Murder at Mansfield Park

"You are indeed fortunate that Mr William Bertram intends to be such a good correspondent," said Mary, examining the letter in her turn. "In my experience, young men are much less diligent creatures!" with a smile at Henry. "Normally they would not write to their families but upon the most urgent necessity in the world; and when obliged to take up the pen, it is all over and done as quickly as possible. Henry, who is in every other way exactly what a brother should be, has never yet written more than a single page to me; and very often it is nothing more than, "Dear Mary, I am just arrived. The grounds shew great promise, and thankfully there are not too many sheep. Yours &c"."

"My dear Miss Crawford, you make me almost laugh," said Miss Price, "but I cannot rate so very highly the love or good-nature of a brother, who will not give himself the trouble of writing anything worth reading, to his own sister. I am sure my cousins would never use me so, under any circumstances."

"I doubt there is a man in England who could so neglect Miss Price," said Henry gallantly, but received no other reward for his pains than Miss Price at once drawing back, and giving him a look of scorn.

A table was formed for a round game after tea, and Henry ventured to suggest that Speculation might amuse the ladies. Unwilling to cede the arrangement of the evening to anyone, and certainly not to either of the Crawfords, Mrs Norris protested that she had never played the game, nor seen it played in her life.

"Perhaps Miss Price may teach you, ma’am."

But here Fanny interposed with anxious protestations of her own equal ignorance, and although this gave Mrs Norris a further opportunity to press very industriously, but very unsuccessfully, for Whist, she quickly encountered the warm objections of the other young people, who assured her that nothing could be so easy, that Speculation was indeed the easiest game on the cards.

Henry once more stepped forward with a most earnest request to be allowed to sit with Mrs Norris and Miss Price, and teach them both, and it was so settled. It was a fine arrangement for Henry, who was close to Fanny, and with two persons’ cards to manage as well as his own — for though it was impossible for Mary not to feel herself mistress of the rules of the game in three minutes, Fanny continued to assert that Speculation seemed excessively difficult in her eyes, that she had not the least idea what she was about, and required her companion’s constant assistance as every deal began, to direct her what she was to do with her cards.

Soon after, taking the opportunity of a little languor in the game, Edmund called upon Mr Crawford to discuss his plans of improvement, it being the first time that the ladies had had the opportunity of questioning him on the subject.

"Mansfield’s natural beauties are great, sir," he replied, "such a happy fall of ground, and such timber! (Let me see, Miss Price; Mrs Norris bids a dozen for that knave; no, no, a dozen is more than it is worth. Mrs Norris does not bid a dozen. She will have nothing to say to it. Go on, go on.) With improvement Mansfield will vie with any place in England."

"And what in particular will you be suggesting, Mr Crawford?" asked Lady Bertram.

"My survey is not fully complete, ma’am, but I anticipate one or two major works that may put the estate to some expense."

"Well, the expense need not be any impediment," cried Mrs Norris. "If I were Sir Thomas, I should not think of the expense. Such a place as Mansfield Park deserves everything that taste and money can do. For my own part, I am always planting and improving, for naturally I am excessively fond of it.We have done a vast deal in that way at the White House; we have made it quite a different place from what it was when we first had it, and would have done more, had my poor husband lived. I am sure you would learn a great deal from the White House, Mr Crawford," finished Mrs Norris carelessly. "You may come any day; the housekeeper will be pleased to shew you around."

Henry merely bowed; even had he intended taking Mrs Norris up on her condescending offer, what he had seen of the house from the road, had already confirmed his opinion that its owner was a person of more fortune than taste.