By Riana Everly
A Jane Austen-inspired mystery, set in the world of Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, being the fourth novel in the Miss Mary Investigates series.
When Mary Bennet befriends Elinor Dashwood, she expects to become part of the young lady’s circle and be introduced to her friends and relations. She does not expect that one of this circle should die, far too young, and in most unfortunate circumstances. Worse, Elinor is secretly in love with one of the suspects, Edward Ferrars, and he is inconveniently engaged to somebody else. When an investigator is called in to assist, Mary is more surprised still.
Alexander Lyons expects to find death and deceit in his line of work, but he does not expect to come face to face with Mary, who hasn’t replied to his letters of late. What is she doing in London? And how is she involved with this sorry business of murder? Still, despite the tension between the two, they make a good team as they seek to unravel the mystery surrounding them.
From the elegant drawing rooms of Mayfair to the reeking slums of St. Giles, the two must use every bit of wit and logic they possess to uncover a killer, all the while, trying to puzzle out the workings of their own hearts.
Join Mary Bennet, Lizzy’s often overlooked sister from Pride and Prejudice, and her intriguing and handsome friend Alexander Lyons, as they are pulled into the world of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility in this, their latest adventure.
Publisher: Bay Crest Press
Page Length: 310
Genre: Historical Mystery
During the time that the Bennets were in London, Mary saw a great deal of Robert Ferrars. He arranged to be present every time Mary’s sisters were visiting Mrs. Jennings. He looked askance at Edward, when he was present, uttered meaningless pleasantries to the other ladies, and danced attendance upon Kitty. Mary watched as carefully as she could whilst not neglecting her friend. Was Robert Ferrars truly taken by her sister? He certainly hovered about her like a bee at a flower. He offered his arm when the group walked out, solicited her opinion on all manner of topics, and was eager to draw her into conversation.
But at no time did Mary believe he was developing any real affection for her. His attentions were too obvious, and seemed even to Mary’s eyes, designed for show. It occurred to her that his aim was not to fall in love with Kitty or make her fall in love with him, but rather to find someone who, by being the focus of his attention, would in turn focus all of her attention upon him. Robert, Mary considered, thrived on his vanity, and this doting upon Kitty was merely a means to bolster that aspect of his character. For her part, Kitty seemed equally pleased to be the centre of attention, with little regard for the man himself, which matter soothed Mary’s concerns for her sister.
How suitable such behaviour was so shortly after his mother’s untimely demise, Mary could not say. Men were held to such very different standards of mourning than were women, and the first month after Mrs. Ferrars’ burial was completed. Still, it would have been more becoming for the young man to have at least affected some restraint in his demeanour.
But instead, the only time Mary saw him exhibit even the smallest degree of restraint was one very uncomfortable afternoon when, as well as the expected visit by Colonel Brandon and the Ferrars brothers, Lucy and Nancy Steele stopped to pay a visit.
As they entered the room, the whole mood changed. Edward stiffened and took in a sharp breath before attempting a smile and some kind words for his betrothed bride. Lucy fluttered her eyes and smiled coyly at Edward before sliding up to him and pulling him to sit by her on the settee. Her eyes roved slowly around the room, taking each person in, one after the other, before moving back to Edward, upon whom she made a great show of bestowing her charms.
Robert, who was sitting with Kitty, stopped quite still in his place as Lucy’s eyes met his. Mary was uncertain whether he was merely taken aback upon having a new member join their little group, or whether there was some prior acquaintance between the two. Nevertheless, when introductions were made, he bowed politely and said all the words one says upon meeting somebody for the first time.
The two said nothing in particular to each other more than the expected civilities and utterances of polite conversation, but all through that morning, the mood never quite returned to its previous ease. Robert continued his conversation with Kitty, of which Mary heard mere snips and exclamations, but whenever she looked up to observe them, she noticed Robert’s eyes flit more often than not to Lucy, where she sat in discussion with Edward and Elinor.
Lucy herself seemed to pay little attention to Robert, striving, so Mary thought, to avoid his eye and pay all her attention to Edward. Had Edward told her something ill about his brother that Lucy wished so little to do with him? Perhaps so, and perhaps she had confessed this to her sister Nancy, for Nancy’s glare in Robert’s direction was all animosity, which she hid very ill, to Mary’s keen eyes, at least.
When, after their visit to London was over, the Bennets returned to Hertfordshire, it was with only a small amount of regret on Kitty’s part, for the loss of the attention more than the loss of the beau, but with no glum glances at all on Robert’s. His little flirtation was over, and he might now return to his comfortable life, leaving Kitty with nothing more than a few stories of “that handsome young man who spoke to me.”
Now the summer was approaching fast, and the weather changed from the tentative warmth of early spring to the full heat of early summer. It was the middle of June, almost the time when Mary must say goodbye to her London relations and new friends and return to the bosom of her family in Hertfordshire. Only a fortnight remained of her stay in the city, and she was determined to enjoy each day to its fullest.
She walked with Elinor in the parks and took tea with her at the popular spots, and returned often to their favourite bookshop near The Exchange. Mrs. Jennings had offered more than once to invite Mary to join her when she returned to her daughter’s home in Devonshire, where Elinor too was soon to return. It was a most tempting offer; a month on the coast, amongst people she knew and liked, was a great inducement. But her family feelings were strong, and she knew her mother and father would be expecting her home.
Still, she spent every moment she could with Elinor and Marianne. Thus it was that she was present quite early one morning when, to everybody’s shock, Colonel Brandon burst through the parlour doors without a by-your-leave and gasped out, “Terrible, terrible news! I am loath even to say it, but you must know the worst of it!”
He collapsed into a chair and Mrs. Jennings called out to a maid to bring some coffee at once.
“No, no, I shall be well. I am well,” he insisted. “But not all is well. Robert Ferrars, Edward’s brother, did not return home last night. He was found this morning near Hyde Park. He had been beaten and robbed. I am afraid to say it, but he is dead.”
Thank you for hosting Riana Everly today, with such an enticing excerpt from Death in Sensible Circumstances.
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The Coffee Pot Book Club
Thanks for the opportunity to stop in here today to say hello.
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