AN: Hi everyone! Thanks for the reviews and questions! Some of you are confused about who's who and what's going on. Some relationships of characters have changed. It should become a little bit clearer in this chapter. The timeline should also help. It'll be at the top of every few chapters depending on how much detail I go into about a time period. Also a Family tree will be posted. And remember these are flashbacks. Thanks again and be sure to review!

- T

Chapter 2

Longbourn

September 1794

"What!?" cried out a furious Woodham.

"That is what it is supposed to be, but is not, because there is an entail on Longbourn placed by my great uncle so that his wastrel son in-law couldn't inherit; that hasn't been broken yet, and seeing how my Fanny was not out in society, and I am in good health, there was no rush to break it and add it to Fanny's dowry. You see, after you used my daughter to gain her fortune, I'm not inclined to add to my daughter's portion to waste away at the hands of such a rake! I know why Miss Long was sent away - I know about your babe with her! So you, by law, will get her £5000 dowry, and I will only add another £5000 to be placed in a trust and accessed only by my daughter upon your death, which I pray will be very soon!" Henry roared with fury.

Peter Woodham stood and shouted, "This cannot be! You lied to me and to everyone in Meryton! I will have Longbourn; I deserve it! Your precious son doesn't need a third estate! I will get my due! Are you really going to leave your daughter destitute!? Without Longbourn, that is our fate."

A look of pain crossed Mr. Bennet's face, and Woodham knew he struck a nerve. "We have nowhere to live now. If you support us with 1000 pounds a year, I won't abandon her, and we could live comfortably in town."

"No. You won't get another farthing!" Robert growled.

"600 a year," Peter said, looking to Henry.

"Deal," said the elder Bennet.

"I will have Phillips draw up the paperwork," Peter said with a satisfied smile on his face, as he stood up and began to walk out. "It looks like it is high time we rejoin the ladies."

The Bennets stayed behind, and Henry started to speak. "I know what you are going to say, Robert, believe me, it is not easy knowing you have failed once as a father, and are on the verge of doing so again. Longbourn clears 3,000 a year and I can afford to help out Fanny and Peter, so she won't be destitute."

"There are other options! We could put it in a trust and limit his access!" Robert shouted.

"You know as well as I do that a wife cannot have her own money in a marriage besides her settlement. Even if we could, Fanny is wasteful and the money would be gone soon. All will be well, son. Let's go save Sophia from present company," Henry replied.

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Back in the drawing room, Fanny and Betty had fallen into a comfortable conversation of talking about the latest fashions. Sophia's mind wandered off to think about how things didn't go as planned for her gaining a sister. Sophia Bennet prayed for a sister when her step-mother, Betty, announced that she was pregnant. Her brother, Robert, was eight years her senior and not a suitable playmate, though he tried as best he could. Sophia wanted a sister who could be her confidant and friend. She got Fanny, who just gossiped, flirted and had terrible fits when father would not let her out in society. She was only seventeen and father did not want either of his daughters out before eighteen. Sophia, now twenty, had waited, and Fanny would have to wait. Three days after Fanny and Betty got back from Ramsgate, Fanny and their father got into the worst argument, and Sophia remembered it very well.

"Betty and Fanny, for the last time, I will not let Fanny out into society until she is eighteen." Henry Bennet declared. "For I am sure she may be the silliest girl in all of England. And I hope that in a year she will mature and act more like a gentlewoman than some silly child."

"But Papa, I have men interested in me now! I could be a married woman in a few months! You must let me out into society so they can court me!" shrieked Fanny.

"Fanny, my decision is final! I have hired a companion for you, and in a year's time I will have her review how well you are doing and that will determine if you can come out. And you will also have lessons on how to manage an estate, since Longbourn will be a part of your dowry."

"Mr. Bennet, I have been in charge of Fanny's education since she was born! She knows everything about how to be a good wife! She doesn't need lessons on how to run the estate- that's a man's job. You'll turn her into a bluestocking, and then who will marry her?!" cried Betty.

"Yes, well, Sophia got lessons from me on how to run an estate since she will inherit her mother's and I dare say she is not a bluestocking," Henry retorted.

"Well she's not married, nor does she have a suitor. She will probably end up an old maid," Fanny quipped.

Betty cackled at her daughter's remark. Henry sent Fanny to her room and told her she wouldn't get any pin money for the next month, and threatened his wife with loss of pin money and carriage use.

Sophia was in her father's study reading a book when she heard her father arguing with her step-mother and half-sister. Tears started to form in her eyes when she heard what her sister and step-mother said about her, and she thought about what it would be like if her own mother were alive, and she never had Fanny or Betty in her life.

Later that night, Sophia could not sleep and went to her father's study to get the book she was reading earlier, at which point she heard Betty and Fanny whispering. She peered through the crack in the door to see them.

"If he will not let you out, then you and Mr. Woodham are just going to have to go to Gretna Green as he had planned. Here is some money to get you there and I packed up your new dress from the modiste so you can wear that as your trousseau," said Betty.

"Oh, I cannot wait to be married to my dear Woodham, I would have liked to be married from Longbourn, but Papa had to be so difficult. Peter and I have to get married, now, if I am with child like I suspect."

"Oh Fanny dear, it is time. Go now and meet Peter. The journey takes about four days by carriage, but remember to ride on horseback part of the way to get there faster. I will delay your father as long as possible. Make sure you use the names I gave you for lodgings," said Betty as she hugged and kissed her daughter.

Sophia moved away from the door. She didn't know what was more shocking, that her sister was possibly pregnant, or that her mother was helping her elope. She didn't know if she should tell her father or not. He would probably stop the marriage completely, but Fanny needed to get married immediately if she was with child. An elopement was a scandal that could be overlooked, but having a baby out of wedlock was unforgivable to society. She had to keep quiet not only for her sake, but for her family's reputation.

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While in the drawing room with his father, step mother, his sisters and his brother in-law, Robert's thoughts went to the day he started looking for the couple eleven days ago.

When his father found out Fanny was gone and found her note saying that she was eloping, it was about twelve hours after they had gone. Henry Bennet closed down the house to visitors, and gathered the servants to buy their silence on the matter. He wrote an express to Robert, who was in London at his townhouse. It took another two hours before he started out on their trail. Robert made inquiries about Peter Woodham in London and asked for information to be sent to various stops along the way.

Robert searched the area they would most likely be if they traveled by carriage, not knowing that they were slightly ahead. Finally, after four days of searching, he just rode all the way to Gretna Green where he found his sister and her fiancé walking into the blacksmith's. Fanny spotted him.

"Oh, brother! You are here! Now I have someone to give me away! This is my betrothed, Peter Woodham," Fanny said, delighted.

Robert sneered at the man before him, even as he bowed to him.

"It is a pleasure to meet some of my new family," Peter replied and bowed.

Robert reluctantly gave Fanny away that day because he knew there was no other option; they had been alone together for too long. As soon as the wedding was complete, he wrote an express to his father that he found his half-sister and they are married. Robert had found out a lot about his new brother in-law after the inquiry in London. Peter Woodham was not just a clerk at his brother in-law's law office.

Peter was the son of a knight who had gambled and drank away the family fortune, leaving Peter and his sister with no estate or prospects. An old family friend helped him get a job as a clerk in London, but it was too expensive to stay there and support his sister, so they moved to just outside of London. His sister was able to marry a lawyer, with her measly £800 left from her dowry. Peter had proclivities like any man of standing and expected his wife to understand that.

What Robert did not find out was that Peter targeted Fanny. He wanted her because she was beautiful, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, young, flirtatious, silly and, most importantly, an heiress.

When she went to Ramsgate with her mother, Peter knew that was his only opportunity to get her to fall for him and agree to elope. The proceeding of their vows was just a bonus along with her mother willing to help them elope, if her father didn't let her out into society.

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Henry Bennet agreed to let the couple stay for a fortnight while they looked for housing, that he was going to pay for with the extra 600 pounds a year.

Fanny exclaimed, "Oh Papa! Let us let Netherfield, I can't wait to decorate it. It looks so drab now and after I decorate it we can throw a ball! "

"Enough Fanny, Netherfield is not an option, nor is it in your price range. You may take a look a Pulvis Lodge, Ashworth or Lee Park or you may leave the area and go somewhere else. Your brother may know of something suitable up north."

"But Pulvis Lodge has hideous attics, Lee Parks's drawing room is too small and Ashworth may work but is too far off! It is ten miles from here, I would need the carriage at my disposal to make visits."

"There will be no carriage at your disposal you cannot afford it."

"Yes we can papa, we've always had two or three carriages."

"WE can but YOU cannot. You are Mrs. Woodham now and the responsibility of Mr. Woodham. You need to apply to your husband about getting a carriage."

"My darling husband said I can have three carriages if I so choose, isn't that right?"

"Yes, but that is when I thought we would have Longbourn as a part of your dowry."

"Longbourn is a part of my dowry, silly," said Fanny.

"No it is not, Fanny, father and I didn't add it to your dowry because you were not out," said Robert.

"Well you can add it now, right father?" Fanny whined

"No, Fanny, I will not," replied Henry

"What do you mean? I was supposed to have an estate as a part of my dowry like Sophia! Is she your favorite child because her mother was a gentlewoman and mine is not?" Then Fanny stormed off into her room begging not to be disturbed.