I did not want to catch them too soon, however, as the incident had had an unexpected, but very welcome, consequence. When I went to Hartfield this evening, Mr. Woodhouse was so perturbed by the thought of the robberies that he could talk of nothing else.
"Mrs. Cole has had a dozen hens taken," he said. "And there have been turkeys taken from Abbey Mill Farm. Mrs. Goddard was telling me about it only this morning. She had it from poor Miss Smith" - he has still not learnt to call her Mrs. Martin - "who visited her to say she was sorry she could not take her a turkey, as they had been stolen. I am afraid the thieves will come here next, and once they have taken our chickens, what will they do?"
"There is nothing to worry about, Papa. The poultry-yard is a long way from the house."
"You do not know these people, Emma. They will break the windows and steal the silver, I am sure of it," he said.
"We have John to protect us," said Emma soothingly.
"But he cannot stay for ever," said Mr. Woodhouse. "He has to be in London in November."
We could not have wished for a better opening.
"If Mr. Knightley were in the house, Papa, we would be safe. It was what we arranged, you know, that Mr. Knightley would come and live here once we are married."
"Oh, yes, so it was," he said in relief. "A very good plan. The wedding is to be in October, I think you said, Emma, my dear?"
"Yes, Papa," said Emma, with a smile at me.
"October the eighth was the date decided on," I said decisively, so that there would be no more arguments.
"Well, my dear, I am sure it cannot come soon enough for me," said Mr. Woodhouse. "I will not sleep easy in my bed until Mr. Knightley is here with us at Hartfield."
Thursday 30 September
Now that a date has been set for our marriage, it is the main topic of conversation in Highbury. I admired Emma’s fortitude this evening when we dined with the Westons, and the Eltons, too, were there.
I wondered how they would take the news. Elton said little, but Mrs. Elton quickly made up for his deficiencies.
"My dear Emma, what is this I hear? You are to be married, and to Mr. Knightley? You sad girl, how could you not tell me of it? I am quite put out. Selina will stare when she knows how sly you have been."
Emma was too happy to pay much attention, but Mrs. Elton went on: "Selina is to pay us a visit. We will tell you how to go on. Two married ladies, you know!"
"I cannot put you to the trouble..."
"My dear Emma, it is no trouble, no trouble at all," said Mrs. Elton gaily. "I flatter myself I am an old hand."
"I need very little..."
"My dear Emma, you need say no more. Simplicity shall be our watchword. Satin there must be, and lace veils; we will make you the most beautiful bride. But hush, here comes Knightley," she said as I approached, though she had whispered so loud I had heard every word. "The menfolk know nothing of dresses. My caro sposo declared himself mystified by all the talk of satin and lace."
I rescued Emma, and Mrs. Weston kindly distracted Mrs. Elton, who, apart from occasional references to pomp and feast and revelry and Hymen’s saffron robes, was persuaded to talk of other things, until she discovered we are to marry next week.
"But Selina will not be here! She does not come to us until November. How she will stare when I tell her. There is not time to arrange everything in a week."
"Simplicity is our watchword," Emma reminded her, but Mrs. Elton was still exclaiming over it when she and Elton set out for home.
October
Friday 8 October
Today, Emma and I were married. I had the satisfaction of knowing I was marrying the best woman in the world, because she is the only woman for me. I have seen few sights better than the sight of Emma walking into the church on her father’s arm. Elton performed the ceremony and, if he remembered that he had once hoped to marry Emma himself, he gave no sign of it.
As we made our vows, I had the pleasure of hearing Emma call me George. She seemed to like it, too, for she called me George again at our wedding-breakfast, and I do not despair of her calling me George as a general thing.
Isabella and Mrs. Weston argued over whether Emma’s first child would be a boy or a girl, Isabella pressing the merits of a boy as firstborn, and Mrs. Weston pressing the merits of a girl.
"Whatever the case, Emma will be a very happy woman," said John. "Will she not?" he asked Mr. Woodhouse.
Mr. Woodhouse looked up from his gruel and sighed.
"Poor Emma!" he said.