At about the week's end from his return to Mansfield, Tom's immediate
danger was over, and he was so far pronounced safe as to make his
mother perfectly easy; for being now used to the sight of him in his
suffering, helpless state, and hearing only the best, and never
thinking beyond what she heard, with no disposition for alarm and no
aptitude at a hint, Lady Bertram was the happiest subject in the world
for a little medical imposition. The fever was subdued; the fever had
been his complaint; of course he would soon be well again. Lady
Bertram could think nothing less, and Fanny shared her aunt's security,
till she received a few lines from Edmund, written purposely to give
her a clearer idea of his brother's situation, and acquaint her with
the apprehensions which he and his father had imbibed from the
physician with respect to some strong hectic symptoms, which seemed to
seize the frame on the departure of the fever. They judged it best
that Lady Bertram should not be harassed by alarms which, it was to be
hoped, would prove unfounded; but there was no reason why Fanny should
not know the truth. They were apprehensive for his lungs.

A very few lines from Edmund shewed her the patient and the sickroom in
a juster and stronger light than all Lady Bertram's sheets of paper
could do. There was hardly any one in the house who might not have
described, from personal observation, better than herself; not one who
was not more useful at times to her son. She could do nothing but
glide in quietly and look at him; but when able to talk or be talked
to, or read to, Edmund was the companion he preferred. His aunt
worried him by her cares, and Sir Thomas knew not how to bring down his
conversation or his voice to the level of irritation and feebleness.
Edmund was all in all. Fanny would certainly believe him so at least,
and must find that her estimation of him was higher than ever when he
appeared as the attendant, supporter, cheerer of a suffering brother.
There was not only the debility of recent illness to assist: there was
also, as she now learnt, nerves much affected, spirits much depressed
to calm and raise, and her own imagination added that there must be a
mind to be properly guided.