Note: This is the second of two chapters posted on June 18th, and the last chapter in this story. I will post an Epilogue soon, in which I will tie up a few loose ends.

If you have time to review, thank you in advance.

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Chapter Fourteen: The View From Mrs. Winthrop's Window

As they left the library, though Emma was curious, she decided it was not her place to inquire into the details of Mr. Knightley's conversation with Mrs. Chesterfield. The outcome was as she had hoped it would be, and she would leave it at that. But then she remembered something: "Wait, what about your aunt? How will you go about correcting her understanding of the situation?"

"I have given it some thought, and I will simply have to speak with her about it. It is not something I look forward to, but I see no alternative. I must put an end to this wicked rumor, so I will have to broach the subject with her before we return to Hartfield."

"I understand. But we leave so soon…."

"Don't you worry over it, Emma. I will see to it when I come to Manning House tomorrow. As you know, John, Isabella and I are invited for supper, so I thought I might come early, on my own, so I can find a moment to speak with Aunt Catherine alone."

"I think that is a good plan," Emma said, though she was still wary.

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The next afternoon, Emma anxiously awaited Mr. Knightley's arrival at Manning House. She mused that the last time she had been equally impatient for his arrival – the day he had taken her to see the Elgin Marbles – Mrs. Chesterfield had also been the cause of her impatience. In this case, it was imperative that Emma speak with him, alone, before he saw his aunt. Fortunately, her father was dozing in the cozy parlor in which a fire was continually kept burning, and Mrs. Winthrop was upstairs in her sewing room, probably dozing as well, so they could not witness Emma's obvious apprehension and inquire about it. Fortunately, the servants pretended not to notice her peculiar behavior.

She had passed through the front hall for what seemed like the hundredth time when she finally saw Bessie trot up to the front stoop and heard Mr. Knightley address the stable boy who took the reins. Emma parked herself in the doorway to the hall and the moment he entered, she whispered, "Psst! Mr. Knightley!" He handed his hat to the servant and looked over to her. She put her finger to her lips to signal that he must be quiet and motioned for him to come to her. Her curious manner generated an inquisitive look on his face, and he smiled at her as he crossed the entry and followed her into the hall.

"Come with me," she whispered, and she took his hand and led him down the hall and through the door at the end, which led to Manning House's small garden. Once outside, she said, "Good afternoon, Mr. Knightley, I wanted to speak with you privately before you speak with your aunt about … well, you know … a particular matter involving your status, shall we say. I brought you out here because I wanted to be sure that no one will hear us. I have news for you, and I think you will like it very much." Emma was practically beaming.

Her smile was contagious, and Mr. Knightley could not help but grin as he looked at her expectantly, and said, "Very well, Emma, I am anxious to hear it. Of what nature is this news?"

"The very best! Isabella has saved the day!" When he looked at her questioningly, she continued, her excitement practically making her sentences run together. "I am sure you know that Isabella visited here with baby Emma this morning. Well, while she was visiting, your aunt asked us to tell her about the soirée last night – who was there, what were they wearing, what did the Cavendishes serve at supper, and the like. Of course, Isabella and I were delighted to entertain her with such news. I happened to remark that Mrs. Chesterfield was there, and Isabella actually told your aunt everything we had heard from Mrs. Chesterfield and Mrs. Laughton about Mrs. Chesterfield's … intentions towards you … at dinner the other evening! I have to say, your aunt was as appalled as Isabella and I were! And then – oh! I hope you will not mind! – Isabella told your aunt about her conversation with you last night, in which you assured us that Mrs. Chesterfield would never have any claim on you. I know that you must be shocked at this ladies' gossip, and I will tell you that at first I was surprised that Isabella had been so thorough in her disclosure, but then I realized it has helped your cause immensely! You see, your aunt then said that she had once thought that Mrs. Chesterfield was a fine lady, but based on Isabella's revelations, she had changed her mind completely. I will paraphrase politely and tell you that she said she did not think the Mrs. Chesterfield was a good sort of person at all, and certainly not one that she would want any of her family to associate with. She said, in a most particular fashion, that she was so happy, though not surprised, that you had not been affected by her ruse! And your aunt said that I must have been particularly appalled, and I let her know that I had had certain uneasy feeling about the lady from that first night I met her at the Prestons', but of course, I, too, was glad of the outcome." Finally Emma took a breath, with a smiling Mr. Knightley still following her soliloquy, and she continued, "So you see, your aunt does not want a match between you and Mrs. Chesterfield, and she surely is no longer expecting any announcement between the two you before we leave London! Now you need not say anything at all to her, don't you agree? And, to be honest with you, I am so glad that she does not have to find out that I overheard her conversation the other day – I would not want her to think that I was eavesdropping!"

Mr. Knightley could not believe his good fortune. "My goodness, Emma, you are the source of excellent news! Excellent news indeed!" Mr. Knightley took Emma's hand instinctively, wanting to share his relief with her. "As unfortunate as I was to have been the subject of Mrs. Chesterfield's plan, at least I have escaped unscathed!" he laughed. "And whatever was your part in its undoing, please accept my sincere thanks."

"Oh Mr. Knightley, I have done nothing, and I do not deserve your thanks. And I am as happy as you, let me assure you." She giggled and said, "I must admit that I had dreadful visions of you marrying Mrs. Chesterfield and abandoning Donwell for London, never to return! I imagined you as equally lost to Highbury and Hartfield completely!"

He then took her other hand in his, as well, and looked down at them, covered by his, for a moment before speaking. "Well, Highbury and Hartfield won't be rid of me yet. Though I know that you may sometimes wish it were so!" he said teasingly.

"Me? Never! Well, mostly never," she laughed, teasing him back.

"Well, in any event," he replied, "I think we should celebrate. Tomorrow is your last day in London, Emma. How would you like to spend it? We can do anything you'd like. Your wish shall be my command! And tell me, will you miss this grand metropolis very much after we've returned home?"

"It is, indeed, a grand metropolis, Mr. Knightley, and I am indebted toyou for making our visit possible. But I do not really think I will miss London at all. It is Hartfield that I miss, very much, and I can honestly say that am looking forward to going home. I must be more like Father in that regard than I ever realized! And as for what I would most like to do tomorrow, would you mind terribly if we simply spent the day with Isabella and John and the children? I think that is what I would most like us to do on our last day in London."

"Hmmm, yes, Emma. That is exactly how I would wish to spend our last day, as well. Come, then, and let us see if we can convince your father and my aunt to join us."

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As she peeked out from behind the drapery in the window of her sewing room on the second floor, Mrs. Winthrop smiled as she watched Mr. Knightley and Emma in the garden, engaged in an intimate conversation. She saw her nephew take the young lady's hands and laugh. They were both clearly very happy, almost giddy, she thought. She could not hear their words, but their effect was unmistakable: it was an exchange between two people who were very much in love. She mused that Miss Woodhouse had outwardly taken the news of Mrs. Chesterfield designs on her true love rather in stride, but then again, she was a confident young lady, obviously secure in George's love for her, and with every reason to be so. Mrs. Winthrop had great hopes that they would announce their engagement today, as she was practically bursting with good wishes for them, but if they could not yet do so, she vowed to be content to wait until they were ready.

The end.

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Additional Notes: I think it's always nice to end with a "Hmm, yes," from Mr. Knightley! Emma, Mr. Woodhouse and Mr. Knightley can now return to Highbury and JA's story can pick up around the time Emma meets Harriet Smith. I think JA's story will still work, even if Mr. Knightley realizes his love for Emma earlier than in the book. (In my mind, this might make more sense of his statement to Mrs. Weston that he wished Emma to experience being in love and in doubt of its return. After all, in this story, he was experiencing unrequited love, himself.) Also, I think it is still possible for Emma to be clueless about her love for Mr. Knightley, even after their adventures in London. In her mind she did not want Mr. Knightley because she so intensely disliked Mrs. Chesterfield and because Hartfield would lose an old friend. Int he books and movies, even when Mrs. Weston later suggested that Mr. Knightley and Jane Fairfax should marry, Emma did not wake up to her love. In that case, Jane might have been worthy of Mr. Knightley, but Emma's excuse to herself was that her nephew Henry must inherit Donwell Abbey. With this story, when she does finally wake up to her feelings, she will have these great memories of their adventures in London!

An epilogue, which will tie up loose ends with Lord Byron and Aunt Catherine, is still to come.