Conundrums & Coincidences

To suffer my second is the doom of my first; And of all of my seconds, my whole is the worst.

After two months of suffering the heartache of Elizabeth Bennet’s rejection of his marriage proposal, Fitzwilliam Darcy unexpectedly encounters the lady at Oakwood Manor the estate of the late Miss Phoebe Armstrong. The dearly departed Miss Armstrong has disposed of her worldly goods in an uncommon manner. She has called together five young people, including Darcy and Elizabeth, to vie for a legacy—the manor itself and a substantial fortune. For Darcy, however, the true prize is a second chance at winning Elizabeth’s hand.

During the week-long tournament where critical thinking is required, and with such a coveted prize at stake, not all participants are willing to play fair. By the time Darcy and Elizabeth have persevered through a se’nnight of charades and conundrums, of making friends and enemies, nefarious goings-on, forgiveness…and a deepening attachment to one another.

By the time they leave Oakwood, Darcy and Elizabeth have resolved their prior differences and are on the brink of an understanding. That’s when they face another Mr Bennet adamantly refuses to consent to an engagement between his favourite daughter and Darcy.

With her twenty-first birthday fast approaching, Elizabeth is put in the unhappy position of having to decide between the two gentlemen she loves most. In both battles of wills, who wins?