Chapter 1
The coach came for Fanny to whisk her away to her new home. She was being sent to live with her aunt and uncle at their posh home, Manglefield Park. Fanny had never met her aunt or uncle before and had no idea what to expect from her rich relatives. But her mother had told her it that it would be a better life for her, even if her aunt and uncle were, in her mother's words "A couple of lazy cretins who make their money off of the sweat of others, but hey, they've got money!"
Arriving at the palatial estate Fanny was met by her other aunt, the really mean spirited Mrs. Norris, who ran the estate for her aunt and uncle.
"My, you're nothing special to look at, but we'll soon put you to work!"
She was then introduced to her uncle Sir Thomas whom she found exceedingly creepy, and her cousins Julia and Maria, who for some reason never pronounced her name the same way twice. "Crikey," thought Fanny, "these poshed up princesses wouldn't last five minutes on the streets of Portsmouth."
She then proceeded to scare the daylights out of them by threatening them with a kitchen knife, thereby establishing the fact that she wasn't going to let them get all snotty with her, or she'd gut them like a fish.
"After all" she said "you have to establish yourself in the pecking order."
Fanny was a city girl after all, and wasn't about to forget where she came from. She was also introduced to her cousin Edmund, whom she thought to be the best of them, even though he appeared to be a bit of sissy, but at least he was friendly. She didn't think much of her aunt, being that she was unconscious upon Fanny's arrival, apparently having overloaded upon cooking sherry.
"Crimeny" thought Fanny, "with the money this broad's got, she should at least be drinking the good stuff."
Even when her father had gotten pissed, he had at least done so at the pub, not in the home. As for Mrs. Norris, well, Fanny had decided to wait for a chance to get her out of the way, nothing violent mind you, just an "accident" that would remove the woman from Manglefield. And finally give Fanny some peace and quiet instead of having to listen to the annoying woman grovel at the feet of Sir Thomas. Poor Fanny was lonely at first. She didn't really connect with her cousins Julia and Maria because they were busy picking out new gowns and the like. And Fanny preferred to spend her time pitching pennies with the other servants, taking the stable hands for all she could at cards and writing letters to her sister at home. But she soon cemented a friendship with Edmund as he helped her by providing writing materials for her and posting her letters.
The two quickly became as if brother and sister, instead of cousins. Edmund liked Fanny because she didn't act like a spoiled brat as his sisters did, nor did she smack the crap out of him as his older brother Tom did. Fanny liked Edmund for his kind ways, even if she thought him a bit of wimp, but she did wonder why Edmund was always in her room when she arrived there, usually with a guilty look on his face, and Fanny's make-up and clothes in disarray. But she never worried too much about his odd habits, as long as he was kind to her she never cared.
Chapter 2
Time passed and Fanny had grown up to be a lovely young woman. She had lost some of her streetwise ways, and at least on the surface had become more like Julia and Maria. Edmund had become even more of a nancy pants, but she didn't care. One day while riding with Edmund she thought, "Kind of odd, Edmund rides sidesaddle, too," but she brushed the thought from her mind and brought up the subject of the family's wealth, and expressed concern that it came from the coca fields of South America, to say nothing of the fact that it was all run on the backs of slaves. Edmund told her that there was little that could be done.
"The fields provide us with money, the very same money which keeps us in luxury here at Manglefield."
"I understand that, you dolt," she said "but eventually tastes are going to change, and the slave trade will be abolished, then what will happen to the wealth?"
"I know little of such matters" Edmund replied, "as Tom will inherit everything. I will simply be a country parson"
"Why would you want to be?" Fanny asked.
"I was inspired years ago by a parson in a nearby village, obsequious little toad by the name of Collins, but he told me it was an easy life, and I could rely on the patronage of some rich lord or lady and live comfortably for the rest of my life."
Fanny inquired after the current whereabouts of his inspiration. "Oh, Mr. Collins is currently groveling at the feet of Lady Catherine de Bourgh at some immense estate. A really good gig he told me, I should like to find something similar."
"Bloody hell" thought Fanny, "not only is he gutless, he's got no ambition. I'll never get anywhere with him." She thought it a shame that Tom was a complete lecher, otherwise she might have thrown in her lot with his, but Edmund would have to do. She then brought the conversation back to the family's wealth.
"You must realize that not only is the slave trade wrong, it will wither and die soon! And tastes will change, your family's wealth will disappear once the demand for the field's crops wanes."
"What would you have me do?" he replied. "I cannot change anything."
"For starters, you can cut out the middleman, the dealers make most of the profits anyways! Take control of the street distribution, and your wealth will increase tenfold! Then you can retire in a few years and invest your money!"
"But what about Tom?" he quailed.
"Lord, you are a such a wuss!" she screamed, "Finish him off with an 'accident,' and you stand to inherit all!" But new visitors to Manglefield would change things greatly.
Chapter 3
Fanny returned home to find that new visitors were occupying the parsonage. Mary and Henry Crawford were introduced to all, and Fanny found them both quite intriguing. Henry with his good looks, and a haircut that she had seen somewhere before, now where had she seen it?
"Ah, yes, that Willoughby chap I met some months ago, his hair was styled the same." Fanny also found Mary very attractive, and for some reason, the dark and sultry woman seemed to be looking Fanny over very closely, as if inspecting some item she wished to purchase. Oddly enough, the feeling made Fanny feel verrry warm for some reason. She also recognized them both as the kind of people who wish to move ahead in the world.
From the first, Henry paid her close attention, and complimented her nicely. Fanny found his attentions flattering, but worried more about Mary who seemed to be leading Edmund's affections away from her. Quite clearly this would not do for her plans, but otherwise things were shaping up nicely. Maria had become engaged to a likable and wealthy buffoon named Rushworth who lived nearby, and Julia showed no inclination to make trouble, in fact, the girl spoke but rarely, which suited Fanny very well.
Shortly thereafter, Tom returned from the family's plantations, drunk as usual. Fanny never thought much of Tom, but at least he livened things up a little. He felt a little freer than usual as Sir Thomas was not in residence at the time, and hatched a plan to put on a play in Sir Thomas's study. Not just any play, but a rather bawdy one he had seen in London while on his drunken carousing. Fanny loved this sort of situation, as it afforded her no end of amusement watching her idiot relatives make fools of themselves, and of course no blame could be attached to her when Sir Thomas would return and inevitably become enraged. Yes, she liked it when Tom dug his own grave.
Rehearsals for the play ensued, and Fanny willingly took part in them. Oddly enough Mary asked to rehearse a rather passionate scene with Fanny. The strange feelings began to return as Mary caressed her in a way that could only be described as romantic. At that point Edmund volunteered to play the part that Fanny had been practicing, and Fanny went upstairs to take a bath, a very cold one. The play would never see the light of day, as Sir Thomas returned earlier than expected. All hell indeed broke loose, as Tom fled his father's wrath the next morning, but surprisingly, the Crawfords went over well with Sir Thomas. In fact he was thrilled to notice Henry's attentions towards Fanny.
"Well, well, we shall have a ball in honor of Fanny," he declared.
Edmund's attraction to Mary was not ignored either, "I see that the sissy has finally noticed women, I had thought him queer all these years!"
Chapter 4
The ball came and went and Fanny had a wonderful time. She danced with many attractive young men, and had even danced with Mary, to the laughter of the assembled guests! Tom was in exile, Edmund was gaining in his father's favor, Maria was married, and Julia was nowhere to be seen these days. Only Sir Thomas stood in her way, as Mrs. Norris had recently eaten some poison fish and passed away.
"My, my," Fanny wondered, "the kind of things you learn in a seaside town." Unfortunately for Fanny, Portsmouth would come back to haunt her. After the ball, Henry had decided to propose marriage to her, she had refused, for she didn't love him, nor did she trust him, having seen the attentions he had paid to Maria at the play and at the ball. Undaunted, Henry had spoken to Sir Thomas, and he would brook no refusal.
"I order you to marry him!" he roared, "You must do as I say!"
"Never!" she shot back, "I will not marry a man I do not love!"
"Perhaps some time spent back in Portsmouth will change your attitude, then you will appreciate the beauty of Manglefield and see the error of your ways, you foolish girl!"
Damn, but the man was stubborn.
Fanny was sent packing the next day, and upon returning home she realized that she had made a mistake. Home was total squalor, nothing like Manglefield. Yes she realized her mistake all right. "Next time Sir Thomas gets the fish as well!" she muttered while surveying the rancid mess she called home. Her father and mother seemed to be less than pleased to see her, as they had had another half dozen children in the years since Fanny had left. Space was at a premium in the house and she had to sleep in the same bed with her sister Susan.
"It's nice to have you back, Fanny," she told her in the morning "but you must have had some strange dreams last night!"
"Whatever do you mean?"
"Well, you caressed me in a rather familiar way, and kept calling me Mary!"
Fanny promptly smacked her sister upside the head and told her to shut her mouth or she'd go swimming wearing some of their father's fishing net weights.
Chapter 5
Shortly after her return to Portsmouth, Fanny was visited by Henry, and his proposal of marriage was repeated. "Hmmm," she wondered, "if I marry him, he could always have an accident but the Manglefield fortune is worth far more than this bit player Crawford's is, and I can control that dork Edmund far easier! Besides, I can gain control of not only the crops, but take over the street dealers as well, make a tidy fortune and retire in luxury before slavery is outlawed."
"I am sorry Henry, but I cannot marry you."
"Then may you always know the poverty of Portsmouth!" he raged. "Spurn me and no other will have you!"
"Then no other shall, for I will not marry a man I do not love!"
Henry stormed out of the house, crushing the flowers he had brought her, and throwing them in the garbage.
"Dear me, but I shall have to do something about him before long, perhaps he might have a drunken fall down a staircase, yes, 'accidents' like that happen all the time".
Bored with her current situation, Fanny got through the days fleecing tourists with shell games and 3 Card Monte, few ever suspected the innocent seeming girl, and she made out well enough, and if need arose, a few purses might be cut with no one the wiser. Her routine came to a halt when Edmund appeared one day with no warning, covered with bruises and scrapes.
"A group of unruly urchins mobbed me, kicking and biting at me, when they finally left me whimpering in the dirt, I noticed my purse was gone, but that is not important! You are needed at Manglefield right away!"
She made ready to leave immediately, after recovering Edmund's purse from her younger siblings, and the two made their way back to Manglefield Park.
Chapter 6
Upon her return to Manglefield she realized why she was needed. Tom was deathly ill, and the family seemed very shaken up. Apparently Tom had got it into his head to try and shake down some dealers and had gotten pretty badly thrashed as a result.
"Poor, foolish Tom" thought Fanny, "you had the idea, but not the know how, you should have brought back up".
Even Sir Thomas was happy to see her and he apologized for his earlier behaviour. After being so warmly welcomed back, Fanny almost felt guilty for plotting to take over. Almost, but not quite. For some reason she was also very glad to see Mary again, she kept getting a funny feeeling every time Mary looked at her, she didn't know what to make of it, but it felt nice.
Henry was polite to her, if not overly friendly, but Fanny was determined to remove him as soon as she could. With Tom ill, perhaps near death, her chances of taking over and controlling Edmund were getting better every day, but the problem of Mary, and Edmund's attraction to her, was getting to be a thorn in Fanny's side. Not that she disliked Mary, far from it, but she simply must have Edmund Bertram for herself to control Manglefield and all that went with it.
Little did she know many of the obstacles in her path would soon clear themselves. One evening the family was discussing the situation with Tom's illness, when Mary brought up the lovely idea that Tom should be written off for dead, Edmund would assume control as the heir, and that she and Edmund should wed. Now Edmund knew that Fanny could be ruthless, but he was shocked at such behaviour coming from the supposedly angelic Mary.
"I cannot believe you would say such things! To wish my brother dead, you, you, are a woman of no scruples!" he stammered.
"I speak only the truth" she countered, "Tom will likely not survive".
"Not if I have anything to do with it" thought Fanny to herself.
"But to speak in such a coarse manner of him and to assume we should be wed, I feel as if I don't know you at all, and perhaps I was wrong about you after all! I think you should leave now!" Edmund thundered back.
"Shocking!" thought Fanny, "The worm actually has a spine!"
Now things were working out perfectly for her. The next evening her plans were helped along by the discovery of Henry in bed with Maria, who had left her husband. Perfect! Henry and Mary in disgrace, Tom deathly ill, Edmund actually showing some guts, things were working out nicely.
"I love it when a plan comes together!" said Fanny to herself when she went to sleep that evening.
Chapter 7
While spending time in Tom's sickroom Fanny was shocked to see his sketchbook. It showed some rather graphic scenes from the slave shacks, she had always known Tom was a lecher, but she had no idea he was this bad. It made her feel better about plotting his removal. Tom made a miraculous recovery soon after, but the family's hopes were dashed shortly after, for Tom's recovery was short lived. He had felt better, he had been hungry, and Fanny was only too kind to fetch him some dinner. Shortly after eating his dinner (fish), he had started groaning in pain and passed away shortly after.
It was a great tragedy to the family, and the house mourned for weeks. Now Edmund was the heir, and his father began to instruct him in the ways of the family's business. Tom's death still upset Sir Thomas greatly, and his already very serious demeanor became even more so. Then another tragedy struck the family, apparently Sir Thomas had been drinking heavily one evening and tragically fell down the stairs to his death. Before he died he muttered something about "looked like a piece of fishing line", but it was generally regarded as delirium from his head striking the banister during the fall. Some people have such terrible luck. After the funeral, Edmund asked if he could speak to Fanny.
"After such ill luck has befallen my family, I feel it almost unfair of me to ask you to join it, but I love you Fanny, I would ask you to be my wife."
"Oh yes! Yes, Edmund!" she breathlessly replied.
"I know little of the business, Fanny, and I would appreciate it if you could help me in these areas, you are very wise in such things"
"Certainly" she replied.
So they were wed. Edmund being a rather agreeable type, Fanny assumed full control of things. Julia was sent to a convent, the sleazy Maria was sent to South America. Edmund's mother was gifted with a new wine cellar where she spent the rest of her days, and for some reason, even though she had disgraced herself, Mary was installed in a house not far from Manglefield. Where Fanny would spend hours on end with her friend, and the peals of girlish giggling could be heard from inside the cottage.