A More Prosperous Trial of the State

Several months after the wedding of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy thwarted her ambitions, Caroline Bingley is introduced to Mr Rushworth, a man with a noble estate and an even larger income. Despite his fortune and fine houses, however, Mr Rushworth turns out to be somewhat dull and under the influence of his mother, and he is divorced. A number of other new acquaintances and potential suitors come into Caroline's life in the year that follows, as she learns a few lessons about her own shortcomings and what is truly important in the life of a Regency lady. This novel, reflecting the times of Jane Austen as closely as possible, is a sequel to Pride and Prejudice and to Mansfield Park, and brings together many characters beloved and not so beloved in both novels.