Author's Note: sorry for the very long wait in updates. I've been inspired mostly by the Merlin fandom than this one and therefore my attention had been taken off this fic entirely. But don't worry! I plan to try and finish this Fanfiction before the summer is up! Please review and let me know what you think of this.
Miss Taylor, now Mrs Weston though she often forgets it herself with Mr Woodhouse insisting on calling her by her maiden name, was spending her morning alone which was more usual than she liked.
At first Emma had visited every morning with Mrs Bates and her talkative daughter before their usual cup of tea at Mrs Goddard's but then the Bates had began arriving without Emma who was too busy entertaining Miss Smith and eventually Jane in the morning hours to visit others. As winter came the Bates did not dare to leave Hartfield while there was frost on the roads and her mornings had almost become lonely if it had not been for the visits of other members of society including Mr Knightly.
She misses the noise of Hartfield more than anything else. The laughter, excitable chatter, Mr Woodhouse's worries, and the sound of children's feet pitter pattering along the hallway as Emma, Jane, and Frank did what all children did and rush through life.
She wondered if this is how it feels to be a mother of adult children. This silence in life that is neither good or bad just...dull. A normal mother of three adult children would worry over future marriages and hope for the prospect of grandchildren on the arisen. Her hand drifted to her stomach and she smiled to herself. She is not a normal mother and it is not her duty to worry so over Emma, Jane, and Frank though she could not help it.
She was not sure what to make of Mr Elton's obvious attachment to Emma. She had always respected the man as she would respect any man of the religion but she could not foresee her charge (and perhaps her favourite though she dare not think it let alone speak it) with a man who is as arrogant and blunt as Mr Elton. She needed someone either coolheaded and keep her grounded or someone just as light-hearted and fun as she was.
A small whisper of a thought of Emma and Frank had crossed her mind. They were so alike that they would be content in each other's company for days on end but she could not picture them without Jane sitting between them keeping the pair of them grounded.
She sighs and decides it was a subject best left alone. The three of them were so close to one another it would be impossible to imagine two without the third. It would take a person of great understanding and tolerance to marry one of those three and that was something Mr Elton certainly wasn't. There had been news of him marrying a rich heiress in Bath not long after he had attempted to pursue Emma.
She put down her book long giving up reading it and stares longingly at her cloak. It was not long till her husband returned for lunch and she could hardly wait for some company. She turned to stare at the window and admire the view while waiting for Mr Weston to ride back through the gates.
It was a lovely sunny day with flowers beginning to bloom and a mild breeze making the tree branches dance. A perfect spring day, hopefully it will mean tea in the garden with Emma and Jane this afternoon if Mr Woodhouse can part with them.
She smiles as she sees a horse appear at the gate but it quickly fades as she could not recognise the horse. She had never seen such a large dark beast unless it was Bessie and this was certainly not Mr Knightly's mare. She watches anxiously as the rider stops a few feet from the door and jumps down she strides towards the door and opens it herself as her curiosity was getting the better of her.
Who cared about propriety when there was a mystery involved? It was not as if her servants would not rescue her if she had screamed and her husband was mere minutes away from returning home.
She opens it and is immediately embraced.
"Hello Mother," Frank said cheerfully pulling away only to kiss her cheeks in greeting, "You have no idea how glad I am to not only to finally get to call you that but to see you after all those months."
"Oh Frank this is such a wonderful surprise!" Mrs Weston gushed. She could not wait to plan activities to spend time with her stepson and surely this meant Emma and Jane will take more time to visit as well!
There is a loud neighing sound as Humphrey (Mr Weston's favourite horse) trots along the drive way to the house. Frank turns around eagerly and Mrs Weston feels tears of joy in her eyes when she sees the ecstatic expression on her beloved husband's face.
Yes, she thinks to herself as she watches her husband and stepson embrace, we are going to be a very happy family, her hand briefly touches her stomach once more, all four of us.
EWEWEWEWEWEWEW
Emma had never seen Jane look so uncomfortable.
Even when they were ill with the pox (chicken not small, poor Father would have given himself a heart attack if they had that) Jane has never fidgeted so. She was tapping her foot ever so quietly while bumping her knee into Emma's in a constant rhythm while her fingers were playing with each other and her cheeks were rosy pink.
Despite this discomfort Jane never looked so alive. Her eyes glittered with excitement, pleasure, and sheer happiness that Emma did not think she could have attained such a feeling in her life. Jane's happiness and discomfort was all down to the one person sitting opposite Emma and Jane beside his father; Frank had come home at last, and the whole world was happier for it.
Emma turned to stare intently at her childhood friend while Miss Bates was almost waxing terrible poetry on the delights of having Frank home again. It appeared it was nothing but short of propriety that prevented the young man from jumping up and down in excitement of being home with his love. She thought that was rather sweet of the boy she often thought incapable of being romantic.
She grinned at him as Miss Bates continued to drone on and to her delight he grinned back and gave her a sly wink. His attention may be solely for Jane but that didn't mean he had forgotten her at all. Propriety meant they were no longer allowed to run to one another and embrace and it felt so weird (as it had done for the last couple years) to have Frank treat her as a lady and kiss her hand. She wanted a proper embrace of a sister and brother before he leaves again and she is sure that Jane would want a moment alone with her lover.
"We should sing a duet in the music room!" she cried out suddenly interrupting dear Miss Bates. She ignored Mrs Weston's chiding look and Jane's of disapproval while Miss Bates merely looked delighted. "Jane should play while Frank and I sing. Do not move I beg of you! We shall leave the doors open for you to listen."
"I do not think that is wise, Emma dear," Mr Woodhouse said nervously, "you might create such a draft and poor Frank might catch a chill just as he had come home at last."
"Nonsense Father, this is the warmest house in all of Highbury, we are all perfectly safe," Emma quickly reassured her father as she helped – forcibly pulled – Jane off the sofa and held her hand out to Frank who took it immediately. "We shall sing a favourite of yours." She then rushed out of the drawing room before anyone else could dare say something against their going to the music room. The moment they had turned round the corner she let go of her friends' arms and grinned at them. "Would you like me to turn my back?" she asked cheekily.
"Emma!" Jane's rosy cheeks flushed a brighter red as Frank let out a howl of laughter.
"Clever as always, Em," he said cheerily before he embraced Emma properly. "Oh how I missed you sister," he murmured quietly before pulling away. "Now turn your back I would like a moment of privacy with my fiancée."
"Frank!" Jane cried out rather despairingly (she always was the sensible one out of the three), "What if Mrs Weston or my aunt or Emma's father checks on us?"
"Then we must be quick and Emma will be our lookout, will you not Emma?"
"Of course," Emma said before taking her post and keeping her back to her friends.
"Frank," Jane said again only this time it was much softer and sweeter.
"Oh my love," Frank murmured, "how I have missed you."
There was a silence that made Emma want to turn back and see what they were doing. Were they gazing longingly into each other's eyes? Or were they embracing like brother and sister only far more intimate? Or perhaps they were merely holding hands and exchanging smiles and more longing looks.
A small soft sight from Jane filled the air and Emma felt her own cheeks heat up. Ah, it appears their exchange was far more intimate than she imagined it could be.
She privately hoped they will not always be like this. She could not bear having to witness them displaying their affection constantly, she had never enjoyed watching John and Isabella though she loved lording the fact she helped create the match to Mr Knightly. It would be so awkward if her two dearest friends were to forget her presence and act like lovers before her.
"Emma," Jane said suddenly in her soft voice, "we need to go to the music room before someone looks for us."
Emma turned to face them and grinned at their equally pink faces. She suspected Frank had already forgotten she was there and is now embarrassed while Jane is always embarrassed she could never bear the thought of the public let alone displaying her romantic affections to the public (well, more accurately, just Emma).
"They probably think the piano ate us," Frank joked causing the girls to laugh. They all remembered one of their childhood fears at the very young age of six. Now it seemed ridiculous but they had to have Mr Knightly and John prove to them that the piano was not dangerous before they would start their lessons.
Emma does hope that Miss Taylor, now Mrs Weston, got a rise for that incident. "I am sure they have yet to notice. Miss Bates is likely to be filling the silence with her droning and babbling right this second," she said to reassure her friends.
Frank laughed but Jane looked rather cross. "Emma!" Jane almost scolded.
Emma merely linked their arms and began to lead Jane into the music room. "Come now, Jane," she said, "You know I never mean to insult your aunt. I love her dearly I just cannot help but find her annoying."
EWEWEWEWEWEWEW
"It is nice to see Emma so happy again, is it not?"
Mr Knightly turned slightly to see Mrs Weston standing beside him in the town market. He had merely gone for a walk and to see how the farms products were selling as usual. He had not heard about Frank's return home and was therefore surprised to see Emma, Jane, and Frank walking round the market arm in arm. It certainly felt like déjà vu and if it had not been for the clothes and the physical changes of age Mr Knightly would have thought he had somehow managed to travel back in time.
"She has not been so very happy since I married," Mrs Weston continued after a moment of silence, "Jane's return and lessened the blow as did her friendship with Harriet Smith but it is Frank coming home at last that has made her so happy."
"Indeed," Mr Knightly agreed, "how long is Frank to be home for?"
"We do not know. It was all so sudden and spontaneous that we were not expecting it. It was a lovely surprise and did not put us out at all, in fact we have had a bedroom prepared for him since we have married," Mrs Weston said blissfully, "I suspect he will have to go when his aunt calls for him. She is not very well, unfortunately."
"It is good that he has finally made good on his promise to visit," Mr Knightly said as he began to walk alongside Mrs Weston. His eyes never left the three friends who were leaning in and whispering to one another. Thick as thieves, as always. "It has not been pleasant for either you and Mr Weston or Emma and Jane to go through disappointment after disappointment."
"Ah! Now that is hardly Frank's fault that he has a duty to his aunt that has kept him so far from us," Mrs Weston protested.
"I know the circumstances are out of his hands. Nonetheless you have all suffered disappointment, particularly during the Christmas holidays," Mr Knightly said calmly.
"I suppose so," Mrs Weston sighed. She glanced back over to the three friends, Jane was standing between them but Emma and Frank were leaning over her to whisper some sort of joke as they all laugh and look delighted. Emma's cheeks were so pink! She had never seen Emma blush so much. "Emma is more than pleased to see Frank again," she said suddenly to Mr Knightly. It was something Mr Weston and she had spoken about a little but the thought cannot leave her mind and she must tell someone who would not get overexcited over the idea. "She was constantly looking at him yesterday afternoon when we called at Hartfield and then she was very quick to suggest a duet between the two of them."
Mr Knightly looked startled. "Surely you are not implying that Emma has a romantic attachment to Frank? They are foster siblings!"
"Exactly, foster siblings, they have known each other their whole lives, they share a similar temperament, and they have so many things in common. I think they would be a very good match," Mrs Weston suppressed the urge to giggle as if she was one of Mrs Goddard's boarders. "And if she was to marry Frank it is not as if she has to change any of her embroidery. She would have the same initials as she did before matrimony. It is a nice little thought, do you not think so?"
It was so very odd that Mr Knightly did not comment. She had thought he would have at least scolded her for having such terrible thoughts while reminding her that she is Emma's elder and must set a better example if they wanted her to stop meddling with peoples' lives. However Mr Knightly acted as if he never heard her while his eyes were on the three friends he seemed completely lost in thought.
She had thought at the time he had instantly fallen ill he had turned so pale so quickly.
Surely the thought of Emma marrying Frank would be that terrible?