A/N: Hello everyone! I would like to thank everyone for reading and a special thanks to bellovettrix and Sweenett Monster for their reviews! I'll warn you that this chapter takes a time skip from the first chapter as well as another with in itself but I assure you all that it is to help move the story on now please sit, have a pie and enjoy!

Chapter 2.

Springs cool and calming breezes soon warmed into summers heated days with the air filled with the screams and laughter of children in the park as they chased after one another and raced to the rivers shallow banks to wade and look for frogs. Nellie watched them with a smile as she leaned back so her back was against Benjamin's side her eyes far away from the shade of the willow tree they sat under.

"Nellie? Eleanor?!"

Nellie was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of Benjamin's voice calling her name making her meet his slightly worried gaze.

"Are you alright Nellie it's not to hot out for you is it?"

She smiled shaking her head so her auburn curls fell over her shoulder making Benjamin give a smile in return resting his hand on hers over her knee.

"No love I'm only thinkin'."

Her gaze wondered back to the group of children that ran by one older boy carrying a large bull frog in his hands and away from the younger children.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful to 'ave a family someday love? 'Ave you ever thought of findin' a lovely girl and settlin' down?"

She returned her gaze to Benjamin's now flushed cheeks while just out of her sight his hand messed with something nervously.

"I have as it happens Nellie, and you know what? She is the most amazing women I have ever had the pleasure of meeting."

Their eyes met for a moment before she looked away waving to her neighbor who walked by pushing a baby carriage as she walked.

"What's she like? Beautiful I 'ope with pretty yellow 'air and blue eyes?"

She looked at him almost sadly thinking he'd taken a fancy to Lucy like most young men did, courting her and being kind to her just to get closer to Lucy using her like a tool. Benjamin shook his head looking disgusted at the idea of even thinking of using her to get to her sister.

"No actually she has the wildest most beautiful auburn curls I have ever seen and her eyes are a brown sweeter than the finest chocolate in the world, when she looks at me I lose all sense of time and lose myself in her eyes while her beautiful laugh makes my heart beat wildly."

He took her hand in his making her smile before he brought his other hand forward holding a small box in its palm making her gasp and look up at him her eyes brimming with tears while she watched him release her hand to open the box revealing an elegantly simple silver band with a small red ruby placed preciously on top where normally a diamond would sit. She clamped both her hands over her mouth blinking tears from her eyes as she looked from the ring, to Benjamin and back again as she worked to speak.

"Eleanor Gabrielle Walker would you marry me?"

The invisible vise grip on Nellie's throat vanished and tears rolled down her cheeks as she threw her arms around his neck shouting "yes" loud enough people normally out of ear shot heard making Benjamin chuckle and slip the ring onto her porcelain finger once she released him. Lost in their own happiness neither of them took notice of the young women dressed in powder blue watching them with icy and unforgiving blue eyes as a breeze blew past rustling her yellow locks so shimmering strands of gold cut through her view of the newly engaged couple distracting her mind from the young man at her side.

XxXx

The hot summer days soon gave to fall's cool and crisp air that carried the slightest tones of smoke from chimneys that had been dormant over the summer, cinnamon and leaves. As the chill settled in the shared embraces between young couples grew warmer and stolen kisses became sweeter against the chilled air. Halloween had come quickly with the fall winds and the whole upper-middle class of London had gathered at the Barker family's country side home for a party including Nellie and Lucy.

Benjamin knew it was a children's game but he didn't care as he walked in a circle around Nellie like the others around him. Nellie was blindfolded in the center of the circle, arms reached out searching to grab someone as they all sang at her.

"The Pickety Witch,

The Pickety Witch,

Who's got a kiss for the

Pickety Witch?"

Nellie finally took a step forward, hands out, and clumsily placed them on Benjamin's shoulders smiling as her hands moved up to cup his face between them, thumbs feeling his jaw line.

"Is it young Mr. Harris?"

The 20 year old man in question was standing on the other side of the now paused circle of people smiling while the black haired girl at his side hid a laugh behind her small hand.

"Try again pet."

He whispered softly into her ear before carefully removing the blind fold from her eyes. Nellie smiled then stood on tip toe placing a soft, quick kiss to his lips.

"My apologies Mr. Barker."

She mumbled against his lips making him chuckle as she pulled away still beaming at him, her brown eyes dancing in the light.

"It's quite alright Miss. Walker, fancy a walk through the garden with me?"

He handed the blind fold to the girl standing next to him before walking away from the game with Nellie as she took his hand. Once the pair were outside Lucy, who had been watching from afar, took a sip from her glass of champagne leering after her sister, as she thought of ways to split the happy couple up before their wedding she was unaware of the man standing beside her until he spoke.

"Enjoying the evening Miss. Walker?"

Lucy took a final sip from her drink before looking at the man beside her her blue eyes meeting his cold black ones her jaw set.

"Not nearly as much now honorable judge Turpin."

Her cold tone seemed to have no effect on Turpin as he fallowed her glare when she returned it to the window that allowed a small look into the garden, with in the dark panels illuminated by the rising full moon the shadowy outlines of Nellie and Benjamin could be seen.

"If you are looking for a way to drive them a part surely something can be arranged with a small price on your part Lucy."

Lucy sneered at the outline of her sister before facing Turpin with narrow eyes.

"What kind of price Judge Turpin? I don't just want them separated I want them to suffer hundreds of miles apart from each other."

Judge Turpin gave Lucy a sly smile putting his arm over her shoulders leading her away to a quitter area to talk.

"That can be arranged my dear."

Meanwhile outside in the moon lit garden Benjamin was smiling as Nellie watched the white moon flowers open their Snow White petals with child like wonder before her eyes. After the last one opened she leaned into Benjamin's side looking up at the stars as they twinkled and danced in the crisp air.

"It's so beautiful here Ben, imagine havin' a nice little cottage back in the trees there, we could have a garden and maybe a hen or two , you'd only be a few minutes away from London by carriage and I could stay 'ome to look after the children when we have 'em, 'ave supper waitin' on the table when you come 'ome."

She smiled up at him watching as his cheeks flushed but he smiled none the less wrapping his arm around her.

"Hopefully one day soon we can have all that and more pet,"

He leaned down and placed a kiss to her lips making her smile again but lean into the kiss until he inched away breaking it smiling at her while she used her thumb to wipe a bit of her lipstick from his lips.

"But for now let's rejoin the party."

Nellie nodded and took his hand walking back inside with him resting her head on his shoulder letting him this her to the dance floor where she quickly snapped back to herself and tried to dig her heels into the floor making Benjamin stop and look at her confused.

"I-I can't dance Ben..."

She blushed looking at the floor but her eyes snapped up as he placed a hand on her hip and guided her's to his shoulder before kissing her forehead.

"Don't worry about it pet I'll help you."

She blushed deeper, her cheeks almost matching the scarlet dress she wore, but nodded allowing him to lead her into the dancing crowd but before they began to dance he lifted her by her waist enough to let her stand on his feet making her eyebrows knit together in worry and confusion.

"I'm not hurting your toes am I?"

Benjamin shook his head and began to dance making her smile as he placed another kiss to her forehead watching her slowly relax as she rested her head on his chest a smile locked on her lips that made his heart skip a beat and his arm tighten around her waist protectively as a glimpse of judge Turpin watching from across the room made his skin crawl and his stomach churn.