Chapter One
Summer had burned through Colorado with a vengeance, leaving behind a wake of dry, crisp earth with a thirst for autumn. Fanny Price was lying in her bedroom in her parent's house with the shades drawn and the overhead fan whirring on full blast. She hadn't been herself lately; at first, she blamed the heat for her lack of motivation, but soon she began to realize that she had the post-graduation blues. It was hardly believable that she, Fanny Price, had a degree, let alone had finished college at all, and was now expected to use her degree and start a career.
She sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her thick, tangled dark hair. Aunt Maria, Fanny's mother's sister, had invited Fanny to move in with her and her family in Alabama and work at her uncle's coffee franchise headquarters until something more suited to her double major in English literature and creative writing came along. The proposal while at first sounding petrifying, was gaining appeal as the summer dragged on and Fanny remained stagnant. She had even taken to convincing herself that she had already decided that she would accept the offer and move to Alabama, but was waiting for the right moment to make the announcement. But Fanny Price had not once in her life made a move in haste. And besides, she had her mother and sisters to tell, and that would take more courage than Fanny thought she had at the moment. Ellie, Fanny's elder sister, was having relationship troubles with her boyfriend of two and a half years, Ed. He was a gentle and soft-spoken man with kind gray eyes whom Fanny had seen as more fatherly than brotherly. However, Ellie valued this in Ed more than anything; she did not like spontaneous, unpredictable people. Fanny thought that he was dreadfully forgettable and dull, but no matter what she thought of Ed, seeing Ellie suffer was painful. Especially knowing that Fanny was already halfway to Alabama and that she wouldn't be that shoulder for Ellie to cry on, made her feel infinitely guilty.
Nevertheless, Fanny knew that she was slowly wasting away in Denver, and that her extravagantly rich uncle's estate was calling her name. Fanny needed to put Fanny first.
"Ellie?" Fanny called out in a fit of boldness. "Are you home?"
She paused a moment and heard footsteps walking down the hall. Adrenaline started pumping viciously through Fanny's veins. The doorknob twisted, and Ellie's round, tanned face and gleaming blue eyes peered into the darkened bedroom.
"Do you need something?" Ellie asked, pushing blonde ringlets away from her eyes.
"Yeah," Fanny said. "I have something to tell you."
Ms. Price was the easiest to accept the news that Fanny would be leaving, further reinforcing Fanny's hunch that her mother and aunt had been in on a plot to get her to Alabama all along. Meg, the youngest sister, had cried, but she cried often so it was easy for Fanny to pat her on the back and move on. Ellie had taken the news with dignity, though Fanny could tell she was disappointed she would be losing her confidante.
When Aunt Maria heard the news she immediately booked a plane ticket, so before the week was over, Fanny was packing her bags and saying tearful goodbyes to her family in Denver. Daydreams of spending time lounging at Mansfield Park turned very suddenly in stepping off the plane into and incredible, muggy blast of hot air.
If Fanny could have worn nothing at all in the heat, she would have. Instead, she had worn pressed tan capris through which lines of sweat were bleeding and a dusty teal button-up. Fanny felt nauseous and over-dressed, but brightened immediately when she spotted her Aunt Maria.
"Fanny Price!" shrieked perky Aunt Maria from across the terminal. She had straight blonde hair like Fanny's mother, but Aunt Maria's was expensively coifed ad styled. She was bouncing with excitement from the pedicure peeping out of bright orange Manolo's, to the intricate beading of her new sleeveless blouse from Dillard's.
"Auntie!" exclaimed Fanny, embracing her thin aunt heartily. "It's so good to see you."
"It has been far too long." cooed Aunt Maria, cupping Fanny's face with her French-tipped fingers. "And you have turned into quite the beauty! College did you well."
Fanny blushed. "I would've taken a job instead."
"Oh shush, Fanny. So prudent! Well, you're here now and that is all that matters." Aunt Maria slinked a tan and toned forearm around Fanny's waist and gave her a squeeze.
"Hammond has already collected your bags and is pulling the car around. Now, while you're here, you don't be shy about asking him for a ride. He will take you where ever you want to go, ya hear?"
Fanny nodded. How he knew what bag was hers was beyond comprehension. "Yes ma'am. Thank you again for everything. I already feel lighter being down here."
The two women stepped outside and Aunt Maria lit a slim, brown cigarette while they waited for Hammond. She held the tobacco between her flexed middle and first fingers, taking ladylike sips from the end like it were a teacup. She must've felt Fanny's eye studying her, so she turned and smiled warmly at Fanny. "They're South American. Thomas sent them in a package for my birthday. Oh, Fanny… What a party! It was a miracle I woke up the next day."
Fanny giggled darkly and blushed again. Aunt Maria was a notorious drinker; in fact, it was uncommon for her not to be drinking by noon. Furthermore, since Thomas had been gone nearly a year and a half in Brazil, Aunt Maria's addiction ad escalated into prescription medicine. She was fast approaching sixty years old, and Fanny worried for her health. But when one was in the company of Mrs. Maria Bertram, one is quickly more compelled to eat, drink, and be merry, than to question her well-being.
Hammond, a middle-aged, jolly-looking man pulled up in an ivory white Porsche Cayenne, and Fanny and Maria arranged themselves in the backseats. Soon they were busy discussing anyone and everyone involved with their family and barely noticed the forty-five minute drive to Mansfield Park estates.
"Here we are!" said Maria, buzzing with excitement as Hammond pulled up in front of twin, intricate, cast-iron gates that opened slowly and regally to a winding drive lined with Japanese plum trees ripe with fruit. Hammond cracked the rear windows and a gust of sweet, hot plum filled Fanny's nose.
"Oh, Hammond, you tease!" Aunt Maria squealed. She began rummaging through her purse and fished out two oblong pills, which she popped in her mouth. "Forgot to take my medicine." She said, smiling sheepishly.
Suddenly, the manor came into view and Fanny's heart could have exploded. She had no idea how many rooms, windows, or dollars made that mansion, but it was most certainly beyond her wildest dreams.
"Everyone is coming for cocktails this evening," said Aunt Maria as Hammond pulled into a private garage. "and appetizers, of course. Oh, and your cousin Julia has a special announcement. She has been waiting until you arrived to tell any of us. She's just so excited that you'll be staying here!"
Fanny gave her aunt a half-hearted smile. She knew well enough that Julia couldn't stand her, and that she wouldn't be shy about expressing the fact. Julia was beautiful in a foxlike, sharp way, with an angular, pointed nose and piercing hazel eyes. She was stern and unapproachable to women, but turned on maximum wattage seductress if an interesting male was within 100 yards. And Julia had the weakest moral code of any of the Bertrams; in middle school she and Aunt Maria had visited Denver and Julia made out with the only boy Fanny had ever come close to having romantic attachment to. Perhaps it was because Fanny forgave Julia that made Julia hate Fanny so much, or maybe it was jealously of Fanny's male friends, one could not be certain. Not that Fanny was the type to chase boys, she just happened to have more in common with the boyish sort throughout school.
The heat was sweltering and the 100% humidity blasted them unmercifully as Hammond opened the door for Aunt Maria. Fanny was suddenly overwhelmed with a claustrophobic, anxiety. She hadn't seen any of these people in half a decade, and here she was suitcase in hand, moving into their palace. Fanny was mostly content with a comfortable chair, a good book, and a hot cup of tea, but here there were going to be parties. Lots, and lots of parties. At Mansfield Park there was always a charity gala, a birthday party, or a just-for-the-hell-of-it ball.
The Southern air couldn't touch the chill of apprehension that swept Fanny as Aunt Maria ushered her across the cobblestone drive toward the entrance. Aunt Maria looped her arm through Fanny's and began walking fervently toward a tall, male figure.
"Oh! I see Brandon!" called Aunt Maria, shielding her eyes from the sun. "You will like him."
Fanny was dumbstruck. And so the awkward socialization commences…
"Ah! Christopher Brandon, aren't you as strapping as ever." Maria unhooked herself from Fanny and wobble-hopped into a friendly embrace with Christopher Brandon.
Christopher Brandon looked like he was in his early thirties and was dressed to the nines in expensive business-casual. He had thick, wavy dark brown hair that curled up around his ears and the nape of his neck and was peppered with gray. His face was masculine but pinched, like he was already worrying more about his next business appointment than standing here in front of Maria and Fanny.
"Brandon, this is my niece, Fanny Price. She's here to stay with us." Aunt Maria took a step back from Brandon and gestured to Fanny with a smirk and a mischievous glint in her eye.
Fanny was frozen. If she had been experiencing a mild case of social anxiety before, nothing could compare to the way being beneath Brandon's intense stare made her feel. Her heart was pounding so hard she was afraid it could be heard. He was looking at her like he hadn't seen a woman in years, like he was a hungry wolf and she was a piece of hot, tender meat. Fanny's breathing hitched. His eyes! She was suddenly transformed into warm butter. His lips parted and he inhaled deeply. Fanny's stomach tightened.
"And, Fanny," Aunt Maria had her arm around Fanny's waist again motioning her closer. "This is longtime friend and associate of our family, Christopher Brandon."
Brandon took Fanny's hand in his. His hand was thick and rough, but his touch was so, so gentle. Fanny was very aware that her hands were sweating madly.
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Price." He said. His voice was a growl, and his eyes never surrendering their hold on Fanny.
Fanny smiled weakly and nodded, glancing at her aunt who was wearing the biggest grin this side of the Mississippi.