Murder at Mansfield Park

Park to make the task of felling them too productive of noise and commotion for the abode of a patient in her precarious state of health. A temporary stay
of execution had since become indeterminate; the workmen had been confined to their quarters since Mr Maddox’s arrival, at his express request, and Mary now doubted whether the improvements
at Mansfield Park would ever be resumed.
    She was still pondering the effect all this might have on Henry, as she made her way down the main staircase some time later, and saw Maddox in deep conversation with his two assistants in the
entrance hall; Maddox was wearing yet another fine and expensive frock-coat, while the men were in riding-dress, and to judge by their appearance, had been on horseback that morning. They were
evidently discussing a matter of great import with their employer, and the taller of the two pointed more than once at a piece of paper he held in his hand. As Mary drew closer Maddox made towards
her, with a smile that spoke of a development of some significance.
    ‘My dear Miss Crawford!’ he said, with a smile. ‘You will be pleased to hear that I have already made considerable progress. My men have been enquiring at local inns
hereabouts, and have discovered that a young lady answering Miss Price’s description was seen at the White Hart in Thornton Lacey some four days past. She was observed alighting from the
London coach that evening, and, given the foul weather, decided to take a room for the night. The landlord says she would not give her name, and seemed concerned to muffle herself up in her cloak
as much as she was able, and avoid all intercourse with other guests. She then hired a pony and trap early the following morning, but has not been seen since; indeed the landlord begins to be
somewhat incommoded by the vast quantity of trunks and band-boxes she left behind.’
    It took some moments for Mary to comprehend the full import of his words, and her thoughts returned at once to her conversation with Tom Bertram. She knew that Fanny had been in no want of money
when she left Mansfield, but the purchase of such a number of new clothes and effects seemed, once again, to argue for an elopement. And yet she had returned alone just as she had left, and wearing
no ring. It was inexplicable. But at that moment, Mary became aware, on a sudden, that Maddox’s eyes were fixed upon her.
    ‘I congratulate you, sir,’ she said quickly, wondering whether this was the response he had expected, ‘you have been most thorough. What did the owner of the pony-trap have to
say?’
    Maddox inclined his head. ‘It is my turn to congratulate you , Miss Crawford; that is exactly the question I myself asked. Happily, Stornaway encountered no difficulties in tracking
the man down, and has only recently returned from examining him. The man was barely coherent, I am afraid, and a little the worse from spending most of last night in the inn, but it seems the young
lady demanded to be set down at the back gate of the estate; the man has not lived long in the neighbourhood, and had no idea that his early morning passenger was the celebrated Miss Price of
Mansfield Park. He did remember that it had been raining hard, and the weather still looked ominous, and the young woman did not seem to be shod for walking—as you yourself pointed out to me
only yesterday, Miss Crawford. He expressed some concern for her boots as Miss Price was getting down from the trap, but all he received by way of reply was a rather tart little remark about there
being “plenty more where those came from”. Curious, would you not say? And now, if you would be so good as to accompany me to the drawing-room?’
    ‘I do not understand—’
    ‘Fear not,’ he said cheerfully, already some yards ahead of her. ‘It will all become clear, soon enough.’
    When the footmen threw open the doors Mary was startled to see that the whole family was assembled, with the sole exception of Julia Bertram. Lady Bertram and her elder daughter were sitting
silently on the sopha; Mrs Norris was in her customary chair; Edmund stood by the French windows, his back to the company; and Tom Bertram was standing before the fire, his hands behind his back,
in just such a position as his father might have assumed. All were wearing deep mourning, which only served to add to the portentous mood of the room.
    Mary turned at once to Maddox. ‘There must be some mistake—you cannot require my presence