In the chapel Henry spoke too low for anyone but Maria to hear his words and Mrs. Norris, Edmund and Mr. Rushworth only know Maria & Henry went walking—not really the best choice but it seems nothing anyone is ready to openly censure. If they had heard the conversation between Mary and Henry at the gate I think it would have excited the interest of both gentlemen.

Up to the visit to Sotherton I have yet to see Maria acting in an obliging way to Mr. Rushworth but he is fully aware of it this time. Mr. Rushworth is sullen, annoyed and jealous when he discovers Maria has not waited for him at the gate. He seems to feel the ill-usage by her greatly telling Fanny, “I should not have had to follow her if she had staid” (10). He also displays some petulance about Henry:

This could not be denied, and Fanny was silenced. After another pause, he went on—”Pray, Miss Price, are you such a great admirer of this Mr. Crawford as some people are? For my part, I can see nothing in him.”

“I do not think him at all handsome.”

“Handsome! Nobody can call such an undersized man handsome. He is not five foot nine. I should not wonder if he is not more than five foot eight. I think he is an ill–looking fellow. In my opinion, these Crawfords are no addition at all. We did very well without them.” (10)

Although Mr. Rushworth is dissatisfied he seems to get over it before it is time for the Mansfield party to depart. Henry (not Maria) takes ‘particular pains, during dinner, to do away any little resentment’ of her fiancé (and sister) and ‘restore general good–humour’ (10) to the party. The narrator describes Mr. Rushworth as complacent about his fiancée:

Miss Bertram had made up her mind to something different, and was a little disappointed; but her conviction of being really the one preferred comforted her under it, and enabled her to receive Mr. Rushworth’s parting attentions as she ought. He was certainly better pleased to hand her into the barouche than to assist her in ascending the box, and his complacency seemed confirmed by the arrangement. (10)