The Watsons: Beginnings - Preface

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The Watsons: Beginnings

By

Eireanne Michaels

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A Prequel to

Refined and Returned

A Completion of the fragment The Watsons

By

Jane Austen 

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Preface

This story is a prequel to Refined and Returned, a completed version of The Watsons—the unfinished fragment by Jane Austen. Written on paper with watermarks from 1803 and 1804, The Watsons was set aside by Austen for reasons unknown and never completed. While many have speculated on why she abandoned it, the truth remains a mystery.

The original manuscript is preserved in:

MS. MA 1034, Morgan Library & Museum, New York

MS. Eng. e. 3764, Bodleian Library, Oxford

Eireanne Michaels has completed The Watsons by adhering to Austen’s style, allowing her characters to act within the personalities Austen crafted. In developing the novel, the author created a detailed backstory for the Watson family, spanning three decades before the events of Refined and Returned. This prequel tells that story.

Next: Prologue

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Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction unless otherwise indicated. Some names, characters, businesses, places, and events are used in a fictitious manner or inspired by real historical figures. The author does not speak for or represent any real individuals, companies, corporations, or brands mentioned in this book.

Copyright © 2025 Eireanne Michaels (Erin Michelle Harris)

All rights reserved. No part of this book, except for material derived from the original fragment and manuscript, may be reproduced or used in any manner without prior written permission from the copyright owner, except for brief quotations in a review.