Mrs。NorriscouldnothelpthinkingthatsomesteadyoldthingmightbefoundamongthenumbersbelongingtotheParkthatwoulddovastlywell；orthatonemightbeborrowedofthesteward；orthatperhapsDr。Grantmightnowandthenlendthemtheponyhesenttothepost。
Shecouldnotbutconsideritasabsolutelyunnecessary，andevenimproper，thatFannyshouldhavearegularlady’shorseofherown，inthestyleofhercousins。
ShewassureSirThomashadneverintendedit：andshemustsaythat，tobemakingsuchapurchaseinhisabsence，andaddingtothegreatexpensesofhisstable，atatimewhenalargepartofhisincomewasunsettled，seemedtoherveryunjustifiable。“Fannymusthaveahorse，“wasEdmund’sonlyreply。Mrs。Norriscouldnotseeitinthesamelight。LadyBertramdid：
sheentirelyagreedwithhersonastothenecessityofit，andastoitsbeingconsiderednecessarybyhisfather；
sheonlypleadedagainsttherebeinganyhurry；sheonlywantedhimtowaittillSirThomas’sreturn，andthenSirThomasmightsettleitallhimself。HewouldbeathomeinSeptember，andwherewouldbetheharmofonlywaitingtillSeptember？
ThoughEdmundwasmuchmoredispleasedwithhisauntthanwithhismother，asevincingleastregardforherniece，hecouldnothelppayingmoreattentiontowhatshesaid；
andatlengthdeterminedonamethodofproceedingwhichwouldobviatetheriskofhisfather’sthinkinghehaddonetoomuch，andatthesametimeprocureforFannytheimmediatemeansofexercise，whichhecouldnotbearsheshouldbewithout。Hehadthreehorsesofhisown，butnotonethatwouldcarryawoman。Twoofthemwerehunters；thethird，ausefulroad-horse：thisthirdheresolvedtoexchangeforonethathiscousinmightride；
heknewwheresuchaonewastobemetwith；andhavingoncemadeuphismind，thewholebusinesswassooncompleted。
Thenewmareprovedatreasure；withaverylittletroubleshebecameexactlycalculatedforthepurpose，andFannywasthenputinalmostfullpossessionofher。
Shehadnotsupposedbeforethatanythingcouldeversuitherliketheoldgreypony；butherdelightinEdmund’smarewasfarbeyondanyformerpleasureofthesort；
andtheadditionitwaseverreceivingintheconsiderationofthatkindnessfromwhichherpleasuresprung，wasbeyondallherwordstoexpress。Sheregardedhercousinasanexampleofeverythinggoodandgreat，aspossessingworthwhichnoonebutherselfcouldeverappreciate，andasentitledtosuchgratitudefromherasnofeelingscouldbestrongenoughtopay。
Hersentimentstowardshimwerecompoundedofallthatwasrespectful，grateful，confiding，andtender。
Asthehorsecontinuedinname，aswellasfact，thepropertyofEdmund，Mrs。NorriscouldtolerateitsbeingforFanny’suse；andhadLadyBertrameverthoughtaboutherownobjectionagain，hemighthavebeenexcusedinhereyesfornotwaitingtillSirThomas’sreturninSeptember，forwhenSeptembercameSirThomaswasstillabroad，andwithoutanynearprospectoffinishinghisbusiness。
UnfavourablecircumstanceshadsuddenlyarisenatamomentwhenhewasbeginningtoturnallhisthoughtstowardsEngland；
andtheverygreatuncertaintyinwhicheverythingwastheninvolveddeterminedhimonsendinghomehisson，andwaitingthefinalarrangementbyhimselfTomarrivedsafely，bringinganexcellentaccountofhisfather’shealth；
buttoverylittlepurpose，asfarasMrs。Norriswasconcerned。SirThomas’ssendingawayhissonseemedtohersolikeaparent’scare，undertheinfluenceofaforebodingofeviltohimself，thatshecouldnothelpfeelingdreadfulpresentiments；andasthelongeveningsofautumncameon，wassoterriblyhauntedbytheseideas，inthesadsolitarinessofhercottage，astobeobligedtotakedailyrefugeinthedining-roomofthePark。
Thereturnofwinterengagements，however，wasnotwithoutitseffect；andinthecourseoftheirprogress，hermindbecamesopleasantlyoccupiedinsuperintendingthefortunesofhereldestniece，astolerablytoquiethernerves。“IfpoorSirThomaswerefatednevertoreturn，itwouldbepeculiarlyconsolingtoseetheirdearMariawellmarried，“sheveryoftenthought；alwayswhentheywereinthecompanyofmenoffortune，andparticularlyontheintroductionofayoungmanwhohadrecentlysucceededtooneofthelargestestatesandfinestplacesinthecountry。
Mr。RushworthwasfromthefirststruckwiththebeautyofMissBertram，and，beinginclinedtomarry，soonfanciedhimselfinlove。Hewasaheavyyoungman，withnotmorethancommonsense；butastherewasnothingdisagreeableinhisfigureoraddress，theyoungladywaswellpleasedwithherconquest。Beingnowinhertwenty-firstyear，MariaBertramwasbeginningtothinkmatrimonyaduty；
andasamarriagewithMr。Rushworthwouldgivehertheenjoymentofalargerincomethanherfather’s，aswellasensureherthehouseintown，whichwasnowaprimeobject，itbecame，bythesameruleofmoralobligation，herevidentdutytomarryMr。Rushworthifshecould。
Mrs。Norriswasmostzealousinpromotingthematch，byeverysuggestionandcontrivancelikelytoenhanceitsdesirablenesstoeitherparty；and，amongothermeans，byseekinganintimacywiththegentleman’smother，whoatpresentlivedwithhim，andtowhomsheevenforcedLadyBertramtogothroughtenmilesofindifferentroadtopayamorningvisit。Itwasnotlongbeforeagoodunderstandingtookplacebetweenthisladyandherself。
Mrs。Rushworthacknowledgedherselfverydesirousthathersonshouldmarry，anddeclaredthatofalltheyoungladiesshehadeverseen，MissBertramseemed，byheramiablequalitiesandaccomplishments，thebestadaptedtomakehimhappy。Mrs。Norrisacceptedthecompliment，andadmiredthenicediscernmentofcharacterwhichcouldsowelldistinguishmerit。Mariawasindeedtheprideanddelightofthemall——perfectlyfaultless——
anangel；and，ofcourse，sosurroundedbyadmirers，mustbedifficultinherchoice：butyet，asfarasMrs。Norriscouldallowherselftodecideonsoshortanacquaintance，Mr。Rushworthappearedpreciselytheyoungmantodeserveandattachher。
Afterdancingwitheachotheratapropernumberofballs，theyoungpeoplejustifiedtheseopinions，andanengagement，withaduereferencetotheabsentSirThomas，wasenteredinto，muchtothesatisfactionoftheirrespectivefamilies，andofthegenerallookers-onoftheneighbourhood，whohad，formanyweekspast，felttheexpediencyofMr。Rushworth’smarryingMissBertram。
ItwassomemonthsbeforeSirThomas’sconsentcouldbereceived；but，inthemeanwhile，asnoonefeltadoubtofhismostcordialpleasureintheconnexion，theintercourseofthetwofamilieswascarriedonwithoutrestraint，andnootherattemptmadeatsecrecythanMrs。Norris’stalkingofiteverywhereasamatternottobetalkedofatpresent。
Edmundwastheonlyoneofthefamilywhocouldseeafaultinthebusiness；butnorepresentationofhisaunt’scouldinducehimtofindMr。Rushworthadesirablecompanion。
Hecouldallowhissistertobethebestjudgeofherownhappiness，buthewasnotpleasedthatherhappinessshouldcentreinalargeincome；norcouldherefrainfromoftensayingtohimself，inMr。Rushworth’scompany——
“Ifthismanhadnottwelvethousandayear，hewouldbeaverystupidfellow。“
SirThomas，however，wastrulyhappyintheprospectofanalliancesounquestionablyadvantageous，andofwhichheheardnothingbuttheperfectlygoodandagreeable。
Itwasaconnexionexactlyoftherightsort——
inthesamecounty，andthesameinterest——andhismostheartyconcurrencewasconveyedassoonaspossible。
Heonlyconditionedthatthemarriageshouldnottakeplacebeforehisreturn，whichhewasagainlookingeagerlyforwardto。HewroteinApril，andhadstronghopesofsettlingeverythingtohisentiresatisfaction，andleavingAntiguabeforetheendofthesummer。
SuchwasthestateofaffairsinthemonthofJuly；
andFannyhadjustreachedhereighteenthyear，whenthesocietyofthevillagereceivedanadditioninthebrotherandsisterofMrs。Grant，aMr。andMissCrawford，thechildrenofhermotherbyasecondmarriage。
Theywereyoungpeopleoffortune。ThesonhadagoodestateinNorfolk，thedaughtertwentythousandpounds。
Aschildren，theirsisterhadbeenalwaysveryfondofthem；but，asherownmarriagehadbeensoonfollowedbythedeathoftheircommonparent，whichleftthemtothecareofabrotheroftheirfather，ofwhomMrs。Grantknewnothing，shehadscarcelyseenthemsince。
Intheiruncle’shousetheyhadfoundakindhome。
AdmiralandMrs。Crawford，thoughagreeinginnothingelse，wereunitedinaffectionforthesechildren，or，atleast，werenofartheradverseintheirfeelingsthanthateachhadtheirfavourite，towhomtheyshowedthegreatestfondnessofthetwo。TheAdmiraldelightedintheboy，Mrs。Crawforddotedonthegirl；anditwasthelady’sdeathwhichnowobligedher_protegee_，aftersomemonths’
furthertrialatheruncle’shouse，tofindanotherhome。
AdmiralCrawfordwasamanofviciousconduct，whochose，insteadofretaininghisniece，tobringhismistressunderhisownroof；andtothisMrs。Grantwasindebtedforhersister’sproposalofcomingtoher，ameasurequiteaswelcomeononesideasitcouldbeexpedientontheother；
forMrs。Grant，havingbythistimerunthroughtheusualresourcesofladiesresidinginthecountrywithoutafamilyofchildren——havingmorethanfilledherfavouritesitting-roomwithprettyfurniture，andmadeachoicecollectionofplantsandpoultry——wasverymuchinwantofsomevarietyathome。Thearrival，therefore，ofasisterwhomshehadalwaysloved，andnowhopedtoretainwithheraslongassheremainedsingle，washighlyagreeable；
andherchiefanxietywaslestMansfieldshouldnotsatisfythehabitsofayoungwomanwhohadbeenmostlyusedtoLondon。