Author's Note: a sequel to Girls Who Argue because after rereading it I just couldn't leave Mr Knightly and Emma alone after that. Warning I may have gone a bit out of character in this one but please try to enjoy it nonetheless.
It had been two months since they had kissed.
Two months!
He had not spoken to her unless it was required in social circumstances and he had not come to visit Hartfield at all in the last two months or if he has he had made certain to do it when she was not home! As Christmas drew closer she grew angrier and angrier with him, how dare he pull her into his arms and kiss so passionately in her own home before storming off and never returning to at least apologise for his misconduct?
Not that she wanted him to apologise, on the contrary she had very much enjoyed the kiss, in face she had high hopes of another no matter how improper that desire was.
However she had found it impossible to speak to Mr Knightly about the kiss and her desire for another when he is avoiding her as if she was a pox-ridden street urchin! Oh the nerve of that man to kiss her like that and just leave her with nothing but thoughts for weeks afterwards!
The first dinner of the Christmas holiday had been unbearable. It was supposed to be a intimate dinner just the three Knightly adults, the eldest two of Isabella's, Emma, and her own father but every time she had tried to attempt a conversation with her Mr Knightly (not Isabella's Mr Knightly who was too busy arguing and upsetting her brother, hmph! She'll have to have a word with him later) he blanked her out as if she was part of the furniture.
She despised this silent treatment from him. There was nothing worse than not having someone's attention especially if it was a person you loved deeply. She would prefer to have him scold her than ignore her and was tempted with the idea of saying something very provocative just so he could turn round and look at her before chiding her.
She had been highly tempted to act out childishly in order to gain his attention. Kicking him in the shins had been a highly tempting idea and she had even gone as far as preparing her foot to take a swing at him. Instead she reminded herself for Miss Taylor would say if she committed such an act and decided she would try to confront Mr Knightly when John and Isabella were preparing the boys to go to bed and her father was content with the blankets on everyone's bed.
However almost as soon as it was deemed appropriate Mr Knightly took his leave as quickly as possible before she could even bade him farewell.
Grumbling to herself, Emma went to bed with dreams of cornering the sneaky bugger (do pardon her language she is highly unsatisfied and upset right now) at the Westons' Christmas Party and confronting him then.
EWEWEWEWEW
Mr Knightly had been very successful in saving Emma's reputation. He had not heard a single whisper against her and immediately deduced she had wanted to keep quiet about having her innocence somewhat blemished with his kiss. To avoid any suggestive behaviour he had decided it was best for them both if he were not to encourage any sort of private and intimate moments between the two of them. It had been working very well for the last two months as they hardly spoken to one another.
A bit too well since he was missing her dreadfully. When did his days depend on seeing her smile at him?
He had managed to keep any lustful notions he had about Emma private as well as any dislike he held for Mr Elton who was following Emma around like a lost puppy. It was rather irritating having him interrupt every conversation in the room to gain Emma's attentions and then it was further disruptive as he tried to alter the seating arrangements every time someone so much as moved their hand as in hopes to sit closer to Emma and breaking all rules of propriety.
Not that he could talk considering how he kissed her last October.
The party ended abruptly when it had begun to snow and as his brother and his wife rushed around worriedly he was preparing to leave on his horse with a small smug smile knowing he did not have to worry endlessly about returning home in this weather.
That is until Emma's small but strong hand grabbed hold of his arm and violently tugged him into a corner with her.
"Save me," she hissed desperately. "Mr Elton is going to send me Bedlam at this rate."
"You only have yourself to blame," he muttered disgruntled, "you should not have encouraged him so."
"I did not encourage him for myself!" she snapped in a harsh whisper. "Do not make me sit in a carriage alone with him. I do not think I can cope another moment with him wittering on in my ear about one thing or another. I promise you, I will ensure Bessie is returned safely to Donwell Abbey, and then I shall do whatever you wish if you just take the carriage with me tonight!"
"You should be careful with your wording, one might get the wrong impression," he warned her. She gave him a look filled with frustration and irritation that also promised that if she was to go insane tonight he would be her first victim. He sighed, so much for avoiding Emma and keeping her reputation intact, "very well I shall take the carriage with you but you must leave Miss Smith to make her own choices if Mr Martin was ever to propose to her again."
It still irked him that he had yet to finish that particular argument.
"Very well," Emma said civilly though he could see her jaw twitching as if she was grinding her teeth together. "Now for the love of all that is holy, save me!"
EWEWEWEWEWEWEW
Emma decided she most definitely disliked the silent treatment. She would much prefer a heated argument rather than this frosty atmosphere in the carriage. To add to the already tense situation she had to bite back the urge to laugh in the two gentlemen sitting opposite her faces.
Honestly, she had always thought Mr Knightly was a mature, reasonable, wise gentleman but he almost looked like a schoolboy with the sulking.
In all fairness he looked far more dignified than Mr Elton who had his arms crossed and was huffing and puffing as well as pouting. What on earth was she thinking trying to set Harriet with this childish man? It appears once again Mr Knightly was right in claiming Mr Martin was the better match.
He was certainly the better man right at this moment of time.
Mr Elton huffily bade his goodbyes before marching out of the carriage the moment it had stopped.
Emma quickly moved to sit beside Mr Knightly the moment the carriage began to move and Mr Elton was out of sight.
"Emma, I do not think this is appropriate at all," Mr Knightly cried out as he made a move to sit opposite her.
She placed a hand over his to keep him where he was sitting. "What," she said coolly, "is not appropriate is your behaviour towards me in the last two months. While I will admit I was wrong to try fixing a match between Harriet and Mr Elton, though I still do not believe Harriet should settle for the first man to propose to her, I have yet to do something to cause this terrible treatment of yours!"
Mr Knightly sighed and moved his hand beneath hers to hold it properly. She can barely feel the warmth of his own hand through the silk of her gloves and the leather of his. "No dear Emma, you do not," he admitted, "I was wrong to ignore you without a prior explanation. I had felt that it was the only way to make amends for my inappropriate behaviour that day and preserve your good reputation."
There was a moment of silence as Emma absorbed what her friend had told her. It really did not surprise her, Mr Knightly had always been the sort of gentleman who would protect a lady's reputation rather than compromise it.
Yet she needed to know...she wanted...oh this was going to be so forward and rather embarrassing! She would not have to do this if he never gave her that awful silent treatment!
"Why did you kiss me, Mr Knightly?"
He did not answer her as he soon found the view the carriage had to offer far more interesting than her own self. While she would usually scold him for being so rude and not a proper gentleman she was far too busy admiring what a lovely shade of red he had turned, somewhere between scarlet and crimson, it was very becoming.
She decided to press forward. "Did you like the kiss?"
Once again he did not answer or perhaps she is merely too impatient to give him the chance to reply.
"Well I did, I liked the kiss very much so," she said calmly giving his hand a squeeze, "and I am certain we can find a way to kiss again without compromising my reputation but that can only be done without the silent treatment, do you not agree?"
"Erm...yes," Mr Knightly barely got out. Emma bit back the urge to giggle she had never seen her friend so inarticulate in her life. "Emma, I-"
The carriage pulled to a stop outside of Hartfield abruptly causing the carriage to shake a little due to the snow and ice that was no doubt already forming on the road. In an instant Mr Knightly grabbed hold of her arm in order to keep her steady in case she would fall out of her seat she smiled her gratitude before bestowing a token of thanks by kissing him not quite on the lips but not quite on the cheek either.
"Shall I tell Father that we are courting tomorrow?" she asked cheerfully before allowing the footman help her out of the carriage.
She laughed quietly to herself as she entered her home. Poor Mr Knightly could be heard spluttering in the carriage but it did really serve him right for giving her the silent treatment like that.
She truly did hate the silent treatment but she could not bring herself to mind it so much in Mr Knightly.
Not if it meant she got to win the argument.