Unexpected Friends & Relations

by Jayne Bamber

  Rebecca remained wary of Mr. Knightley, who dined with them for several evenings, as he had offered the services of his own cook from Donwell Abbey to stand in for the cook that had been dismissed from Hartfield on the day of Rebecca and Mary’s arrival. It seemed a most convenient offer on his part, for it secured him a place at his brother’s table for several days, where he might keep an eye on the earliest progress of Rebecca’s visit.

  She really knew not what to think of Mr. Knightley – she preferred to harbor the bitter sentiments he had aroused in her from the first night of their meeting, when he had been less than favorably disposed to her devious impulses. And yet, how entirely different he had presented himself the day he had called at Darcy House in London. He had very kindly broken the news to her of Isabella’s death, with such a degree of gentle compassion that Rebecca hardly knew how to regard him. He was certainly all kindness and affability on his daily visits to Hartfield, and as Rebecca could not make up her mind what to make of the man, she decided it was simply easier to ignore him.

  She accepted his congratulations upon securing replacements for the seditious cook and housekeeper that her cousin John was obliged to discharge, a feat easily accomplished in only a few days’ time, before John himself had even taken the trouble of putting some notice in the papers. Beyond that, she was determined to pay Mr. Knightley little heed. Her attention must all be for Emma, whose desire for amusement and female friendship was both endearing and eminently flattering.

  One morning, about a week after her arrival, Mary happened to mention at breakfast that Miss Jane Fairfax, niece of the voluble Miss Bates, had the intention of taking a position as a governess that summer. Thinking it odd that Miss Fairfax should desire to wait, rather than acting upon her resolution as soon as her mind was made up, Rebecca saw an opportunity to make herself useful once more.

  She could hardly lift Emma’s spirits with such daily amusements as must occupy the time of young ladies of their station, while Emma was constantly beleaguered by her niece and nephews. No, a governess must be found directly, and it seemed she had found just the one.

  Emma protested as they set out for the village, and as they had set out on foot, these lamentations might have occupied a full half-hour of their day, but Rebecca would brook no opposition once her mind was made up on the matter.

  “I cannot like Jane Fairfax,” Emma insisted.

  “I do not see how you could like her, as you cannot possibly know her,” Rebecca quipped. “Mary informs me that Miss Bates told her that Miss Fairfax was often traveling with her friends, the Campbells. I daresay you have not had the opportunity to come to know her better. I cannot help but think that she must be a rather tragic figure, an orphan dependent on the kindness of strangers, and I have always been rather fond of such downtrodden figures. At any rate, I am hardly suggesting you become her bosom companion now. If she accepts the position of governess, she will occupy her days with your niece and nephews, not you. And really, it would be the greatest kindness she would be doing you, for then you shall be free to play with me.” Rebecca gave her cousin a devilish smirk.

  “I am sure I should like that,” Emma acknowledged cheerfully. “Only I cannot bear the idea of Jane Fairfax in the same house as me, doing everything so much better than myself, as she has always done.”

  “Jane Fairfax, better than you? Whatever can you mean?”

  Emma tipped her head back and gave a loud groan of frustration. “That is how it has always been. Even though she went away so very long ago, her every move has been catalogued and reported back to us all by Miss Bates, who thinks her niece the most profound genius. How absolutely perfect Jane is, she informs us, at pianoforte, at singing and dancing, reading a hundred books, learning French and Italian!” Emma paused, huffed loudly, and screwed up her face. “I am sure it is very sad that Miss Fairfax should be an orphan, but really, I find it very hard to feel pity for her when she is constantly pronounced to be such an expert at everything!”

  “Yes, I am sure that has been quite an arduous trial,” Rebecca drawled.

  “Well, it is,” Emma insisted, gesturing wildly, but she soon began to laugh at her own ridiculousness. “Mrs. Weston has often told me that I ought to be kinder to Jane, when she does visit, but she is so very shy. So reserved! I can only imagine it is because she thinks herself so superior.”

  “Oh yes, I suppose it could not possibly be the great disparity in your stations,” Rebecca quipped. “Yes indeed, far more likely that a penniless orphan thinks herself above the company of the foremost lady in the neighborhood.”

  Emma laughed again. “You are a wicked creature, Cousin Rebecca.”

  “I certainly cannot have you think Mr. Knightley a liar,” Rebecca teased.

  “He does not think so ill of you, I am sure of it,” Emma assured her. “He is only a little stern with everybody, you know. He speaks up for what is right, always. I rather admire that about him, or at least I have done, most of the time. Of course, there have been times when his determination to do the right thing has been rather unpleasant.”

  “At times such as these,” Rebecca interjected, “I daresay we should do our best to disoblige him. I am sure he would be disappointed indeed if he could find nothing in us to criticize. Mustn’t let him grow desperate!”

  “I wonder what he will say about our little errand today,” Emma mused.

  Rebecca made a very droll face. “He will disapprove of it, of course, though if I did not think of the idea, I am sure he would have alighted upon it himself ere long, and been very well pleased with himself for devising the scheme.”

  Emma chortled. “What a shocking thing to say – but yes, you must be right. He will be very angry with us that he did not think of such a thing himself!”

  “And yet, perhaps you will agree with him when he does disapprove, since you are so opposed to the plan yourself. Tell me truly, can you be quite comfortable with Jane Fairfax coming to Hartfield to look after the children?”

  “If it means more days like this, spent in pleasant adult company, I shall reconcile myself to the plan very easily, in no time at all.”

  “I only hope Miss Bates does not object,” Rebecca said. “I had not much time to take her measure, when first we met, though I am surprised she has not come back to call at Hartfield this last week.”

  “We have Mrs. Weston to thank for that,” Emma replied. “She told me yesterday that she dropped a few not-so-subtle hints to Miss Bates that you and Mary required a little time to settle in at Hartfield, and grow better acquainted with me. It was very good of her to say such a thing, and knowing Mrs. Weston as I do, I daresay she handled it with more tact than I ever could have done.”

  “It was very good of her,” Rebecca agreed. “Oh Emma, I do adore your Mrs. Weston. What a treasure! Had I a governess such as she, I might very well be as amiable as yourself, rather than a villainous harpy, bent on plaguing you with my mischief!”

  Emma giggled. “Poor Mr. Knightley, shall you ever forgive him?”

  “He must beg forgiveness on bended knee,” Rebecca quipped, laughing at her own absurdity.

  Emma, snickering still, suddenly reached out to squeeze Rebecca’s hand. “Cousin, I am ever so glad you are here. I do not think I have laughed so much in many months!”

  “Oh my, I had no idea I would be any good at cheering you up. I suppose I was only angry at Mr. Knightley because I rather feared him to be correct, that I would be of little use to you at such a time, or that I might perhaps frighten you with my wickedness.”

  Emma smirked and narrowed her eyes at Rebecca. “I think you wish to be perceived as much worse than you actually are, you know. It is rather nonsensical of you, to actively wish to be so maligned, when really you are one of the most pleasant and agreeable people I have ever met.”

  Rebecca actually felt herself blush. “Thank you – that is very kind. I am glad you think so, but certainly you must never tell anyone that I am capable of inspiring such sentiment. I
should much prefer the reputation of a black-hearted malefactress!”

  “But why,” Emma cried, sputtering with laughter once more.

  The answer was not so simple; Rebecca was by no means disposed to bear her soul to anybody, not even a cousin she had quickly become fond of. “Suffice it to say, it makes my life easier. I needn’t fear my father marrying me off to some odious crony of his, and certainly there have been many times when it has been most convenient to inspire fear and intimidation. In fact, remind me to tell you someday of how I once amused myself by proposing to my cousin Darcy, merely for the purpose of frightening him out of his wits. It is rather one of my favorite stories.”

  “Your cousin Darcy, he is the one who is married to Mary’s sister?”

  “Yes, the very same. Darcy and Lizzy, now there is a love story for the ages, but I daresay I could not have brought it about so easily, were it not for my aptitude for domination.”

  After laughing at Rebecca’s nonsense, Emma fixed her with a curious smile. “So you like to play matchmaker? It is yet another similarity between us, I think. I made the match between Mr. and Mrs. Weston, you know. Oh, Mr. Knightley likes to discredit me, but really, if I had not helped them on, they might only just be wed, or still courting. I took the liberty of giving them a few nudges in the right direction.”

  “And yet, in doing so, you deprived yourself of a very dear companion,” Rebecca said thoughtfully.

  “Well, Randalls is not half a mile from Hartfield – she has come to visit us nearly every day since her marriage, though at times it has seemed not enough. And yet, she is so very happy, and so I cannot regret it.”

  “I can only hope I am not too disappointing a substitute for companionship,” Rebecca replied.

  “Certainly not,” Emma cried. “Your coming with Mary certainly makes it easier for me to be happy for Mrs. Weston, and Harriet, too. Indeed, your presence might even make Jane Fairfax as governess bearable!”

  “Well, let us hope she accepts,” Rebecca said. They had arrived in the village, and Emma led them toward the rather small, barely respectable dwelling in which Miss Bates, her invalid mother, and her niece Jane Fairfax resided.

  Miss Bates fluttered about with a great deal of excitement as she led them into her poky little parlor. She made a great fuss over introducing them to her mother, an ancient woman composed entirely of wrinkles, who squinted through her spectacles at Emma and Rebecca as they took seats on the sofa beside Miss Fairfax.

  “Dear Jane has just been reading a letter out to us from her friend Miss Campbell. Colonel Campbell’s wife, with whom Jane has always been traveling these many years, is from Sussex, and they have been in Sanditon for five months at least, I think, and that is where Miss Campbell met her intended, Mr. Dixon. Mr. Dixon is from Ireland, and the Campbells mean to travel there with him after the wedding, and are urging Jane to go with them, but she says she will not, is that not right, Jane?”

  Miss Fairfax flushed with embarrassment, and looked as though she might finally speak up for herself, but she had not the opportunity.

  “I certainly think you should go,” Miss Bates continued. “I am sure the Campbells must be vastly disappointed if you do not go to Baly-craig – such a beautiful place, I fancy. Jane has heard a great deal of its beauty from Mr. Dixon – that is, it was very natural, you know, that he should like to speak of his own place while he was paying his addresses to Miss Campbell, and as Jane used to be very often walking out with them – for Colonel and Mrs. Campbell were very particular about their daughter not walking out often with only Mr. Dixon, for which I do not at all blame them; of course she heard everything he might be telling Miss Campbell about his own home in Ireland, and I think she wrote us that he had shown them some drawings of the place, views that he had taken himself. He is a most amiable, charming young man, I believe. Jane was quite longing to go to Ireland, from his account of things, but now I think she would rather stay with us. Poor Miss Campbell and Mr. Dixon, I think they will be very disappointed, and I would not have Mr. Dixon think you ungrateful, after his great service to you in Sanditon.”

  “Service,” Emma cried.

  At the same moment, Rebecca repeated, “Sanditon?”

  “Oh yes,” Miss Bates cried. “Jane and the Campbells joined a boating party on the water, and she, by the sudden whirling round of something or other among the sails, would have been dashed into the sea at once, and actually was all but gone, if Mr. Dixon had not, with the greatest presence of mind, caught hold of her habit… I can never think of it without trembling! But ever since we had the history of that day, I have been so fond of Mr. Dixon!”

  “My goodness,” Emma replied, and presently turned to address Miss Fairfax directly. “I begin to suppose why you would not wish to travel to Ireland, if it means getting on another boat!”

  “Oh no – that is not it at all,” Miss Fairfax said shyly, and Rebecca began to see why her cousin Emma should be so vexed with the young lady’s reserve. How could it be possible for anyone related to Miss Bates to be so very reticent?

  “I am sure you must find it very dull to be back here in Highbury,” Emma replied, “after so many months at the seaside. How I long to see it! I have never been to the sea, you know – it quite fills me with envy!”

  Smirking to herself, Rebecca interjected. “It is certainly a subject of no little curiosity to myself, but I happen to have heard of Sanditon, though I understand it is still an up-and-coming little place. I made the acquaintance of your friend Colonel Campbell, I think, for such a man was introduced to me not six weeks ago, by the foremost man of Sanditon himself, Sidney Parker. Are you at all acquainted with Mr. Parker?”

  Here Miss Fairfax blushed even deeper as she owned that she was a little acquainted with him, as he was often visiting both Colonel Campbell and Mr. Dixon. “How unlikely it seems,” she said timidly, “that you should have met in London! Only think, they were little more than a week in the capital, and made your acquaintance, and then you came here and met me.”

  “In fact, my acquaintance with Mr. Sidney Parker is of somewhat longer duration,” Rebecca continued. “We met at a ball last September, and he regaled us with many fine descriptions of the famous Sanditon. I believe my cousin Georgiana now shares Emma’s desire to see it all for herself. But I understand he left London last October, and has been these last five months in Sanditon, just as you have – no doubt your acquaintance with him must exceed my own. Such an interesting character, is he not?”

  “Oh yes,” Emma cried, “is he half as charming as Mr. Dixon?”

  “I found the society in Sanditon generally quite pleasing,” Miss Fairfax replied. “I enjoyed my stay there very much, but I am just as happy to be where I am now, at home in Highbury.”

  Emma and Rebecca exchanged a glance of disappointment at Miss Fairfax’s dull reply, for it contained very little to interest them. Rebecca was eager to discuss Mr. Parker at some length, though she supposed that perhaps it was best they did not, as Miss Fairfax might yet become a servant in the same household in which she resided.

  She was moved to approach the topic which had brought her and Emma thither. “And yet, I hear you are not long for Highbury – Mary informs me you mean to seek out a position as a governess.”

  “Yes,” Miss Fairfax replied. “I shall delay it until the summer, I think.”

  “I suppose it cannot be put off much longer than that,” Miss Bates began to lament. “I am certain the Campbells would keep Jane with them forever if they could; really, I do not see why they should not, or perhaps Jane might find work here in the village will not hear of it. She insists that she shall seek out a position in just a few months’ time, no later than summer’s end. But at least we have her here with us now, and must make the best of our time together before she has to go away. I only hope we can find her a good position, one not too far away, and perhaps with kindly people who will let her come and visit us very often.”

  Rebecca smiled. “What if she we
re to find a position right here in Highbury? Would its taking place earlier than summer not be offset by the very great convenience of having Jane settled at such an easy distance from you?”

  “Why, I cannot think of how such a thing would be possible, indeed I cannot,” Miss Bates replied, but Rebecca could see some degree of understanding in Miss Fairfax’s countenance.

  “We are speaking of Hartfield, of course,” Emma said encouragingly. “As you may recall, John was obliged to replace the nanny last week, and though it has only been a few days since he put an advertisement in the paper, I believe we cannot wait much longer to fill the position. Only think of how perfect it is, that Miss Fairfax should come to Hartfield and be a governess to all the little Knightleys!”

  “Oh my goodness,” Miss Bates cried, fluttering with excitement. “But of course, I daresay I should have thought of it sooner, silly me! Oh yes, I can think of nothing more perfect, nothing more desirable, indeed. Oh, Jane, I wonder you did not have such a thought, for you are such a clever girl, and you arrived the very same morning Mr. John Knightley was obliged to dismiss the nanny. It seems like fate!”

  “I – I had meant to wait until summer,” Miss Fairfax stammered.

  “But Jane,” Miss Bates replied, “they may not have a position available come summer. It is very unfortunate Mr. John Knightley should have such bad luck in retaining the services of a governess, but perhaps they should find a new one, who decides to remain for many years – then you shall have to go away, far, far away I am sure, and I shall never see you!”

  “I do not know that we shall find a suitable replacement very soon,” Emma said carefully, “but it is possible that once one is found, she might stay so long as to necessitate that Miss Fairfax must seek work elsewhere, come summer.”

  “Indeed,” Rebecca agreed. “There is no certainty regarding what the future may hold. However, there is an opportunity now. What say you, Miss Fairfax?”