What Might Have Been Series by Christine Combe

Elinor Dashwood has found herself disappointed in love. Not only are the odds of a match between her and Edward Ferrars "insurmountable", there's the little matter of his secret engagement to another young lady. Colonel Alan Brandon hasn't had an easy time securing a loving partner. His first love was coerced into an unhappy marriage with his elder brother, and Elinor's younger sister Marianne refuses to see past his age... moreElinor Dashwood has found herself disappointed in love. Not only are the odds of a match between her and Edward Ferrars "insurmountable", there's the little matter of his secret engagement to another young lady. Colonel Alan Brandon hasn't had an easy time securing a loving partner. His first love was coerced into an unhappy marriage with his elder brother, and Elinor's younger sister Marianne refuses to see past his age. These two practical people find solace in each other's company, both of them suffering their heartbreak in secret and in silence. Then comes the day when Brandon accepts there is no sense in pining for someone who thinks he's too old for marriage. At the same time, Elinor concludes she will have to let go of her dreams if she is to have any kind of happiness. Moving on isn't easy for either of them, but Elinor and Brandon soon discover that hope can be found even in difficult times, and often it is the unlikeliest of people with whom one falls in love. less

Fitzwilliam Darcy has been chasing after the villainous George Wickham for months, to no avail. In need of respite, he and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam accompany their friend Charles Bingley to Hertfordshire to assess the estate he has leased there. Darcy expects little pleasure in the small town of Meryton, so finds himself surprised indeed to be instantly captivated by the charming--if a trifle impertinent--Elizabeth Bennet... moreFitzwilliam Darcy has been chasing after the villainous George Wickham for months, to no avail. In need of respite, he and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam accompany their friend Charles Bingley to Hertfordshire to assess the estate he has leased there. Darcy expects little pleasure in the small town of Meryton, so finds himself surprised indeed to be instantly captivated by the charming--if a trifle impertinent--Elizabeth Bennet.Elizabeth Bennet swears she has no interest in matrimony at present, and would be happy to see all her sisters well settled before her. That is, until the enigmatic Mr. Darcy came into the neighborhood and upended all her ideals about herself. Both are candid about the reasons a match between would be undesirable, yet the friendship they agree upon inevitably gives way to deeper feelings.On the very night Darcy and Elizabeth acknowledge their attachment, Darcy's elusive quarry turns up seeking him. Wickham's claims of innocence and an inheritance take Darcy to London, where an attempted compromise leads to confrontation with his uncle, the Earl of Disley. Then, as Elizabeth has become a player in the family drama, he explains all before he is drawn away again to Surrey by a letter regarding his sister, Georgiana.Elizabeth is determined not to allow separation from Darcy to dampen her spirits, and their romance blossoms further through correspondence. Bolstering her happiness is the discovery that a relation she never had chance to meet generously left each Bennet daughter a legacy that greatly increases their prospects. In London for the Season with her sisters Jane and Catherine, Elizabeth is relieved to find acceptance from some of Darcy's noble relatives, though their notice inadvertently leads her to the very man whose heinous actions already cost one girl her innocence...and whose attempt at escape might just cost Elizabeth her life. less