A/NHey everyone, this is my first story on fanfic, so be critical...but not too critical! I hope you enjoy!
This story is based off the movie not the book - Go Alessandro Nivola!
The story starts off - Henry did not sleep with Miriah, and is still pining for Fanny. Fanny has come back from being at her father's bedside when he died and is now the ward of her uncle, Sir Thomas. She also is not in love with Edmund...
I own none of the characters, but take great liberties with them ;)
PS. thanks to fyre-anjel for urging me to post this! Hope you like it.
Chapter One:
Fanny Price, a young, good, and agreeable woman, had now been brought into an arranged marriage with Mr. Henry Crawford. Fanny did not love or desire him, even with all his charm and attributes.
Sir Thomas had become her guardian now, since her father had passed away – not even three month's ago – and it was his wish that Fanny marry Mr. Crawford; even if it was a mach, not of love, but for money, like so many of the couples of their time. So, not being courted by some other, they were to be married in the next month.
Fanny, sitting in Sir Thomas' library, had stopped reading to ponder the matter.
Though he is charming and handsome, he scares me to no end. She thought to herself. Fanny did respect him, yet she just couldn't get her mind around the thought of marrying someone whom she did not love.
Just then, who would walk in but Mr. Henry Crawford…Henry sat down next to her in the opposite seat, looking at her with an almost smug smile on his face.
"What, may I ask, are you reading, my darling Fanny Price?" he asked in that wonderful, yet sometimes irritating voice.
I can not believe this man is calling me his darling, with that smug smile on his face. She thought to herself. "I am reading Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. And what may I ask are you reading today, Mr. Crawford?" Fanny asked with a little smug smile of her own.
Henry sat back in his chair; he loved it when she would challenge him back…in fact he loved everything about Fanny Price. "I was actually wondering if you would be so kind and read to me this very lovely morning."
Fanny gave him a small smile and turned back to her book and started to read to him as he so asked, she thought to herself.
They had read till dinner that evening; taking turns.
Which was a good step in the right direction, Fanny thought. If she liked Mr. Crawford for anything it was his reading; such emotion was in his eyes, it was like you were actually there; talking to Mr. Willoughby and feeling every emotion the writer had felt.
While dinner was most refreshing Fanny could not wait to get rid of the whole dear lot. She wanted to read and write in her own cozy and very quiet room. Yet, to her disappointment, Mr. Crawford did not leave, but followed her.
Fanny was taken aback when she saw him behind her. She turned abruptly and said "May I help you Mr. Crawford?"
With that smile he always had, he said in return "Yes, you may, my dear Fanny Price!" With that he took a step toward her, and like anyone else who had just had there space invaded upon, Fanny took a step back.
With each step he took, she took one back, until he had her up against the wall. He leaned in and whispered in to her ear "My darling Fanny" and then did the unthinkable – He kissed her earlobe.
When he did this Fanny closed her eyes and bite her lower lip so hard that she tasted her own blood. What is th…this feeling that is flowing through my body? Fanny's thoughts were running everywhere.
Not suddenly, yet slowly, she opened her eyes…to see his lips coming to meet her own. Just a brush of their lips and Fanny was out of his grasp; she bowed her head closing her eyes once more before speaking "Mr. Crawford –" yet was cut off.
"Call me Henry" he said, not with a smug smile he usually had but with a longing in his eyes. Something she had never seen there before.
"Sir, please, have a good night, and do not try to do such a thing again till we are wed."
Henry had an astonished look on his face "Why may I ask are you being so cold to me, when all I am trying to do is show my feelings for you?" He asked a hint of gruffness in hid voice.
"I do not mean to be cold yet warning. I am not in love with you, and so you must give me time."
"If you do not love me then why may I ask did you agree to the match?" he said, now with anger showing in his eyes.
With out even a second thought Fanny answered "Because sir, I am in my Uncle's care and he would see it fit for me to marry you and because I am not being courted by another." She now had fire showing in her eyes; she would not feel threatened by this man.
Henry pushed her into the wall, with such force he could not stop his body from crushing hers. Pressing his lips to hers, he held her there for a moment and pulled away so that she could feel his breath on her lips. "I am in love with you, Why can you not see that?"
Suddenly there was a scream that brought not only Fanny and Henry from what they were doing but everybody in the house.
Fanny looked at Henry and with out a word he took her hand as they rushed to the front sitting room.
"What has happened?" Henry asked as he let go of Fanny's hand and ran to help Sir Thomas and Edmund carry in Tom.
"He was half dead when Yeats found him lying in an alley way." Edmund said with a frown on his face.
"Fanny grab some hot water and some towels and please hurry." said Edmund before following Sir Thomas and Mr. Crawford up the stairs with Tom on their shoulders, groaning the whole way up.
That night all was not well and surely not quiet. The Doctor had yet to arrive, and everyone, especially Sir Thomas, was on the edge of there sets. Hoping and praying Tom would pull through.
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