it were not for Mrs. Gardiner of Gracechurch Street. At Elizabeth’s request, her favorite aunt has offered to take up residence for the few months Mrs. Bennet is absent.

Matrimony is the last thing on Elizabeth Bennet’s mind when she arrives at Netherfield Park to tend to her ill sister. When proud Mr. Darcy acts rashly to thwart a compromise and tells her that the entire household believes they are engaged, she dismisses him outright and refuses his offer of marriage. But more surprises await her at Longbourn. Mr. Collins is ready with an offer of marriage, and it is not only her mother who thinks it a fine match.

Fitzwilliam Darcy is immune to smallpox, but finds himself all too susceptible to the charms of Elizabeth Bennet. First drawn to her as merely a friend, his feelings deepen as he witnesses her care for her family and neighbors as they face death, sorrow, and the ravages of the disease.

Darcy and Bingley depart Netherfield Park, leaving Elizabeth Bennet acutely aware of the monotony of her life. Seeking a reprieve, she volunteers to serve as temporary companion to Mrs. Gardiner’s elderly aunt who lives in Lambton. Nothing turns out as Elizabeth expects, and she is forced to dig deep into her reserves of common sense, humor, and stubborn persistence to prove herself equal to the dreary circumstances.