I've been feeling very lonely because I see Sir Thomas in a much more positive light than many have expressed lately in the GR.

Two things I find disturbing in Ch.32. are
and you will feel that they were not least your friends who were educating and preparing you for that mediocrity of condition which seemed to be your lot.

I think bringing a child into your home, with the idea that they should be brought up differently than your own children is misguided and hurtful. He never meant Mrs. Norris to treat Fanny the way she actually did, but the idea was a bad one regardless. It has proven to be hurtful to Fanny.

And as a woman, I bristle at this every tendency to that independence of spirit which prevails so much in modern days, even in young women, and which in young women is offensive and disgusting beyond all common offence.

The afterword of my copy of the book says this by Nigel Cliff
"But her(Fanny's) principles are often better than those of her society- an overwhelmingly patriarchal society which permits Sir Thomas, albeit in frustration, to rant about independence of spirit in young women..."

But I do understand where Sir Thomas is coming from in this conversation with Fanny. In a time where making a good marriage is a woman's way of controlling her destiny, Henry Crawford seems like a boon.

Sir Thomas has only seen an unwaveringly kind Henry who is very attentive to Fanny. The act of generosity towards William can only be seen in a positive light. Added to that, is that Henry is the type of man he would be thrilled to have one of his daughter's marry. He knows that she may never get an opportunity like this again, and gratitude he feels is a strong enough basis for her to marry him, especially when you consider how she could help make the life of her family in Portsmouth more comfortable.

So her inability to think well of Mr. Crawford is unaccountable to him. In her great strength of character she endures his displeasure and protects the whole family- Maria, Julia, and Sir Thomas himself from the knowledge of why she thinks ill of Henry.

I think Sir Thomas very much loves Fanny, and you quoted that bit about Mrs. Norris that I would have added too.
The whole discussion is very painful to read but our dear timid, weak Fanny has shown she is a rock in withstanding all of it.