Lynn Shepherd - Murder at Mansfield Park

"My dear Julia," cried Edmund, immediately drawing her arm within his, "how thoughtless I have been! I hope you are not very fatigued. Perhaps," turning to Miss Crawford, "my other companion may also do me the honour of taking an arm."

"Thank you, but I am not at all tired." She took it, however, as she spoke, and the gratification of doing so, of feeling such a connection for the first time, assailed her with satisfactions very sweet, if not very sound. A few steps farther brought them out at the bottom of the walk and a comfortable-sized bench, a few yards from an iron gate leading into the park, on which Julia sat down.

"Why would you not speak sooner, Julia?" said Edmund, observing her.

"I shall soon be rested," said Julia quickly. "Pray, do not interrupt your walk. I will be quite comfortable here."

It was with reluctance that Edmund suffered her to remain alone, but Julia eventually prevailed, and watched them till they had turned the corner, and all sound of them had ceased.

A quarter of an hour passed away, and then Miss Bertram unexpectedly appeared on another path, some distance away. She was walking quickly, and with some purpose, and did not seem to notice her sister, or have the slightest notion that any other person was nearby. Julia was about to rise and greet her, when she saw with some surprise that Maria was intent on concealing herself behind a large shrub on one side of the path, to the very great danger of her new muslin gown. The reason for this unaccountable behaviour was soon revealed. Julia heard voices and feet approaching and a few moments later Mr Rushworth and Miss Price issued from the same path, and came to a stop before the iron gate. They had clearly been engaged in a most earnest conversation; Miss Price looked all flutter and happiness, and the faces of both were very close together. Neither was sensible of Miss Bertram’s being there, nor of Julia sitting motionless on the bench only a short distance away. It struck the latter all of a sudden as being more like a play than anything she had seen in the theatre at Mansfield Park, and though she knew she ought to draw their attention to her presence, something constrained her, and she remained fixed in her seat. The first words she heard were from her cousin, and were to this effect.

"My dear Mr Rushworth, I have not the slightest interest in attempting to find Mr Norris. Why, we have but this moment escaped from his horrible mother. No — I have had quite enough of that family for one morning. After all, what is Mr Norris to me that I should get myself hot and out of breath chasing about the garden looking for him?"

"Your words interest me inexpressibly, Miss Price," said Mr Rushworth, with some earnestness. "I had no idea, when I first came into the area, but that you were the intended, indeed the engaged, bride of that very same Mr Norris. A steady respectable sort of fellow, no doubt, but no match for a woman of character and brilliance such as yourself."

"Mr Tiresome Norris bores me more than I can say," said Miss Price with feeling. "So dull, so wretchedly dull ! He pays no compliments, he has no wit, and if that were not bad enough, his taste in dress is deplorable, and he has no refined conversation; all he wants to do indoors is talk about books, and all he ever does outside is ride. A deadly tedious life mine would be with the oh-so-estimable Mr Norris."

Mr Rushworth laughed knowingly. "Perhaps Mr Norris has recently found someone who might share these dreary interests of his?"

Miss Price gave him a look which marked her contempt. "She is welcome to him. A woman who has the audacity to attach herself to a man already promised to another, as she has done, will surely have no scruple in taking up that other’s cast-offs."

"And you, my dear — my very dear Miss Price," said he, leaning still closer, "what will you now do? There must surely be countless suitors contending for the honour of your hand."

Miss Price drew away slightly, and began to circle the small glade before the gate. "Not so many as you might imagine, sir. But I have no doubt of acquiring them, once it becomes known that the engagement with Mr Norris is broken off."

"So if there happened to be another gentleman who professed the most sincere attachment to Miss Price — nay, not merely an attachment but the most ardent, disinterested love — it might be as well for that gentleman to declare himself without delay?"

Miss Price looked at him haughtily. "It might be as well for that gentleman to begin by demonstrating, beyond question, that all those ardent feelings are for Miss Price, and not for Miss Bertram ."

"My dear Miss Price," he cried, making towards her,"how could you even imagine — you are so infinitely her superior. In beauty, in spirit, in — "

"In fortune , sir?"

He stopped, and looked for a moment exceedingly foolish, but Miss Price turned away, smiling privately to herself, content, for the moment, with so complete a conquest, and not above a wish to sport with her new-declared lover a little, by way of punishment for his recent neglect.

"What is that knoll, I wonder?" she said, looking through the gate. "Might we not obtain a more comprehensive view of the park from there? Such a survey being, after all, the principal reason for our visit?"

"Indeed — I am sure," said Mr Rushworth, in evident embarrassment. "That is, I imagine — "

"Oh, but of course, the gate is locked," she said, a moment later, in a tone of some vexation. "Why is it that it is only ever the gardeners who can go where they like in places like this?"

"I did wonder whether I should bring the key," he stammered. "Indeed, I was on the point of asking the housekeeper whether I might have the key — "

"That may very well be so," she said archly, "but it does not advance us very far. We cannot get through without it."

Mr Rushworth bowed. "I will remedy my mistake at once," said he in a tone of decision. "If Miss Price would do me the infinite honour of awaiting me here, I will return without delay."

Miss Price bowed her complaisance, and Mr Rushworth set off at some speed towards the house.

Miss Price was on the point of resuming her circuit of the glade, and to judge of her expression, with no very unpleasant sensations, but no sooner was Mr Rushworth out of sight when Miss Bertram emerged from her hiding place to confront her startled and affrighted cousin.

"So this is your plan, is it?" said Maria in an angry tone. "You mean to discard our gentle, upright, honest cousin for such a — a — fop as Rushworth?"

"As to that ," said Miss Price, reddening with astonishment and disdain, "even were he the most infamous fop in England, I do not think you would have refused him, had he made you an offer. But he did not make you an offer, did he?"

"No," said Maria bitterly, seizing her cousin by the wrist, "because you saw to it that he did not. Can you never allow me anyone or anything of my own, but you have to seize it from me? He admired me, I know he did, and it wanted only a little encouragement to turn that admiration into a decided attachment. A very little encouragement, and a very reasonable forbearance on your part. But no — even that , you could not permit me. Even though you were already pledged to another man — and honourably, publicly pledged at that."

"Do not delude yourself," said Fanny angrily, snatching her hand from Maria’s grasp. "You may have seen admiration; I saw only an idle flirtation — a passing and frivolous gallantry. Whatever you may have hoped, you and your pitiable portion would never have been sufficient to attach a man like Mr Rushworth. You may take my word for that."