First Argument - Before
EMMA
It has been said that in order to truly know another person it takes one thousand days. Simple arithmetic will lead to the following conclusions about Emma's acquaintances and friends as she recorded in her journal.
1000 days = roughly 2 years and 22 days.
Father - 8000 days give or take
Mr. Knightly, Isabella, John - the same
Mrs. Weston - about 6000 days
Mr. Weston - about 2000 days
Mr. Elton - about 500 days
Harriet - exactly 128 days
And if that phrase was true then Emma could not support the claim that she knew Harriets (and for that matter Mr. Elton's) heart better than they did themselves. For relationships and life were not merely products of mathematics. Indeed, in matters of the heart, there were many other things to be considered. And so it was that Emma decided to try drawing Harriet's likeness. Harriet was so very pretty. Mr. Elton was so encouraging. It seemed an excellent idea.
Until Mr. Knightley found her.
"So you have taken up the pencil again?"
Emma, having been distracted all afternoon by Mr. Elton and even by Harriet as the subject, was, when Mr. Knightley arrived that evening, taking time to flesh out the outline she had managed to get down earlier.
she didn't turn from her page at the sound of his voice. "The brush actually. It's to be a water color."
She felt more than saw him lean over casting a shadow on the page and examining her work. From the corner of her eye she watched his eyes narrow and then he stood. She didn't turn to look at him until she heard the familiar creak of his chair and the sound of the newspaper rustling. Her creative juices were flowing so she looked at him with the artists eye. He was tall, the tallest man she knew. His was a commanding presence in both his face and his build. He was...
"You are not going to get me to sit for you so stop trying to picture how you would draw me." His face did not appear from behind the paper but Emma knew he was laughing at her. She stopped her thoughts and went back to her current project. She worked in silence for a good while, discerned that there was nothing more she could do without the subject present, put down her pencil and lay back on the sofa to relieve her aching back.
"What, if I may ask, induced you to start up again? You were quite put out after trying to take my brothers likeness."
This time Mr. Knightley's face did appear and there was no laughter in his tone only sincere interest. She shrugged her shoulders in a way she knew he would not approve as lady-like and replied.
"I think Harriet is such a lovely girl." Here she paused, unsure of how Mr. Knightley would react to her next statement but then continue to say what she intended. "Mr. Elton seemed keen to see me try to take her likeness."
Mr. Knightley's eyebrows went up and he frowned slightly. Emma wondered at the gesture. But he soon went back to his paper.
For thence Emma started to noticed the same look whenever Mr. Elton came up in conversation.
GEORGE
There was nothing more annoying than that of mixed feelings. He was happy Emma had taken up another past time. He disliked the nature of the situation. It increased the intimacy between Emma and Harriet. It was served as a reason for Elton to make himself ever more present. Although the man was decent enough all told George found the Cleric both conceited and hard to converse with on real matters.
It was a good rendition of little Miss Smith. Emma erred only in making her too tall. He said as much, smirking slightly at Emma as she revealed it in the living room. He was baiting her but without remorse. He wanted to see how she would withstand real criticism. She met his gaze evenly and had she been any younger George suspected she would have stuck out her tongue at him. She knew she'd made Harriet too tall and her eyebrows and eyes slightly different than they were drawn.
Elton immediately contradicted him. George tried to not glare the watercolor was described as "a most perfect resemblance in every feature" but he was not sure he succeeded. Elton was simply being a flatterer. It grated on him to see how Emma did not call him out on it.
Everyone finally left. Harriet to Mrs Goddard's four tea and Elton taking the painting to prepare for his trip to London to frame the likeness. Emma served the afternoon tea with that particular smirk on her pretty lips. Not that he was looking at her lips. He just knew her to be pleasing to the eye.
He took the teacup from her. "Is there something amusing?"
Emma smiled at him like sunshine through they're clouds. "You are, dear Mr. Knightley."
George rolled his eyes but asked his question anyway. "Pray tell, how am I amusing to you?"
"You were not so very concerned about Miss Smith's height were you?"
He shook his head. "I admit I am not but Emma you must concede that you did not draw her as she is."
Emma looked thoughtful. "Is that a crime?"
He felt his patience strain. Between Emma's misplaced self satisfaction and Elton's antics he was done with foolishness. He finished his tea without replying to her and as he walked back to the Abbey he tried to get to the root of his annoyance.
It is that Elton acted like he was Emma's brave defender and by that fed her vanity. He is worse for her than that Miss Smith.
He walked quicker unsettled by the frustration he felt over Elton's tactlessness and obvious flattery. How can Emma encourage him so? Does she not see? No she does not, she does not see that he means to ingratiate himself with her or she would cut him off. She will not fall for him as he hopes. Her encouragement must serve another purpose. Oh, Emma, why do your schemes make my brain hurt so much? She must think he is flattering another...most likely Miss Smith. Oh, Emma...you are a silly little thing.
His musings were cut short when he arrived home to find Robert Martin waiting for him.
A/N two things. (1) I noticed this is one of my most heavily trafficked stories so expect more dedication in the future. I've been treating this one as my "can think, just write to enjoy" story because this is easy to write unlike my HP stories. (2) Emma Approved is the new vlog adaption being put out by Bernie Su and co. I am scared. I loved LBD (for the most part) but I am sincerely afraid my favorite Austen story will be ruined by their adapting it. I am EXTREMELY possessive of Emma and George Knightley. I was upset that people didn't get married at the end of LBD (I get it: modern era blah blah blah but that doesn't make marriage obsolete). So I may rant here when I like/don't like...because you are all fellow Emma fans. I will rant on my tumblr too.
Reviews are like divine blessings. please send them to me!
