Chapter Five

Fanny's feelings, as they set off on the appointed day, can be easily conjectured. To be visiting the parsonage at Thornton Lacey, so long the object of such dread, expecting as she had been to see it in the future under a mistress whom she could not respect, and a master lost to her forever - now with no other feeling than eager anticipation! It was a fortunate circumstance indeed, and Fanny felt all the happy relief it afforded, as they approached the small village that contained Edmund's home.

Edmund was at the door to receive them, to help his mother and cousins down from the carriage and welcome them with true warmth and hospitality into his house. It was Lady Bertram's first visit to her son's residence; and she must have been satisfied to see that he had a very good housekeeper, in the person of a matronly, good-natured Mrs. Roberts from the village, to take care of his meals and maintain the cleanliness of his house, had her maternal instincts ever surpassed her inability to think too deeply about the comfort of others. It was enough for her to see that he looked well, and it was left to Fanny to notice the general neatness of the drawing room where they were seated, to observe the cheerfulness and alacrity with which Mrs Roberts brought forth refreshments for Edmund's guests, and be quietly grateful to her for making his home a comfortable one.

Edmund was eager to show Fanny all that she knew of the Parsonage, so far by description alone. Her interest in it was assured, he knew, by her affection towards him, and he wished to know her opinion of some plans that he had for the house and its environs. He had enough confidence in Fanny's taste and good sense, to be sure that her ideas would only improve upon his own, and he had had enough of the perturbation caused by a disparity in thoughts, as experienced with Miss Crawford, to appreciate in full, the similarity of their preferences.

Lady Bertram was too tired after the ride, Sir Thomas was already familiar with the layout of the building, and Susan being more interested in a litter of puppies that she had seen in the farmyard than in the rooms inside, the two cousins were left together to take a tour of the house.

It was a well built edifice, not many years old; and being nicely proportioned and situated, seemed to promise its occupants all that could be expected in terms of physical comfort. Its only fault lay, not in any defect of construction that the supervision of Edmund or Sir Bertram could rectify, but in its being too large for a bachelor. Seven rooms that could comfortably hold a thriving parson's family seemed woefully empty under an unwed master, and being likely to remain so for much longer, considering Edmund's present unwillingness to enter the married state , they could not help awakening Fanny's concern that he should often feel lonely. That must have been the case, but he attempted to laugh it off.

'No, no - it is not so very bad, Fanny - I have my books, and Stevens - he is the farmer I have told you about - is often here in the evenings, to give me company and conversation. He is an intelligent man, and I am indebted to him for a better knowledge of the villagers. Besides, the hunting season will soon begin, and my friend Owen promises to visit. My father's guidance and your friendship can have no replacement, but I feel my usefulness here - I can see it growing in the increased trust that my parishioners have in my judgement, and with that I am content. '

'Mr Lawrence is of an age with you, I think, from what I have heard my uncle say. Have you met him?'

'Yes, I have - he is some years older. My father thinks very highly of him, and he is a good man, if somewhat reserved. Oh, you are thinking of him as a possible friend to me - it may be, I daresay, but I believe he is away a great deal, on business. I will not be in want of company much longer, however - I mean to begin on those improvements that I spoke of before ,- but you have not heard all of my plans yet - '

He related his scheme, and she did not disappoint him when applied to for her opinion. Sharing his dislike for ostentation and grandiosity as she did, she was delighted with his simple ideas, only venturing to suggest one or two small alternatives that might add more beauty and elegance to the place, and they spent a pleasant half hour in discussing the merits of the house and imagining how it would appear after the renovation.

If wit and humour are necessary to make up an interesting conversation, it does not stand to reason that other qualities may not make one equally engaging; that an earnest, sincere interest in the same subjects, or rather, a confluence of the same sentiments on every subject may not make for such an enjoyable discourse that one may prefer it over the cleverest banter. Such was the case with Edmund, who, around this period, began to find that Fanny's society and conversation were growing dearer to him than of any other.

Susan had the present of a puppy from her cousin, on the condition of her aunt's permission to keep it; this needed the approval of Lady Bertram's pug, which was soon obtained, the creature being as good natured as its mistress, and the new member joined them in the carriage as it headed to Fareworth Manor.

They were welcomed by the Russells with all the warmth and good nature that Sir Thomas's commendation may have led them to expect. The Admiral was a typical specimen of his ilk, blunt and loud, and yet , with the manners of a gentleman; Mrs Russell was a good natured, genteel woman, who addressed both the Miss Prices kindly, but seemed to be specially struck by Fanny, seating her beside herself, and trying to draw her out.

'I hope you do not think me strange, Lady Bertram,' she said to the aunt, who had had no thought of the kind, 'by this particular notice of your niece; it is just that she reminds me so much of my own poor daughter. No, not in the features of her face, it is something in her voice, and in her manner perhaps. So was she like this - so quiet, so amiable - my dear Anne. '

Fanny's gentle heart was already filled with sympathy for her, and seeing that talking of her daughter brought her more comfort than distress, she endeavored to soothe Mrs Russell's pain by listening to her with true goodwill and interest, which is very often the best means of consolation for such a loss. This only served to increase Mrs Russell's good opinion of her, and the sentiment, of Fanny being so very like her dear Anne, was repeated many more times over the course of their visit.

Mr Lawrence, who had so gained Sir Bertram's esteem by his conduct towards his wife's family,was naturally an object of much interest; but he had only Sir Thomas to thank for it. It was his earlier approbation that showed the gentleman in such a favorable light now, for if their judgement were to be based on an observation of his present conduct alone, he may have merely come across as a taciturn, grave-looking man. He talked very little, only when directly addressed, and did not distinguish the company with any attention than what civility demanded, except to stare intently at Fanny a few times, when his mother-in-law compared her to her daughter.

Their visit was concluded with an invitation to Mansfield Park, for everyone was pleased with each other. Sir Bertram already had every intention of promoting the acquaintance as much as possible, and even his lady, feeling the loss of her sister Norris as well as Mrs Grant, was induced to something like exertion, in an attempt to secure Mrs Russell's company at Mansfield. The invitation was accepted, and every sign boded favorable for an increased intimacy between the families.

A/N: I realised after I'd finished writing this chapter that I'd completely forgotten to account for Tom - poor, sick Tom, repentant Tom - Tom-who-is-truly-so-inessential-to-this-story! Ah well. We shall provide him with a valet for company, and forget him until his interference (or help) may lead our protagonists further down the path of finding love. ;)

ejayblue, theredrobin and Vee22: Thank you so much for reviewing the last chapter! :)

The rest of you lurking in the alerts of this story : What do you think of this story? Do review and say! :)