In 1802 their family traveled to other countries. First they went to Brussels, then to a part of France. There Maria met a man named Count Edelcrantz. Maria's stepmother wrote in the book "Life and Letters," that Maria loved him very much. They came back home to Ireland in 1803 when the war began again, and Maria started writing again. Her father helped her with her writing, and corrected her books a lot. Maria published "Castle Rackrent" secretly.