The editing had to remove reference to the characters of one of my favourite authors alas, I did not gain permission to use them.
Pity Mr Darcy, surrounded by female relatives for a London season, with a Gothic novelist amongst them, and fortune hunters, and a cousin with philanthropic tendencies. Add a mixture to complications surrounding the Wickhams and stir.
For those of you who know the first versions, I've added 'what's in a name' as a prologue AND! I got around to writing some of those slightly frisky charades that were requested.
And here they are - how many of you can decipher them?
My fourth is a vessel that sails on
the sea,
And might be my first which draws
closer to me,
My second a Greek god whose pipe
melody
Makes satyrs and nymphs dance with
wild glee.
My third smooths off everything
beautifully,
Removing all wrinkles that any might
see.
My whole is as precious as any can
be,
And something I value
between you and me!***
My first is the sign for valuable
wealth,
The whole more of value than money
or health,
The rest of the word holds the
threat of an end,
But without the last
letter adds all to heart’s friend***
Let me give you a riddle but spell
out the word,
And I hope you will not think my
efforts absurd,
My first in a key that is really the
start
My whole will unlock the frostiest
heart,
The second, myself, who is laid at
your feet,
And my third is a kettle’s song set
on the heat!”
How exciting! I look forward to reading it again. It's a shame you couldn't use some of the characters from the online version but I'm sure it will be just as enjoyable, at least for me, who was not familiar with them to begin with. I'm so bad with charades, I'm ashamed of myself!
ReplyDeleteThank you Monica!
ReplyDeleteI suspect aficionados may guess anyway... I added the charades to make up for taking out the short piece about their background and because it was fun.
I give the answers anyway in the text! And it might be that I'm bad at writing them... first charades I ever wrote, though I studied long on the excellent blog 'Charades of Jane Austen's time' which is on my list of favourite places on the side bar.
By the way I've also thrown in a bit more period background in this version as compared to the online version!
ReplyDelete