After checking the meaning I scroll down my screen to see that words related to
ingenuity include, ability, brilliance, dexterity, flair, genius, and gumption.
An old memory is ignited of me bursting into tears at
primary school because I hadn’t a clue what the word gumption meant. To me it
sounded like the name of a cleaning product – gumption, removes all stubborn
stains with just one squirt.
Perhaps at the time I never had enough of it and I admit I
am still in awe of the women I know who appear to have flair, genius, and
ingenuity in abundance.
Take for instance my friend Ruth Leigh, now she may disagree as
she holds her fanned cards close to her chest, never revealing a dodgy hand, while coquettishly fluttering eyelashes in the style of a Jane Austen heroine.
I do hope she enjoys that description because she is a self-confessed
Jane Austen superfan who has used her ingenuity to great effect writing a
collection of short stories based on the minor characters from Pride and
Prejudice. The characters who only get a passing mention.
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| reading in the garden |
There’s a story about Sally the maid, who is tasked with mending
Lydia Bennet’s frock and is not best pleased about it. A tale about the gossipy
Mrs Long who plays matchmaker for her two neices (Ruth chuses to use
spelling that Jane Austen would be familiar with). We see the darker side of
the cook at Netherfield Park and you wouldn’t want to fall fowl of Mrs Nicholls. She is only called Mrs because of her position, according to her "men are nothing but trouble".
My personal favourite story is that of Mrs Jenkinson, Miss
Anne de Bourgh’s companion, who is described by Maria Lucas as an “old lady”. The story is entitled An Unremarkable Woman but I
enjoyed the backstory that gave her such an unexpected and interesting life for a
woman of her time and social standing.
The historical details are meticulously researched and each
story beautifully imagined as these lesser known characters are brought to life.
Ruth has been getting much well-deserved praise from other
regency scholars who know so much more about the period. Her writing is high-end
fan fiction, easily comparable to bestselling novels such as Longbourn by Jo Baker,
The Other Benett Sister by Janice Hadlow and Death Comes to Pemberly by PD
James, to name just a few.
Novels have been written inspired by Austen’s
other works too, particular favourites of mine include the modern reimagining
of Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid and The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy
Fowler. It is great to know that Ruth intends to follow suit and is already
mulling over story ideas for her next collection based on the minor characters from Emma.
But this is in between other projects such as the fourth in
her fabulous Isabella M Smugge series and whatever other inventive ideas she
comes up with before breakfast.
Ruth truly is a woman of much ingenuity and I most delighted
to call her a friend.
A Great Deal of Ingenuity is published by Resolute Books use the link below for more information.
https://www.resolutebooks.co.uk/books/p/a-great-deal-of-ingenuity
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| A diverting picture of Colin Firth as Mr Darcy because - why not? |
