Leenie Brown

Music Monday: High Valley, Love You for a Long Time

I heard this song several times this week on the radio or was it during my YouTube surfing…or perhaps it was both. (It was probably both. 🙂 ) Anyway, it is a song I like from a group I enjoy listening to, and it kind of got stuck in my head. I found it often coming to mind as I was writing which seemed appropriate since the story has reached the point where Elizabeth has finally realized that she does love Darcy.

Part of the lyrics of the song say this:

Long as there’s a breath in me,
Right down to my last heartbeat,
Long as your blue eyes shine,
I’ll love you, love you for a long time

So let the storm clouds roll,
Let the rain fall down,
‘Til the good Lord calls me home,
I’ll be around, I’ll be around

And that, I believe, is what Darcy is expressing in this snippet. (WARNING: This little excerpt might need a SPOILER alert…read at your own risk. 😉 )

From Her Father’s Choice:

Mary shifted and leaned against the wall of the coach instead of her sister. Elizabeth watched Mary to see if she was going to stay situated, then she slipped across the coach to sit on the bench next to Mr. Darcy, whose eyes immediately flew open letting her know her assessment of his lack of sleep was indeed accurate.

“May I sit here for a moment?” she asked.

“For as long as you wish,” he said. There was a hint of grogginess to his voice. He was tired, but thoughts of his own father’s passing kept him from sleep. He knew the pain of losing a parent for he had done so twice over.

“I wanted to thank you.” Elizabeth placed her hand on top of his. “You knew exactly what needed to be done to have us travelling as soon as possible.”

He turned his hand over where it lay under hers and twined his fingers with hers. “I understand the urgency of such a trip as this,” he said softly.

She nodded, unable to speak for a moment as the tears once again threatened. She tightened her grasp on his hand, finding comfort in his strength. “Thank you,” she whispered once again. “For caring for me.”

He turned his face toward her. “I will always care for you.”

Music Monday: Brian Crain – Pastel Garden

While writing, I often have a YouTube Music to Write By playlist that will repeat over and over in the background through my headset. Sometimes, like this week, I search out new instrumental music to add to the list. Today’s video has found its way onto my list. I enjoy Brian Crain’s music, and this video…well, it has distracted me from writing with its prettiness, so, of course, I had to share it with you. Enjoy!

“BRIAN CRAIN – Pastel Garden, Piano and Light.” YouTube. Video Created and uploaded by Andreea Petcu. March 2, 2013

So what was I writing this week while this song was playing? A couple of confrontations and this one important realization.

From Her Father’s Choice (my current work in rough progress 🙂 ):

Elizabeth settled into the seat and attempted to listen to the conversation around her, but her mind kept wandering back to the conversation with Miss Ivison and Miss Pearce. She had felt a need to defend herself, but it was not what truly inspired her to speak as she had. What was it about Mr. Darcy that made her feel a need to see that he was well and that his name was not harmed?

“Oh!” Her hand flew to her mouth and her eyes grew wide as understanding dawned on her.

“Are you well?” asked Lady Sophia.

Elizabeth smiled brightly. “I am well. I was merely woolgathering.” She now saw her dislike for those two women and Miss Bingley for what it was. Mr. Darcy had touched her heart, and she was jealous.

Mary looked at her doubtfully. “Are you certain you are well, Lizzy?”

Elizabeth nodded. “I am well. Very, very well.” And, she added to herself, quite possibly in love.

Music Monday: Austenland – Apologize

“Austenland – Apologize.” YouTube. Video created for and uploaded to YouTube by Radina Steven, February 3, 2014.

It seems that Darcy often ends up apologizing for some slight or blunder, both in the original story by Jane Austen and in many JAFF stories. My current work in progress is no different in that regard. Elizabeth has heard the slight at the assembly, and during a walk, Darcy is attempting to explain why he said what he did. Here is a small snippet of how well that went.

From Her Father’s Choice

“I never said you were not handsome.”

Her eyes were wide with surprise. “You did not?”

He crossed his arms and glared at her. “No, I did not. I said you were not handsome enough to tempt me to dance.”

“You did not say to dance.”

He closed his eyes and tried to rein in his frustration. “It was implied. As I said, I was in no mood to dance that evening. You could have been Aphrodite herself, and you would not have been handsome enough to tempt me to dance for I had no intention of dancing.”

“I see.” She stepped passed him and began walking away. She needed space to think.

Darcy watched her walking away and silently cursed Bingley’s idea to be more open. Explaining himself to Bingley was never this difficult. This was like trying to reason with Georgiana.

Music Monday: As She’s Walking Away, Zac Brown Band

This song was playing on the car radio the other day as I was driving out to a camp where my school was holding a beginning of the year retreat. The scenery on this drive is beautiful and is really just the perfect sort to “prime the imagination pumps”. Well, my brain was thinking Jane Austen thoughts (as it often does 😉 ) as this song began to play. Immediately, I thought the lyrics fit Darcy quite nicely, especially this phrase

“and my heart won’t tell my mind to tell my mouth what it should say”

I also thought of the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. I love how the role of Darcy is played in this version because the portrayal, in my opinion, shows the struggle that Darcy has in trying to overcome his feelings for Miss Elizabeth. So, I thought I would share a clip of the movie below the song. This clip is one of my favourites and features Lizzy walking away from a Darcy who looks as if he wants to say something. (And yes, I know this scene is not in the book. 🙂 )

“Zac Brown Band – As She’s Walking Away.” YouTube. Uploaded to YouTube by Zac Brown Band September 13, 2010.

“Pride and Prejudice – Encourage Affection.” YouTube. Uploaded to YouTube by Christa McKinney on August 5, 2008.

Music Monday: Period Drama: A Thousand Years

“Period Drama: A Thousand Years.” YouTube. Video created and uploaded by TheDeathlyNight on May 5, 2012.

This is a song that I simply adore. It is on my Music to Write By in an instrumental version (no words are allowed on that list 😉 ). But, I also love this video of it.

I have begun working on my next book, and this song is one that I keep playing as I write it. (In fact, I think it could be an unofficial theme song for the story.)

In this variation, Elizabeth and Darcy are forced into a marriage by … nope, not telling yet. 🙂 But know that at the beginning neither are completely sure of their feelings for the other; though Darcy does suspect he is indeed in love with Elizabeth.

This little bit of the story is in its “Head to Page” version, and I hope it survives to the final draft because it is sweet. Darcy and Elizabeth are in the process of learning a bit more about the other. Elizabeth has just asked why Georgiana has not accompanied Darcy to Hertfordshire.

From Her Father’s Choice

“She is with her aunt and taking lessons from the masters. I did not wish to interrupt her education.” He smiled slightly and there was a twinkle in his eye. “And she did not wish to spend time with Miss Bingley.”

Elizabeth’s eyes grew wide. “But, Miss Bingley led me to believe she and Miss Darcy were close.”

“She knows how dear my sister is to me, so I believe she says it so that I will think she would make a good sister for Georgiana and, therefore, a good wife for me.” He stood and extended a hand to Elizabeth to assist her in rising from her seat on the stile. “She is mistaken if she thinks I would ever consider her for a wife.”

“Because she is from trade?”

Darcy laughed. “No, because she is annoying and rather dull.” He tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and kept it covered with his own. “I have always wished for a companion in a wife. Someone with whom I can have discussions. Someone who has read extensively and has a quick wit. I wish for my sister to have a sister who is compassionate and caring as well as intelligent and strong.” His steps faltered slightly at the realization that dawned on him. “I believe…” He paused. “I believe I have been looking for you.”