The Trouble With Emma by Katie Oliver

motion.
    Which meant, Emma realised with sudden dismay, that as a writer and associate producer, Mark Knightley would surely be spending time at Litchfield Manor as well.
    “Come along, Elton,” she said now, sharply. “We’ve a ways to go to reach Cleremont. Chop chop!”
    He trotted obediently alongside her as she strode towards the Darcys’ stately home, its chimneys rising against the distant sky like sentinels.
    Emma quickened her pace and told herself she wouldn’t let Knightley’s presence bother her one jot.
I’ll go about my business and he can jolly well go about his
.
    “We’ll just have to make more of an effort, you and I,” she informed the dog, “not to smell of the barnyard when Mr Knightley’s around.”
    Elton barked, and Emma laughed.
    ***
    “Miss Bennet, what a pleasant surprise.”
    Lady Darcy and Lady de Byrne, Hugh’s godmother, looked up from their seats at the table on the terrace as Emma climbed the steps with Elton.
    “Good morning,” she said, and paused to catch her breath. “I was taking Elton for a walk and I saw you both. How are you?”
    As they caught up on all the news, Lady Darcy smiled. “I expect you want to see Lizzy. She and Hugh went for a walk in the rose garden.”
    As if on cue, the pair strolled up the path, arm in arm, to the terrace. “Em!” Lizzy said, and rushed forward to hug her sister. She glanced down at the dog and back at Emma. “Don’t tell me you
walked
the entire way? No wonder you stay so slim. I, on the other hand,” she added as she turned to Hugh with a sigh, “gained five bloody pounds in the last two weeks.”
    “That’s to be expected on your honeymoon.” Emma joined the others at the table as Hugh excused himself and left them to it. “I’m here because I was thrown out of the house. Daddy and Martine are in a baking frenzy and tempers are a little frayed.”
    “Poor dad, always in the kitchen making those scones of his,” Lizzy said, and accepted the lemonade Higgins brought her with a smile. “Has he improved at all?”
    “He has, actually.” Emma thanked the butler as he set a glass of lemonade in front of her and brought a dish of water for Elton. “He’s done very well…except for those thyme and lemon scones that landed poor Miss Hornsby in hospital.”
    “Araminta!” Lizzy said, and laughed. “Is he still seeing her?”
    “No, things ended rather abruptly after the scone incident. They’re just friends.”
    “Ah, yes, Araminta, the church organist,” Lady de Byrne murmured. She took a sip of her tea before returning the cup to its saucer with a deliberate motion. “She didn’t last much longer than I did. But then,” she added, “I do believe your father is reluctant to get too involved with anyone just yet.”
    “Understandably so,” Lady Darcy agreed. “Mrs Bennet was a lovely woman and we all miss her terribly.” She reached out and patted Emma’s hand. “Still…I’m surprised no one has caught Mr Bennet’s fancy yet,” she added. “There’s no shortage of unattached widows hereabouts.”
    “Oh, he’s had offers,” Emma said, and shrugged. “But daddy likes his life as it is and is in no hurry to change it.”
    “Why should he be?” Lady de Byrne observed. “After all, he has you still at home to run the household and keep his life ticking along smoothly.”
    “I don’t mind.” Emma heard a trace of defensiveness in her voice. “I don’t want him to be alone, with Lizzy married and Charlotte away at school. She’ll be off on her gap year next summer. She has her whole life before her.”
    “And what about you?” Hugh’s godmother persisted. “What about
your
life? Aren’t you entitled to some happiness, too, Emma?”
    “I like my life,” she said evenly. “I have no desire to run off and get married or join an ashram or ride a camel. I like Litchfield. I like the Manor. And I’m happy living here. Very happy.”
    Lizzy covered her hand in hers. “Of course you are,”