Read Online Mr Knightley’s Diary by Amanda Grange - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Amanda Grange
Tags: Jane Austen Fan Lit
Ads: Link
has a cold which will not go. However, Mrs Campbell is being very kind--I am sure mother did not expect such attention. I never expected to find myself sitting in the vicarage pew, and I know I can speak for my mother when I say we are both overwhelmed.'
Unfortunately, I saw Elton glance at Emma as he performed this office, and although the kindness was not done for her benefit, he certainly was not sorry to have it witnessed. It won him smiles from Emma and Harriet, then Emma said something to her friend, and Harriet blushed, and glanced at Elton, and he went up into the pulpit as though he was walking on air.
I have resolved not to interfere. I have warned Emma, and I can do no more.
I returned to the Abbey in a vexed state of mind, and found myself wishing Elton would marry Mrs Lovage. Then Emma could see her mistake, we could make our peace and go back to our old, familiar ways. I miss my evenings at Hartfield, and, for all her vexatious ways, I miss Emma.
Monday 14 December
At last I have found a pony for the children. Henry in particular will need to be a good horseman if he is to inherit the Abbey.
Tuesday 15 December
Our whist evening was well-attended. Cole was particularly cheerful.
'We are having a new dining-room,' he said, as we met at the Crown. 'Mrs Cole has been wanting to hold dinner parties for some time now, and I have promised her a new dining-room for Christmas.'
'My wife used to enjoy giving dinner parties,' said Longridge. 'She was always so talkative and so gay. She brightened my life, Mr Cole. A man needs a wife to bring sunshine into his home.'
'We hope you will join us,' said Cole, then included all of us in the invitation.
'Delighted,' said Longridge.
'A splendid idea,' said Weston. 'Nothing better than company. No point in sitting at home, unless friends are there, and every reason for going abroad.' He looked at me and laughed. 'Knightley does not agree.'
'I like company well enough, but I am equally happy with my own,' I said.
'I hope you will honour us with a visit?' Cole said, a shade anxiously.
Not so very long ago, Cole was living in a modest style, before success brought him larger ideas. I could not help thinking of Emma, and how she would be horrified to think of the master of Donwell Abbey taking dinner with Mr Cole. I smiled as I thought of her nonsense.
'Delighted,' I said.
Thursday 17 December
John and Isabella arrived from London today, and I dined with them at Hartfield. When I went in, Emma was dancing little Emma in her arms in such a delightful way that it was difficult to decide which was prettier, the eight-month-old baby, or Emma herself. They both looked sweet and innocent, and it was a sight to melt away much of my anger. It was further melted by the fact that, as I walked in and Emma's eyes turned towards me, I detected a look of uncertainty on her face. It told me she was not as happy with her own behaviour as she professed to be, for if she had been confident about it, then she would have greeted me with sauciness.
'You are well?' I asked her civilly, but without my usual warmth, as the memory of Robert Martin's disappointment was still in my mind.
'Very well. And little Emma is well, too, are you not, my dear?' she asked the infant.
Little Emma gurgled in reply.
As I took the baby from her, she said to me, in a spirit of mischief, but still with some uncertainty: 'What a comfort it is, that we think alike about our nephews and nieces. As to men and women, our opinions are sometimes very different; but with regard to these children, I observe we never disagree.'
She wanted to make friends, that much was clear, and I told her, in friendly fashion, that if she would only let herself be guided by nature when she was esteeming men and women, as she was when she was esteeming the children, we would always think alike.
'To be sure, our discordances must always arise from my being in the wrong,' she said, her good humour restored.
'With good reason,' I
Unfortunately, I saw Elton glance at Emma as he performed this office, and although the kindness was not done for her benefit, he certainly was not sorry to have it witnessed. It won him smiles from Emma and Harriet, then Emma said something to her friend, and Harriet blushed, and glanced at Elton, and he went up into the pulpit as though he was walking on air.
I have resolved not to interfere. I have warned Emma, and I can do no more.
I returned to the Abbey in a vexed state of mind, and found myself wishing Elton would marry Mrs Lovage. Then Emma could see her mistake, we could make our peace and go back to our old, familiar ways. I miss my evenings at Hartfield, and, for all her vexatious ways, I miss Emma.
Monday 14 December
At last I have found a pony for the children. Henry in particular will need to be a good horseman if he is to inherit the Abbey.
Tuesday 15 December
Our whist evening was well-attended. Cole was particularly cheerful.
'We are having a new dining-room,' he said, as we met at the Crown. 'Mrs Cole has been wanting to hold dinner parties for some time now, and I have promised her a new dining-room for Christmas.'
'My wife used to enjoy giving dinner parties,' said Longridge. 'She was always so talkative and so gay. She brightened my life, Mr Cole. A man needs a wife to bring sunshine into his home.'
'We hope you will join us,' said Cole, then included all of us in the invitation.
'Delighted,' said Longridge.
'A splendid idea,' said Weston. 'Nothing better than company. No point in sitting at home, unless friends are there, and every reason for going abroad.' He looked at me and laughed. 'Knightley does not agree.'
'I like company well enough, but I am equally happy with my own,' I said.
'I hope you will honour us with a visit?' Cole said, a shade anxiously.
Not so very long ago, Cole was living in a modest style, before success brought him larger ideas. I could not help thinking of Emma, and how she would be horrified to think of the master of Donwell Abbey taking dinner with Mr Cole. I smiled as I thought of her nonsense.
'Delighted,' I said.
Thursday 17 December
John and Isabella arrived from London today, and I dined with them at Hartfield. When I went in, Emma was dancing little Emma in her arms in such a delightful way that it was difficult to decide which was prettier, the eight-month-old baby, or Emma herself. They both looked sweet and innocent, and it was a sight to melt away much of my anger. It was further melted by the fact that, as I walked in and Emma's eyes turned towards me, I detected a look of uncertainty on her face. It told me she was not as happy with her own behaviour as she professed to be, for if she had been confident about it, then she would have greeted me with sauciness.
'You are well?' I asked her civilly, but without my usual warmth, as the memory of Robert Martin's disappointment was still in my mind.
'Very well. And little Emma is well, too, are you not, my dear?' she asked the infant.
Little Emma gurgled in reply.
As I took the baby from her, she said to me, in a spirit of mischief, but still with some uncertainty: 'What a comfort it is, that we think alike about our nephews and nieces. As to men and women, our opinions are sometimes very different; but with regard to these children, I observe we never disagree.'
She wanted to make friends, that much was clear, and I told her, in friendly fashion, that if she would only let herself be guided by nature when she was esteeming men and women, as she was when she was esteeming the children, we would always think alike.
'To be sure, our discordances must always arise from my being in the wrong,' she said, her good humour restored.
'With good reason,' I
Similar Books
