Trust and Triumph — Norma Gatje-Smith

"Trust and Triumph" continues the story of the Darcys, Bennets and Bingleys of "Pride and Prejudice" fame. With this sequel, the lives of Jane Austen's characters ex­plode into adventures and fun as they honeymoon, confront the Ghost of Pemberley Manor, search for suitable suitors for Georgianna Darcy and Kitty Bennet and endure the company of pesty and nutty new in-laws. Georgianna's complicated romance with a country doctor em­bellishes the novel with it's touching though thoroughly con­fused passion, while Kitty and Anne de Bourgh find the loves of their lives and show their inate spunk as they plunge directly into courtship. In this glorious era of matchmaking, the young ladies and the their families either meander through their luxurious lives or chase feverishly after excitement. A thwarted kidnap brings in the seven foot Detective Strand who uses crime scene subterfuge to entice the Darcys' cook and establish her in his mansion and during a voyage to Savannah, Georgia, with a coterie of friends that includes former vaudevill­ians and a besotted prince, they save and tame a pirate crew. This is a spirited bunch of people, stirring up mischief in their new roles and goals, usually earning success and always providing humor and entertainment.