“Fanny!” repeated Mrs. Norris; “my dear Edmund, there is no idea of her going with us. She stays with her aunt. I told Mrs. Rushworth so. She is not expected.”

“You can have no reason, I imagine, madam,” said he, addressing his mother, “for wishing Fanny not to be of the party, but as it relates to yourself, to your own comfort and arcane schemes. If you could do without her, you would not wish to keep her at home?”

“To be sure not, but I cannot do without her. Especially not this one day, when so much is to transpire—”

“You can, if I stay at home with you, as I mean to do. Indeed, I would very much like to know what is about to transpire, as you say.”

There was a general outcry at this. “Yes,” he continued, “there is no necessity for my going, and I mean to stay at home. Fanny has a great desire to see Sotherton. I know she wishes it very much. She has not often a gratification of the kind, and I am sure, ma’am, you would be glad to give her the pleasure now?”

“Oh yes! very glad, if your aunt sees no objection.” Lady Bertram spoke in a dreamy manner, as though her tremulous insistence of moments before had meant nothing.

Mrs. Norris was very ready with the only objection which could remain—their having positively assured Mrs. Rushworth that Fanny could not go, which seemed to her a difficulty quite impossible to be got over. Mrs. Norris had no affection for Fanny, no wish of procuring her pleasure at any time. But her opposition to Edmund now, arose more from partiality for her own scheme, because it was her own, than from anything else.

Edmund told her that she need not distress herself on Mrs. Rushworth’s account. He had taken the opportunity, as he walked with her through the hall, of mentioning Miss Price as one who would probably be of the party, and had received a very sufficient invitation for his cousin. Mrs. Norris was too much vexed to submit with a very good grace, and would only say, “Very well, just as you chuse, settle it your own way, Grrrr! Ayyy! Ahem—I am sure I do not care about it.”

“It seems very odd,” said Maria, “that you should be staying at home instead of Fanny.”

“I am sure she ought to be very much obliged to you,” added Julia, hastily leaving the room as she spoke, from a consciousness that she ought to offer to stay at home herself.

“Fanny will feel quite as grateful as the occasion requires,” was Edmund’s only reply, and the subject dropt.