This was once again one of those times where Emma was grateful to have Jane and Frank in her life.
If she had been on her own, as she would if her father had never invited the Bates' and Mr Weston to live at Hartfield all those years ago, she would have never thought of spending an afternoon at the Coles'. Frank had wished to visit them for he wished to see everyone in Highbury and enjoy being home once more while Jane always held a fondness for those who were friends with her mother's family as well as desiring to spend time with her secret fiancée convinced Emma to join them.
For propriety's sake, of course, but Emma liked to think it was because they wanted her company as well.
Mrs Cole was cheerful and delighted to have them and Emma could not help but admire how grand their home was despite how they came across it. She was also taken in by Mrs Cole's warm demeanour which invoked a sense to tell everything to what she knew was a gossiper instead she carried on a conversation of the wonders of the Cole's large home.
"It is very beautiful, Mrs Cole," Emma said after a sip of tea, "Mr Weston is right," it felt so very odd to refer to Frank as Mr Weston for he was far too young for it. "You must hold a gathering here. There would not be a single person who would not enjoy their visit here."
"Oh Miss Woodhouse, you do flatter me so, Mr Cole and I do wish to hold a party here soon, what with all the new fittings to show but we are worried we cannot keep the room warm enough for your father, and we do wish for him to come, he is the kindest of our society."
Emma beamed at the praise for her father as well as the consideration the Coles were giving him. She was ever so glad Jane and Frank brought her here for if they did not she would have never known how kind and thoughtful the Coles are!
"Oh you are too kind! I shall be sure to persuade Father to accept any invitation you send," she cried out.
"And you must let us help you!" Frank jumped in. "I enjoy a good party and unfortunately there is so little opportunity here in Highbury for one. We must have music! Miss Fairfax, Miss Woodhouse, and I would be delighted to help entertain your guests. We will assist you in any shape or form in organising this party; you merely have to ask Madam!"
"Oh you are ever so kind, Mr Weston. You are so much like your dear father, he has always been kind as well," Mrs Cole said cheerfully and gratefully. "I appreciate any offer of assistance, thank you, thank you ever so much."
Jane gave the older woman a fond smile. "We would be delighted to help; it should be us thanking you for giving us an opportunity of great enjoyment."
Emma and Frank exchanged grins as Mrs Cole began expressing her gratitude once more. This was not only going to be great fun but highly amusing if poor Mrs Cole was going to thank them every moment.
EWEWEWEWEWEWEWEWEW
Mr Knightly had been used to never having a moment of Emma's time especially when Jane and Frank had returned home. After all with the little time they had together it was only wise to spend as much of it as they could together but he had usually been able to see Emma at least once in Jane's company now he rarely saw the girls at all. When he had come for his daily visit Emma was out with Jane and Frank, and when he went to visit Mrs Weston they were nowhere to be seen, and if he were to come in the evening Emma and Jane were far too busy practising to come out and talk.
He only had Emma's singing voice to keep him company these days which left him with vague dreams of her echoing voice far away that left him with a strange unpleasant lonely feeling that he could not understand. After all he had other friends to keep him company such as Mr Martin, Mr and Mrs Weston, Mr Woodhouse and the Bates', the Coles, and many more. He had friends from faraway places that he could write to if he had felt the need to, and friends nearby that he had not visited in months. In fact if he so desired to he could go to London for a visit if he was so lonely. And yet he could bare the idea of leaving Highbury at this moment in time.
He could not fault Emma for being so distant with him. After all she was busy helping Mrs Cole hold a party for almost the whole of Highbury which he could not help but be proud of. He is sure that without Jane's steady sensible influence and Frank's cheerful non-discriminating one Emma would not be so happy to assist the tradesman's wife.
And yet he had a strange urge to demand her attention. For some odd reason ever since Mrs Weston suggested the idea of her stepson wanting to court Emma he had been filled with a slow destructive dread that seems to eat away at his own insides. He would go to Mr Perry if it was not the fact he felt rather silly.
The party could not come soon enough and when it did it had was the spectacular evening he had expected it to be.
The drinks and food had been good, the conversation was the usual but fringed with more excitement as everyone was dressed in their best, Mrs Cole was glowing with excitement as was her husband, and Frank, Emma, and Jane were centre of the attention with their talented voices and music skills.
Mr Knightly had been in conversation with Mr Cole when he noticed Frank talking to Emma in a corner alone. There was some sort of secrecy between them as they were far from Jane and talking close together for it to be considered proper. Mr Knightly could not see Frank's face but he could see Emma shaking her head and laughing at the same time, he could not tell what they were discussing but for all he knows it could be a flirtation as Mrs Weston had hinted there might be.
As they sat to listen to Jane's piano forte, accompanied by Frank's and Emma's voices creating a delightful duet, Mrs Weston leaned towards him to speak in an excited whisper. "Do they not look marvellous together?"
"The three of them have always worked well as a team," Mr Knightly murmured as one song ended and Emma and Jane swapped places so Emma could rest her voice for a moment.
"I had meant Frank and Emma, do they not sing well together? Do they not look wonderful standing side by side?" Mrs Weston whispered excitedly. "I cannot help but think they would make a wonderful pair together and Frank has certainly suggested the idea no more than a week ago."
"I doubt he did," Mr Knightly whispered back hoping his friend would quieten and he could concentrate on Emma's playing.
"He did! He had asked if it would be a terrible thing if his feelings for a friend had changed for something more! He must have meant Emma!"
"He could have easily meant Jane," Mr Knightly pointed out, "You are jumping to conclusions, Mrs Weston, and I can now understand where Emma got her stubborn desire of matchmaking from."
"Oh!" Mrs Weston let out a quiet noise of irritation. "I can understand why Emma argues with you so often! Just watch them Mr Knightly and you will understand what I am talking about."
Mr Knightly did watch them and he would argue with Mrs Weston that there was nothing to see later on that evening.
But the image of Emma leaning in close to Frank before shaking her head and laughing will haunt his dreams that night.
EWEWEWEWEWEWEWEW
"What were you and Frank talking about earlier this evening?"
Emma pulled down her nightdress and turned to look at Jane who was avoiding her gaze by staring intently down at one of the blanket thrown over the bed. It had been a terribly exciting night with lots of singing and music, Emma felt it had been a success for the Coles and hoped for another party soon, and now they were both tried and ready for bed when Jane suddenly springs this question on her. She hoped her dear friend was not worried about anything or even doubting Frank's affections for her.
"You, dear Jane, we were talking about you," she said cheerfully as she picked up her brush and indicated Jane to turn so she could brush Jane's hair.
"Were you discussing my faults?" Jane asked.
Emma grimaced at the question she was sure Jane was trying to make a joke but it sounded like a weak effort in an attempt to disguise a true worry. She brushed Jane's hair in an attempt to soothe her nerves somewhat.
"We were discussing what sort of gift Frank should buy you actually," she said after a moment's silence. "Frank wanted to buy you a great big piano."
"Oh no!" Jane cried out rather horrified. "He did not!"
"He did too! He wanted you to have your own instrument to play with! Fortunately I talked him out of it, I told him he should wait until you are married and have your own household before he brought something so large."
"Oh thank you Emma, I cannot think what sort of talk a piano would cause!"
"Well then you have nothing to worry about on that account. I did however manage to talk Frank into buying you some jewellery."
"Oh Emma, you did not!"
"I did too! And he will, he wants to shower you in gifts to show his affection since he cannot marry you straight away, I think it is rather romantic."
"I do not deserve such gifts," Jane said shaking her head and causing Emma to almost scratch her ear with the hairbrush. "I would much rather he saved his money for something more important."
"Oh Jane, you silly girl!" Emma cried out exasperated as she embraced Jane from behind. The hairbrush was carelessly thrown onto the bed. "You are important! And more importantly you are important to him and he wants to make a little gesture to tell you that."
"Yes I suppose you are right, as always," Jane said and Emma grinned against her friend's shoulder as she heard that tone that Mr Knightly uses almost all the time. That 'do not allow this to go to your head, Emma' tone in which she usually replied with an innocent smile. "It is just that...I do not know if I am what he's looking for. We are not equals Emma."
"No you are not," Emma agreed, "for you are worth so much more than Frank Weston could ever dream of and he knows it. That's why I was able to talk him into buying nothing less than sapphires or rubies for you."
"Emma!"
Emma laughed delightedly as she was knocked back by Jane's elbow. They soon commenced a childish fight with the pillows once again and Emma could not help but think this is how it should be always.
She did not want to think of the implications of Frank and Jane marrying would have on her just yet.
EWEWEWEWEWEWEWEW
Of course the fun could not last.
Emma had for one moment that it would. The very next day after the Cole's party Frank had suggested they should throw a ball so they could all dance and the Westons' had been very amiable about it as they agreed to host it (though it had to be at The Crown and not at The Randall's due to the lack of space) and they have allowed Jane and Emma to have a large input on what sort of decorations, music, and food as well as who should be invited.
Unfortunately within days of beginning to plan Frank was called back to his ailing aunt's side and the ball was put on hold. Jane was so distraught that she could not spend more time with Frank not even his arrival for a farewell accompanied with a small box that contained beautiful sapphire earrings for Jane could cheer her up.
Emma had once again secured them privacy on the edge of Hartfield so they can have a somewhat intimate goodbye (she tried desperately not to blush when she once again heard them kiss) and she was only slightly surprised at the sight of Jane in tears. The surprise was that Jane had never been the type to cry at least not so publicly (or, to be accurate, in front of Frank) but then to be parted from her love even if it is just for a few weeks is more than one can bear.
To give Jane some time to compose herself Emma walked Frank towards the road. "Oh Frank you look so miserable!" she said sadly.
"I feel miserable Emma, why did I wait? Why did I just not tell the whole world my feeling for Jane? I hate being away from her, Emma; it is as if someone has taken a dagger to my heart. Then when the pain fades there is only this emptiness that can never be filled until I am reunited with her."
"Oh Frank!"
There was very little Emma could do but embrace her dear friend tightly and give him what little comfort she could give before he left them for who knows how long. She felt him cling to her tightly as if he could drown his sorrows into her.
"You are my greatest comfort sometimes," he said, "my dearest and best friend."
Eventually they pulled apart and Frank kissed her hand goodbye as cheekily as possible but Emma knew he was still heartbroken at having to leave once again. She stood there watching unaware that the entire moment had been witnessed by someone else...
...Mr Knightly had turned to walk away the moment he saw Emma and Frank locked in an embrace. He cannot explain why it had bothered him so but he had a distinct feeling that someone had rudely punched him in the gut and an irrational urge to do the same to young Frank Weston.
It was then when he came to gut wrenching realisation that he was in love with Emma Woodhouse and had only just lost her to another man.