Authorpreneur Dashboard – P O Dixon
A Lasting Love Affair
Romance
Darcy was not looking to fall in love. He thought he had it all: wealth, privilege, and ardent passion for his sport. Then he meets Miss Elizabeth Bennet, and soon thereafter he knows that she is the woman with whom he is destined to spend his life. Having suffered a traumatic loss, Elizabeth knows the pain of heartache. She is determined to shield herself against forming strong attachments so she might never feel that way again. Then Mr. Darcy comes along, and he has a way of melting all her defenses. Enjoy this story of Darcy and Elizabeth and another path to happily ever after.
Book Bubbles from A Lasting Love Affair
First Impressions
A favorite twist on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is what happens if Mr. Darcy does not utter those infamous words at the Meryton assembly: "She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me." A Lasting Love Affair was inspired by the premise that not only is Miss Elizabeth Bennet handsome enough to tempt him, but Darcy meets and falls in love with her long before meeting her relations in Hertfordshire.
A Man Meets a Woman
And so it begins. A different path to happily ever after for Miss Jane Austen's beloved characters, Darcy and Elizabeth.
Lady Harriette (Pride and Prejudice Untold, #3)
Romance
Lady Harriette: Fitzwilliam's Heart and Soul is a fast-paced, wonderfully engaging Regency romance. Inspired by To Have His Cake (and Eat it Too): Mr. Darcy's Tale, the provocative Pride and Prejudice variation, this story has all the passion you might expect of a worldly gentleman violently in love, along with enough mischief and intrigue to keep you turning the pages.
Book Bubbles from Lady Harriette (Pride and Prejudice Untold, #3)
Some by Traps
Even though Lady Harriette: Fitzwilliam's Heart and Soul is the third book in the Pride and Prejudice Untold series, I purposely crafted the storyline to be read and enjoyed as a stand-alone novel. Doing so called for a bit of retelling of key aspects of the heroine's past and how she captured the fancy of an unintended suitor.
The Makings of Friendship
I knew going into the story crafting of Lady Harriette, Book 3 in the Pride and Prejudice Untold series, that one of my greatest challenges would be persuading readers, who knew the heroine's history with Elizabeth Darcy, nee Bennet, to embrace the former wholeheartedly. Lady Harriette, after all, once fancied herself quite in love with Mr. Darcy. My belief that everyone deserves a second chance bolstered my eagerness to take on this challenge. Who better to espouse such a magnanimous tenet than Miss Elizabeth Bennet?
Worthy of Being Pleased
In the exciting world of Jane Austen fan fiction, Darcy and Elizabeth command the greatest share of readers' fascination, by far. However, ardent readers and writers alike sometimes enjoy exploring the lives of the minor Austen characters as well. An all time favorite is Darcy's older cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam. In Lady Harriette, it's the colonel's turn to suffer what it is like to aspire to please a woman worthy of being pleased.
Impertinent Strangers
Romance
An impertinent stranger is thrown into Fitzwilliam Darcy's path and, even though he declares her tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt him, it is all he can do not to think of her. Upon first making Mr. Darcy's acquaintance, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is quite fascinated with him. Then she discovers that the gentleman is haughty and above his company, and she wants nothing to do with him. Still, the prospect of spending time in each other's company is beyond their power to resist. Will Darcy and Elizabeth stop denying the truth to themselves and find in the other what's been missing in their lives?
Book Bubbles from Impertinent Strangers
Beyond Impertinent
Beyond impertinent is how one reader described Lady Catherine de Bourgh in this story. Indeed. Lady Catherine is one of my favorite Pride and Prejudice characters, despite her impertinence. As the lady herself told Elizabeth in Jane Austen's classic tale, "My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it." With sentiments such as that, expounding upon her ladyship's character in my fanfiction stories makes for wonderful comic relief.
Her Own Share in the Conversation
In Pride and Prejudice, so much of Lady Catherine de Bourgh's vitriol is driven by her insistence that her nephew Darcy is engaged to her daughter, Anne. While Miss de Bourgh is frequently mentioned in Jane Austen's timeless classic, the young lady has little if anything to say about the events unfolding around her. Part of the beauty of Jane Austen fan fiction (JAFF) is the writer's ability to change such things as that. In Impertinent Strangers, Miss Anne de Bourgh has quite a lot to say.
Disappointed Hopes
In Jane Austen's timeless classic, Pride and Prejudice, Lady Catherine de Bourgh was adamant that her daughter, Anne, and Mr. Darcy were engaged to be married. Indeed, it was said to be an engagement of a peculiar kind. But what of Miss de Bourgh's sentiments? Such is the question in Impertinent Strangers. One of Jane Austen's minor characters takes center stage in this diverting excerpt.
Two Gentlemen from Rosings
Admittedly a minor character in Pride and Prejudice, Colonel Fitzwilliam - it turns out - is very popular in Jane Austen Fan Fiction. Many JAFF readers and writers alike prefer to think of the second son of Darcy's uncle, the earl, as Richard. It's always a pleasure to write about the colonel, especially when he's deemed a contender for Elizabeth's affections. In Impertinent Strangers, Darcy considers his cousin's attentions toward Elizabeth a little too much for comfort. But what of Elizabeth's sentiments?
Just Kiss Her Already
Arguably one of the greatest love stories ever told, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice does not include a single kiss between the hero and heroine. My longing for such a tender moment between Darcy and Elizabeth was enough to inspire my passion for Jane Austen fan fiction--both reading and writing.
A Favorite Wish
When it comes to Pride and Prejudice, my favorite characters are Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet, in that order. If pressed, I would have to confess that Lady Catherine de Bourgh is next in line. Yes, that cantankerous, haughty old aristocrat whose mission in life, it seems, is to direct the lives of everyone else. She is hilarious, and I never tire of re-imagining ways for her to come between Darcy and Elizabeth. Indeed, her ladyship is quite the schemer in Impertinent Strangers.
A Single Kiss
The idea of a gentleman kissing a young lady to whom he had not declared himself was a scandalous notion indeed during the Regency era. That's not to say it never happened. I like to imagine that even the most respectable man who found himself violently in love would at least contemplate doing so. That being said, thinking that way and acting that way are entirely different matters. Or are they?
Fond of Dancing
'To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love' ~ Jane Austen Here's another one of my favorite quotes from Pride and Prejudice. In my mind, it profoundly captures what it must have been like for young ladies in Jane Austen's day when members of the opposite sex were expected to be particularly guarded in their interactions with one another. There were even rules regarding the number of sets between a couple. Heaven forbid if a young lady should spurn a gentleman's request for a set; her prospects for dancing with another were effectively dashed.
Improving One's Mind
Getting lost in a good book affords the surest means of improving one’s mind as well as fueling one’s imagination with a sense of adventure. All the better if said book should happen to be of a romantic bent.
Call it Impertinence
And so it begins. Once again, Jane Austen's work has inspired me to write a Darcy and Elizabeth happily-ever-after story. What strikes me most about Austen's era is that very often a bride and groom knew very little about each other before marrying. Strangers indeed.
The Makings of Mr. Darcy (Darcy and the Young Knight's Quest)
Romance
Darcy and the Young Knight’s Quest Series Boxed Set with He Taught Me to Hope Bonus Scenes Book 1: He Taught Me to Hope What if Elizabeth is promised to another when she meets Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the one man who captures her heart and imagination like no other? What's more, Darcy has an entanglement of his own—an engagement of a peculiar kind. As dire as their chance for "happily ever after" seems, is there a measure of hope by way of a strong and enduring bond between them? Book 2: The Mission Bennet Carlton captures our imaginations in He Taught Me to Hope. Join the precocious young knight as he embarks upon a mission to bring his Bennet and Fitzwilliam relations to Pemberley for Christmas, and in so doing, teaches his family to hope. Book 3: Hope and Sensibility Join Darcy, Elizabeth, and Ben on their travels to Kent, and then Hertfordshire, and finally back to Derbyshire and enjoy young Ben's exploits along the way.
Book Bubbles from The Makings of Mr. Darcy (Darcy and the Young Knight's Quest)
The Eyes of a Child
A precocious child makes this Pride and Prejudice adaptation so special. The son of a widowed Elizabeth Carlton nee Bennet, young Bennet Carlton fancies himself Sir Lancelot, and he imagines Mr. Darcy as King Arthur. This three book collection combines all the magic of Camelot and Jane Austen's timeless classic and delivers a Regency era story that has captured fan fiction lovers' hearts and imaginations worldwide.
The Leanings of Her Heart
Part of the joy of creating Jane Austen fan fiction works is delivering on the promise of yet another happily ever after ending for Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Invariably the paths differ with one obstacle or another standing in the beloved couple's way; sometimes even another man.
The Makings of Mr. Darcy
Very often, my book titles are inspired by the names of my favorite songs. When deciding upon a fitting title for the Darcy and the Young Knight's Quest series boxed set that mark's the fifth anniversary of book one, He Taught Me to Hope, I reread reviews and comments from readers for inspiration. One such review had a profound and lasting impact on me. Here's what the reader said: "...Too often, in my experience, Mr. Darcy is portrayed in such novels as an extremely vulnerable, emotionally needy person, to the extent of making him somewhat "less" than the man Austen created him to be. Perhaps the tendency I'm referring to is a reflection of modern sensibilities, the belief that a man should somehow get in touch with and freely express his feminine side. But Darcy is and should remain a product of his time. A great part of his magnetism is his confidence, his strength, and his control. The sense that below that controlled exterior, there's a man "violently" in love. I see that in Dixon's Darcy." What soul-stirring and inspiring words. The makings of Mr. Darcy indeed.
Still a Young Man: Darcy is in Love
Romance
Widowed after six months of marriage, an older Elizabeth is determined to leave her past behind and enjoy life to its fullest, on her own terms. Charming, witty, and engaging, she is widely admired by all. However, everything is not as it seems. She harbors a secret. The beautiful widow captivates a younger Mr. Darcy. He knows her better than she knows herself. He struggles to break through her protective barriers, the most daunting being her tightly held conviction that she will never marry again.
Book Bubbles from Still a Young Man: Darcy is in Love
Initial Impressions
"She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me." ~ It is safe to say that Mr. Darcy's initial impression of Miss Elizabeth Bennet was rather wanting. Then again, his uncharitable opinion is one of the reasons Pride and Prejudice fan fiction writers and readers alike are so fascinated by Jane Austen's beloved characters. The possible ways to redress this insult are countless. For instance, what if Darcy were compelled to confess his true feelings upon first meeting Elizabeth?
First Comes Marriage
In this titillating Pride and Prejudice retelling, Mr. Darcy is not the first man to walk down the aisle with Elizabeth Bennet. Alas, due to gossip and looming scandal she is forced to marry another. ~ Will Jane Austen fan fiction lovers around the world have a chance to journey with these two most beloved characters on an alternate path to happily ever after once again, or does Elizabeth's marriage to another prove insurmountable?
Miss Elizabeth Bennet: Where the Heart Lives
Romance
Tragedy at Longbourn forces Miss Elizabeth Bennet to face certain truths about her family, compelling her to chart her own course in life. Darcy long admired Elizabeth even though her family’s lack of propriety, their want of connections and fortune, and his sense of their inferiority prevented him from forming any serious designs on her. Will Elizabeth’s new path in life allow Darcy to overcome all his objections, leading them straight into each other’s arms? Or will other family obstacles keep them apart?
Book Bubbles from Miss Elizabeth Bennet: Where the Heart Lives
A Father's Favorite
In Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Bennet makes no secret of the fact that his second eldest daughter, Elizabeth, is by far his favorite child. As Mrs. Bennet states, "Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humored as Lydia. But you are always giving HER the preference." Indeed. But what-if, owing to the most unfortunate of circumstances, the gentleman feels compelled to insist that Elizabeth marry Longbourn's heir, the odious Mr. William Collins?
A Journey to Happily Ever After
In this heart-pounding Pride and Prejudice retelling, Mr. Darcy emerges as a hero in Miss Elizabeth Bennet's eyes almost from the start. With such a beginning, one might think the journey to happily ever after for Jane Austen's beloved couple would be absent any bumps in the road. Not so fast. There are quite a few fires to be put out along the way.
Abounds with Gaieties: A Novella
Romance
Darcy returns to Hertfordshire to face his feelings for Elizabeth, stirring in Elizabeth confounding feelings of her own.
Fitzwilliam Darcy faces a dilemma when his friend, Charles Bingley, accuses him of acting on his own behalf in leaving Hertfordshire. Bingley suggests Darcy is far more attracted to Miss Elizabeth Bennet than he cares to admit.
Darcy grows concerned that if Bingley noticed his fascination with Elizabeth, others might have too. Even Elizabeth herself.
He returns to Hertfordshire and faces his feelings for Elizabeth rather than stay away and continue to avoid them. Will the spark he feels for her ignite something far beyond the bounds of prudent behavior?
As Darcy and Elizabeth spend more and more time together, she struggles to keep her feelings for him at bay. Can they resist the powerful attraction between them, or will they soon find what they've always longed for in each other?
Book Bubbles from Abounds with Gaieties: A Novella
A Consequential Decision
The passage's theme is one of personal growth and taking risks, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. Darcy is reluctant to admit his feelings for Elizabeth, but by the end of the passage, he decides to go with Bingley to Hertfordshire and confront his uncertainties. In this way, he is showing us that it is important to take risks in order to achieve our goals, no matter what they may be.
Something to Think Of
Romance
When Elizabeth returns to London from Kent and meets Jane’s new suitor, her hasty refusal of Mr. Darcy’s marriage proposal gives her something to think of—especially when Mr. Darcy follows her to Hertfordshire, determined to make amends. He means to court her properly, win her heart, and marry her.
Likewise, Mr. Bingley vows to pursue Jane, hoping to reclaim her affection. Jane’s new suitor has other ideas about her future felicity, and his identical twin brother has more than a passing interest in Elizabeth’s love life as well.
All is fair in the game of love, even if fate leaves one or more of the gentlemen in question behind. Elizabeth encourages her sister to follow her heart, but will she heed her own advice?
Book Bubbles from Something to Think Of
Inevitable Redemption
The passage is full of hope and redemption. Despite the heartbreak experienced by Jane, she still clings to her positivity and enthusiasm. This encourages Elizabeth to trust that she too can overcome the challenges and adversities that lie ahead in the wake of her refusing a most advantageous proposal.
Lady Elizabeth: Everything Will Change Book One
Romance
Elizabeth lives a charmed life or so it seems. Despite her noble relations and all the wealth and privileges entailed, there's something missing. During his stay at Netherfield Park in Hertfordshire, Darcy learns of a tragedy that befell the Bennets, a family from a neighboring estate, over a decade prior. One of the Bennet daughters vanished in broad daylight from the streets of Lambton. Will Darcy unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of the second-born Bennet daughter? What if it means losing the one woman who has captured his heart?
Book Bubbles from Lady Elizabeth: Everything Will Change Book One
Peculiar Engagements
Some of my favorite Pride and Prejudice retellings are those in which Darcy and Elizabeth have others vying for their affections. That's not to say I wish to see them apart. Our dear couple must have their happily ever after with each other.
Uncanny Reversal of Fortune
The idea of Elizabeth's family being of higher social standing than Darcy's has long intrigued me. In this Pride and Prejudice retelling, the Duke of Dunsmore does not deem Darcy a suitable marriage candidate for his only granddaughter.
Understanding the inner workings of a lady's mind
Elizabeth's initial encounter with Mr. Darcy's striking cousin, Lady Victoria Fitzwilliam, leaves both young women green with envy.
Light and Teasing Banter
Lady Elizabeth is drawn to her older brother's friend. Try as the gentleman might to pretend otherwise, the feeling is mutual.
So Far Away: Everything Will Change Book Two
Romance
Now that Elizabeth knows the truth about her past, she has returned to Longbourn. Wanting to reclaim her rightful place in the lives of her Bennet relations, she needs time before considering a life far away in Derbyshire with Mr. Darcy. He promised he would wait for her for as long as it takes. With so much distance between the two of them the question soon became how long is too long. When at last Darcy and Elizabeth are reunited in Hertfordshire, allegations and misunderstandings threaten to tear them apart. The question now becomes how much is too much.
Book Bubbles from So Far Away: Everything Will Change Book Two
A Timeless Emotional Journey
I longed to share a story that captures the feelings of an adoptive mother whose child and the child's birth mother have been reunited.
Embracing the future; leaving the past behind.
If not for Mr. Darcy's persistence, Elizabeth might never have learned the truth about her past. She owes it to herself and to her family to assume her rightful place at Longbourn. But what of her feelings for Mr. Darcy? Will embracing her life as Miss Elizabeth Bennet cause her to lose her chance at a life as Mrs. Darcy?
Pride and Sensuality
Romance
~ A lighthearted, whimsical, entertaining, yet ever so sensual tale of Darcy and Elizabeth's pleasurable pursuits pending their nuptials. ~ With his mind agreeably engaged on the pleasures that await him once he and his dearest, loveliest Elizabeth are man and wife, Darcy's patience wanes, and he begins to wonder if he will ever find time alone with his betrothed. Elizabeth is not oblivious of the discomfort Darcy must surely suffer. Not only does she have the key to his heart; she knows how to use it.
Book Bubbles from Pride and Sensuality
The Size of His Fortune
In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet's aunt, Mrs. Philips, is most notably known for her tendency to be vulgar. I simply had to write at least one Pride and Prejudice 'what-if' story that further explored such a diverting premise. Here's one of many scenes in Pride and Sensuality which illustrates that point.
Violently in Love
When Jane Austen used these words in describing Darcy's feelings when at last Elizabeth accepted his proposal, our dear author left much to readers' imaginations. I'd like to think the same may be said about the title of this Pride and Prejudice 'what if' story.
Expecting His Proposal
Romance
In this diverting Pride and Prejudice short story, what if Darcy had not wounded Elizabeth's pride by insulting her at the Meryton assembly and had danced with her instead? What if Elizabeth had refused to hear a negative word formed against Darcy by his former friend, George Wickham? What if Elizabeth had been so agreeably engaged with thoughts of the master of Pemberley that by the time his visit to Kent was drawing nearer to its end, she was indeed expecting his proposal?
Book Bubbles from Expecting His Proposal
Falling in Love Again and Again!
I love Pride and Prejudice what-if stories. Thankfully, countless thousands of readers worldwide feel the same.
The Last Man in the World
Elizabeth's initial rejection of Darcy's hand in marriage is one of my favorite parts of Pride and Prejudice. However, that didn't stop me from picturing a story in which she was expecting his proposal.
A Tender Moment
Romance
What if two weeks after the Meryton assembly Darcy no longer wishes to deny his increasing fascination with the bewitching Miss Elizabeth Bennet and her amazing eyes? What if he's the last man in the world she wishes to spend time with owing to his tendency of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time? Will he persuade her to give him another chance to earn her good opinion?
Book Bubbles from A Tender Moment
The Wrong Thing at the Wrong Time
Darcy was always saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Anyone who ever struggled with foot-in-mouth disease knows it's not a pleasant affliction, especially when it manifests itself in front of that special person one seeks most to impress. With that in mind, I crafted this short story in which Darcy resolves to mend his ways soon after the Meryton assembly.
Dearest, Loveliest Elizabeth: Pride and Prejudice Continues
Romance
For centuries, Austen fans have wondered what happened after Darcy and Elizabeth exchanged vows and embarked on their new lives together as one. Dearest, Loveliest Elizabeth - the sequel to Jane Austen's timeless classic, Pride and Prejudice - affords a wonderfully diverting imagining of our dear couple's early years as man and wife. Discover what happens after the happily-ever-after ending.
Book Bubbles from Dearest, Loveliest Elizabeth: Pride and Prejudice Continues
With What Delighted Pride
I always enjoy citing a Jane Austen quote that captures the essence of a particular Pride and Prejudice variation in the preface. When it came to Dearest, Loveliest Elizabeth: Pride and Prejudice Continues only one quote would do ... "Happy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Mrs. Bennet got rid of her two most deserving daughters. With what delighted pride she afterwards visited Mrs. Bingley, and talked of Mrs. Darcy, may be guessed. "
When Secrets Unfold
I can never get enough of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Whenever I read the story, it's like reading it for the first time. That's to say nothing of the questions each reading inspires. For instance, what-if young Lydia told Miss Georgiana Darcy about Darcy's role in the Wickhams' patched-up wedding?
Bewitched, Body and Soul: Miss Elizabeth Bennet
Romance
Determined to discover the reason for Bingley’s hasty departure from Netherfield, Elizabeth goes to town in Jane’s stead. Her initial scheme having been thwarted and with nowhere else to go, she turns to one who is sure to put her in Bingley’s path — Mr. Darcy. Darcy realizes it will take more than time and distance to erase the memory of the beguiling country miss. When she arrives unescorted on his doorstep, will he help her? Or will he soon discover he is in grave danger of falling as much in love with her as ever before? And what of his best friend’s younger sister who has long had Darcy in her sights? Will Darcy pursue the young lady who meets Society’s expectations of just what the next mistress of Pemberley ought to be or will he follow his heart? BEWITCHED, BODY AND SOUL is an engaging Pride and Prejudice “what-if” story about Darcy and Elizabeth and a different path to happily ever after.
Book Bubbles from Bewitched, Body and Soul: Miss Elizabeth Bennet
Time and Distance
"One thing he considered—the past weeks had taught him that it would take more than time and distance to release him from the spell of the beguiling country miss who managed to captivate him with a nod of her head, a witty turn of phrase, and a teasing smile." This quote truly captures the essence of one of my all-time favorite book babies, Bewitched, Body and Soul: Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Indeed, I will always remember the day this story was published: May 5, 2012. As a tribute to the fifth anniversary of the book's release, I offer the following excerpt for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!
Die of a Broken Heart
Finding the perfect Jane Austen quotes to use as the preludes to my stories increases the joy I feel when crafting a new Pride and Prejudice retelling. The following is one of my favorites and one I can never read without chuckling. ~ "Well, my comfort is, I am sure Jane will die of a broken heart, and then he will be sorry for what he has done."
To Refuse Such a Man: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
Romance
Miss Elizabeth Bennet must decide whether to accept or refuse a proposal from the last man in the world whom she could be prevailed on to marry. At least two unhappy alternatives are also before her: certain scandal and her mother's disapprobation. Is there a path to happily ever after in wake of an alliance born out of such circumstances?
Book Bubbles from To Refuse Such a Man: A Pride and Prejudice Variation
An Unavoidable Entanglement
Sometimes a few words are all it takes to inspire a new Darcy and Elizabeth happily ever after story. In this sweet novella, the last thing Mr. Darcy expected was to meet the woman whose nearness caused him to entertain ideas of what it would be like to know her as his wife. But, the woman is Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Does he truly have a choice?
Her Spirits Rising to Playfulness
Romance
“I may have lost my heart, but not my self-control.” — Jane Austen
When the spirited Miss Elizabeth Bennet overhears Mr. Darcy’s harsh rebuke of her elder sister, she’s driven to seek revenge.
Taking fate into her own hands, Elizabeth embarks on a daring mission of subterfuge and cunning, determined to make the proud and brooding Mr. Darcy fall in love with her. But as their heated battle of wills intensifies, Elizabeth realizes that carrying through with her scheme is easier said than done.
Will Elizabeth get what she wishes for and make Mr. Darcy fall in love with her, or is she playing a dangerous game? One in which she risks losing the last thing in the world she wants to gamble—her heart.
“Her Spirits Rising to Playfulness” - A captivating tale of love and vengeance colliding that will keep you guessing until the end.
Book Bubbles from Her Spirits Rising to Playfulness
The Courage to Pursue Justice: Elizabeth's Di
One of the underlying themes of this story is the power of taking risks for the greater good. Elizabeth is taking a risk by pursuing Mr. Darcy to exact her revenge for his injustices toward her sister, Jane, despite the potential consequences of being rejected herself. Her friend Charlotte is worried about her, but Elizabeth knows that it is something she must do, no matter the outcome. She is intent on teaching the proud Mr. Darcy a lesson by making him understand the pain of being spurned by someone he considers to be beneath him.
