Christmas at Maplewood: A Pride and Prejudice Holiday Variation: The Maplewood Stables Saga, #3

By Portia Appleton

Christmas at Maplewood will be special this year...

Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy are celebrating Christmas in Meryton at Maplewood Stables, this time with their infant twins by their side. It is a momentous holiday, as Elizabeth's family will be meeting George and Emma for the first time. They are all filled with Christmas joy at the prospect of spending the season with the newest members of the family.

But a stranger has different plans for the Darcys when they arrive in Meryton...

One week before Christmas, a strange man shows up on the door step of Maplewood, claiming he has the legal rights to the farm that Elizabeth has grown to love. The fear of losing their second home and Elizabeth's dear horses quickly casts a pall of fear and disappointment over their visit. Who is this man? And can he truly take away Maplewood?

Christmas at Maplewood brings a bit of mystery to the holiday season, along with unexpected surprises and plenty of Christmas cheer!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Daisy Chain Publishing
• Release date: Dec 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201599034

Book preview

PROLOGUE

The lights inside of The Gooseberry Inn were dim as the winter sun set only an hour ago. The small Meryton inn was a popular place for the local residents to stop after a busy day of work and have a beer or gin. It was rare for a stranger to be spotted at The Gooseberry, even though they had small rooms for anyone passing through town. Visitors to Meryton were more likely to stay at The Meryton Inn, as it had a more comforting, welcoming sort of appeal... 

Which is why it was so unexpected for the regular Gooseberry visitors to see the unfamiliar man sitting at the bar, causing quite the ruckus.

Another beer, barkeep! And a round for the others! We are celebrating my recent good fortune!

The owner of The Gooseberry Inn, a man named Marley, gave the boisterous stranger another mug of beer but did so begrudgingly. He did not trust this loud braggadocio to pay his own tab, let alone a tab for the entire bar. 

Oi, you right bull calf. I would prefer if you tossed a few shillings my way before you go being generous with my beer.

The man let out a booming laugh that practically shook the bottles of gin on the wall behind them. The whole of The Gooseberry Inn went silent and watched the man with suspicious eyes. While strangers passed through Meryton with some measure of regularity, there seemed to be a silent agreement amongst the patrons that this man was not to be trusted. However, if he was aware of this, he gave no indication. Instead, he continued to laugh as he slammed his fist on the bar.

You have no need to worry, barkeep. I have my very own farm in this very town with quite the yearly income. I will keep you in business once I evict the current tenants! You will see. Old Roydon Fowler will be your very best customer.

Marley stared at him as he cleaned a glass. As the owner of an inn in a small town, there was little going on in Meryton that he did not hear about as soon as it happened. There were no farms for sale in Meryton or anywhere surrounding it, and no one had died since last spring. Marley could smell a liar from two towns away and this Roydon Fowler fellow appeared to be quite the swindler. He did not trust him, farm or not.

Mr. Roydon Fowler, said Marley, I do not give away my beer on time. If it is in your gut, you need to pay me for it.

The man sighed and reached into his coat pocket, then dropped a handful of pennies and pence on the bar, mixed with bits of string and paper. Marley sighed and tossed the trash to the floor. There was hardly enough money there to cover half of what this Mr. Fowler drank.

No more for you, Fowler and I am starting you a tab, sir. Tabs must be paid by the end of each month or you will be forbidden to enter The Gooseberry Inn again. Do we understand one another, Fowler?

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