The Crimes of Elizabeth Darcy by Sophie Turner – Excerpt & Giveaway

Good Afternoon everyone,

I’m am very happy to welcome Sophie Turner at From Pemberley to Milton today. She is an author I have been following for some time and every time I hear her speak, or read something from her, I think I need to read one of her books, because, guess what? I never have! Shocking, isn’t it? I know I am missing out, and I can only blame my cowardice that sometimes prevents me from reading longer books.

Today Ms. Turner is visiting with an excerpt of her most recent book The Crimes of Elizabeth Darcy, a story I find very fascinating! Have you read it yet? What is your opinion? Don’t forget to share all your thoughts with us on the comments and apply to the generous giveaway Ms. Turner is offering 🙂

Thank you so much for visiting Ms. Turner, it is a pleasure having you at From Pemberley to Milton, and best of luck with your book, I know it will be a success 🙂

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Thank you so much for hosting me here at From Pemberley to Milton, Rita! I’m excited to bring readers an excerpt from my book, The Crimes of Elizabeth Darcy. In the book, a mix of romance, courtroom drama, and suspense, Mr. Darcy is left for dead after a shipboard accident and is eventually found by a fisherman off the coast of Cornwall. His memory lost, he spends several years living there as “Will,” while Elizabeth, in a fog of grief, agrees to a second marriage for the sake of her children. In this excerpt, Will has discovered his old life but still has just a few glimpses of his memory, and he and Elizabeth have to find a way to resume married life together after such tumultuous events as have already occurred — and are still to come.

Bedroom at Number One Royal Crescent in Bath

Despite his exhaustion, Will still awoke at his usual hour, gazing at the alien bed-curtains surrounding him, recalling in a rush the life that was now his. In those first moments before he had opened his eyes, he had presumed he was back at home in the garret, lying in his plain bed there. He ached for the simple life he had left behind, feeling deeply homesick for the cottage and the role he held there, but still more for the people he had shared it with.

He needed to inform Jory and Eseld of the life he had discovered, needed to tell them he could not return to see them for some time. He would need to write a letter for the first time in years and then find someone to carry it to them, someone who would be able to read it aloud. The letter first, though.

Will rose and went about starting a fire in the fireplace. It was trickier to do with coal, although he managed. Then he lit a candle – a fine wax one – and went to the secretaire in his room. He recalled how to write, but the pen felt clumsy between his fingers, and the writing of his letter was slow going, his hand in cramps by the end of it. His head-ache was gone, thankfully – he had slept exceedingly well in his exhaustion – but it seemed he was now to swap this new pain for the old one.

Dawn came before he finished the letter, but it was the grey, dreary light of London. Will found himself longing for home again, for the Cornish sun and a fresh breeze, sending the lugger on her way. He hoped Jory had found someone to help on the boat, although that would not remain necessary for long.

Soon after the morning light had entered the room, a scullery maid came in, gave him a nervous curtsey, and then stared in consternation at the fire.

“It’s lit,” she stated.

“Aye, ‘tis. I lit it.”

“But you’re Mr. Darcy, aren’t you? They said you was back.” The maid looked incredulous, although Will thought her incredulity stemmed more from his ability to make a fire than from his return to the house.

“Yes, I’m Mr. Darcy,” Will replied. “What is your name?”

“I’m Rebecca, sir.”

“Pleased to meet you, Rebecca.” Will ought to meet the rest of the staff today, he thought. Even if they were to go to Derbyshire soon, it was right that they all at least see him. He rubbed his temples, hoping another head-ache was not coming on; the thought of the number of people he held under his management was overwhelming.

The maid gave him another curtsey and darted from the room, and Will finished his letter. He did not know the precise hour for breakfast, but he presumed it would be much later than he was accustomed to, and decided he might pass the intervening time in the nursery – somehow Will knew children were early risers as well, and he supposed he must have learned that from his son. His eldest son.

Everyone in that room – the children, their regular nurse, and the new wet nurse – were surprised to see him so early. For his sons, though, it was clear it was a pleasant surprise. Little William exclaimed, “papa!” and then ran over to him, and little Henry followed after with far less hesitance than he had the day before. Now having seen the man who had been their stepfather, Will thought that such simple things as giving them affection and attention and ensuring they always had reason to trust him would go a very long way in furthering his relationship with his sons. He asked the boys to tell him of their favourite pastimes, and was immediately in receipt of a detailed accounting of the riding of ponies, which led to them showing him around the nursery, informing him of which toys were most favoured.

While they were doing this, little Elizabeth sat on the floor, clasping a stuffed dog but watching him with her large, dark eyes. When a set of toy soldiers – given to them by cousin Henry, Will was informed – proved such a favourite the boys began playing with them, Will approached the little girl. She shrank back from his presence, even when he got down on his knees, endeavouring to appear smaller to her.

“Good morning, Elizabeth. I am – I suppose now I am to be considered your papa. I hope to know you better.” Will rambled on with similar statements for some time, hoping to let the child become accustomed to the sound of his voice, but she continued to gaze at him warily, and he did not want to push her.

She would be the difficult one, Will thought. Julia was so young, she would likely remember nothing from these days of her life. But little Elizabeth must have had a tumultuous upbringing so far, living in the house of such a man. Will vowed he would do whatever he could to earn her trust.

“Oh – good morning.” It was Elizabeth – the adult Elizabeth – standing in the doorway. “You always did rise early. I should have realised you might rise even earlier, having – having been a fisherman.”

“Aye – yes. We always liked to be on the boat early.”

She nodded. Little Elizabeth held out her arms to her mother, gazing at her with wide, imploring eyes. Will watched as Elizabeth sighed, her countenance seeming pained, and made no attempt to pick the child up. It was too much for her, he realised; Will had known what it was to be infirm. He located a chair on the far side of the nursery and brought it to her.

“Thank you,” she murmured, sitting with no further sound than the swish of her skirts.

Will went to bring little Elizabeth to her as well, but even such cautious hands as he brought near the child made her look to him with eyes widened in fear. He withdrew them and watched as the child crawled over to her mother and raised her arms again, then was pulled awkwardly into that mother’s lap and held tightly there. They stayed like that for a very long time, both of them clearly more at peace together than they had been apart.

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After a tragic accident, Fitzwilliam Darcy is left for dead. His grief-stricken wife vows to do what is best for their children, including an ill-advised second marriage in the peerage.

Years later, Will Trevills leaves his happy life in Cornwall to discover the truth about his past. Thrust into a strange world after life as a fisherman, he gains a family he cannot recall. Lady Neston becomes Mrs. Darcy once more, and is grateful for her escape. But her husband questions his purpose as a gentleman, and cannot remember the love they shared.

Charged with bigamy, she may face the ultimate punishment, while the family she sought to protect has never been in greater peril.

Part thriller, part romance, and part courtroom drama, this Elizabeth and Darcy story is a long, absorbing read.

Readers should be aware that this story contains scenes of rape and sexual assault as well as a depiction of an abusive marriage and more general physical violence.

You can find The Crimes of Elizabeth Darcy at:

Amazon

and on Kindle Unlimited

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Sophie C. Turner worked as an online editor before delving even more fully into the tech world. Writing, researching the Regency era, and occasionally dreaming about living in Britain are her escapes from her day job.

She was afraid of long series until she ventured upon Patrick O’Brian’s 20-book Aubrey-Maturin masterpiece, something she might have repeated five times through.

Alas, her Constant Love series is only planned to be seven – or possibly eight – books right now, and consists of A Constant Love, A Change of Legacies, A Season Lost, and A Generation’s Secrets. The tentatively titled fifth book, A Dangerous Connection, is likely to be out in 2024 or 2025, if it comes out as long as its predecessor. She is also the author of Mistress: A Pride and Prejudice Variation, with Parts Not Suitable for Those Who Have Not Reached Their Majority and Less Proud and More Persuasive.

Sophie blogs about her writing endeavours at sophie-turner-acl.blogspot.com, where readers can find direction for the various social drawing-rooms across the Internet where she may be called upon.

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Sophie Turner is giving away 5 copies of The Crimes of Elizabeth Darcy to readers visiting From Pemberley to Milton. The giveaway is international and is open until the 22nd of July. To apply to it, just leave a comment on this post and let us know your opinion of the excerpt 🙂  

The winner will be announced shortly after.

Good luck everyone!