Mrs. Maria Rushworth had always considered herself to be - and to be deserving of - the very best in all things. She was the golden child of her family, at least in her own mind. She had never been punished or treated harshly, ever. No mistake, no casual cruelty effected on other, less fortunate, creatures ever came back to haunt her. No parent or caregiver had ever raised their voice or hand to punish her, and Mrs. Maria Rushworth had come to expect her actions to have no consequences, that is to say, no negative consequences for herself.
So when she crossed the line of propriety and mired her name and her whole family in scandal, she fully expected there to be no repercussions for her, or indeed for her dear Mr. Crawford. In her mind's eye, she imagined marrying the dashing man now sleeping beside her - her current unloved and disrespected husband conveniently falling off the face of the earth - and bringing him to Mansfield Park as her rightful property, to revel in her sister's jealous looks and her cousin's perceived despondency.
She would be welcomed as if she were a queen, her new dashing husband would speak as an equal to her doting father and be able to advise him in all matters. She would be admired everywhere she went. Mrs. Rushworth, soon to be Mrs. Crawford, planned her triumphant return to the bosom of her family with great pleasure. How her father would love to see her after all this time! How her mother would enjoy her company. Aunt Norris would shower her with compliments, of course, as was her due. Fanny would undoubtedly hide herself in the schoolroom, not wishing to see what she'd spurned. Fanny's loss was Maria's gain, and that was as it should be.
Mrs. Rushworth planned on staying at Mansfield Park at least for three months. Little did she know, Sir Thomas would not be amenable to any such schemes, or to receiving her and her shame at all. It would be a rude awakening to the reality of her situation.
But well before that happened, Mrs. Rushworth learnt that her dear Mr. Crawford had no intentions towards herself. That is to say, no intentions to formalise their relationship or to build a future together. Indeed, his intentions were to take his pleasure of a woman unavailable for marriage, and nothing more.
Her triumphant return to the bosom of her family, became a walk of shame in the purest sense. Her husband would not see her or speak to her. Her father refused to let her stay at his home. Her brothers were incredulous and disappointed, respectively. Her mother was emotionally unavailable, as always. Fanny remained unseen and was never mentioned by her Bertram relations, so Mrs. Rushworth amused herself with thoughts of Fanny hiding away in the schoolroom, praying to elude the taint of scandal. Only aunt Norris was pleased to spend time with her.