"None taken. Indeed, you have done me a service. If you have misinterpreted my actions, then others might have misinterpreted them as well. I must be more circumspect."

I would not damage Miss Fairfax for anything. She is a beautiful young woman, elegant, refined and cultured. In short, she is the kind of woman any man would be proud to marry. But there is something reserved about her, and I am not sure if I could ever feel towards her as a man should feel towards his wife. I could imagine her very well as a guest at the Abbey, but I am not certain I could see her as its mistress. She would greet my guests politely, but there would not be the warm welcome for them that there is at Hartfield, where Emma makes everyone feel at home.

I am very willing to fall in love with Jane Fairfax, but so far, love eludes me.


Friday 12 February

I dined with Graham this evening. Miss Bates was there with her mother and Jane. Mr. and Mrs.

Cole were also there, as well as the Otways. Mrs. Lovage, however was not there.

"She has gone to Bath to visit a cousin," said Graham. Graham’s friend, Mr. Longridge, was also there.

"A wonderful party," said Mr. Longridge. "Just the sort of party my wife would have liked. So much good friendship and good cheer." He blew his nose.

"There is nothing like good friendship," said Miss Bates. "I do not know where mother and I would be without it. I often say to her, “Mother, where would we be without such friends?” "

"Very true," said Mr. Longridge, with much feeling.

"We lack for nothing," went on Miss Bates. "I do believe if we were the richest people in the kingdom, we could not be better off than we are. Mr. Woodhouse sent us such a piece of pork, mother and I could not stop talking about it. “Why, this is the finest piece of pork I"ve ever seen,” said Mother. And so it was, for we had some nice cutlets fried, and I do not know when I have tasted better. And Mr. Knightley can never pass our door without asking if we have enough apples, or if we need any more logs for the fire…"

As Miss Bates and Mr. Longridge continued to talk, my attention was claimed by Mrs. Cole, who wanted to talk to me about Elton’s engagement. I knew I could not escape the subject, but it was wearing thin. He seems to have rushed into an engagement in an effort to show that he can do better than Emma’s Harriet. I doubt if there is any true feeling there, on either side. He and his fiancée cannot have known each other more than four weeks, and very possibly less.

"It seems like a great match," Mrs. Coles said. "Miss Augusta Hawkins is an heiress with a dowry of ten thousand pounds. She is very beautiful, and the most accomplished woman Mr. Elton has ever met. I had a letter from Mr. Elton this morning, telling me so."

"It must be very agreeable for him to be marrying such a paragon," I remarked.

"Indeed it must. She is very well-connected. Her brother-in-law, Mr. Suckling, lives at Maple Grove." She seemed to have a moment of doubt, and asked: "Have you heard of Maple Grove?"

"I have not had that pleasure," I said.

"Oh, well it is a long way away, to be sure, so I am not surprised. He - Mr. Elton - will be returning soon to tell us all about it. I am expecting him any day. Mr. Cole and I will be holding a dinner party in his honour. Do say you will come."

I said I would be delighted, though I fear the evening will not interest me. But Elton must be congratulated, and I may as well do it sooner as later.


Monday 15 February

I met Elton at the Coles" dinner party tonight. He was looking very pleased with himself, and could speak of nothing but his dear Augusta.

"My dear Mr. Elton - so propitious for you to return to us the day after St Valentine’s day," said

Miss Bates. "I declare it is so romantic, is it not, Jane? I was just saying to mother this morning, what a coincidence it was that Mr. Elton should return to tell us of his happy suit so close to St Valentine’s day."

"A very happy suit," said Elton, all smiles. "Little did I think, when I quit you all shortly after Christmas, that I would be returning as an affianced man. But as soon as I saw my dear Augusta, I knew she must be mine."

"Ah, that is how it was with me and my dear wife," said Mr. Longridge, wiping a tear from his eye.

"As soon as I saw her in that blue satin frock, I thought, that’s the girl for me."

"Oh, I have always thought blue satin most becoming," said Miss Bates. "I remember Jane had a blue satin gown once, did you not, my love? Colonel Campbell bought it for her. He has always been very good to Jane."

"I am sure he was not the loser by it," said Mr. Longridge with courtly manners. "My dear wife always loved a pretty young girl. We hoped for a daughter ourselves, but it was not to be."

He wiped his eyes with his handkerchief again.

"But come, Mr. Elton, tell us all about your fair Augusta," said Mrs. Cole. "Is she very beautiful?"

Mr. Elton smiled.

"It is not for me to say. You must pay no attention to me. I am a man in love, after all. But I think she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he said.

"Has she any brothers or sisters?" asked Mrs. Cole.

"One sister."

"And do they live in Bath?"

"No, and there is the wonder of it. They live in Bristol. But Augusta visits Bath every winter. A most agreeable place at that season, I might say. There is so much to do, and the people are of the first elegance. I am very fond of Bath."

"Her parents, no doubt are delighted?"

"Alas, her parents are dead. She lives with an uncle, a very respectable man in the law line."

"And when will we see her?" asked Mr. Cole.

"I have persuaded her to name the day, and I am to return to Bath for the wedding. Just as soon as all the arrangements can be made, Augusta will be mine."

"And then you will be bringing her back to Highbury?"

"I will indeed. I wish I had something better to offer her than the Vicarage - she has been used to very fine things at her brother-in-law, Mr. Suckling’s seat, at Maple Grove - but she is not interested in finery. She is a woman who knows how to value the real things of life."

"Ay, my wife was just such a woman," said Mr. Longridge.

There was more in this vein, and it was a relief when the evening was over. Poor Emma! I wonder how she will endure it, having to listen to nothing but Elton and his betrothal, and then Elton and his wedding, and then Elton and his bride.


Wednesday 17 February

Mrs. Weston gave a dinner party this evening for Elton. His betrothal has excited much interest, and I had to listen to his further recitals of Augusta’s perfections.

Emma was one of the party, and I watched her as Elton poured forth the details of his happy love affair. He could not refrain from several triumphant glances in Emma’s direction, and I believe she had an uncomfortable time of it.

"We met by accident - quite by accident," Elton was saying. "I shudder to think what might have become of me had I not come across my dear Augusta quite by chance. It was a happy fate that took me to Bath. I was much taken with Augusta, and I could not forget her, so you can imagine my delight when we met, again by chance. It was at Mr. Green’s - Green is an estimable fellow, who keeps a very fine table. I was looking forward to my evening, but for one thing: I could not forget the face of the lady I had encountered by accident the day before. And then, who should be announced but Miss

Hawkins, and she was the lady I had seen!"

There was a murmur of surprise and approval.

"Not such an unlikely coincidence, considering you were both in the same town," said Weston good-naturedly.

"But to be there on the same day?" said Elton. "When I think that I might have missed her by one evening - the whole course of my life would have been different."

And so he went on.

"And what do you think of this betrothal of Elton’s?" I asked Emma, when I could find her alone.

I wondered if she would admit to trying to catch him for little Harriet. She has never told me so. Indeed, when I mentioned it, she declared quite the opposite. But I am convinced it was so. I wondered, too, if she would admit that he made love to her in the carriage on Christmas Eve.

But she admitted nothing. She said only: "From all he says, Miss Hawkins seems to be a handsome and accomplished woman. I wish them both very well."

Well done, Emma! I thought with admiration.

Elton’s triumphant glances in her direction, his dwelling on his beloved’s dowry and her connections at Maple Grove, had all been intended to humiliate her, but they had not done so. She had risen above them, and behaved perfectly. Not even such a shameful display on Elton’s part had been enough to make her petty-minded, or to prompt her to say something rude about Augusta Hawkins.

And that is why, though I am frequently exasperated by her, and often despair of her, I always find Emma endearing.


Saturday 20 February

Elton has at last departed for Bath, and we are left in peace. It is a busy time of year at the Abbey with the sheep. The weather is not propitious, as we have had more snow, but my shepherds know their job, and I hope we will have a good number of lambs this year.


Monday 22 February

I called on Miss Bates this morning as business took me into Highbury, but she was out, and I found that old Mrs. Bates was alone. It was difficult to talk to her, as she is growing rather deaf, but I gathered that Miss Bates was helping Mr. Longridge to choose a house, and that Miss Fairfax had gone with them.

Mr. Longridge had wanted a woman’s opinion, it seems, as he knows little about the arrangement of kitchens and so forth, and Miss Bates had been happy to oblige.

I am sure his motive in asking for her help was kindness: Miss Bates, with her own small establishment, knows little of houses.

I liked him even more when I discovered that he had prevailed upon Miss Bates and Miss Fairfax to agree to dine with him afterwards, at a small country inn, in company with the Otways and the Coles.

He would have taken Mrs. Bates as well, but she had preferred to remain indoors, knitting by the fire.

And so, he had arranged to provide Miss Bates and her niece with an enjoyable day, and with a meal into the bargain.

It is a pity that I did not see Miss Fairfax, but as she is to be with us for some time, there will be plenty of other opportunities for me to speak to her.


Tuesday 23 February

The weather grows worse, and it was with difficulty that I managed to walk to Hartfield after dinner this evening, but I did not want to neglect my friends. I found Emma and her father sitting with Harriet.

I have grown used to finding Harriet there, and it was welcome this evening, as it meant that Emma and I could play backgammon without worrying that her father would be bored. He had Harriet to sit with him, and she read him Isabella’s latest letter again: little George had a cold, the baby was growing rapidly, and Henry was making good progress with his reading.

"I called on Miss Bates this morning," she said.

"And you are wanting me to praise you for it," I said.

"No. If I want flattery, I know I must look elsewhere!"

We began to play.

"And did you find Miss Fairfax at home?" I asked her.

"I did. She had just returned from the post office. If I had called half an hour sooner, I would not have seen her."

"And did you still find her reserved?"

"Yes, I did. I found it very difficult to have a conversation with her. She listened politely to everything I had to say, and she answered every question I put to her, but she volunteered nothing.

"Perhaps she had nothing to volunteer."

"Nothing to volunteer, when she has been away from us for two years? What of all her news? Talk of her friend and her friend’s wedding? Of the Campbells, and her life with them? Of her time at Weymouth, and her adventure on the boat? I am sure that could occupy half an hour at least."

"I thought she had told you something of her friend’s wedding a few days ago?"

"She did, but only when I asked her outright for information."

There was something in her tone which gave me pause.

"What mischief are you brewing now?" I asked.