Shall I compare thee to a summer's rose?
He helped Fanny out of the carriage, smiling at her. She gave him a timid smile. Portsmouth had definitely not agreed with her. He saw Edmund Bertram walking toward them with eyes only for Mary. Poor Fanny looked so lost. Henry offered his arm and led her into the house, making small talk.
A week or so passed. It was clear that Edmund was still under Mary's spell. Henry noticed that Mary was actually warming to the idea of being a clergyman's wife. Not that he really cared. He only wanted his Fanny. One morning just before they were setting out for Mansfield Park Mary was chatting away as usual. He decided to interrupt her.
"Mary, if Edmund Bertram asked for your hand in marriage, would you accept him?"
She thought about this for a while.
"I think I would."
"He's hopelessly in love with you, you know. Do you want me to give him a push in the right direction?"
She smiled at him.
"I think I can do that myself, Henry."
She was right about that. Within a week they were engaged and within a month they were married. He was the only one to notice Fanny's poor spirits at the wedding. She had been the bridesmaid and had looked very lovely but heartbroken. He was extra kind to her over the next week. He came over frequently to read to her and her aunt. He knew how she appreciated his reading.
A week later something awful happened. Tom was taken very ill and was brought to Mansfield Park to be nursed. Fanny devoted all her energy to him and had no time for Henry. He took some of the night shifts because he didn't want her to strain herself. No one else seemed to care very much for her health. It turned out his help wasn't enough. She was taken ill when Tom started recovering. The doctor said it was a trifling cold but he knew that it was exhaustion. He now played nurse in two rooms. He didn't understand why no one cared for Fanny's health. Maria and Julia arrived a few days later, to his relief, and helped him with the nursing. Maria did it to get away from her husband while Julia seemed to really care for Fanny's health. He still did a lot of the nursing however and so it was not so strange that he was the one present when she awoke.
He saw her eyelids fluttering and was instantly at her side. He dabbed a towel on her forehead and smiled at her. She was suddenly wide awake.
"Mr. Crawford? What are you doing here?"
She tried to get up but he gently pushed her back into the bed.
"You have not been well Ms. Price. You cannot get up. You must rest."
"B-b-but what about Tom?"
"Mr. Bertram is in much better condition than you, Ms. Price. Now I insist you lie down again."
Tom walked in at this instant and was instantly at her side.
"Oh Fanny, you're awake! I can't say how happy I am that you're all right now. I would never have forgiven myself if you had become seriously ill!"
He looked at Henry with a strange expression.
"You should probably get home now Mr. Crawford. You need to rest. We don't want you to become sick too, do we?"
Henry stood up, bowed and left them. Only when he got back to rectory did he realize what Tom's expression had held. Tom thought of Henry as a rival. This was not good. Henry had never anticipated this.
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A/N: So Henry or Tom? What do you think?
