Giveaway Winner and "Mystery Lady" Revealed!

Thanks to all who entered the giveaway! Again, I highly enjoyed reading your guesses regarding the mystery lady's identity, which included such fascinating predictions as Lydia developing a distaste for redcoats and Lady Catherine going one-on-one with Mrs. Bennet. For those who did not win, please come back on Friday for more speculative games and another chance to win. On that note, I am pleased to announce that the winner is:

emiv

Congratulations, emiv! You are the proud owner of a brand new copy of First Impressions: A Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice! Soon you will receive an email from me requesting your mailing address.

I realized during the course of this contest that my question was terribly subjective. Four ladies were suggested by entrants as possible candidates for this weeks "mystery lady" - Lydia Bennet, Caroline Bingley, Mrs. Bennet, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh - and all four of these ladies do receive some form of my neutralization technique during the course of First Impressions. Lydia is removed, Caroline is redirected and removed, while both Mrs. Bennet and Lady Catherine are confronted. However, as I randomly had one particular lady in mind, an extra entry went to those who named Lady Catherine, and a third to anyone who correctly guessed confrontation. Mr. and Miss Darcy journey to Rosings with the intention of telling Lady Catherine that the former will not be marrying her daughter. Once there, they receive assistance from an unexpected quarter. Here is a snippet from the scene. I couldn't share much this week without given away more than I intended, so it is really just a tease. Enjoy.

 

He took a deep breath before proceeding. “Mr. Collins informed me that you have spoken openly with him of your long held belief that I intend to marry Anne. I understand that this is a long treasured notion of yours, Aunt, but I must assure you here and now that neither Anne nor I favor the idea. It would be best for all involved if you would relinquish it altogether.”  

“Surely you jest, Darcy!” she exclaimed, though it was evident he did not. Indignantly she rose from her chair and declared with a stiff spine, “A union between yourself and Anne was the fondest wish of both your mothers! Who else so proper, so fit, to follow in my dear departed sister's footsteps at Pemberley than my very own daughter?”

“But I am not fit, Mother,” broke in a strained but determined voice. Lady Catherine turned in shock to see that Anne de Bourgh, her always obedient daughter, had at some point entered the room and stood shakily holding the knob of the door.

            

 “Anne! Why are you downstairs? You shall return to your rooms at once!”

            

 “I heard of our visitors and wanted to greet them properly.” She began to move towards her cousins, in doing so revealing a nervous Mrs. Jenkinson teetering anxiously behind her mistress.

            

 “But you are unwell Anne,” her mother insisted. “You must not exert yourself so. Mrs. Jenkinson, see her back to her room immediately.”

            

 “I am afraid, Mother, that this conversation intimately involves me and I will not be kept out of it.”