Dear Sir,
Novel Notes
Historical Context & Inspirations
From the Author
Why I Chose a Different Path for Mr Darcy — and Made Jane Bennet Worthy of Him
As a lifelong admirer of Pride and Prejudice, I have always found comfort and inspiration in Jane Austen’s world. But like many readers, I also wondered: what if things had gone differently? What if Jane Bennet had not merely been “sweet” and “pretty” and “amiable”? What if Mr Darcy had seen in her not just gentleness, but quiet power?
That is how Dear Sir was born — not as a rebellion against Austen, but as a deep homage to her characters and the emotional truths they still reveal. I did not begin with a grand plan. I began with a letter — a fictional one, written by Jane to Mr Darcy, sent at a time of hurt and confusion. That letter was my doorway into Jane’s heart. And what I found there surprised even me.
We so often see Jane through Elizabeth’s admiring but limited eyes. I wanted to explore who Jane might become if she were given more room to speak, to act, to dare. InDear Sir, she does not wait to be chosen. She chooses. And in doing so, she grows into a woman who can meet Fitzwilliam Darcy not just with admiration but with true equality.
Darcy, too, changes. His early fascination with Elizabeth fades when he realises that their connection was based more on challenge than compatibility. With Jane, he discovers something else: peace, steadiness, and deep respect. Their love story is not one of fiery opposites, but one of steady growth, mutual healing, and quiet transformation.
Some readers have found this twist startling, even unwelcome. I understand that. Austen’s original pairings are dear to many. But for me, it was deeply satisfying to imagine a world in which Jane is truly seen, not just for her intelligence, resilience, and emotional depth, but also for who she is. A woman who tracks the household accounts, who saves and invests her pin money, who advises Darcy, and gently but firmly stands up to Lady Matlock — this Jane is not a shrinking violet. She is a woman of substance.
And what of Elizabeth? I have not forgotten her. In Dear Sir, Elizabeth follows her own path and finds her own partner, one more suited to her independent spirit. I promise: she is not left behind. Her happy ending is simply different, just as real, and just as deserved.
Writing this novel, in English, which is not my first language, was a personal journey of courage and imagination. It began as a simple “what if,” and it became a full-fledged story of love, worth, and choice. I hope that, if you read it, you will discover something new in these familiar characters — and perhaps even in yourself.
Thank you for letting me share my story.
— Kinga Brady
Historical Information
The world Jane and Darcy inhabit is grounded in real places. These locations — some still standing — shaped the London scenes of the novel and lent the story its texture.
Hatchards Bookshop
Founded in 1797 by John Hatchard, Hatchards is the oldest bookshop in London and holds a Royal Warrant granted by three successive monarchs. Located at 187 Piccadilly — a stone’s throw from Fortnum & Mason — it was the very place Jane Austen herself would have browsed for the latest publications. During the Regency era it was a meeting place for literary society: Sir Walter Scott, Lord Byron, and William Wordsworth all passed through its doors. Hatchards still hosts book signings and literary events today, preserving an atmosphere that feels essentially unchanged since Jane and Darcy’s time.
Kew Gardens
Founded in 1759 and later expanded under King George III, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew began as a royal pleasure garden and grew into one of the world’s most important botanical institutions. By the Regency period, Kew had become a fashionable destination for genteel society — close enough to London for a day’s outing, yet worlds away in atmosphere. Darcy and Georgiana visit the gardens in Chapter 10, drawn by the famous glasshouses, the exotic plants collected from across the Empire, and the tranquil lakeside walks. The Palm House and the Temperate House were built later, but the gardens’ sprawling lawns, follies, and specimen trees would have been familiar sights to the characters, just as they are to visitors today.
Hampton Court Palace
Built in 1515 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and later seized by King Henry VIII, Hampton Court Palace is a magnificent blend of Tudor and Baroque architecture. The Tudor west front, guarded by the King’s Beasts, still greets visitors much as it did in Jane and Darcy’s day. Within its walls lies the Chapel Royal, where Henry VIII worshipped and where gilded fan-vaulting survives from the 16th century. The Pond Garden, the Little Banqueting House, and the sprawling Privy Garden were all favourite haunts of the Georgian court — King George III himself spent part of his childhood here. During the Regency period, Hampton Court was a popular destination for London society seeking a genteel excursion beyond the city. Darcy and Georgiana visit the palace in Chapter 10, wandering its courtyards and gardens much as visitors still do today.
Chapter 18
Sweet William
Jane’s epiphany is that there is a flower called sweet william… and she calls Darcy such.
Gunter's Tea Shop
Gunter's Tea Shop in London's Berkeley Square had its origins in a food business named ‘Pot and Pine Apple’, started in 1757 by Italian confectioner Domenico Negri. In 1777 James Gunter became Negri’s business partner, and by 1799 he was the sole proprietor. In the nineteenth century, Gunter’s became a fashionable light eatery in Mayfair, notable for its ices and sorbets. Jane and Darcy take ices at Gunter’s in Chapter 5 — a quintessential Regency outing where fashionable society gathered to see and be seen. Berkeley Square, shown here in 1813, was the elegant setting for the tea shop.
Hyde Park
Quite amazing to see London like this. In the Regency era, Hyde Park was at the very edge of the city — on three sides there was still nothing around it. It was here that fashionable society paraded on horseback and in carriages along Rotten Row, the famous riders’ track. Darcy and Georgiana ride through the park in Chapter 7. Nearby, Grosvenor Square was one of the most fashionable addresses in London, home to the rich and the titled.
Covent Garden
The Theatre Royal, Covent Garden was one of London’s two patent theatres. It was a crowded place where all classes of society mingled — from the fashionable boxes to the noisy pit. The surrounding market, with its fruit, vegetable, and flower sellers, gave the area its distinctive character. Difficult to imagine the sheer density of the crowds that gathered for a night at the theatre.
Vauxhall Gardens
Vauxhall Gardens was one of the leading venues for public entertainment from the mid-17th century to the mid-19th century. A public park on the south side of the Thames, it was originally known as New Spring Gardens and is believed to have opened before the Restoration of 1660. The Gardens consisted of several acres of trees and shrubs with attractive walks. Initially, the entrance was free, with food and drink being sold to support the venture. It was accessed by boat until the erection of Vauxhall Bridge in the 1810s. The site became Vauxhall Gardens in 1785 and admission was charged for its attractions. The Gardens drew enormous crowds, with its paths being noted for romantic assignations.
Travelling in Regency London
London in 1806 was a sprawling, rapidly growing metropolis. This pocket map by Mogg shows the city as Jane and Darcy would have navigated it — from Hyde Park in the west to the Tower in the east. Travel within the city was done on foot, by hackney coach, or by private carriage, while journeys beyond London were undertaken by post-chaise or stagecoach along roads that were often poorly maintained.
Chapter 30
The Regency Barouche
The barouche had a collapsible hood over the back and was considered a summer vehicle used for driving in the great parks. It was drawn by a pair of high-quality horses to complement the expensive and fashionable vehicle. The barouche was the carriage of choice for the wealthy who wished to see and be seen — its open design allowing passengers to admire the view and, equally, to be admired.
Regency Dining
The Formal Dinner Table
A Regency dinner was a carefully choreographed affair — multiple courses, gleaming silver, epergnes piled with fruit, and dishes that ranged from white soup to elaborate entrées and jellies. These images capture the artistry and abundance of a Georgian table set for company.
Pemberley Fantasy
This Is My Pemberley
A newly designed estate, imagined in brick and white stone — with a ballroom off the main building opening onto the back garden, and staff quarters, kitchens, and service rooms ranged alongside. Below is a montage of the estate itself, the interiors and décor that lent it life, and the carriages that carried its inhabitants through Derbyshire.
Pemberley Fantasy
My Pemberley
This is my Pemberley. It is actually a newly designed estate. I love the brick with the white stone. There is an imagined ballroom off the main building to the back garden. The other off shoot in my imagination is staff accommodation on the first floor and kitchen and service rooms. The other side of it stores.
Pemberley Fantasy
Interiors
Reference images gathered while imagining the interiors of Pemberley — dining rooms, drawing rooms, décor, furniture, chandeliers, and table settings that lent colour and texture to the estate.
Pemberley Fantasy
Carriages & Travel
No Regency estate was complete without its carriages. These images capture the curricle, the post-chaise, and the state coach — the vehicles that carried Jane and Darcy through Derbyshire and beyond.
From the Journal
Pleasure, Politics and Proposals
The summer house party is at the very heart of Dear Sir — a month of country-house gatherings where impressions could change, friendships could deepen, and unexpected connections could form. Read more about the history and romance of the Regency summer house party.
Read the ArticleThe Scottish Bedroom
The summer house party was a thing in Regency times — extravagant events where guests were entertained for days with dinners, balls, card parties, and excursions. Each bedroom was decorated in a distinctive style, part of the spectacle of hospitality. The Scottish Bedroom, with its tartan draperies and Highland-inspired décor, reflected the era’s fascination with Scotland, sparked by the novels of Sir Walter Scott.
The Blue Bedroom
Its twin, the blue bedroom, was prepared for Mrs Bennet during the house party. Blue was a fashionable colour for Regency interiors — from powder-blue silk wallpapers to cornflower-blue muslins. Chapter 36 finds Jane with her lace parasol, a delicate confection of ivory silk and cotton lace — her constant companion for promenades and garden parties.
