Chapter 3
Intent
"There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me." - From Pride & Prejudice because it just feels right!
As anyone might have guessed, Emma sought the interaction out. One, if they did not understand her keenly, might go so far as to say she sought the confrontation out, but Emma did not imagine this conversation would bring a fight.
In her mind it was the blessed solution—found with some difficultly, after days of turmoil and uncertainty. Emma felt it was to be celebrated; songs should have been sung if the circumstances had not been as they were. Even though she had her clever solution and did not face immediate further trials, her dear Papa was still gone and her heart was still pressed with anguish.
As far as Emma was concerned, Isabella would get what she wanted; a full inheritance for her children and a solution to the problem at hand: what to do with an unmarried younger sister forced upon ones care. Especially when said sister had no obvious marital prospects and had not taken kindly to the idea of moving.
Emma thought to herself, she would have fought tooth and nail to stay in Highbury. She almost chuckled when the memory of the wild boar they'd once seen caught in the brambles between Highbury and Randalls came to mind. It was frothing with anger and not a soul could get near it for fear and their own safety. It perhaps was an unflattering comparison but it well reflected her own sentiment; she would not be made to do what she did not want, regardless of what others believed was in her best interest.
"I have the solution to everything," Emma smiled fully entering into the living room where Isabella had been spending most of her days, a blazing fire and always ready tea kettle.
"What is your new solution?" Isabella asked, she sounded bored, but Emma saw exhaustion behind her eyes.
"I will live at Donwell Abbey," Emma told her, suddenly feeling shy and stopping short of announcing her engagement.
"That isn't a solution Emma, and you know why as well as I do," Isabella told her outright, moving her fingers to press at her temples, as if she was fatigued by a sudden headache. "I know he is your friend but it would not be proper—"
"What I should have said is that Mr. Knightley intends to marry me," Emma revised.
Isabella's hands fell away from their place at her temples and her mouth fell open in shock.
"I know by your face you are looking for words that will denounce this as a good solution, but I have thought it out and I am determined that it is the best offer possible, given my circumstances," Emma told her preemptively.
"Given your circumstances! What are you talking about? John and I have offered you a home, Emma! We have invited you to live with us in London! Our every intention was to prevent you from needing to undertake rash actions or ill thought out solutions! What possible reason could necessitate a convenient marriage?"
"George Knightley is my best friend and he has agreed. In doing so, he has offered me every form of security and has allowed for my every wish to be possible." Emma told her, using his Christian name in front of another person for the first time. It felt strange; she caught her own cheeks flaring with heat and knew that she was blushing.
"This is madness Emma, what were you thinking?"
"It isn't madness! Mr. Knightley is a wise man and has never been prone to recklessness. If he is willing, then how can you call my actions reckless?"
"You know as well as I, that you have had Mr. Knightley wrapped around your finger since you were a toddler! Do not pretend that he has any more chance at telling you no than the rest of us! You are impossible!"
"Oh, you would say that, I'm only impossible because I wouldn't bow to your supreme understanding of what is best for me and you aren't used to not getting your way! Instead, I am thinking that—"Emma tried to list the reasons and give explanation, but her sister would not hear of it.
"You are not yourself, Emma!"
"I am as much myself as I ever will be and Mr. Knightley's agreement to marry me will allow me to remain myself for as long as I live!" Emma retaliated, her tone clipped and cheeks flushed.
"Emma, you are out of your depth. I know that you are grieving, that the worst of sorrows has befallen you. Though I have also lost my dear Papa, I do not pretend to suffer to the extent that you are. I have not lived at home for many years and though I will miss Papa greatly, he was not always around me as he was for you. I know that you are in great pain and that the emotions are overwhelming but I am asking that you do not jeopardize your future because of the pain you feel now, "
"I appreciate what you are saying Isabella, but I have made my choice. I intend to marry Mr. Knightley."
"John and I have made every effort to help you and in turn Emma, you are acting as a petulant child! Spinning out of control in any way you can, simply to get your way! Can you not see it will end badly?" Isabella asked, her eyes watering.
"I am venturing into a future that I have chosen Isabella; it is an immense relief that I am not being forced into a life that I do not want. I cannot pretend I know how it will turn out, but I am at peace with the decision I have made."
"What did you say to Mr. Knightley?" Isabella demanded with a rapid change in topic, looking angry and stricken with anxiety all at once.
Emma felt perhaps she had injured Isabella's pride when she had described the life Isabella had plotted for her in such dismal terms.
"I laid out all the solutions, as I did for you and he met each of them with various critique, as he always has. And then it was clear that the main problem with the best of my plans was that I was unmarried and it was hindering my desire to remain in Highbury. It was then decided that Mr. Knightley and I would marry,"
"It was decided? At whose suggestion?"
"Does it matter?" Emma countered sharply, knowing deep down that it would have been horribly improper to have asked anyone who was not her dearest friend the same question she had asked Mr. Knightley. Yet, clearly it had not offended Mr. Knightley too badly, as he had agreed to it afterall.
"Your actions have been deplorable!" Isabella scolded, looking at her with harsh eyes, "I cannot imagine what you said to poor Mr. Knightley but if I hear of the slightest hint of manipulation, I – I will be sure that—"
"You will what?" Emma requested, "You will prevent it? You have no grounds!"
"Emma, John is a lawyer, he will—"
Emma laughed scornfully, "At the moment he will be collecting all the necessary documentation to see me married! Because, as much as you will hate to say it, I am a burden that was cast on your poor husband the minute Papa died! And as luck might have it, his own brother, Mr. Knightley will, always and forever, be the only man capable of handling me. You both knew it to be true, or you would not have requested he speak with me in the first place. Now, consider the sense of relief your dear husband will feel when he is told that the Miss. Emma Woodhouse entrusted to his care, shall no longer be a burden for him to bare. And better still, she is to be taken off his hands by a good man, his own brother, who will be capable of managing his sister-in-law in ways he never could be! But the greatest news of all is that by some miracle, it will not reflect poorly on his ability to manage his affairs. Knowing all this, do you think he will say no?"
Isabella could only stare at Emma, her eyes wide with shock; she made no attempts to deny it. John was not a strong man; he would not have stood a chance when set up against Emma's strong will.
"You are making a mistake!" Isabella urged after long moments of piercing silence. "You will come to regret this and when you do and you come to me begging for help— never forget this moment Emma, because I won't have the heart to remind you of your words then,"
"You are being cruel! Do not think I cannot see why! Your plans for Mr. Knightley have always relied on him remaining a bachelor. Perhaps you are spiteful because you are worried that you have miscalculated. Perhaps it has dawned on you that in exchange for retaining every farthing garnered by Hartfield towards a greater inheritance, you may have just lost the entirety of Donwell Abbey," Emma hissed, feeling nothing like herself and hating the hot tears that streamed now following her words. She had just twisted what Mr. Knightley had granted her in his generosity into a mean threat, simply to retaliate against her sister with the sole purpose of being hurtful.
Isabella looked bewildered. As if the thought of a Knightley heir had not even crossed her mind. Mortified by Emma's words, Isabella shook her head in disapproval and left the room.
George Knightley hadn't been the type to delay the inevitable. Upon leaving Mr. Woodhouse's study, he sought out his brother and pulled him aside. There was a small room attached to the breakfast room that would serve the purpose. It was well lit and quiet, at one time used as a sewing room; it was now rarely used since Emma had grown bored of playing dolls beneath the table and chairs.
He couldn't help but feel that had he been in his own domain when announcing the news he would have had the glass of single malt he currently itched for. He didn't suspect Mr. Woodhouse had a decanter around, and he wasn't sure if his desire for a drink was for relief or in celebration. He was happy that he wouldn't lose his closest friend, but all too conscious that everything was about to change.
"I am going to marry her, John," He told his brother, almost immediately after he had shut the door behind himself, his attention turning from alcohol to the task at hand.
"Marry Emma?"
"Yes, who else?"
"For what reason? Don't let your gut feeling rule you George. She will be fine in London; I am certain she will grow to like it there in time," John told him.
"The reason is I intend to make her happy. She has lost everything and if I have it within my power to give her back something of value and comfort, then I mean to do it," he replied evenly.
"But George, surely this is a hasty decision. Do not forget, both of you are grieving. Clearly the final decision could be postponed if only to be certain you aren't making a choice in the moment that you might later regret," John recommended.
"I all but promised her she would not have to leave Highbury; this isn't possible if the marriage is delayed," Mr. Knightley explained, "We are best of friends, I have always enjoyed her company and I am not concerned with regretting the choice later,"
"But George, it would be different and you know it would; to have her in your house at all times? She is very young yet and what if you desire more than she is able to give?"
"John, I will be more than contented with conversation and lively companionship; we are the best of friends, I have enjoyed my life fully as a bachelor, I have no reason to think I should require more than I have at present to feel complete,"
"But it will be a source of talk and speculation, for it is one thing for a convenient marriage but all expect it to be lived out in the full dimension,"
"It will not be a source of talk," George countered.
"It is not seen a proper for a young married women to bare no children; it will be talked of in time and people will being to recommend remedies as best and speculate the truth at worst; that you are not one before God,"
"I do not see it fit to worry about that now; had I not extended the idea of matrimony as a solution, Emma's planned to live alone, with the hope of still seeing me, and that degree of scandal would be immediate and far worse than the slow speculation that might build with time,"
"As if you would have risked that," John scoffed.
"I told her I would not have, but I know it would have taken everything within me to avoid her. I did not want to really contemplate what if would feel like to never or rarely see my dear friend," George admitted.
"Then you must love her, I know you feel it or you would never have agreed to her foolhardy plan!" John told.
"I do love her, as a man loves his dearest friend," George replied not budging on the subject.
"Ah, and when that friendship grows, when affection stretches beyond the common bonds of friendship what then?" John asked.
"You don't know that that would be the case,"
"She is beautiful, charming and the very picture of flawlessness, madding stubbornness aside, which is likely of being her only fault! You are lying to yourself if you say you will not grow to love her better than you do now," John told him sternly.
"And if I did? What then? What of it? Where is the harm in that?" George digressed. Would it be so wrong for a man to love his wife? Who could fault him for loving Emma?
"You'll have no guarantee that she would ever return the love, and have you ever considered what happens when friendship is asked to stretch but cannot?" John asked with a delayed paused for emphasis. "It breaks George, often irreparably," he stated, answering his own question with a certain and even tone.
"I've given her my word," George told him flatly, giving no credence to the question his brother advanced.
"Things are not the same as they were in the past George! There is latitude in that nothing has been announced publicly; until the bans are read, you need not consider the decision final,"
"I know the law John; but my word isn't something I take lightly, I will stand by my agreement—for better or for worse,"
"I won't try to prevent your actions, George. I am your inferior in birth, title, rank and I have always assumed wisdom as well. I have looked to you for advice many times in my own life. All I ask that you consider with wisdom what you have agreed to in haste,"
"It is final John, I trust you will obey my wishes and make sure the proper paperwork is in order," George told him with a tone of finality.
"I will do as you ask," John agreed.
George Knightley watched as his brother left the room, making a bowing gesture of subservience before leaving, His jaw clenched with the tension he refused to let his younger brother see. His brother had pointed out every area of problem and added to the list by highlighting potential problems he had never even considered. But he was determined; he and Emma would be life companions, that was the most he could ever hope for and he was not lying when he told John that it would be enough for him. It would have to be.
Hi All,
Thank you for the follows and adding this story to the favourites list! I can say enough about how reviews help the writing process. I so appreciate the support and encouragement and I would love to hear reviews everyone that reads (I know that isn't realistic) but leave a review, even if it is just a thanks!
Till next time!
PrettyPet
Question- How are you feeling about Emma's behaviour this chapter? Realistic? Too Mean? Over the top? I'm super curious, please comment in the review!
