- Everyone at Mansfield Park is in a bad mood and things aren't fun anymore now that Sir Thomas is back in the house.
- Edmund complains to Fanny about the Grants not coming over with Mary as much anymore, since they don't really know Sir Thomas.
- Fanny says that things are back to the way they used to be – boring and lame.
- Edmund agrees and says that all the fun was unusual for Mansfield Park.
- Fanny says that she's having fun now because she likes hearing about Sir Thomas's adventures in the West Indies. Edmund compliments Fanny and tells her that his dad thinks she's gotten much prettier recently.
- Fanny is embarrassed.
- Edmund notes that Mary said that Fanny was afraid of being noticed.
- He then rambles on about how super awesome Mary is.
- Fanny keeps her mouth shut during all this.
- The two then discuss Mr. Rushworth and decide that Sir Thomas will soon grow tired of him since Rushworth is a bit of a moron.
- This is true: Sir Thomas is growing increasingly displeased with Rushworth and notices that Maria doesn't really seem fond of him.
- So he has a chat with Maria and offers to get her out of her engagement if she wants.
- But Maria refuses and insists she wants to marry Rushworth.
- What's the deal here? Well, Maria has two motives: she wants to escape her dad and Mansfield, a place she finds restrictive and boring. She also wants to stick it to Henry and show that she can do just fine without him. Plus, Rushworth will keep her safe from being swept away by her love for Henry again. Once she's married she'll be stuck, after all.
- Sir Thomas is glad 'cause his daughter will be rich and breaking an engagement is awkward.
- So in early November, Maria gets married. She and Julia then take off with Rushworth for a vacation in Brighton, a sea-side resort town.
- Julia and Maria were getting along better after Henry left.
- Mansfield became even more boring since all the fun people are gone. Only Edmund, Fanny, and Mary are still around full-time.