Author's Note: I said during the writing of my last fic that I would not be writing any more fic while I kept working on my book, and yet a few weeks ago I fell back into the Austen world and then this idea popped into my head. I have always found Emma to be my favorite of the Austen books and with all the Pride and Prejudice based fics, I thought it might be more original to do Emma. I am posting this chapter now to see if anyone would like to see more of this fic, because I will only write it if there is interest for it as I do have a book to get working on. So please review if you do want more!

For this fic to work, I did have to change a lot of the characters so that they might fit better. So things like who they are related to as well as ages have been changed, I will expand on that an a note below.

On another note, although this is set in the regency era in the early 1800s, I have changed a few things such as the perspective that people had about sexuality, so you may think of this as an alternate reality. That will also explain anachronisms that might appear in the future.

Summary: Based off of Jane Austen's Emma. Regency era fic. Kurt Hummel is a well off gentleman with the idea that he is good at matchmaking, except that as he soon learns, he is not always correct on affairs of the heart, especially when it comes to his own.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Fox does...and RIB


Chapter One

Kurt Hummel peered out the window. In his hand lay a semi-open book that had lost Kurt's attention entirely much to the amusement of his governess, Miss Jones, and instead it was caught by his sister's laughter as she was chased around the garden.

"I see the new resolution to read more has come to an end."

Kurt jumped. "Oh, Mr. Anderson," he said, "I should have known you'd be here somewhere. Come, I'm watching your brother and my sister."

"What has Cooper got up to, now?"

Kurt moved aside so that Mr. Anderson might have a good view out onto the garden where Quinn and the elder Mr. Anderson were still giggling. Cooper caught Quinn around the waist.

"They make a handsome couple," Kurt sighed, "and I knew it right from the start."

Mr. Anderson turned to look at Kurt and then at then at Miss Jones, "he cannot mean Quinn and Cooper? No, they're merely friends just as you and I are, Mr. Hummel."

"I hear wedding bells, Mr. Anderson, soon our families will be ever more connected."

Kurt turned to stare back outside and he nodded to himself. Yes, his sister and Mr. Cooper Anderson would marry, and afterwards he could crow at how he knew it would happen. He had even suggested it to Quinn and she'd blushed prettily.

"Miss Jones, do you approve of this?"

Miss Jones smiled. "It's entertaining surely, and it reminds me of Kurt as a child. He used to hide away acting out weddings with all his dolls."

"Oh, yes, I remember," Mr. Anderson said and he chuckled.

"And I daresay," added Miss Jones, "that Kurt might be correct. Quinn and Cooper are very alike in character and temperament and they get along well enough. Many a marriage has been built on less, and I would not deny that affection between them may already be present."

"I suppose," Mr. Anderson said, "it would not be the worst thing if a marriage were to happen. However, I do think that Mr. Kurt Hummel would be better off if he were to stick to his reading."

Kurt made a face at that. "It's so odious, though," he said, "and boring. Who can sit still and read so much? I cannot bear it."

A week later, Mr. Cooper Anderson and Miss Quinn Hummel were engaged, and Kurt told everyone and anyone that would listen how it had been he that made the match.

Within the month, they were married and Kurt sat between his father and Mr. Blaine Anderson.

"I will miss your sister, Kurt," Mr. Burt Hummel said, "the house will feel emptier without her. I say, Mr. Anderson, that we shall expect you at dinner at least twice a week and I will not hear of anything otherwise."

Mr. Anderson bent his house, "I'd be honored," he said, "but you must remember, Mr. Hummel that you still retain a son at home as well as Miss Jones."

"Yes, yes," Mr. Hummel said, "indeed I do."

And within the next few weeks Mr. Hummel became accustomed to having just Kurt and Miss Jones at home with the frequent visits of their neighbor Mr. Anderson who enjoyed taking a daily walk from Dalton Abbey and would stop in for tea and on many an occasion, dinner.

Five years passed in this manner. The Mr. and Mrs. Anderson settled in London, and Mr. Blaine Anderson made for an even better friend when he could pass along letters on his many visits to his brother and new sister. Kurt for his part remained at Hartfield, keeping a close watch on his father's health and happy to have his constant companion, Miss Jones at his side until the day she locked eyes with Mr. Evans.

Mr. Sam Evans had been a constant friend of Mr. Hummel's and as such Kurt's. He was a widowed man, whose only son had been sent to live with his aunt, a Mrs. Smythe, upon the death of his wife. There was always the talk at Highbury that one day the son might come to visit, but his aunt had always prevented each visit. Mr. Evans kept to himself and Kurt had never considered him a match for his Miss Jones, until the two smiled at each other after a church service, and then he knew that it was a union that had to happen.

Kurt only nudged them in the right direction, and then before he knew it, Mr. Evans was asking Miss Jones for her hand in marriage and then they were married and Kurt was sad to see his friend leave Hartfield.

"I wish you had not encouraged it," Mr. Hummel said during dinner the night after Mrs. Evans departed, "poor Miss Jones, I shall miss her dearly."

"Mrs. Evans now," Kurt corrected, "papa, Mrs. Evans will be happy, I can assure you."

Mr. Hummel nodded. "Yes, but that does not stop me from wishing that she had stayed. I want you to stop all this matchmaking, it's only made people leave."

"You know I will never leave you, papa."

"I know, Kurt."

Still, though, after the new Mrs. Evans left Hartfield, even Kurt felt the loneliness that settled into the house. There was a stillness, and the very atmosphere had changed around him. The house felt empty without Miss Jones. She wasn't there to laugh with, or to gossip with about Mr. Crawford and his unfortunate Aunt, and Kurt certainly no longer had anyone to talk to about the latest fashions.

So, Kurt spent most of his afternoons out visiting his neighbors. He abhorred sitting with Miss Pillsbury and her mother but felt it his duty to stop by their small accommodations and bring along fruit or bread that they might enjoy. Miss Pillsbury only ever talked about her nephew, a Mr. Crawford who had gone to live with a friend of his father's at the age of nine and was said to have every grace of a good gentleman. Miss Pillsbury would never cease to sing praise for him and Kurt often grew bored of hearing about it.

"My Adam might come and visit us soon, Mr. Hummel," Miss Pillsbury said one afternoon, "we have long awaited a visit, haven't we mother?"

Mrs. Pillsbury who was getting hard of hearing didn't respond, but Miss Pillsbury went on, pulling out Mr. Crawford's latest letter to read to them.

"I shall be glad to make his acquaintance," Kurt said before he left, "though I feel as if I already know him better than anyone."

Kurt excused himself when he could, and was back on the street. He had one more stop that day, to visit Mrs. Cohen's school. Although Kurt himself had never been very fond of studying, he approved of the small school and he often went to visit Mrs. Cohen and her daughter. When he arrived, Mrs. Cohen was sat outside with the Mrs. Evans enjoying afternoon tea.

Young women from the school of all different ages enjoyed the sun as well, taking a turn around the house or playing chase and tag. Three young ladies caught Kurt's attention and in particular one that seemed to be holding onto the other two girls in turn.

She was small in stature, and quite pretty. Her dark hair was nicely arranged, and her dark eyes and complexion made her just a little exotic. She was clearly upset to see her friends go, and unshed tears shone in her eyes. Kurt had never seen the young woman before, but he was sure that with her appearance that she had to be the daughter of some gentleman or other.

"Ah, Mr. Hummel, we did not expect you today," Mrs. Cohen said, pulling Kurt away from watching the young women.

"Good afternoon," Kurt said, "I was visiting Miss Pillsbury and thought I might head in this direction for better company. Ever since Mrs. Evans has left me I've been quite alone."

Mrs. Evans shook her head at him. "You shouldn't say such things," she said, "and you have me here now, do you not."

"I do indeed."

"How is Miss Pillsbury?" Mrs. Cohen asked.

"She is well. Expecting a visit from Mr. Crawford at last."

Mrs. Cohen busied herself pouring Kurt tea, and he accepted the cup and saucer when it was placed before him.

"If only we could say the same for Mr. Smythe," Mrs. Evans said, "he missed his father's wedding, and has disappointed Mr. Evans once more in writing that he might come and then having his Aunt stop his leaving at all."

Although Kurt had heard enough of Mr. Crawford to last him a good while, he never heard enough about Mr. Smythe, and he had for years wished the meet the gentlemen. There had been hope that the man might come for his father's own wedding, but he had written a pretty enough letter with his regrets at not being able to attend.

"He will come, Mrs. Evans, don't you worry," Mrs. Cohen said.

Kurt was distracted again by the young women he'd seen earlier.

"I see you are watching Miss Berry and her dear friends," Mrs. Cohen said, "it's a shame she will not be able to remain with them, especially now that she has finished her education."

"Oh," Kurt said.

"She is the natural daughter of somebody with some fortune," Mrs. Cohen said, "two years ago she was put up here at my school with all expenses paid but no name attached to the money. She has made fast friends with the Miss Hudsons and they invited her to stay with them this past summer."

Kurt would never say that he was unaware of how very fortunate he was, but often times being someone that had no wants or wishes for anything had made him forget that others despite who their parents might be, could not be as free as he was to do what he liked with whoever might pick his fancy.

"I'd like to get to know her," he found himself saying, "if she is the daughter of some unknown gentlemen then I wouldn't be opposed to having as a companion now that Mrs. Evans has her own house to run and of course new responsibilities."

Mrs. Cohen was all smiles. "That would be wonderful, Mr. Hummel, I would not be opposed to that at all."

The only good thing that Kurt found about living in a small country town, was that he never had to explain himself as to his nature. Everyone knew of his inclination towards gentlemen and though it was still a rarity to be of his like, everyone knew that he would never marry any young lady and felt safe with Kurt as a companion to one. In fact, Kurt had always found that outside of Mr. Anderson and his own father, he enjoyed the company of women more.

"I will not interrupt her now of course, but I shall send an invitation for her to come to Hartfield later in the week."


Author's Note: So, there it is. I hope you all liked this first chapter. Now some notes on the characters:

Quinn in this story is Kurt's older sister.

Cooper does marry Quinn but I haven't decided if he is Blaine's younger brother (for inheritance purposes and for the plot he should be, but I could change my mind on that. In Emma Mr. Knightley is the elder)

Sam Evans is about 20 years, if not more, older than Kurt and technically Blaine would be around Sam's age (younger probably) but I haven't fully decided on Blaine's age in this.

Because I needed Sebastian to be the Frank Churchill of the story, he is Sam's son (that sounds weird!) and has adopted the last name Smythe due to his Aunt and Uncle who raised him.

Mercedes does marry Sam, and though she is older than Kurt, she would be younger than Sam.

Ms. Pillsbury is much older and Adam (yes, NYADA Adam) is her nephew and he would be around Kurt's age. Sebastian would be around their age as well.

Rachel and Finn will also be making an appearance and although Finn might be a bit older, but younger than Blaine, Rachel might be a year or two younger than even Kurt.

Tina is Mrs. Cohen. She is again, much older.

Jesse St. James (Mr. James) will make it into the story as well, a little older than Kurt, perhaps around Finn's age.

I have yet to decide on who will be the equivalent of Mrs. Elton in the story...except for maybe Sugar.

The reason for all the age changes is that I wanted to populate Highbury with characters from glee, but for the premise to work, then a lot of them would have to be older than Kurt.

As a side note:

I do work a 36-40 hour week in addition to being in the editing phase of my first original novel, so this fic will never be a first priority, but I would love to continue it, for that reason I will only do so if there is some interest on it, because I would rather write for an audience than for just a couple of people. So if you do want me to continue, please review!

I also do have a tumblr so I will leave little progress reports on how my writing is going and occasionally previews for upcoming chapters. So stop by. .com

Thank you for reading. Hope you all liked it.

Please Review.

-Erika