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Lord or Commoner； was so little disposed to favour Tom
Musgrave himself； that she had considerable satisfaction in
avowing her prior Engagement。—He was evidently surprised and
discomposed。—The stile of her last partner had probably led him
to believe her not overpowered with applications。—‘My little
friend Charles Blake；’ he cried； ‘must not expect to engross you
the whole evening。 We can never suffer this—It is against the rules
of the Assembly—and I am sure it will never be patronised by our
good friend here Mrs。 E。； She is by much too nice a judge of
Decorum to give her license to such a dangerous Particularity。’—‘I
am not going to dance with Master Blake Sir。’ The Gentleman a
little disconcerted； could only hope he might be more fortunate
another time—and seeming unwilling to leave her； tho’ his friend
Lord Osborne was waiting in the Doorway for the result； as Emma
with some amusement perceived—he began to make civil
enquiries after her family。—‘How comes it； that we have not the
pleasure of seeing your Sisters here this Evening？—Our
Assemblies have been used to be so well treated by them； that we
do not know how to take this neglect。’—‘My eldest Sister is the
only one at home—and she could not leave my Father。’—‘Miss
Watson the only one at home！—You astonish me！—It seems but
the day before yesterday that I saw them all three in this Town。
But I am afraid I have been a very sad neighbour of late。 I hear
dreadful complaints of my negligence wherever I go； and I confess
it is a shameful length of time since I was at Stanton。—But I shall
now endeavour to make myself amends for the past。’—Emma’s
calm curtsey in reply must have struck him as very unlike the
encouraging warmth he had been used to receive from her Sisters；
and gave him probably the novel sensation of doubting his own
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influence； and of wishing for more attention than she bestowed。
The dancing now recommenced； Miss Carr being impatient to call；
everybody was required to stand up—and Tom Musgrave’s
curiosity was appeased； on seeing Mr。 Howard come forward and
claim Emma’s hand—‘That will do as well for me’—was Lord
Osborne’s remark； when his friend carried him the news—and he
was continually at Howard’s Elbow during the two dances。—The
frequency of his appearance there； was the only unpleasant part of
her engagement； the only objection she could make to Mr。
Howard。—In himself； she thought him as agreable as he looked；
tho’ chatting on the commonest topics he had a sensible；
unaffected； way of expressing himself； which made them all worth
hearing； and she only regretted that he had not been able to make
his pupil’s Manners as unexceptionable as his own。—The two
dances seemed very short； and she had her partner’s authority for
considering them so。—At their conclusion the Osbornes and their
Train were all on the move。 ‘We are off at last；’ said his Lordship
to Tom—‘How much longer do you stay in this Heavenly place？—
till Sunrise？’—‘No faith！ my Lord； I have had quite enough of it。 I
assure you—I shall not shew myself here again when I have had
the honour of attending Lady Osborne to her Carriage。 I shall
retreat in as much secrecy as possible to the most remote corner of
the House； where I shall order a Barrel of Oysters； and be
famously snug。’ ‘Let us see you soon at the Castle； and bring me
word how she looks by daylight。’—Emma and Mrs。 Blake parted
as old acquaintance； and Charles shook her by the hand and
wished her ‘goodbye’ at least a dozen times。 From Miss Osborne
and Miss Carr she received something like a jerking curtsey as
they passed her； even Lady Osborne gave her a look of
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complacency—and his Lordship actually came back。 after the
others were out of the room； to ‘beg her pardon’； and look in the
window seat behind her for the gloves which were visibly
compressed in his hand。
As Tom Musgrave was seen no more； we may suppose his plan
to have succeeded； and imagine him mortifying with his Barrel of
Oysters； in dreary solitude—or gladly assisting the Landlady in
her Bar to make fresh Negus for the happy Dancers above。 Emma
could not help missing the party； by whom she had been； tho’ in
some respects unpleasantly； distinguished； and the two Dances
which followed and concluded the Ball； were rather flat； in
comparison with the others。—Mr。 E。 having play’d with good luck；
they were some of the last in the room。—‘Here we are； back again
I declare’—said Emma sorrowfully； as she walked into the Dining
room； where the Table was prepared； and the neat Upper maid
was lighting the Candles—‘My dear Miss Edwardes—how soon it
is at an end！—I wish it could all come over again！’ A great deal of
kind pleasure was expressed in her having enjoyed the Evening so
much—and Mr。 Edwardes was as warm as herself； in praise of the
fullness； brilliancy and Spirit of the Meeting； tho’ as he had been
fixed the whole time at the same Table in the same Room； with
only one change of chairs； it might have seemed a matter scarcely
perceived。
But he had won four rubbers out of five； and everything went
well。 His daughter felt the advantage of this gratified state of mind；
in the course of the remarks and retrospections which now
ensued； over the welcome soup。—‘How came you not to dance
with either of the Mr。 Tomlinsons； Mary？’—said her Mother。 ‘I was
always engaged when they asked me。’ ‘I thought you were to have
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stood up with Mr。 James； the last two dances； Mrs。 Tomlinson told
me he was gone to ask you—and I had heard you say two minutes
before that you were not engaged。’—‘Yes—but—there was a
mistake—I had misunderstood—I did not know I was engaged。—I
thought it had been for the two Dances after； if we staid so long—
but Captain Hunter assured me it was for those very Two。’
‘So； you ended with Captain Hunter Mary； did you？’ said her
Father。 ‘And who did you begin with？’ ‘Captain Hunter。’ was
repeated； in a very humble tone—‘Hum！—That is being constant
however。 But who else did you dance with？’ ‘Mr。 Norton； and Mr。
Styles。’ ‘And who are they？’ ‘Mr。 Norton is a Cousin of Captain
Hunter’s。’—‘And who is Mr。 Styles？’ ‘One of his particular
friends。’—‘All in the same Regiment’ added Mrs。 E。—‘Mary was
surrounded by Red coats the whole Evening。 I should have been
better pleased to see her dancing with some of our old Neighbours
I confess。’ ‘Yes； yes； we must not neglect our old Neighbours。 But
if these soldiers are quicker than other people in a Ball…room；
what are young Ladies to do？’ ‘I think there is no occasion for
their engaging themselves so many Dances beforehand； Mr。
Edwards。’—‘No—perhaps not—but I remember my dear when
you and I did the same。’—Mrs。 E。 said no more； and Mary
breathed again。—A great deal of goodhumoured pleasantry
followed—and Emma went to bed in charming Spirits； her head
full of Osbornes； Blakes and Howards。
The next morning brought a great many visitors。 It was the way