Kitty Bennet's Despair (ePub)

Lizzy Darcy's spring house party is becoming a Pemberley tradition. This year her family and friends will meet four-month-old Marcus Darcy, as well as celebrating Georgiana's engagement to Dominic Sanford. Lizzy will have the pleasure of all her sisters' company but is apprehensive at the thought of her mother and Lady Catherine being at Pemberley at the same time.

Richard Turner, recently promoted to the rank of major, plans to propose to Kitty Bennet during the course of the party. His father makes the long journey to Derbyshire with disquieting news about their family's future prospects, putting Richard under considerable pressure to marry a lady of his choosing. When his father accompanies him to Pemberley, Richard knows his preference for Kitty won't meet with parental approval and that he must choose between his family and his heart's desire.

Wickham resents being left to run Mr. Gardiner's warehouse while his wife joins the rest of her family for the festivities at Pemberley. Worse, Lydia is increasing and the prospect of being tied down by fatherhood terrifies him. Backed into a corner, Wickham also goes to Derbyshire, determined to settle matters between himself and Darcy once and for all and insist upon the level of financial recompense befitting old Darcy's favourite.

Tensions and undercurrents permeate the gathering as Lizzy struggles to keep the warring factions apart. When Georgiana's ball goes off without a hitch, she thinks she might just have managed it, until Kitty disappears under mysterious circumstances.

Who could have taken her and can she be found before her reputation is compromised beyond recall...