Murder at Mansfield Park

He moved closer to her as he spoke, and they were too far away for Julia to discern what happened next, but when she saw her cousin’s face again her colour was heightened, and she was breathing rather faster than usual.

"You are too much a man of the world not to see with the eyes of the world," Miss Price continued, somewhat abstractedly. "If other people think Mansfield improved, I have no doubt that you will."

Henry smiled, and took her arm with more confidence and cheerfulness than he had thought possible even an hour before. "I am afraid that there is little prospect of that. Your prospects, however, are too fair to justify want of spirits."

"Do you mean literally or figuratively? Literally I conclude. Yes, certainly, the sun shines and the park looks very cheerful. And I am absolutely at liberty to command my own path."

"I am very glad to hear it," said Henry, with a serious look, as he unlocked the gate and the two of them disappeared from view.

Julia was again left to her uneasy solitude. She began to be surprised at being left so long, and to listen with a very anxious desire of seeing her companions again. But soon the voice of Miss Crawford once more caught her ear. They were just returned into the wilderness from the park, to which a side gate, not fastened, had tempted them very soon after their leaving her.

"We have been admiring the view," said Mary, though in truth, they had passed a greater part of the time in silence. As soon as they were alone, Mr Norris’s politeness and cordiality had vanished, and he had become silent and thoughtful. Mary had been at a loss to think of a subject that they might attempt with impunity; everything brought back some painful recollection — the play, the ball, the ride to Compton, all were equally impossible, and she had at length given up the endeavour.

Julia rose at once from the bench at their approach, and drew Mary to one side. "I must speak with you," she said, in the utmost perturbation.

"Certainly," said Mary, looking at her with some concern. "I hope nothing has occurred to distress you. Do you wish me to find a place where we may be more private?"

"No," said Julia with uncharacteristic firmness, glancing across at Edmund. "I cannot discuss this here. Could you come to the Park tomorrow?"

"Of course. I shall call as early as politeness permits."

"Thank you, thank you!" said Julia, the colour rushing to her face. "My dear Miss Crawford, I shall have no peace until I can confide in you!"

They returned to the house together, where they found Tom Bertram, who had for some time been lounging on the sopha reading reviews, awaiting the arrival of tea.

"There you are at last!" he cried as the three of them came in. "I have had quite enough of improvements for one day, I can tell you. What with wildernesses and terraces and pleasure-grounds, I managed to get myself thoroughly lost. Quite where the rest of you were I cannot tell, but thankfully I came unexpectedly upon the gamekeeper, and spent a capital half hour discussing snipe and pheasant. The covies here are some of the best in the country."

It was late before the other young ladies and gentlemen came in; Miss Price and Henry Crawford arrived first, followed by Miss Bertram, and finally Mr Rushworth in the company of Mrs Norris. By their own accounts they had been all walking about after each other in the heat, and none but Henry appeared to be entirely happy with the day’s events. He certainly looked contented — triumphant even — while Miss Price was more withdrawn and thoughtful, and there was a slight disorder to her dress that could not be entirely explained, even by the rigours of a walk to the knoll. Mr Rushworth, by contrast, was positively ill-tempered, and looked all the more so when he found Miss Price in the company of Henry Crawford, but received no apology for her earlier disappearance. Maria, meanwhile, looked pale and troubled in mind, and was holding her shawl wrapped close around her shoulders; nor could all Mrs Norris’s attempts to put her in the way of Mr Rushworth, and procure her the seat on the barouche box, suffice to restore her to the state of artificial high spirits with which she had begun the day.