A/N: Right, firstly, before I begin, I think I had best explain myself. I was writing my other story, 'The Cleaners Strike Back', and suddenly, out of nowhere hops in this little plot bunny that stared me in the eye for a few seconds and suddenly expanded to ginormous proportions! I don't actually think this has been done before, but anyway, this is what came to me.

I have always loved period drama (aka 1800's) - not just because of the eloquence of the era itself, and the way people act and spoke (hopeless romantic I know) but also simply because I love the clothes they wore (mostly the men - with their breeches, and vests, and high collars and flowing sleeves, and...say no more, I'm drooling already :P).

So basically, as you can probably already tell, this will not be the Primeval that you know and love (and I love too - I assure you!) in the sense that everyone's running around chasing dinosaurs. It is Primeval (hopefully!) in the sense that I will be staying as true as possible to each cast members character (and yes, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE will be in here!). I love them all too much to change them!

Plots for certain parts will bear similarities to actual episodes (in context of course), yet things may chop and change and nothing is ever certain!

So now that that is over - Onward with the story - I sincerely hope you enjoy it! :)

All my disclaimers are on my profile by the way! I only say them once! :)

I. A Severe Lack Of Single Men

~2nd February 1841~

For the women of Primvale, a small town in Cheshire, it was a well known fact that it was nigh on impossible to find a husband. For one, the town was small, only a few hundred residents inhabited the streets and town houses. Of those few hundred, many were either old, already married, odd, or still children. It was a cold hard fact, that unless, for some reason, a large number of single, (hopefully) attractive men decided Primvale was the place to live, there was not a highly likely chance that any of them would marry.

Miss Claudia Brown, and Miss Abigail Maitland were two such women. It is fair to say, that for Abigail, this idea did not perturb her quite so much as it did her friend. For Claudia, there was nothing more that she wanted other than to marry a handsome, caring man, and have a family. She was almost twenty-seven (as her mother never failed to point out), and in all those years, never had the right suitor come along.

Just three years ago, she had attended the wedding of her twin sister Jennifer, now Mrs Jennifer Lewis. To her, it seemed like yesterday that her sibling had walked down the aisle, and her heart ached every time she thought of it. Jenny had always been the braver one, the more outgoing one; and Claudia thought, the prettier one - although they were identical. Jenny's reddish-brown hair always seemed to have an extra shine, and her brown eyes an extra sparkle.

Abigail of course disagreed emphatically and put her inability to find the right man down to her being so shy, but Claudia disagreed. One could not simply choose when someone would walk into your life and everything would fall into place. It was fate...and in this case, fate was taking a little longer than it should have.

Abby, Claudia reasoned, didn't quite understand, she was, after all, two years younger, and had more time to find a husband...not that such an activity seemed to be high on her list of interests. She couldn't quite fathom it really, how blasé the younger woman was about finding a husband.

Claudia refused to believe that Abby did not want one - simply that she too, was secretly a romantic and was waiting for the right man. It was not from a lack of trying on behalf of male suitors that the younger woman was still unmarried, in fact it was the complete opposite. There had been several interested young men from about Primvale - after all, Abigail was a most attractive young woman, with her blonde hair and bright blue eyes - but no, she was not interested and spurned their advances.

Abigail Maitland was, and always had been more comfortable in the company of animals (aside from the company of Claudia herself of course). In fact, that was how she and Claudia had met, seventeen years ago.

It was one particularly cold winters day in December, that she and her mother had called upon the Maitland family, to introduce themselves, as that was just the way things were done in Primvale. Whilst their mothers talked, Mrs Maitland had insisted that the two girls go into the kitchen and get some hot milk from cook.

Abby herself, had not changed much in personality within the last seventeen years, she was still just as outgoing, strong-willed and kind, as she had been then. The eight year old Abby had marched into that kitchen and politely requested the drink from her cook. She had then taken Claudia outside to see 'Mr Thompson'.

The ten year old Claudia had been rather worried until the younger girl had led her to a rabbit hutch and presented her to Mr Thompson the rabbit, who's big brown eyes and floppy ears were not in the least bit worrying. From then on, she and Abby had been best friends, and despite engaging in more than one argument in all those years, they were still as close as ever.

..oOo..

"Abby, what do you think of this one?" Claudia asked, holding a length of red fabric up. They were purchasing fabric for new dresses, which they would wear to the Spring fair in two weeks (a highly important occasion on the Primvale social calender).

"I have no idea Claudia, but I guess it is a nice colour." Abby replied in a distinctly bored voice, as she twirled her finger in a piece of ribbon absent-mindedly, "Do you think perhaps you could hasten your decision and allow us to depart? Shopping is terribly boring."

Claudia glared at her friend, "Shopping is necessary." she said firmly, deciding that the red was a little too much, but that the emerald green beside it was more than adequate. "And besides, we would not still be in here if you were more helpful in making decisions!"

The were still having this heated discussion when they exited the store, the little bell at the top of the door giving a cheerful jingle as they stepped outside. It was most probably due to the fact that they were so engaged in this whispered argument, that neither woman noticed the blonde-haired gentleman in a brown coat, until Claudia ran into him, head first.

..oOo..

Dr Nicholas Cutter, had never had much time for other people. Something the residents of his last district had learned very quickly. In fact, many of his patients wondered what in the world had possessed him to become a doctor - for surely, a doctor should have at least some regard for his patients?

Dr Cutter was the exception to this rule. He spent as much time as possible in the confines of his study, buried in books and notes. His housekeeper, a portly woman named Mrs Jenkins, did in fact, believe him to be quite mad.

He would spend day after day (she said), in that office, doing nothing but reading and talking to himself as he wrote. Occasionally, he would venture out to go for a walk or visit a patient, but other than that, there was not one thing in the world that would have him leave that room. That is, if he had not been given the occasional diversion from work by his close friend Mr Stephen Hart - a man Mrs Jenkins admired very much if she did say so herself.

"Now, that Mr Hart is a nice man." she would say to the other ladies whom she was friends with, "Right gentleman, and used to be in the army too I hear! War wound apparently meant he was discharged from service...and so young too! What he sees in Dr Cutter I can't say. A young man such as he could find far better acquaintances."

It seemed however, that instead of finding new, and far more acceptable acquaintances than Dr Cutter; Mr Hart had found him a new position in a small town called Primvale. It seemed that there were far less people, and therefore far more time for his friend to work on his personal studies. In fact, to Mrs Jenkins horror, the thought evoked far more enthusiasm than she had ever seen from the blonde doctor. It was most disconcerting.

Of course, his moving did mean she would have to find a new post, but Mrs Jenkins was not much concerned about that (she had a cousin down in Hampshire who kept a place for her in a large household). If his moving meant that she would no longer had to work for the 'mad Scottish doctor' then she was most pleased. Most pleased indeed.

..oOo..

Dr Cutter had arrived that morning in Primvale. As he began directing the labourers that were handling his belongings, he had received several queer looks from passersby, but that was to be expected. In fact, Cutter had all his furniture inside the small townhouse he was to live in in no time, and was more than ready to recommence his studies, yet upon laying out his notes, realised he was out of ink. Most inconvenient.

Another one of the perks of living in such a small town, Cutter decided, was that it was quite easy to find one's way around; and as such, he had no trouble locating the general store on the main street. However, as soon as he tried to enter, a pair of young women exited and the taller of the two ran straight into him.

Barely two hours into setting up residence in Primvale and already he was literally running into people. That did not bode well. The woman gave a squeak and stumbled backwards, a look of complete mortification on her face. Cutter reached out his arm and steadied her. He had absolutely no desire to tend to his very first patient on his first day.

When he was sure she was sure of her feet, he stepped back,"My apologies Miss." he said, talking off his hat, "Are you quite alright?"

The woman blushed, and for the first time, Cutter really looked at her. She was wearing some sort of grey-blue dress that he wasn't much interested in, and had reddish-brown hair, pinned back into some style that he assumed was fairly fashionable. Under further study, he realised she was not old, yet not young either. Presumably a few years younger than himself. The deep brown eyes however, that met his gaze and held it, captivated him. Not in many years had a woman looked him directly in the eye.

"Yes, thank you Sir," the woman said blushing profusely, and looking up at him shyly, "But I am afraid it is I who must apologise - I was not looking when I exited the store."

Cutter smirked, "I presume then, that you do not make a habit of running into strange men?" he replied, before continuing, with an incline of his head, "Dr Nicholas Cutter, at your service Miss. It was a pleasure to run into you."

Another blush. He really couldn't be that charming! "Oh Dr Cutter! We've been hearing about you for months," the other blonde woman spoke up, (somehow he had managed to forget about her), "Everyone is quite excited that you are here, as it means we shall no longer have to call down to Whittam to receive treatment. Where are my manners, I must apologise, it has been a most stressful day. I am Miss Abigail Maitland, and this is Miss Claudia Brown.

"Charmed." Cutter replied, inclining his head, his eyes flickering to the other woman - Claudia - as they both curtseyed.

Claudia cleared her throat awkwardly, "So, Dr Cutter, you are from Scotland I presume?" she asked.

That was always the first thing people noticed when he first spoke to them, and he was expecting the question, "Yes, Glasgow originally, but I moved down to study medicine in London." he replied easily.

"Ahhh," Claudia nodded wisely, before looking at him once more with curious eyes, "Do you miss your home Dr Cutter?"

That question was not one he was expecting so much. "No Miss Brown, I do not. I moved a long time ago, and have no family there and no reason to return." Cutter said, a smile quirking at the corner of his mouth. Maybe she was not as shy as he had first thought.

"Ahem!" It seemed, that once again, they had forgotten to include the other woman - Miss Maitland, in their conversation, and their attention quickly turned back to her. "I am sorry to rush off after such a hasty and improper greeting Dr Cutter, but we really must go. Perhaps tomorrow you would come for tea? At eleven? We could give you a proper Primvale greeting then."

Cutter nodded, only just managing to stop from cocking his eyebrow. Miss Maitland was not so openly quiet as her friend obviously. "I would be glad to Miss Maitland." he replied smoothly, returning his hat to his head after they curtsied, "Good day."

Cutter watched the pair of them leave - their arms interlocked and their heads close together - with raised eyebrows. He really would have to call Stephen down for a visit. There was absolutely no doubt, the other man would love it in this little town...Primvale.

A/N: So, what do y'all think? Did I completely butcher Primeval? Did I commit Primeval blasphemy? I shall go to sleep tonight quite frazzled I think!