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Dinner-parties and evening-parties were made for Mr. Elton and his lady; and invitations flowed in very fast. Emma could not be satisfied without a dinner at Hartfield for the Eltons. They must not do less than others. A dinner there must be.
The persons to be invited, required little thought. Besides the Eltons, it must be the Westons and Mr. Knightley; poor little Harriet must be asked to make the eighth: but Emma was particularly pleased when Harriet had declined it. She was not yet quite able to see him and his charming happy wife together, without feeling uncomfortable. If Miss Woodhouse would not be displeased, she would rather stay at home. It was precisely what Emma would have wished.
Every invitation was successful. The day came, the party were punctually assembled. Mr. John Knightley, instead of drawing his brother off to a window while they waited for dinner, was talking to Miss Fairfax.
“I hope you did not go far, Miss Fairfax, this morning, or I am sure you must have been wet.”
“I went only to the post-office,” said she, “and reached home before the rain was much. It is my daily errand. I always fetch the letters when I am here. A walk before breakfast does me good.”
“Not a walk in the rain, I should imagine.”
“No, but it did not absolutely rain when I set out.”
Her attention was now claimed by Mr. Woodhouse, who was making the circle of his guests, and paying his particular compliments to the ladies,
“I am very sorry to hear, Miss Fairfax, of your being out this morning in the rain. Young ladies should take care of themselves. Young ladies are delicate plants. They should take care of their health and their complexion. My dear, did you change your stockings?”
“Yes, sir, I did indeed; and I am very much obliged by your kind solicitude about me.”
“My dear Miss Fairfax, I hope your good grand-mama and aunt are well. They are my old friends. You do us a great deal of honour today, I am sure. My daughter and I are both highly sensible of your goodness, and have the greatest satisfaction in seeing you at Hartfield.”
The kind-hearted, polite old man might then sit down and feel that he had done his duty, and made every lady welcome.
By this time, the walk in the rain had reached Mrs. Elton:
“My dear Jane, what is this I hear? Going to the post-office in the rain! This must not be, I assure you. You sad girl, how could you do such a thing? It is a sign I was not there to take care of you.”
Jane very patiently assured her that she had not caught any cold.
“Oh! do not tell me. You do not know how to take care of yourself. To the post-office indeed! Mrs. Weston, do you hear that?”
“My advice,” said Mrs. Weston kindly and persuasively, “Miss Fairfax, you must not run such risks. The spring I always think requires more than common care. Better wait an hour or two, or even half a day for your letters, than run the risk of bringing on your cough again.”
“Oh! she must not do such a thing again,” eagerly rejoined Mrs. Elton. “We will not allow her to do such a thing again!” and nodding significantly, “there must be some arrangement made. I shall speak to Mr. E. The man who fetches our letters every morning (one of our men, I forget his name) will inquire for yours too and bring them to you.”
“You are extremely kind,” said Jane; “but I cannot give up my early walk. I am advised to be out of doors as much as I can, I must walk somewhere, and the post-office is an object.”
“My dear Jane, say no more about it. The thing is determined.”
“Excuse me,” said Jane earnestly, “I cannot be so needlessly troublesome to your servant.”
“Oh! my dear; but it is a kindness to employ our men.”
Instead of answering, Jane began speaking again to Mr. John Knightley.
Emma had heard and seen everything. But she was quite determined not to utter a word that should hurt Jane Fairfax’s feelings; and they went out of the room, arm in arm.
After dinner the ladies returned to the drawing-room. The post-office – catching cold – fetching letters – and friendship, were long under discussion; and, which must be at least equally unpleasant to Jane, inquiries whether she had yet heard of any situation likely to suit her.
“Here is April come!” said Mrs. Elton, “I get quite anxious about you. June will soon be here. Have you really heard of anything?”
“I have not even made any inquiry; I do not wish to make any yet.”
“Oh! my dear, you are not aware of the difficulty of getting the desirable thing.”
“I not aware!” said Jane, shaking her head; “dear Mrs. Elton, who can have thought of it as I have done?”
“But you have not seen so much as I have. You do not know how many candidates there always are!”
“Colonel and Mrs. Campbell are to be in town again by midsummer,” said Jane. “I must spend some time with them; I am sure they will want it; afterwards I may probably be glad to dispose of myself.”
“I assure you, my dear Jane, the Campbells can hardly be more interested about you than I am. Indeed, indeed, we must begin inquiring directly.”
“Excuse me, ma’am, but I make no inquiry myself, and should be sorry to have any made by my friends.
“I know, I know; but with your superior talents, you have a right to move in the first circle.”
“I am exceedingly obliged to you, Mrs. Elton,” said Jane, “I am obliged to anybody who feels for me, but I am quite serious in wishing nothing to be done till the summer. For two or three months longer I shall remain where I am, and as I am.”
Mr. Woodhouse came into the room; and Emma heard how Mrs. Elton was saying to Jane,
“Here comes this dear old beau of mine! What a dear creature he is; I assure you I like him excessively. I admire all that quaint, old-fashioned politeness.”
The whole party were but just reassembled in the drawing-room when Mr. Weston made his appearance among them. He had returned to a late dinner, and walked to Hartfield as soon as it was over. Mr. Weston had a letter, it was from Frank.
“Read it, read it,” he told Mrs. Weston, “it will give you pleasure; only a few lines – will not take you long; read it to Emma.”
The two ladies looked over the letter together; and he sat smiling and talking to them the whole time.
“Well, he is coming, you see; good news, I think. Well, what do you say to it? I always told you he would be here again soon, did not I? Anne, my dear, did not I always tell you so, and you would not believe me? In town next week, you see – at the latest, I dare say. This is precisely what I wanted. Well, pretty good news, is not it? Have you finished it? Has Emma read it all?”
Mrs. Weston was happy. Her congratulations were warm and open; but Emma could not speak so fluently. She was a little occupied in weighing her own feelings, and trying to understand the degree of her agitation.
“I hope I shall soon have the pleasure of introducing my son to you,” said Mr. Weston.
Mrs. Elton smiled most graciously.
“You have heard of a certain Frank Churchill, I presume,” he continued, “and know him to be my son, though he does not bear my name.”
“Oh! yes, and I shall be very happy. I am sure we shall have great pleasure in seeing him at the Vicarage.”
“Frank will be extremely happy, I am sure. He is coming next week, if not sooner. I met the letters in my way this morning, and seeing my son’s hand, presumed to open it – though it was not directed to me – it was to Mrs. Weston. She is his principal correspondent.”
“And so you absolutely opened what was directed to her! Oh! Mr. Weston (laughing affectedly) I must protest against that. A most dangerous precedent indeed! Upon my word, if this is what I am to expect, we married women must begin to exert ourselves!”
“Yes, we men are sad fellows. You must take care of yourself, Mrs. Elton. Frank was here in February for a fortnight. When Frank left us, it was quite uncertain when we might see him again. It has been completely unexpected. But I always had a strong persuasion he would be here again soon.”
Mr. Weston seized the opportunity of going on.
“I hope you will be pleased with my son; but you must not expect a prodigy. He is generally thought a fine young man, but do not expect a prodigy. Mrs. Weston thinks nobody equal to him.”
“And I assure you, Mr. Weston, I have very little doubt that my opinion will be decidedly in his favour. I have heard so much in praise of Mr. Frank Churchill!”
They were interrupted. Tea was carrying round, and Mr. Weston, having said all that he wanted, soon took the opportunity of walking away. After tea, Mr. and Mrs. Weston, and Mr. Elton sat down with Mr. Woodhouse to cards.
Frank came from Randalls immediately to Hartfield, and Emma could speedily determine how she must act. They met with the utmost friendliness. There could be no doubt of his great pleasure in seeing her. She watched him well. It was a clear thing he was less in love than he had been.
He was in high spirits; as ready to talk and laugh as ever, and seemed delighted to speak of his former visit, and he was not without agitation. But she had no doubt he was less in love.
This was the only visit from Frank Churchill in the course of ten days. His aunt moved to London. But it soon appeared that London was not the place for her. She could not endure its noise. They were going to remove to Richmond. Mrs. Churchill had been recommended a good doctor there.
Mr. Weston’s happiness was indisputable. He was quite delighted. It was the very circumstance he could have wished for. Now, Frank will be in their neighbourhood. What were nine miles to a young man? An hour’s ride. He would be always coming over. Richmond was near!
One good thing was immediately decided – the ball at the Crown. It had not been forgotten before, and now, however, it was absolutely to be; every preparation was resumed, and very soon after the Churchills had removed to Richmond, a few lines from Frank, to say that his aunt felt already much better for the change, and that he had no doubt of coming to join them at any time.
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