Mr Darcy’s Dryad Not a simple re telling of Miss Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. But a reimagining of events. This tale begins the morning after Mr Darcys shocking faux pas at the Meryton assembly. When Lizzy meets the abominable gentleman on Oakham mount, she immediately berates him for his ungentlemanlike behaviour. His apology and explanation lead to a better understanding. His beloved cousin and best friend Colonel Fitzwilliam has disappeared from the army before the great battle at Waterloo. His uncle the Duke of Matlock is trying to investigate, but information from the continent is slow due to adverse weather in the channel. The Colonel returns from France some months later with a charming French bride. Both in poor health. Mr Wickham and Miss Bingley create mayhem, and Mr Collins causes his own confusion. Lady Catherine is outwitted by Mrs Fitzwilliam, and finally true love runs smoothly, if only Mrs Bennet would remain at Longbourn! This is a happy tale with very little angst. Miss Austen often did not give her subsidiary characters first names. Colonel Fitzwilliam is one such, as he is perhaps my favourite Austen character, in several screen productions he is named Richard and as I like the name he is always Richard in my retelling. Miss Austen made his parents an Earl and his Countess. I bumped them up the aristocratic ladder and made them a Duke and his Duchess just because I could. Mr Darcy’s Dryad contains some mild sexual scenes between happily married couples, and may be better suited to readers over the age of eighteen