Fanny Price, who has lived with wealthy relatives the Bertrams since the age of ten, has been in love with her cousin Edmund for as long as she can remember. When Henry and Mary Crawford come to the neighborhood, fresh from London society, Edmund falls for Mary, much to Fanny's distress.
Henry flirst wildly with the Bertram daughters, Maria and Julia, even though Maria is already engaged to the rich but stupid Mr Rushworth. Determined to be free of her father's restraints, Maria quickly marries Mr. Rushworth and departs on her honeymoon.
Henry then decides to have Fanny fall in love with him, and proposes - but she rejects him, and he leaves for London. Then, scandalous news arrive: Henry and Maria have run off together. Mary treats the matter of adultry lightly.
She shamelessly reveals her plan that she and Edmund will solve the problem with the help of Tom's inheritance, should he die. Edmund is horrified and tells Mary that the woman he thought he loved never existed. Finally his eyes are opened and he realises that he's been in love with Fanny all along.
