Murder at Mansfield Park

to think again. The killing of Mrs Crawford had always seemed to me to be the work of a
man—the brutality, the bodily vigour it required—but poisoning is, in my experience, very much a woman’s crime. And who was better placed than Mrs Norris to perpetrate the act?
The whole household went to her with their coughs and sore throats and arthritic joints, and no-one—not even you, Miss Crawford—would have questioned her presence in the
sick-room.’
    Mary looked at him in consternation, unable to take in all this new information. ‘Then why in heaven’s name did you not arrest her at once?’
    ‘I needed proof , Miss Crawford, proof . I needed to hear her say it —admit what she had done in the presence of a witness. You were my only hope. I guessed that
you would try to see Mr Norris, and having let it be known that he would be moved on Thursday, I made sure that today was your last opportunity. I knew, likewise, that if Mrs Norris was indeed
guilty, she would have to intervene to prevent you speaking to him. And knowing how much she hated you, I relied on that hatred to make her voluble.’
    ‘And while you waited for this confession of yours, you stood idly by and watched her try to kill her own son ?’
    For the first time in their acquaintance, she saw Maddox flush. ‘That, I confess, was an error on my part. I had not expected her to act so soon. I attended the funeral, as you did, having
left Stornaway overseeing matters here.’
    ‘And he did nothing whatsoever to prevent her?’
    ‘I have not yet had the opportunity to question him fully, but I suspect he did exactly what I instructed him to do. Watch and wait. But I had not, I regret, anticipated either the speed,
or the method she would employ. If she resorted to laudanum a second time, I relied on Mr Norris being able to discern the taste; I did not bargain for the dulling effect of curried mutton. No
doubt she chose it for precisely that purpose.’
    ‘That does not excuse you, Mr Maddox. You put Mr Norris in deplorable danger, and I can never forgive you. He may, even now, be dying at her hands.’
    Maddox looked grave. ‘I will regret that, Miss Crawford, for as long as I live. But there is some thing I regret even more. That I should have so endangered you . You are brave, and
you are capable, and I thought that would be sufficient to protect you. To my infinite regret, I found that it was not, and I am more sorry for that than I can say.’
    They looked at one another for a moment, then she looked away. ‘You saved my life,’ she said, her voice breaking.
    He smiled gently. ‘You are most welcome, Miss Crawford. And now I will leave you. I hear a little commotion in the hall, and I fancy your brother has returned with Mrs Grant.’
    He gave a deep bow, and went out into the garden, leaving her wondering at what had happened, and wondering still more at what was yet to come.

 
    CHAPTER XXII
    A week later, Mary was sitting in the garden at the parsonage, a parasol at her side, and a book, unopened, in her lap. It was such a lovely day that her sister had finally
relented and permitted her to take the air outside. It was the first time she had been out of doors since the events at the White House, and she breathed the fresh air with the purest delight,
noticing how the last flowers of the summer had already started to fade, and the first edges of gold were appearing on the leaves. But her pleasure was not wholly unalloyed. She had not yet been
able to visit the Park, whither Edmund had now been removed, and she knew that his recovery was neither as complete, nor as swift, as Mr Gilbert had hoped. They had kept it from her at first,
fearing a relapse in her own condition, but Mrs Grant had, at last, admitted that while Mr Norris was now out of danger, the family were apprehensive for his future health. Mary had not yet heard
from Mr Gilbert that morning, and when she saw her sister approaching from the house, she presumed at first that she was coming with a message from the physician.
    ‘There is someone to see you, Mary,’ said Mrs Grant. ‘I have explained that you have already seen Sir Thomas today, and are still too delicate to receive so many visitors, but
he will not be gainsaid.’
    Mary smiled. ‘Let me hazard a guess—it is, perhaps, Mr Maddox to whom you refer?’
    ‘The man has scarcely been out of the house since the day you—well, since the day of your accident. I am more than half tempted to start