A/N: The last chapter only had Mr. Knightley and Emma, in this chapter, Mr. Woodhouse is back, playing a major role… his part in this chapter is a little "out of the ordinary", but hope I still have him somewhat in character! :-)


A Lady and a 'Gentleman'

Chapter Three: Portrait of a Gentleman


For years, Emma Woodhouse was known to Highbury for being an exceedingly attentive daughter to Mr. Woodhouse. Little did Highbury know that, Emma Knightley nee Woodhouse was as much a devoted wife as an attentive daughter. During their first holiday at the Seaside, George almost always roused first in the morning. But back in her domain at Hartfield, Emma was determined to always rouse before her husband so that she could attend to his every need. She would sort out George's attire first thing in the morning, make sure that he was dressed impeccably for the day's affairs; she would make sure that he always took his breakfast before heading off about his daily business; and that when he came home the house was in perfect order and ready for anything he needed.

As with all other mornings, Emma was fussing over George's hair, making sure his cravat was perfect, his vest buttons were fastened, straightening his lapel, wiping off the tiny trace of coffee stain, which no one could possibly notice except for herself, at the corner of his mouth just before he set off for Donwell. Many might think that Mr. George Knightley, the once confirmed bachelor would find having a wife fussing over every little detail of his life insufferable… as Mrs. Elton had once said to him after the announcement of his engagement to Miss Woodhouse…

"Oh! Knightley! Poor fellow! Are you sure you want to get yourself into this marriage business? A confirmed bachelor as yourself must be used to doing whatever and whenever you wished! Once you're married, there would be the end of all pleasant intercourse with your friends. You won't be able to come to the Vicarage to dine with us whenever we ask you… It's a sad business for you indeed!

George had long forgotten whatever that woman had said to him that day. So he was surprised that her words flashed into his mind this morning.

"Where is that smirk on your face come from?" Emma found the expression on George's face amusing.

"Hmm… I was just thinking that I must be the most fortunate man to have Emma Woodhouse fussing over me every day!' He said it with a twinkle in his eyes and a smug grin on his face.

"Ahmm… it is Emma Knightley..." Emma gave George her entrancing smile that he always loved as she picked up the lint on his sleeve and announced that he was now perfect and ready to leave the house.

Emma walked George to the Hartfield front gate, and saw him off to Donwell. She finished her morning walk around the garden and returned to the house to find Mr. Woodhouse sitting in the drawing room by the fire reading newspaper as usual. As Emma sat across from him, Mr. Woodhouse put the newspaper down and spoke to her…

"Ah! Emma my dear! You look so much better today, the plan of accompanying Mr. Knightley to the fairs are very agreeable indeed!"

"Oh! Papa… I am sorry to tell you that I will not be going with Mr. Knightley after all."

"Poor Emma! But you must go with Mr. Knightley or you will become ill." Mr. Woodhouse was very concerned.

"But Papa, Mr. Knightley and I had talked it over last night and agreed that it would be best for me to not go."

Mr. Woodhouse' tone had turned serious when he spoke again, "My dear Emma, what is the reason that made you and Mr. Knightley think that it would be best that you not go? I cannot imagine becoming ill would be the best thing for anyone!"

"Papa… Mr. Knightley said that fairs were not for ladies, but only for men…"

Suddenly the expression on Mr. Woodhouse' face changed drastically. Emma had never seen such an expression on her father before. It was not an expression of distress, or worries… it was almost… almost a youthful expression! His gaze was distant… there was a youthful smile at the corners of his mouth… Emma was perplexed, what did she say that had changed her father's expression? What was it that her father was thinking?

"Papa… papa… are you all right?" Mr. Woodhouse did not answer for some time. Emma went to kneel by his side and placed her hand gently on his shoulder.

"Papa… papa… are you all right?" She asked again.

Mr. Woodhouse blinked his eyes as if he had just awakened from a dream. With a soft smile on his face, he answered, "Oh! I am fine Emma, I am fine…"

"Papa… what were you thinking just now? You had the most wonderful expression on your face… did I say something amusing to you?" Emma was exceedingly curious.

The same expression appeared on his face again. This time, he only paused for a moment before he answered…

"What you just said… reminded me of something that you mother had once said before… "

"Is that true?" Emma was delighted to have said something that her mother had said before.

Mr. Woodhouse nodded with his eyes closed. Emma was perplexed again, but she was afraid to pursue the subject in the fear of distressing her father by bringing up her mother's memory, so she kept silent.

A moment later, Mr. Woodhouse opened his eyes and said, "Emma my dear, would you be so kind to accompany me to my room for my morning nap?"

"Of course, papa! But you usually take your nap in the drawing room… are you not feeling well?"

"Oh, yes, my dear, I am feeling very well, I would like to take my nap in my room this morning."


Emma helped her father to the chair by his chamber's fire, and placed a blanket on his lap and a pillow behind his back as usual. Right before she turned around to leave his chamber, Mr. Woodhouse took Emma's hand and placed a key in her palm.

Being the Mistress of Hartfield, Emma had all the keys to all the locks at Hartfield - except for the one that her father had just placed in her palm. She knew this was the key to the small cedar chest inside his chamber's closet and had always assumed that it held important documents of her father's bank accounts or stock investments. Never had she had the need to ask for the key or the desire to know what was inside the locked chest.

Emma was surprised at her father's gesture and curious as to what he wanted her to do with the key. Mr. Woodhouse motioned Emma to go to the closet and open the cedar chest inside. Fill with curiosity, she opened the closet, removed the small cedar chest to the writing desk by the window and slowly unlocked the chest.

To Emma's surprise, there was no bank papers, no stock investment documents… there were only a key and two small portraits… one of them was a perfect likeness of her mother. She had never seen this likeness before. Her mother was beautiful! Her long luscious eye lashes, her bewitching hazel eyes, her perfectly proportioned nose, her crimson lips all sat perfectly on her delicate face… and she had the most entrancing smile Emma had ever seen. The other small portrait was of … a young gentleman. Emma had never seen this portrait either, but yet the face looked familiar.

"Papa… Who was the young gentleman in this portrait?"

There was the same youthful smile on her father's face again. Mr. Woodhouse did not say anything… his eyes seemed to signal Emma to look closer at the portraits again.

Emma placed the two portraits side by side. She looked at her mother's and then the gentleman's; she looked back and forth between the two portraits for a long time…then all of the sudden she GASPED!