Introduction

From the author of Mr. Darcy's Daughters, the delightful escapades of the Darcy family continue with an enchanting story set in Pride and Prejudice's beloved estate, Pemberley. When Phoebe, a young niece of Pride and Prejudice's Mr. Darcy, is shattered by an unhappy romance, she retreats to Pemberley and is joined by kind-hearted Louisa Bingley, unmarried after three London seasons. Once the young ladies are situated in the house, several handsome strangers also arrive-all hopeful of winning the girls' hearts. As preparations for the ball which Mr. and Mrs. Darcy are to give at Pemberley gain momentum, mischief and love triangles abound, making life as difficult as possible for anyone connected with the Darcy family. Populated with authentic characters firmly rooted in Jane Austen's mores and stylistic traditions, Mr. Darcy's Dream has an unforgettable combination of romance, societal scandals, friendship, family, and marriage.

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Excerpt

Chapter One

Phoebe Hawkins was twenty years old, handsome, well-born, and with a fortune of fifty thousand pounds. Here she was, at the start of her second London season, the world at her feet, and yet if there were a more miserable young lady in all of London, she would be surprised. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. Discuss the title of the novel. What is Mr. Darcy's dream? What are his wishes for his family and for the Pemberley
estate?

2. “Nothing is constant, nothing can stay the same as it is year in and year out,” according to Louisa (page 145). What
changes are afoot in Mr. Darcy's Dream? Which characters
embrace progress, and which characters resist it? What are
their motivations for change or resistance?

3. Politics come between Phoebe and Stanhope: her Tory
family and his Whig family are at odds. Do you think politics play as great a role in family relations and romance today? Why or why not?

4. Compare Miniver, Phoebe's maid, to Betsy, Louisa's maid.
Who is more outspoken? Who has a better relationship
with the woman she serves? What do these characters add
to the novel?

5. Louisa tells Phoebe, “You are too rigorous in your judgements. You do not give time for people's virtues to grow on you, you are so quick to dismiss them that you never find out their true worth” (page 41). Is Louisa right about Phoebe's quick judgements? Who does Phoebe judg correctly, and who does she misjudge at first? Are her
instincts unreliable?

6. Regarding unfaithful husbands, Phoebe wonders, “Was
this the common lot of wives?” (page 187). How do female
characters address marital infidelity in the novel? How
would you answer Phoebe's question about husbands and
wives?

7. Discussing women with Mr. Drummond, Phoebe says,
“Our world is a smaller one than that of you men” (page
98). Do you think that the world is still a smaller place for women today?

8. Accepting Mr. Drummond's proposal, Louisa says, “Fortune
and estates mean nothing to me. I can imagine no
greater happiness than being your wife” (page 264). Is
Louisa naïve to dismiss money and social standing in her
choice of a husband, or is she likely to find happiness with Mr. Drummond? What challenges might the couple face
in the future?

9. Mr. Stanhope is a gentleman of the city, while Phoebe enjoys activities of the country, especially horseback riding. Where do you think the couple should make their home?

10. If you have read other works by Aston, how does Mr. Darcy's Dream compare to the other books in the series?

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