Hello! Today it is my pleasure to host Messrs. Fitzwilliam and Theophilus Darcy, stars of the exciting new literary collaboration The Darcy Brothers. Please feel free to grab a cup of your favorite tea and join the conversation!
LM: Good
Morning, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Darcy, welcome to Songs & Stories! Would you
care for a cup of tea?
Darcy: I would welcome some refreshments after our long journey here.
Theo: Nothing would give me greater pleasure then partaking
of tea in such a pleasant setting, in such delightful company.
LM: My, what
a pleasure it is to have two such handsome gentlemen come to call!
Theo: The pleasure is all mine, Miss Lieder Madchen, I
assure you. However, I hope you will allow me to satisfy my curiosity. It is the
barrister in me – always seeking an answer. Your name suggests that you enjoy
singing. Is that merely a name or is it something you are known for? I would
love to hear you sing.
 | |
| Monica Fairview |
LM: *blushes* I would be delighted to sing for you, should
the opportunity arise. I chose the name after joining a German choir. But we
are not here to talk about me! Please, is your family in good health?
Theo: Well, you will have to ask my brother about his health, but I believe my sister does well enough.
Darcy: Tolerably good health, thank you.
LM: I am glad to hear it. Mr.
Theophilus, what made you choose to pursue the law?
Theo: Being the younger son has its pitfalls and one of them is
that you cannot live an idle life as my older brother does. [Darcy looks
outraged] I was not serious, Brother. [Shudders] I would not like to shoulder
the responsibility of an estate like Pemberley for anything.
As to choosing the law, as you know, the choices of
professions open to a gentleman are limited to soldiering, preaching or
law-mongering. I have no particular interest in drawing blood unless forced to
do so. Preaching would only send my whole congregation to sleep. Thus I was
left with the only profession that suited my talents, being of an inquisitive
and argumentative nature, as my brother would testify. Fortunately, those
traits are of use in a court of law.
 | |
| Maria Grace |
LM: Mr.
Fitzwilliam, if you were by some twist of fate born the younger son, what
profession would you choose?
Theo: [Snickering] Preaching, of course.
Darcy: [Ignoring the interruption] It is rather difficult to
imagine something one cannot do. I shouldered the responsibility of my siblings
and an estate at a young age, and cannot imagine any other life. However, there
are times when I envy my cousin Richard. I would have liked to be an officer
fighting against Napoleon. These are such troubled times and I would have liked
to do my duty to King and country. There is a certain ring to that ideal. [He
gives a sudden grin that lightens up his face] I would have enjoyed the
adventure as well.
Theo: [Gives him a quizzing glance] I would never have
guessed you harbored such wayward thoughts, Darcy!
LM: Theophilus,
what do you consider your brother’s best and worst qualities?
Theo: My brother is the truest of men. He is loyal and upright to
a fault. His worst quality is that he expects perfection in others and is
rather hard to pleases.
LM: Fitzwilliam,
what do you think are Theo’s?
Theo: [scoffs] We will never have the opportunity to drink our
tea now. The list of faults my brother finds in me is never-ending.
 | |
| Cassandra Grafton |
Fitzwilliam: You are witness to one of his worse faults –
constant interruption. I shall say no more on that score. His best qualities are his horsemanship and his affectionate
nature.
Theo: [Snorts] Hardly stellar qualities.
LM: Fitzwilliam,
I hear that you were once known as ‘Prince William.’ Tell me, have you ever
considered inventing an irritating nickname for Theo? It seems only fair.
Darcy: Yes, I do remember Theo’s fondness for that appalling
appellation. I have
often thought of nicknames for him though I have only applied them mentally. My
favorite is Thwarting Theo, which can be conveniently shortened to Wart.
Theo: That is rather good. You are a constant source of
surprises today, Darcy.
LM: Now that
your elder brother is so happily wed, Theo, have you thought of taking a wife
yourself?
Theo: I cannot imagine that I will ever meet a young lady
that I would wish to be shackled to for a lifetime. I prefer to think of myself
as free of confinement. I will leave marriage to those obliged to produce an
heir.
LM: What was
it like growing up together at Pemberley, when the two of you and Georgiana and
Sebastian were all together?
 | |
| Susan Mason Milks |
Theo: [Looking serious for the first time]: At the time Seb
was alive my parents were alive, too. I was fortunate enough to have a happy
childhood, and even more fortunate that I remember a great deal of it.
Pemberley was a different place in those days. My father was rather strict, but
my mother could be very charming and kind. She was such a contrast to her
sister, Aunt Catherine. Georgiana was the youngest, so I did not appreciate her
perhaps when she was younger and could not join in games, but now we are very
close.
Darcy: I prefer to dwell on the present. The past has
unpleasant memories of a rather private nature.
LM: Then we shall end there, as any further questions I can think of are likely to be even more personal. Thank you
both very much for visiting! Please feel free to pop back in at any time.
Theo: A
pleasure to meet such a charming young lady. Now it is time to listen to you
sing.
LM: *bats eyelashes* You, Sir, are an incorrigible flirt. Fitzwilliam, you must keep a close eye on this brother of yours!
Darcy:
[Bows] Delighted to be of assistance and we hope to be able to visit you again
in the near future.
BOOK
DESCRIPTION:
Theo Darcy is everything his
disapproving elder brother, Fitzwilliam, is not – easy-going, charming, and
full of fun. A tragic event as children severed their bond of friendship, but
now they are together again. They are still at odds, though, this time over the
love of Miss Elizabeth Bennet and the truth about George Wickham. Will Wickham
manage to divide the brothers again? And more importantly, which Mr. Darcy will
Elizabeth choose?
Find out as the two brothers lock horns
in this unique Pride & Prejudice
variation collectively written by five respected authors.
 | |
| Abigail Reynolds |
AUTHOR
BIOS:
In addition
to their collaborative effort in The
Darcy Brothers, Monica Fairview, Maria Grace, Cassandra Grafton, Susan
Mason-Milks and Abigail Reynolds between them have published over two dozen
Austen-inspired books, including national bestsellers.
Monica
Fairview (Mr. Darcy’s Pledge) holds
down the fort for the team in London while Abigail Reynolds (Alone with Mr. Darcy) supplies cute cat
pictures from Cape Cod, Susan Mason-Milks (Mr.
Darcy’s Proposal) inspires with views of the Seattle skyline, Maria Grace (Remember the Past) frolics in the Texas
bluebells, and British expat Cassandra Grafton (A Fair Prospect) has the critical responsibility of keeping the
team supplied with much-needed chocolate from her home in Switzerland.
Look for
them at the Jane Austen Variations group blog where they are all founding
members
Buy Links:
SOCIAL
MEDIA LINKS:
We are all at:
Theo is at:
GIVEAWAY
DETAILS:
Two eBook copies of The Darcy Brothers.
To enter the giveaway contest, simply leave a comment or ask Theo or the authors a question.
Readers can increase their chances of winning by visiting multiple stops along the tour! Unique guest posts will be featured on a variety of subjects, along with fun interviews with Theo Darcy and, if he can be persuaded, his brother, excerpts, and supplementary material such as letters from Theo to his friends and family.
Good luck and enjoy the tour!
