"Mr. Darcy, I imagine you are curious what has made me relent."

"I admit I am, but will not pry."

"It is mostly for Emma's benefit, but I am also trying to follow Mrs. Watkins' advice. She always told me to, 'Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure'. It is sometimes a difficult philosophy, but I try to live it."

"An admirable philosophy. Is there a part of your past that does give you pleasure?"

"Of course! The entirety of Emma's life has been a treasure."

"I can see that! My entire acquaintance with her was as well… until I ruined it."

"Perhaps… well, perhaps something can be made of your acquaintance with her. We shall see."

"May I ask, who Mrs. Watkins is? The name sounds familiar."

"An aging widow who took me in when… well… when I ran from the horrid family my father placed me with. That is how I ended up in Kympton. Her nephew found me shivering and half-starved by the side of the road in Bedfordshire and brought me to his aunt. Her husband was a tenant on your Uncle Matlock's estate. She introduced me to the former Mrs. Rush."

"You ran with nothing?"

"The clothes on my back and what food I could take from the family that was supposed to be hosting me. Mostly they were using Father's money to buy gin. Tell me, Mr. Darcy have you ever been truly terrified."

"No, I have not. Not even close, and I will not pretend otherwise. I have been worried for the last few months that my actions endangered you and Emma, but that is not even remotely similar."

"Certainly not! Still, I guess it is better than nothing."

"I will not pretend it is anything of the sort, but I will not lie or prevaricate with you, Mrs. Bennet. I know perfectly well I have a long way to go."

"Yes, you d… well… I will not beat it to death. I am trying."

"That is all I ask, and more than I can expect."

"You say Mr. Watkins was my uncle's tenant Mrs. Bennet. Do you know my uncle?"

"No, I have seen him pass by but never met him; but I do know your aunt, Lady Matlock. A lovely woman, very generous and easy to please, so long as you treat her fairly and do good work. I think you met Emma one day when I was visiting their estate when Emma was eight or nine."

"I remember that day quite clearly. That was the first day she started reminding me of someone, but I could not put it together. She was still quite young. Her hair was down and much lighter, and her face had not quite matured. I did not put the pieces together. Bingley and Jane felt a similar bit of familiarity, probably because she talks like you; but none of us worked it out."

"I do not see how you could have."

"Say… are you the modiste who refused to make a dress for Lady Clara?"

"The very same."

"Nicely done! She is a hateful woman!"

"Yes, she is."

"She screamed about it for months, and my sister and aunt enjoyed every minute of it."

"She is part of the reason Emma has such a large dowry."

"How so?"

"She proved the efficacy of my principle that I charge ladies based on how much I dislike them. She was the worst, but there were plenty of others that were nearly as bad. In the end though, I just held my nose and charged them three to ten times the proper amount."

"And they did not complain?"

"No, I think they took it as a compliment."

"Astounding!"

"I even let Lady Clara win a round a year later. We made her wedding dress."

"How much did you charge her, if I might ask?"

"£3,000"

"For one dress?"

"Yes, I… well, I made a mistake and painted myself into a corner. She just kept implacably demanding a price until she wore me down. I eventually made up a number enormous enough to shut her up once and for all."

"And"

"She accepted it. I found I had made the price so high I could not turn it down."

"That may well be the most amusing story I have ever heard."

"You should get out more, Mr. Darcy."

"Yes, both Emma and Jane have made the same observation."

"Maybe getting out is not your problem. Maybe you need to listen to advice more."

"That is beyond question. I shall certainly listen closely to anything you or Miss Bee say."

"You are on a given name basis with Jane, Mr. Darcy?"

"Yes, I am on a given name basis with all your sisters. We have had… well, let us just say we all know each other reasonably well."

"I imagine there is a story behind that statement? It seems… er… unlikely… extremely unlikely. Frankly, I am surprised you can even name them, or count them for that matter."

"There is… a story I mean"

"I understand Jane and Mr. Bingley met Emma before you told them of her parentage. Aunt Gardiner warned me that they know who she is?"

"Yes, I confided in them. I hope you are not overly distressed."

"Distressed or not, it is done and cannot be undone."

"I would apologize if you would allow it."

"I shan't."

"I had to share it with someone after… well, after our altercation in Kympton. Jane and Bingley met Emma several years before, so they were the only people that I felt I could talk to."

"Do not distress yourself. It is natural to share it with your closest friends. I imagine before you told them, all of you might have seen traces of the mother or grandmother in the daughter."

"Yes. We all noticed something familiar about her that day. None of us were capable of thinking beyond that feeling, although I wish I had. I enjoyed the privilege of escorting young Emma to Mr. Horse's shop, and spent two hours with her there. I was amazed at how clever she was, and which books she picked to read. She argued with me just as vigorously as you used to, and I am fairly certain she occasionally professed opinions which she did not actually hold."

"Yes, I imagine she did. The apple does not fall that far from the tree, and we do that at home all the time."

"She said something like that. She told me she is her mother's daughter, and I must agree most emphatically."

"Mr. Horse is a dear man. I have been afraid to contact him."

"He is well. He vacillates daily between taking a pension and running his shop."

"As he has done daily for at least the last 25 years."

"I imagine he will feel a need to get up from his coffin to open the shop."

"I believe I shall write him."

"He would like that."

"Might I ask what you find so amusing, Mrs. Bennett? That is the closest to a smile I have seen from you in quite some time… well, now that I think of it, ever… at least when in my company?"

"Not funny per se, Mr. Darcy… more… I do not know. Perhaps amusing? Embarrassing? Ironic?"

"You need not tell me"

"No… if we avoid every embarrassing thought, soon we will have nothing left to say to each other."

"Why are you smiling now, Mr. Darcy… or is that a grimace?"

"I just remember something you said in Kympton - Emma could not have interrupted two people in Derbyshire who had less to say for themselves."

"I am sorry. I was frightfully angry and afraid that day."

"Are you reopening the floor for apologies, Mrs. Bennet?"

"No."

"I wish you would. I have many to deliver."

"You shall just have to suffer, Mr. Darcy."

"Perhaps we could return to the subject of your amusement?"

… …

"All right. Since Emma very forwardly forced me to take your arm, I just saw my hand there and found it amusing. Forgive my impertinence."

"There is nothing to forgive, but I am filled with curiosity. Might you indulge me? I am not quite as severe as you might think."

… …

"Perhaps not amusement… I believe I shall settle for ironic, Mr. Darcy. Do you know the last time I had my hand on the arm of an unrelated gentleman?"

… …

"NO!"

"Yes, I am afraid so! It was sixteen years ago at Netherfield… before… well, before… well, we walked in the garden for a half‑hour before being interrupted by Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst and I made my escape."

"I remember you scampered away like a squirrel. I am so…"

"Do not say it, Mr. Darcy… Just try to appreciate the irony."

"I shall try, Mrs. Bennett. I shall try."

"It is difficult to be… in company… with… you… but I… well, I… believe it necessary. I cannot live my life in fear, and Emma cannot come to unknow you. The die was cast when you recognized her."

"I shall do my best to relive you of some of your fear, Mrs. Bennet. I cannot say it in strong enough terms. It seems the only way it can be done is to prove it."

"I am trying, Mr. Darcy."

"I appreciate it. I will not insult you by pretending to know how hard it is."