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1Tom Bertram had of late spent so little of his time at home that he could be only nominally missed; and Lady Bertram was
2soon astonished to find how very well they did even without his father, how well Edmund could supply his place in
3carving, talking to the steward, writing to the attorney, settling with the servants, and equally saving her from all
4possible fatigue or exertion in every particular but that of directing her letters. The earliest intelligence of the
5travellers' safe arrival at Antigua, after a favourable voyage, was received; though not before Mrs. Norris had been
6indulging in very dreadful fears, and trying to make Edmund participate them whenever she could get him alone; and as
7she depended on being the first person made acquainted with any fatal catastrophe, she had already arranged the manner
8of breaking it to all the others, when Sir Thomas's assurances of their both being alive and well made it necessary to
9lay by her agitation and affectionate preparatory speeches for a while. The winter came and passed without their being
10called for; the accounts continued perfectly good; and Mrs. Norris, in promoting gaieties for her nieces, assisting
11their toilets, displaying their accomplishments, and looking about for their future husbands, had so much to do as, in
12addition to all her own household cares, some interference in those of her sister, and Mrs. Grant's wasteful doings to
13overlook, left her very little occasion to be occupied in fears for the absent. The Miss Bertrams were now fully
14established among the belles of the neighbourhood; and as they joined to beauty and brilliant acquirements a manner
15naturally easy, and carefully formed to general civility and obligingness, they possessed its favour as well as its
16admiration. Their vanity was in such good order that they seemed to be quite free from it, and gave themselves no airs;
17while the praises attending such behaviour, secured and brought round by their aunt, served to strengthen them in
18believing they had no faults. Lady Bertram did not go into public with her daughters. She was too indolent even to
19accept a mother's gratification in witnessing their success and enjoyment at the expense of any personal trouble, and
20the charge was made over to her sister, who desired nothing better than a post of such honourable representation, and
21very thoroughly relished the means it afforded her of mixing in society without having horses to hire. Fanny had no
22share in the festivities of the season; but she enjoyed being avowedly useful as her aunt's companion when they called
23away the rest of the family; and, as Miss Lee had left Mansfield, she naturally became everything to Lady Bertram during
24the night of a ball or a party. She talked to her, listened to her, read to her; and the tranquillity of such evenings,
25her perfect security in such a tête-à-tête from any sound of unkindness, was unspeakably welcome to a mind which had
26seldom known a pause in its alarms or embarrassments. As to her cousins' gaieties, she loved to hear an account of them,
27especially of the balls, and whom Edmund had danced with; but thought too lowly of her own situation to imagine she
28should ever be admitted to the same, and listened, therefore, without an idea of any nearer concern in them. Upon the
29whole, it was a comfortable winter to her; for though it brought no William to England, the never-failing hope of his
30arrival was worth much. The ensuing spring deprived her of her valued friend, the old grey pony; and for some time she
31was in danger of feeling the loss in her health as well as in her affections; for in spite of the acknowledged
32importance of her riding on horse-back, no measures were taken for mounting her again, "because," as it was observed by
33her aunts, "she might ride one of her cousin's horses at any time when they did not want them," and as the Miss Bertrams
34regularly wanted their horses every fine day, and had no idea of carrying their obliging manners to the sacrifice of any
35real pleasure, that time, of course, never came. They took their cheerful rides in the fine mornings of April and May;
36and Fanny either sat at home the whole day with one aunt, or walked beyond her strength at the instigation of the other:
37Lady Bertram holding exercise to be as unnecessary for everybody as it was unpleasant to herself; and Mrs. Norris, who
38was walking all day, thinking everybody ought to walk as much. Edmund was absent at this time, or the evil would have
39been earlier remedied. When he returned, to understand how Fanny was situated, and perceived its ill effects, there
40seemed with him but one thing to be done; and that "Fanny must have a horse" was the resolute declaration with which he
41opposed whatever could be urged by the supineness of his mother, or the economy of his aunt, to make it appear
42unimportant. Mrs. Norris could not help thinking that some steady old thing might be found among the numbers belonging
43to the Park that would do vastly well; or that one might be borrowed of the steward; or that perhaps Dr. Grant might now
44and then lend them the pony he sent to the post. She could not but consider it as absolutely unnecessary, and even
45improper, that Fanny should have a regular lady's horse of her own, in the style of her cousins. She was sure Sir Thomas
46had never intended it: and she must say that, to be making such a purchase in his absence, and adding to the great
47expenses of his stable, at a time when a large part of his income was unsettled, seemed to her very unjustifiable.
48"Fanny must have a horse," was Edmund's only reply. Mrs. Norris could not see it in the same light. Lady Bertram did:
49she entirely agreed with her son as to the necessity of it, and as to its being considered necessary by his father; she
50only pleaded against there being any hurry; she only wanted him to wait till Sir Thomas's return, and then Sir Thomas
51might settle it all himself. He would be at home in September, and where would be the harm of only waiting till
52September? Though Edmund was much more displeased with his aunt than with his mother, as evincing least regard for her
53niece, he could not help paying more attention to what she said; and at length determined on a method of proceeding
54which would obviate the risk of his father's thinking he had done too much, and at the same time procure for Fanny the
55immediate means of exercise, which he could not bear she should be without. He had three horses of his own, but not one
56that would carry a woman. Two of them were hunters; the third, a useful road-horse: this third he resolved to exchange
57for one that his cousin might ride; he knew where such a one was to be met with; and having once made up his mind, the
58whole business was soon completed. The new mare proved a treasure; with a very little trouble she became exactly
59calculated for the purpose, and Fanny was then put in almost full possession of her. She had not supposed before that
60anything could ever suit her like the old grey pony; but her delight in Edmund's mare was far beyond any former pleasure
61of the sort; and the addition it was ever receiving in the consideration of that kindness from which her pleasure
62sprung, was beyond all her words to express. She regarded her cousin as an example of everything good and great, as
63possessing worth which no one but herself could ever appreciate, and as entitled to such gratitude from her as no
64feelings could be strong enough to pay. Her sentiments towards him were compounded of all that was respectful, grateful,
65confiding, and tender.
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