“Well，LadyBertram，“saidMrs。Norris，movingtogo，“Icanonlysaythatmysoledesireistobeofusetoyourfamily：andso，ifSirThomasshouldeverspeakagainaboutmytakingFanny，youwillbeabletosaythatmyhealthandspiritsputitquiteoutofthequestion；
besidesthat，Ireallyshouldnothaveabedtogiveher，forImustkeepaspareroomforafriend。“
LadyBertramrepeatedenoughofthisconversationtoherhusbandtoconvincehimhowmuchhehadmistakenhissister-in-law’sviews；andshewasfromthatmomentperfectlysafefromallexpectation，ortheslightestallusiontoitfromhim。Hecouldnotbutwonderatherrefusingtodoanythingforaniecewhomshehadbeensoforwardtoadopt；but，asshetookearlycaretomakehim，aswellasLadyBertram，understandthatwhatevershepossessedwasdesignedfortheirfamily，hesoongrewreconciledtoadistinctionwhich，atthesametimethatitwasadvantageousandcomplimentarytothem，wouldenablehimbettertoprovideforFannyhimself。
Fannysoonlearnthowunnecessaryhadbeenherfearsofaremoval；
andherspontaneous，untaughtfelicityonthediscovery，conveyedsomeconsolationtoEdmundforhisdisappointmentinwhathehadexpectedtobesoessentiallyserviceabletoher。Mrs。NorristookpossessionoftheWhiteHouse，theGrantsarrivedattheParsonage，andtheseeventsover，everythingatMansfieldwentonforsometimeasusual。
TheGrantsshowingadispositiontobefriendlyandsociable，gavegreatsatisfactioninthemainamongtheirnewacquaintance。
Theyhadtheirfaults，andMrs。Norrissoonfoundthemout。
TheDoctorwasveryfondofeating，andwouldhaveagooddinnereveryday；andMrs。Grant，insteadofcontrivingtogratifyhimatlittleexpense，gavehercookashighwagesastheydidatMansfieldPark，andwasscarcelyeverseeninheroffices。Mrs。Norriscouldnotspeakwithanytemperofsuchgrievances，norofthequantityofbutterandeggsthatwereregularlyconsumedinthehouse。
“Nobodylovedplentyandhospitalitymorethanherself；
nobodymorehatedpitifuldoings；theParsonage，shebelieved，hadneverbeenwantingincomfortsofanysort，hadneverborneabadcharacterin_her__time_，butthiswasawayofgoingonthatshecouldnotunderstand。
Afineladyinacountryparsonagewasquiteoutofplace。
_Her_store-room，shethought，mighthavebeengoodenoughforMrs。Granttogointo。Inquirewhereshewould，shecouldnotfindoutthatMrs。Granthadeverhadmorethanfivethousandpounds。“
LadyBertramlistenedwithoutmuchinteresttothissortofinvective。Shecouldnotenterintothewrongsofaneconomist，butshefeltalltheinjuriesofbeautyinMrs。Grant’sbeingsowellsettledinlifewithoutbeinghandsome，andexpressedherastonishmentonthatpointalmostasoften，thoughnotsodiffusely，asMrs。Norrisdiscussedtheother。
Theseopinionshadbeenhardlycanvassedayearbeforeanothereventaroseofsuchimportanceinthefamily，asmightfairlyclaimsomeplaceinthethoughtsandconversationoftheladies。SirThomasfounditexpedienttogotoAntiguahimself，forthebetterarrangementofhisaffairs，andhetookhiseldestsonwithhim，inthehopeofdetachinghimfromsomebadconnexionsathome。TheyleftEnglandwiththeprobabilityofbeingnearlyatwelvemonthabsent。
Thenecessityofthemeasureinapecuniarylight，andthehopeofitsutilitytohisson，reconciledSirThomastotheeffortofquittingtherestofhisfamily，andofleavinghisdaughterstothedirectionofothersattheirpresentmostinterestingtimeoflife。
HecouldnotthinkLadyBertramquiteequaltosupplyhisplacewiththem，orrather，toperformwhatshouldhavebeenherown；but，inMrs。Norris’swatchfulattention，andinEdmund’sjudgment，hehadsufficientconfidencetomakehimgowithoutfearsfortheirconduct。
LadyBertramdidnotatallliketohaveherhusbandleaveher；
butshewasnotdisturbedbyanyalarmforhissafety，orsolicitudeforhiscomfort，beingoneofthosepersonswhothinknothingcanbedangerous，ordifficult，orfatiguingtoanybodybutthemselves。
TheMissBertramsweremuchtobepitiedontheoccasion：
notfortheirsorrow，butfortheirwantofit。
Theirfatherwasnoobjectoflovetothem；hehadneverseemedthefriendoftheirpleasures，andhisabsencewasunhappilymostwelcome。Theywererelievedbyitfromallrestraint；andwithoutaimingatonegratificationthatwouldprobablyhavebeenforbiddenbySirThomas，theyfeltthemselvesimmediatelyattheirowndisposal，andtohaveeveryindulgencewithintheirreach。
Fanny’srelief，andherconsciousnessofit，werequiteequaltohercousins’；butamoretendernaturesuggestedthatherfeelingswereungrateful，andshereallygrievedbecauseshecouldnotgrieve。“SirThomas，whohaddonesomuchforherandherbrothers，andwhowasgoneperhapsnevertoreturn!thatsheshouldseehimgowithoutatear!itwasashamefulinsensibility。“
Hehadsaidtoher，moreover，ontheverylastmorning，thathehopedshemightseeWilliamagaininthecourseoftheensuingwinter，andhadchargedhertowriteandinvitehimtoMansfieldassoonasthesquadrontowhichhebelongedshouldbeknowntobeinEngland。
“Thiswassothoughtfulandkind!“andwouldheonlyhavesmileduponher，andcalledher“mydearFanny，“
whilehesaidit，everyformerfrownorcoldaddressmighthavebeenforgotten。Buthehadendedhisspeechinawaytosinkherinsadmortification，byadding，“IfWilliamdoescometoMansfield，Ihopeyoumaybeabletoconvincehimthatthemanyyearswhichhavepassedsinceyoupartedhavenotbeenspentonyoursideentirelywithoutimprovement；though，Ifear，hemustfindhissisteratsixteeninsomerespectstoomuchlikehissisteratten。“
Shecriedbitterlyoverthisreflectionwhenherunclewasgone；andhercousins，onseeingherwithredeyes，setherdownasahypocrite。
TomBertramhadoflatespentsolittleofhistimeathomethathecouldbeonlynominallymissed；andLadyBertramwassoonastonishedtofindhowverywelltheydidevenwithouthisfather，howwellEdmundcouldsupplyhisplaceincarving，talkingtothesteward，writingtotheattorney，settlingwiththeservants，andequallysavingherfromallpossiblefatigueorexertionineveryparticularbutthatofdirectingherletters。
Theearliestintelligenceofthetravellers’safearrivalatAntigua，afterafavourablevoyage，wasreceived；
thoughnotbeforeMrs。Norrishadbeenindulginginverydreadfulfears，andtryingtomakeEdmundparticipatethemwhenevershecouldgethimalone；andasshedependedonbeingthefirstpersonmadeacquaintedwithanyfatalcatastrophe，shehadalreadyarrangedthemannerofbreakingittoalltheothers，whenSirThomas’sassurancesoftheirbothbeingaliveandwellmadeitnecessarytolaybyheragitationandaffectionatepreparatoryspeechesforawhile。
Thewintercameandpassedwithouttheirbeingcalledfor；theaccountscontinuedperfectlygood；
andMrs。Norris，inpromotinggaietiesforhernieces，assistingtheirtoilets，displayingtheiraccomplishments，andlookingaboutfortheirfuturehusbands，hadsomuchtodoas，inadditiontoallherownhouseholdcares，someinterferenceinthoseofhersister，andMrs。Grant’swastefuldoingstooverlook，leftherverylittleoccasiontobeoccupiedinfearsfortheabsent。
TheMissBertramswerenowfullyestablishedamongthebellesoftheneighbourhood；andastheyjoinedtobeautyandbrilliantacquirementsamannernaturallyeasy，andcarefullyformedtogeneralcivilityandobligingness，theypossesseditsfavouraswellasitsadmiration。
Theirvanitywasinsuchgoodorderthattheyseemedtobequitefreefromit，andgavethemselvesnoairs；
whilethepraisesattendingsuchbehaviour，securedandbroughtroundbytheiraunt，servedtostrengthentheminbelievingtheyhadnofaults。
LadyBertramdidnotgointopublicwithherdaughters。
Shewastooindolenteventoacceptamother’sgratificationinwitnessingtheirsuccessandenjoymentattheexpenseofanypersonaltrouble，andthechargewasmadeovertohersister，whodesirednothingbetterthanapostofsuchhonourablerepresentation，andverythoroughlyrelishedthemeansitaffordedherofmixinginsocietywithouthavinghorsestohire。
Fannyhadnoshareinthefestivitiesoftheseason；
butsheenjoyedbeingavowedlyusefulasheraunt’scompanionwhentheycalledawaytherestofthefamily；and，asMissLeehadleftMansfield，shenaturallybecameeverythingtoLadyBertramduringthenightofaballoraparty。
Shetalkedtoher，listenedtoher，readtoher；
andthetranquillityofsuchevenings，herperfectsecurityinsucha_tete-a-tete_fromanysoundofunkindness，wasunspeakablywelcometoamindwhichhadseldomknownapauseinitsalarmsorembarrassments。Astohercousins’gaieties，shelovedtohearanaccountofthem，especiallyoftheballs，andwhomEdmundhaddancedwith；
butthoughttoolowlyofherownsituationtoimaginesheshouldeverbeadmittedtothesame，andlistened，therefore，withoutanideaofanynearerconcerninthem。
Uponthewhole，itwasacomfortablewintertoher；
forthoughitbroughtnoWilliamtoEngland，thenever-failinghopeofhisarrivalwasworthmuch。
Theensuingspringdeprivedherofhervaluedfriend，theoldgreypony；andforsometimeshewasindangeroffeelingthelossinherhealthaswellasinheraffections；
forinspiteoftheacknowledgedimportanceofherridingonhorse-back，nomeasuresweretakenformountingheragain，“because，“asitwasobservedbyheraunts，“shemightrideoneofhercousin’shorsesatanytimewhentheydidnotwantthem，“andastheMissBertramsregularlywantedtheirhorseseveryfineday，andhadnoideaofcarryingtheirobligingmannerstothesacrificeofanyrealpleasure，thattime，ofcourse，nevercame。
TheytooktheircheerfulridesinthefinemorningsofAprilandMay；andFannyeithersatathomethewholedaywithoneaunt，orwalkedbeyondherstrengthattheinstigationoftheother：LadyBertramholdingexercisetobeasunnecessaryforeverybodyasitwasunpleasanttoherself；andMrs。Norris，whowaswalkingallday，thinkingeverybodyoughttowalkasmuch。Edmundwasabsentatthistime，ortheevilwouldhavebeenearlierremedied。
Whenhereturned，tounderstandhowFannywassituated，andperceiveditsilleffects，thereseemedwithhimbutonethingtobedone；andthat“Fannymusthaveahorse“
wastheresolutedeclarationwithwhichheopposedwhatevercouldbeurgedbythesupinenessofhismother，ortheeconomyofhisaunt，tomakeitappearunimportant。