Reminding Tom of his previous mistress stopped the conversation; finally, he found a transition. “But my father has given me my blessing for”—
Again, he stopped, and Susan had to offer encouragement. “Blessing for what?”
“For the woman I wish to be my wife.”
“Congratulations.” And Susan’s heart rose – surely he meant her? – then fell – what if he meant someone else? – and finally settled into a fluttering state.
“Do not congratulate me yet, I have not yet asked her.”
“What is stopping you?”
“Courage. Or rather, cowardice. I am a coward.”
Even when one is offered one’s heart’s desire, it rarely arrives in the manner one expects. Tom accused himself of being a coward, and perhaps he was. Nevertheless, he managed to propose, and to ask Susan to be his wife – all done in low tones, while Sir Thomas read by the fireplace and Lady Bertram slumbered on her sofa.
“My uncle approves?” inquired Susan. “Even though I bring no fortune? No connection?”
Tom assured her that the baronet approved, more than approved. Susan’s abilities more than compensated for her lack of wealth; she would help keep Mansfield Park respectable and responsible; she would make sure that Elissa was treated well. And, if Tom married Susan, he guaranteed the happiness of the current Lady Bertram – her ladyship depended on Susan – and the next Lady Bertram would make sure the next Sir Thomas shone.
“And this is something that you want to do?” Susan asked. “You are not simply pleasing your parents?”
Tom smiled, and said that this was his own decision; he was not simply pleasing his parents. His only reluctance to speak had been due to her youth; she had just reached eighteen – and the fact that she was so indispensable at Mansfield Park. What if Susan refused him? Everyone would be so uncomfortable, and she might choose to leave, which was something that neither his parents, his daughter, nor he could bear. He assured her that his affection was genuine. The love inside him had started small, like a mustard seed, but had grown so great that he, too, could not imagine a future without her.
Susan was aware of her cousin’s faults, but she had seen far worse in many other men. Accepting his offer would allow her to remain in Northamptonshire; she would never be banished. Moreover, she was genuinely fond of Tom. He was handsome, he was intelligent, and he was good humored. He had shown her great kindness over the past few weeks, supporting her when she had been suspected of terrible crimes. She was happier in his company than she was in the company of any other. Was that not love?
“Then, Tom, nothing would please me more than to become your wife.”
With his parents in the room, only a mild display of affection was possible, but Tom took Susan’s hand. And Sir Thomas, who had only been pretending to read, congratulated them, then roused his wife so that she could partake in the excellent news.
Lady Bertram needed a moment to comprehend, and then she smiled at the young woman who would be the next Lady Bertram.
“I knew everything would end happily.”
AUTHOR’S NOTE
The following includes some background on the story, as well as some spoilers. You have been warned!
Some readers may be aware that I have been writing a series of mysteries based on Jane Austen’s novels, in which I reunite the main characters a year or two after Austen’s story ends. Applying this pattern to Mansfield Park presented some challenges, as most of its main characters – Edmund Bertram, Fanny Price, Henry Crawford and Mary Crawford – had little reason to be at Mansfield Park after the novel’s close. In fact, the Crawfords, especially Henry Crawford, would not have been at all welcome. Furthermore, timid Fanny – whether you love her or hate her – struck me as a poor choice as a heroine in a mystery novel. Hence, I settled on Susan Price, Fanny’s younger sister, who was described by Austen as speaking to her mother in a fearless tone. I found reasons for the characters who had the largest romantic roles in Mansfield Park to appear in The Mansfield Park Murders, but I found more story in the other characters. For example, Maria Rushworth: would she have been banished permanently? And why had Tom left Antigua early?
To answer the latter question, I turned to the history of William Murray, the first Earl of Mansfield, also an influential Lord Chief Justice of the King’s Bench from 1756 to 1788. Some of his decisions paved the way for ending the British involvement with slavery. One notable fact in the Earl of Mansfield’s life is that he and his wife raised two of his great-nieces: Lady Elizabeth Murray and Dido Elizabeth Belle. The latter was the natural daughter of a nephew (Captain Sir John Lindsay) with a slave woman, Maria Bell. Dido’s story was dramatized (with a few liberties) in the movie Belle, and there is plenty of evidence that the first Earl of Mansfield relied heavily on this great-niece in many ways.
Austen was certainly aware of the Earl of Mansfield and had even met Lady Elizabeth Murray (apparently she never met Dido, who died in 1804). The choice of “Mansfield” as the name of the estate was a nod to him – as was the choice of the name “Norris” – the last name of a notorious slave trader. I have imitated Austen by choosing the name “Elissa” for Tom’s natural daughter. “Dido” was the name of the queen of Carthage in Virgil’s Aeneid, but Queen Dido was also known by “Elissa.”
Animal lovers may resent my killing poor Pug, Lady Bertram’s dog. Also, readers of Mansfield Park may wonder that I made the dog female, for at one point in the text, Lady Bertram refers to her dog as male when she was trying to keep him out of the flower beds (Chapter 7). However, later in the story, Lady Bertram offers Fanny – if she accepts Mr. Crawford’s offer of marriage – a pup from Pug’s next litter (Chapter 33). The latter is only possible if the dog is female. I chose the gender most convenient to my own story.
I have done research into coroners and the justice of the period, but have taken liberties in order to create a satisfying story. Then, as now, influence often prevailed.
I must thank Patricia Walton, for offering encouragement as well as alerting me to many typos and other issues in The Mansfield Park Murders. Any typos and problems that remain are completely my own.
Thanks so much for reading!
Victoria Grossack
Tucson & Troistorrents
The Mansfield Park Murders Page 24
