Mansfield Park
could be only nominally missed; and Lady Bertram was soon astonished to
find how very well they did even without his father, how well Edmund
could supply his place in carving, talking to the steward, writing to
the attorney, settling with the servants, and equally saving her from
all possible fatigue or exertion in every particular but that of
directing her letters.
The earliest intelligence of the travellers’ safe arrival at Antigua,
after a favourable voyage, was received; though not before Mrs. Norris
had been indulging in very dreadful fears, and trying to make Edmund
participate them whenever she could get him alone; and as she depended
on being the first person made acquainted with any fatal catastrophe,
she had already arranged the manner of breaking it to all the others,
when Sir Thomas’s assurances of their both being alive and well made it
necessary to lay by her agitation and affectionate preparatory speeches
for a while.
The winter came and passed without their being called for; the accounts
continued perfectly good; and Mrs. Norris, in promoting gaieties for
her nieces, assisting their toilets, displaying their accomplishments,
and looking about for their future husbands, had so much to do as, in
addition to all her own household cares, some interference in those of
her sister, and Mrs. Grant’s wasteful doings to overlook, left her very
little occasion to be occupied in fears for the absent.
The Miss Bertrams were now fully established among the belles of the
neighbourhood; and as they joined to beauty and brilliant acquirements
a manner naturally easy, and carefully formed to general civility and
obligingness, they possessed its favour as well as its admiration.
Their vanity was in such good order that they seemed to be quite free
from it, and gave themselves no airs; while the praises attending such
behaviour, secured and brought round by their aunt, served to
strengthen them in believing they had no faults.
Lady Bertram did not go into public with her daughters. She was too
indolent even to accept a mother’s gratification in witnessing their
success and enjoyment at the expense of any personal trouble, and the
charge was made over to her sister, who desired nothing better than a
post of such honourable representation, and very thoroughly relished
the means it afforded her of mixing in society without having horses to
hire.
Fanny had no share in the festivities of the season; but she enjoyed
being avowedly useful as her aunt’s companion when they called away the
rest of the family; and, as Miss Lee had left Mansfield, she naturally
became everything to Lady Bertram during the night of a ball or a
party. She talked to her, listened to her, read to her; and the
tranquillity of such evenings, her perfect security in such a
_tête-à-tête_ from any sound of unkindness, was unspeakably welcome to
a mind which had seldom known a pause in its alarms or embarrassments.
As to her cousins’ gaieties, she loved to hear an account of them,
especially of the balls, and whom Edmund had danced with; but thought
too lowly of her own situation to imagine she should ever be admitted
to the same, and listened, therefore, without an idea of any nearer
concern in them. Upon the whole, it was a comfortable winter to her;
for though it brought no William to England, the never-failing hope of
his arrival was worth much.
The ensuing spring deprived her of her valued friend, the old grey
pony; and for some time she was in danger of feeling the loss in her
health as well as in her affections; for in spite of the acknowledged
importance of her riding on horse-back, no measures were taken for
mounting her again, “because,” as it was observed by her aunts, “she
might ride one of her cousin’s horses at any time when they did not
want them,” and as the Miss Bertrams regularly wanted their horses
every fine day, and had no idea of carrying their obliging manners to
the sacrifice of any real pleasure, that time, of course, never came.
They took their cheerful rides in the fine mornings of April and May;
and Fanny either sat at home the whole day with one aunt, or walked
beyond her strength at the instigation of the other: Lady Bertram
holding exercise to be as unnecessary for everybody as it was
unpleasant to herself; and Mrs. Norris, who was walking all day,
thinking everybody ought to walk as much. Edmund was absent at this
time, or the evil would have been earlier remedied. When he returned,
to understand how Fanny was situated, and perceived its ill effects,
there seemed with him but one thing to be done; and that “Fanny must
have a horse” was the resolute declaration with which he opposed
whatever could be urged by the supineness of his mother, or the economy
of his aunt, to make it appear unimportant. Mrs. Norris could not help
thinking that some steady old thing might be found among the numbers
belonging to the Park that would do vastly well; or that one might be
borrowed of the steward; or that perhaps Dr. Grant might now and then
lend them the pony he sent to the post. She could not but consider it
as absolutely unnecessary, and even improper, that Fanny should have a
regular lady’s horse of her own, in the style of her cousins. She was
sure Sir Thomas had never intended it: and she must say that, to be
making such a purchase in his absence, and adding to the great expenses
of his stable, at a time when a large part of his income was unsettled,
seemed to her very unjustifiable. “Fanny must have a horse,” was
Edmund’s only reply. Mrs. Norris could not see it in the same light.
Lady Bertram did: she entirely agreed with her son as to the necessity
of it, and as to its being considered necessary by his father; she only
pleaded against there being any hurry; she only wanted him to wait till
Sir Thomas’s return, and then Sir Thomas might settle it all himself.
He would be at home in September, and where would be the harm of only
waiting till September?
Though Edmund was much more displeased with his aunt than with his
mother, as evincing least regard for her niece, he could not help
paying more attention to what she said; and at length determined on a
method of proceeding which would obviate the risk of his father’s
thinking he had done too much, and at the same time procure for Fanny
the immediate means of exercise, which he could not bear she should be
without. He had three horses of his own, but not one that would carry a
woman. Two of them were hunters; the third, a useful road-horse: this
third he resolved to exchange for one that his cousin might ride; he
knew where such a one was to be met with; and having once made up his
mind, the whole business was soon completed. The new mare proved a
treasure; with a very little trouble she became exactly calculated for
the purpose, and Fanny was then put in almost full possession of her.
She had not supposed before that anything could ever suit her like the
old grey pony; but her delight in Edmund’s mare was far beyond any
former pleasure of the sort; and the addition it was ever receiving in
the consideration of that kindness from which her pleasure sprung, was
beyond all her words to express. She regarded her cousin as an example
of everything good and great, as possessing worth which no one but
herself could ever appreciate, and as entitled to such gratitude from
her as no feelings could be strong enough to pay. Her sentiments
towards him were compounded of all that was respectful, grateful,
confiding, and tender.
As the horse continued in name, as well as fact, the property of
Edmund, Mrs. Norris could tolerate its being for Fanny’s use; and had
Lady Bertram ever thought about her own objection again, he might have
been excused in her eyes for not waiting till Sir Thomas’s return in
September, for when September came Sir Thomas was still abroad, and
without any near prospect of finishing his business. Unfavourable
circumstances had suddenly arisen at a moment when he was beginning to
turn all his thoughts towards England; and the very great uncertainty
in which everything was then involved determined him on sending home
his son, and waiting the final arrangement by himself. Tom arrived
safely, bringing an excellent account of his father’s health; but to
very little purpose, as far as Mrs. Norris was concerned. Sir Thomas’s
sending away his son seemed to her so like a parent’s care, under the
influence of a foreboding of evil to himself, that she could not help
feeling dreadful presentiments; and as the long evenings of autumn came
on, was so terribly haunted by these ideas, in the sad solitariness of
her cottage, as to be obliged to take daily refuge in the dining-room
of the Park. The return of winter engagements, however, was not without
its effect; and in the course of their progress, her mind became so
pleasantly occupied in superintending the fortunes of her eldest niece,
as tolerably to quiet her nerves. “If poor Sir Thomas were fated never
to return, it would be peculiarly consoling to see their dear Maria
well married,” she very often thought; always when they were in the
company of men of fortune, and particularly on the introduction of a
young man who had recently succeeded to one of the largest estates and
finest places in the country.
Mr. Rushworth was from the first struck with the beauty of Miss
Bertram, and, being inclined to marry, soon fancied himself in love. He
was a heavy young man, with not more than common sense; but as there
was nothing disagreeable in his figure or address, the young lady was
well pleased with her conquest. Being now in her twenty-first year,
Maria Bertram was beginning to think matrimony a duty; and as a
marriage with Mr. Rushworth would give her the enjoyment of a larger
income than her father’s, as well as ensure her the house in town,
which was now a prime object, it became, by the same rule of moral
obligation, her evident duty to marry Mr. Rushworth if she could. Mrs.
Norris was most zealous in promoting the match, by every suggestion and
contrivance likely to enhance its desirableness to either party; and,
among other means, by seeking an intimacy with the gentleman’s mother,
who at present lived with him, and to whom she even forced Lady Bertram
to go through ten miles of indifferent road to pay a morning visit. It
was not long before a good understanding took place between this lady
and herself. Mrs. Rushworth acknowledged herself very desirous that her
son should marry, and declared that of all the young ladies she had
ever seen, Miss Bertram seemed, by her amiable qualities and
accomplishments, the best adapted to make him happy. Mrs. Norris
accepted the compliment, and admired the nice discernment of character
which could so well distinguish merit. Maria was indeed the pride and
delight of them all—perfectly faultless—an angel; and, of course, so
surrounded by admirers, must be difficult in her choice: but yet, as
far as Mrs. Norris could allow herself to decide on so short an
acquaintance, Mr. Rushworth appeared precisely the young man to deserve
and attach her.
After dancing with each other at a proper number of balls, the young
people justified these opinions, and an engagement, with a due
reference to the absent Sir Thomas, was entered into, much to the
satisfaction of their respective families, and of the general
lookers-on of the neighbourhood, who had, for many weeks past, felt the
expediency of Mr. Rushworth’s marrying Miss Bertram.
It was some months before Sir Thomas’s consent could be received; but,
in the meanwhile, as no one felt a doubt of his most cordial pleasure
in the connexion, the intercourse of the two families was carried on
without restraint, and no other attempt made at secrecy than Mrs.
Norris’s talking of it everywhere as a matter not to be talked of at
present.