From Tolerable to Lovely — Leenie Brown

He's not looking for a wife, but she just might be too irresistible to let go. It never fails. No matter where Fitzwilliam Darcy goes, there are always whispers passed from matching-making matron to hopeful debutante about who he is and what fortune he holds. And then, the prowling and scheming to snare him begins. He knows that eventually, he'll have to marry, but, at present, after the summer he's had, he's just not ready. Therefore, when his friend presses him to dance at the Meryton Assembly, Darcy is desperate to refuse as adamantly as is necessary to avoid partnering any young lady. But then, fate steps in, and Darcy's disparagement of the dance partner his friend has suggested dies on his lips. She's captivating and fascinatingly unusual. In fact, she just might be enchanting enough for him to long to make her what he wasn't looking for -- his wife. From Tolerable to Lovely is a novelette of just over 11,000 words and is the first installment in Leenie Brown's Teatime Tales Collection of Austen-inspired quick reads. If you're looking for a sweet romantic escape from the everyday, where love comes calling when it's least expected, then you'll love this story about how love can turn a tolerably good life into one that is simply lovely. So put the kettle on, download your copy of From Tolerable to Lovely, and steal away with Darcy and Elizabeth for a few moments of sweet indulgence. ---[This story was previously published in a MUCH shorter form as part of a Teatime Tales short story anthology. That original short story is now part of the first chapter of this novelette.]