OH MY GOD, I LOVE YOU, YULETIDE AUTHOR! I wish you could see my face right now, because I'm not sure any words that I offer here could fully convey the enormous smile and immeasurable amounts of glee that your story gives me. Let me babble at you and use far too many italics and superlatives, that might give you close to the right impression. :) I just -- your Caroline is absolutely perfect, all prickly and clever and ruthlessly strategic, possessed of such very high standards and reserve and pride in herself. I love that she doesn't settle for anything less than what she wants; it's just that her standards change. And Wickham! I find it both hilarious and very endearing that he kicks it all off by feeling he owes Caroline for helping Miss Price hook up with Darcy. It's so him, that sense of honor hidden under all the rake-ness (rake-itude? rakery?). And then, the bluntly-negotiated courtship of convenience! So very Heyer, but so very them too, I love it! It's wonderful how Caroline proposes it, and how Wickham instantly sees what she's getting at. I think I mentioned in my letter that I have a great fondness for competence, and the way they are so very deft at playing the London Society game is awesome for me.
I love the courtship-that-turns-real, the way they cattily gossip and snark at each other with such obvious delight. And then the shift to that tentative, genuine enjoyment, and Caroline's realization, and the parallels with her brother's and Darcy's own affaires de coeur, and her worldview-upset confusion. Her refusal is just right, and then I love that Wickham shows up, half protective and half still trying to help her get what he thinks she wants in any way he can, unaware that her game has changed. I am really hearteyes about them over here, I can't even tell you how fond I am of these two.
Some favorite lines:
Because she did not particularly care what he thought of her, she told him the truth. "This is the one accomplishment I can claim that Society will care about. All the other accomplishments that we pretend to applaud are all in pursuit of this one goal: to make a good marriage. And I will make the best marriage I can."
*I* fell a little bit in love with her at this, so I can see why Wickham did as well. ♥
"You should -- life is not something that should be endured."
Oh, Wickham. *draws more hearts*
She trod upon his foot. She probably hurt herself more than him, but she could at least take satisfaction in smudging the polish on his Hessian.
I love this. I'm not sure I can say why -- but it's just so very right.
Everything seemed perfectly still around her. She thought, No one but we two will ever know this happened, if I refuse him. But I will know. I will know that I won this prize. She considered it. It was enough.
I love how you chose wrote her ambition here -- we see her chasing after Darcy in canon, but here you show it to be not greed for money or position, but a desire for accomplishment, something she can strive for and be proud of, in a world that limits her options for such so severely. I just adore your Caroline, seriously.
Wickham grinned. “Come, then. I don't want to live a life without fireworks.”
A perfect exit line! He has a talent for those. :D
Thank you so, so, SO much for this story! I can't even tell you how much I love it to pieces, although I hope this conveys some of my happiness. I plan to re-read it a couple dozen more times at least. *twirls happily*
Comment on A Madcap Proposal
inmyriadbits
Posted Sun 25 Dec 2011 01:22PM EST
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