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Observing the settled melancholy which hung over Maria and Julia, which no holiday excursions in the neighbourhood could alloy, Sir Thomas, after much deliberation, resolved upon a change of scene and formulated a proposal such as could not fail to delight both his daughters. Although he had seen no profits from Antigua in recent years, he resolved on the expense of taking a house in London after Christmas, so his daughters could enjoy the Season in that great metropolis. He could not but acknowledge that, had his wife’s spirits, health and inclination been other than they were, the family would no doubt have lived half the year in London for these many years, particularly after Maria’s coming out. Remaining in the country had deprived his daughters of meeting many eligible young men, and he desired to see Julia well settled, especially after the scandalous failure of Maria’s engagement to Mr. Rushworth.
The problem arose: who was to chaperone his daughters when they attended the various soirées and balls that the Season offered? As Sir Thomas pondered the question, it appeared inevitable that his sister-in-law, Mrs. Norris, and not his own wife, would be the one to sit with the other dowagers and mothers until the small hours of the morning, watching the couples dance and flirt, as Lady Bertram’s disinclination for exertion exceeded her interest in her children’s doings. Thus Sir Thomas resigned himself to Mrs. Norris quitting the White house, where she nominally lived—for indeed she spent more than half of her days and nights at Mansfield Park—to serve as the female head of the proposed London establishment.
Sir Thomas also asked Edmund to postpone his ordination to escort his sisters about London. The delay would be inconsequential, and in fact should a brief residence in London serve to confirm Edmund’s preference for the country, it would strengthen his ties to Thornton Lacey and his intended profession. Sir Thomas made no secret that he reposed greater confidence in Edmund’s judgement and propriety of conduct than in his elder brother’s, and reasoned that the welfare of his daughters was better placed in Edmund’s hands.
Sir Thomas consulted his old friend in the City for his recommendation for an address just fashionable enough to support the dignity of a baronet’s family but as moderate as to expense as possible; an elegant but compact residence on Wimpole Street was decided upon, the news imparted to his family at Christmas dinner as a sort of Christmas present, and Sir Thomas had all the satisfaction of seeing his daughters restored to more than their usual vivacity, while Mrs. Norris’s pleasure in the prospect was very little less than her nieces. Lady Bertram, once she comprehended the scheme, and understood that it was to remove every creature from Mansfield Park but herself and her husband, was inclined to pity herself very much, and sighed anew for the missing Fanny who, had she been there, would certainly not have been one of the party going to London. But on the whole, Sir Thomas believed he had chosen wisely and the benefits were in evidence even before its fulfillment, for the joyful news helped to heal the breach between the two Misses Bertram. Their former habitual good understanding was almost completely restored as they exulted over every detail of the proposed stay, where they would go, what they would wear, and who they would meet. They pictured themselves at Almack’s and Vauxhall Gardens, acknowledged as the foremost beauties of the Season with clouds of admirers trailing in their wake, and for Maria, there was that added anticipation of appearing, at long last, as the acknowledged future wife of Henry Crawford!
The sisters were swift in communicating their happy prospects to their neighbour, Mary Crawford, who discovered that she, too, had intended to return to London for a time, as her good friend Mrs. Fraser had invited her for many weeks and could no longer be put off. She exulted in the thought that Edmund’s ordination was to be postponed for months, as it afforded her more time to persuade him to choose another course in life.
Dr. and Mrs. Grant and their sister were invited to a farewell dinner, and Sir Thomas discovered it to be an occasion for regret that he had not made his neighbour Miss Crawford’s acquaintance heretofore. She was seated at his right, and at first he thought she talked a little too much and a little too fast for his liking, but he could not help but observe that as they spoke together, she grew ever more fascinated with his remarks, and thereafter said little, except to invite him to expound some more on whatever topic he chose to introduce, and her modest, respectful demeanour, so becoming to a young woman, recommended her to him even more than her undoubted elegance and beauty.
Edmund, who was seated at the other end of the table, had to content himself with admiring Miss Crawford’s profile as she turned and looked up at his father, and the admiration and respect on her countenance; the obvious mutual sympathy and friendship that so quickly developed between his father and the woman he loved was more than sufficient consolation. He could picture her seated beside his father, at all the special family dinners to come, as dear to him as any of his daughters. He saw the introduction of a grandson and a granddaughter to gladden his father’s heart, and the vision of the years of felicity that beckoned from the future, filled Edmund with a longing such as he had never known.
Mary herself finished the dinner tolerably satisfied with her performance. She had made the error, when first sitting down, of chattering gaily, as she was wont to do when entertaining Dr. Grant, but quickly adopted herself to Sir
