The Bad Miss Bennet Abroad!

Whatever happened next to Lydia Bennet?A rollicking romp that follows the fortunes of Pride and Prejudice’s most badly-behaved Bennet sister
Having controversially run off with George Wickham in Pride and Prejudice, Lydia is confronted with his untimely demise on the battlefield at Waterloo. Merry widow Lydia Wickham, née Bennet, is therefore in want of a rich husband.
Failing to find one in Europe, she embarks on a voyage to Brazil accompanied by her trusty maid, Adelaide, to join the exiled Portuguese Court in Rio de Janeiro. She soon catches the eye of the heir, Dom Pedro.
Staying out of trouble doesn’t come naturally to Lydia as she is captured by pirates, then makes a second disastrous marriage, and even finds ways to ruin the Darcys’ tranquil existence all over again. Will she return from the tropics with a cache of jewels? Could she ever succeed in her quest for ‘an agreeable husband with an estate and two matching footmen’, or must her taste for adventure lead her astray yet again?

BUY HERE!

Extract

And so it transpired, dear reader, that once more I should be deceived by a man in whom I had placed my trust and affection. The future planned for me was as an extra lady-in-waiting to the Hapsburg princess, the Archduchess Leopoldina, who was betrothed to the heir to the Portuguese throne.
‘It will be a grand adventure,’ I told Adelaide. ‘We will be in a royal household – what an advancement for me! Also, I have never visited Portugal. No doubt it is a charming place.’

Adelaide looked doubtful, as well she might. I had forgotten that the entire Portuguese court had decamped to their vast colony on the other side of the world in order to escape the invasion of Portugal by Napoleon. They had stayed on there and appeared to have no plans to return to Europe. Leopoldina and I were destined for Brazil.

The shock and horror this news inspired in me cannot be adequately described. I was forced to have recourse to the laudanum bottle on several occasions and even the provision of a new wardrobe did little to pacify me or raise my spirits. The Archduchess was charming and gracious and assured me my duties would be light. Chiefly, I was to make conversation in English with her. The real ladies-in-waiting were all aristocrats and seldom deigned to talk to me.

The journey to Brazil would take almost six months – at sea! What a fearsome prospect. Would I ever see my native land again? I had been contracted for two years but that was meaningless. I might well fall prey to a ghastly tropical disease, or the ship would sink or as Adelaide said, ‘We will be captured by pirates and sold to the Sultan of Tartary or some such person. Where is Brazil?’ she added. ‘Is it near Australia?’ I nodded. We both collapsed on the sofa and sobbed. I was only slightly consoled to learn that large diamonds
were easily found in Brazil. Adelaide asked whether they grew on trees.

Before we embarked on a huge ship heavily laden with people, animals, furniture and treasure (barely seaworthy), Captain Marshfield was again at my door urging me to send dispatches back from Rio de Janeiro. I turned a deaf ear, doubting that the need would ever arise. 

Adelaide and I were obliged to make elaborate preparations for the journey. We assembled clothes suitable for the ferocious climate and as much medicine as possible. Mrs Makepeace’s gold coins were placed in a stout trunk. As the heavily laden ship slowly made its way out to sea I stood on deck watching Europe recede into the mist. Adelaide had already turned green and had retired below with a supply of ginger.

A member of the crew tapped me on the shoulder and suggested I might like to retire below. I turned and beheld Jerry Sartain, one of the disreputable and criminal people who had crossed my path, as mentioned earlier. He was also
the one who had truly captured my heart. I have always loved unwisely but too well, dear reader. In fact, Jerry had been a highwayman when we first met – on that occasion he was robbing my coach in Epping Forest. Despite this inauspicious introduction I would have done anything for him.

He had eventually boarded a ship to the New World in order to escape the gallows in England and now we were to be together all the way to Brazil. I was forced to grab the ship’s handrail in order to control my emotions. Interesting times lay ahead.