A/N: I, for one, have always loved Emma and believed that her intentions were (almost) always good despite of her meddling. And I loved that she was so much more mature by the end of the novel. But I always wonder what she would be like after her marriage to Mr. Knightley… particularly if she would continue to insist on having her way, and if Mr. Knightley would let her have her way now that she was his wife.

This is my second Emma story and also second story ever! I thank wholeheartedly all those who reviewed my first story, First Holiday and and those who added it to their favorite! There are several references from First Holiday in this story, which essentially is its continuation, but with a different plot.

A Lady and a 'Gentleman'

Chapter One: To Be Apart

Since they returned from their holiday at the Seaside, Emma and George had continued their habit of sitting by their chamber's fire for a chat before they retired for the night. Even though the weather was getting warmer, a small cozy fire was still welcomed in this spring evening.

Emma was recalling her visit with her friend earlier in the day, "I visited Harriet this morning… her abdomen was absolutely enormous," she held out her hands in front of her body to show George how big Harriet's abdomen had grown, "Mrs. Martin said that she still had at least three more months before the baby would be full term… but she looked so miserable… I really don't know how she would bear the next three months…poor Harriet!"

"My dearest Emma, I thought you had vowed that you would not sound like your father when it comes to calling any married ladies, poor…" George said it with a warm teasing smile.

"I know, I know…but this is true, you should see how tired she looked… her face, her feet, her hands were all swollen, she could barely walk…and when she did, she wobbled like a mother goose! Mrs. Martin said that with her condition as it was, Harriet would be bed-ridden until the baby came." Emma said it with the greatest sympathy.

"Well, I'm glad that you were able to visit Harriet this morning. I'm sure being confined at home must not be easy for her. Having your company there must have delighted her."

"Yes, she was very happy to see me… hmm… I think I should visit Harriet more often, and try to be useful to her and Mrs. Martin… at the least I could keep her company!"

"That is very kind of you, my love…"

All of the sudden George's tone turned quite serious, "Emma, there is something that I need to tell you." Emma immediately looked into his eyes with concerns.

He cleared his throat in an effort to hide the pang in his voice before he spoke. "I meant to tell you this earlier, but I did not want to distress your father, so I thought I would speak with you when we were alone… you were speaking of Harriet just now… "

Holding Emma's hand in his, his voice was gentle, "Robert came to me at the Abbey today. He spoke with me about Harriet… according to Robert, and as you had noticed yourself this morning, Harriet is feeling exceedingly uncomfortable. Robert was going to go to the annual agricultural fair at Brentwood in a week, but with Harriet's present state, his greatest desire is to stay by her side as much as possible. Going to the fair will take him away from her for almost a fortnight and… he wished he could find someone to go in his place…"

Her brows furrowed, Emma did not like the sound of it, for she knew that 'someone' could only be her George!

Emma was looking down and George knew she did not like the idea, especially as he had just returned less than a week ago from a fortnight visit at the Loughton fair, and that he would be going to the Kingston fair in two weeks. If he was to go to Brentwood for Robert Martin, he would be leaving home again in less than one week. No longer able to hide the pang in his voice, with a sigh, he continued…

"The Brentwood fair is an important event to Abbey Mill Farm. Robert would not have asked me if he had any other choice…"

Emma was quiet for a moment. Gazing at her lap, she took a deep breath and quietly uttered the next words. "…I understand George… Harriet needs Mr. Martin… he should be with her… you should go in his place…"

George gently pulled Emma to him and hugged her tenderly. With hesitation, he continued to break the next piece of news to her.

"…I received a letter from John today…" gently stroking her soft curls, "he wants me to pay a visit to him at Brunswick Square in three days…"

Pushing away from George to sit up, Emma looked hurt as she spoke, "So you have to leave even sooner than next week! What is it that John needs from you so urgently?"

At the moment, George felt as guilty as Emma was agitated, "…He wants my counsel on some investment speculation that he is considering. As you know, Emma… John would not have asked if he did not think that he needed me! It must be something quite serious for him to want to meet with me so urgently."

As much as she disliked the news that George had been breaking to her this evening, Emma regretted her over-reaction, she knew John as well as George did, and she was sure that whatever the decision might be it would no doubt affect Isabella and the children, "…you must go to John then, if it is an agreeable investment, you could support his decision, but if it is not, I hope that you would be able to dissuade him…"

George was grateful for Emma's understanding and thanked her with a wholehearted smile and a sound kiss on her forehead. She leaned over to hug George by his waist and sighed, "I guess this must be my toll for marrying an honorable landlord and a faithful brother!"

Shortly after breakfast, George had taken off to Donwell to meet with William Larkins. He would need to make arrangement with him for his trip to the Brentwood fair and also his visit to Brunswick Square. He would leave Surrey in three days and return in a fortnight. There would be much parish business to attend to in the next two days. He had several visits to pay to his farmer tenants and laborers prior to his departure. And there were also his duties of being a magistrate… Since his return from the Loughton fair less than a week ago, he had been meaning to spend more time with Emma… he wanted to take her to her morning walk, escort her to Fords to get laces for the socks that she was knitting for their niece, her namesake, and perhaps even spend the night at Donwell just the two of them… Now, these would all have to wait!

After Emma saw George off to Donwell, she decided to abandon her morning walk today - she was simply feeling too gloomy to leave the house. When George went to Loughton, Emma had missed him miserably during his entire fortnight absence from Hartfield. With him barely home for a week, he would be leaving again in three days. The thought of missing her beloved husband nearly got her sick to her stomach. She wanted to do something to cheer herself… she roamed around the house restlessly, going from one room to the next looking for things that would interest her. She had tried knitting; needling; rearranging the flower in the vases; playing the piano forte… she had even tried reading! Nothing worked, everything was dull!

She finally reached the drawing room, where Mr. Woodhouse was taking his morning nap after his breakfast gruel by the fire. Emma sat down on Mr. Knightley's chair looking at the fire with an empty gaze. She must have stared at the fire for quite some time, for she did not realize that her father had awakened and saw her countenance.

"Emma my dear, are you not well? Did you catch cold last night? The last few evenings had been exceptionally cold; you must tell Betty to add an extra blanket as covers for you at night."

"Oh! No, Papa, I'm feeling fine…"

"Emma my dear, you really don't look well, your face is so pale. I should ask Betty to send for Mr. Perry!"

"No, Papa, I'm not ill…no, I'm not… please do not trouble yourself to send for Mr. Perry. I'm fine, it's just that… George is going…" Mr. Woodhouse interjected before Emma could finish.

"George!" Mr. Woodhouse was appalled at the sound of Emma calling Mr. Knightley, 'George'!

"Oh! I meant Mr. Knightley, Papa! Please forgive me…I don't know what came over me… of course I meant Mr. Knightley…"

Emma was mortified by the slip of her own tongue! How could she forget! For years she had called their neighbor 'Mr. Knightley' and thought that she would call him 'Mr. Knightley' for the rest of her life. But three days into their matrimony, she had changed from calling him 'Mr. Knightley' to 'George' effortlessly. As she felt so close to her husband, she could not call him anything but 'George'.

George was extremely elated to finally hearing Emma called him by his Christian name, but little did he know that the subject of how his wife should address him would turn into a serious discussion on their carriage ride home from the Seaside…

"Oh! Dear! I cannot call you 'George' when we get home…"

"Why not? I love the way you call me… You said it yourself, that you did not want to call me anything but 'George'!"

"But you know how the smallest change would depress Papa… I have, I mean we have, called you 'Mr. Knightley' forever, Papa would not approve of me calling you anything but 'Mr. Knightley'!"

"Well, then you shall call me 'Mr. Knightley' in your father's company."

"You know… that means I shall call you 'Mr. Knightley' at Hartfield."

"Yes, yes, I know, I know, 'Mr. Knightley' at Hartfield!"

"Wait… what about the Eltons?"

"What about the Eltons?"

"Were you not offended when Mrs. Elton called you 'Knightley'?

"Well… I wasn't really offended, although it was rather inappropriate for a lady to call a gentleman by his family name."

"Then, I must call you 'Mr. Knightley' in front of the Eltons to set an example by addressing my gentleman husband properly! You will be 'Mr. Knightley' when we are with the Eltons."

"Yes, my dear! You shall call me 'Mr. Knightley' when we're with the Eltons and your father and at Hartfield"

"Hmm, hmm… But wait… if I'm calling you 'Mr. Knightley' to set an example for Mrs. Elton…then I must do the same in front of others…"

"Oh!"

"After all, you are the Master of Donwell Abbey and the Magistrate of Surrey… you deserve the respect from everyone. As your wife, I must set a good example for others to follow. I shall call you 'Mr. Knightley' in front of everyone, Eltons or not Eltons!

"Hmmm… Whatever you wish, my dear... But will you not call me by my Christian name when we are alone?"

"Of course I will! You will always be my 'George'!"

For a moment, the thought of her husband and their first holiday together had casted all of Emma's melancholy away. Then an idea came to her as she continued speaking with her father…

"I'm fine Papa. Please do not worry on my account… I was only thinking of Mr. Knightley's upcoming visit to the Brentwood and Kingston fairs. He will be gone for more than a fortnight this time…and I know I shall miss him very much…"

Mr. Woodhouse gave a long sigh as he spoke slowly, "Poor Emma! Matrimony is a sorry business! When Mr. Knightley was only our neighbor, he used to go away every so often and you never missed him so very much. Now that you are married, you miss him every time when he goes somewhere… poor Emma!"

Mr. Woodhouse could never spoke of matrimony without thinking of Isabella and Mrs. Weston; he shook his head as he said. "Matrimony always breaks up one's family circle… poor Isabella! Mr. John Knightley had to take her all the way to London, so far away… might as well take her to the moon! And poor Miss Taylor, removed a whole-half-mile away to Randalls, how is an invalid to walk such a long way to visit Randalls… Matrimony is a sorry business indeed!"

"But Papa, we have our carriage to take you to Randalls… and Mr. Knightley and I live here, at Hartfield, we did not remove. Everything is just like what it used to be… and I did miss him when he was away even before we were married, I just miss him in a different way now…"

Emma's idea kept tugging at her heart urging her to speak. Finally her courage took a big leap and she decided to take the plunge. Cautiously she proceeded…

"Papa… as you had noticed… I always look unwell every time when Mr. Knightley is away… don't you think that it is a very bad thing that we should be apart?" She watched for her father's reaction as she continued, "…Don't you think… that it would be better that I should go with Mr. Knightley so I would not look unwell?" There! She said it! She shut her eyes, afraid that her request might distress her father.

Mr. Woodhouse was silent. He was deep in thoughts for several moments. Then with all seriousness, he spoke…

"Emma my dear, I think you have a point! You do look unwell whenever Mr. Knightley is away. Poor Emma! You should not be part from Mr. Knightley for so long that you would become ill… Perhaps you should accompany him to these fairs that he is going to so that you will not get ill."

Emma's eyes flung wide opened. She could not believe her ears. Her father actually agreed that she should go with George!

"Ah! But I am concerned… you know, my dear, these fairs are out of doors, you must bring an extra shawl with you when you go. And the air at the fairs will not be very agreeable, it will be better that you stay indoor as much as possible."

"Oh! Papa, thank you! Thank you for letting me travel with Mr. Knightley, that is so generous of you. I promise you that I will take extraordinary care of myself and Mr. Knightley!" Emma walked up to her father, gave him an affectionate hug and then placed a blanket on his lap and a pillow behind his back to make sure he was comfortable. Mr. Woodhouse resumed his morning nap as she left the drawing room and walked to her room to prepare for the trip. She was so overwhelmed with happiness that she had completely forgotten how gloomy she felt merely half an hour ago!

"Oh! I'm so excited, I can't wait to tell George tonight…"