Harriet Smith

The friendly smile on Jill's face has long since faded, and he frowned dissatisfied.

"It's actually very simple. One, cooperate with me about my going to London and keep it a secret. Two, you to Miss Woodhouse... don't think I don't know your little plan. I know you are engaged, don't pester me Miss Woodhouse."

Scumbag, stay away from my goddess!

"Of course the first point is fine. The second point..." He looked distressed, "If my aunt finds out that I am engaged to Miss Fairfax, maybe it will deprive me of my inheritance."

"You don't have to worry too much about that," thought Harriet, Mrs Churchill's lunch was coming soon anyway.

"If you have to find someone to bluff and divert attention, it's me," she continued.

"You?" Churchill looked at her in surprise.

"Yes. Think about it. If Mrs. Churchill lived a long and healthy life, wouldn't you and that lady never marry?" she said, "to Miss Woodhouse, in case you can't get rid of her in the future? Mr. Lee will be discredited. Mr. and Mrs. Weston will be very embarrassed, and may lose Mr. Woodhouse as an old friend. But I am different. If you pretend to be in love with me, people will think you are wrong. Mrs. Churchill will also strongly object. Then you abandon me and find Miss Fairfax. She is much better than me in terms of appearance and talent. Although her family is not good, she is also better than me. ——In this way, others will feel more Accept it."

"...Why did you do this?" Churchill looked at her in bewilderment, "If you were abandoned by me—wouldn't you be afraid of losing your reputation?"

"I'm not important. But I won't let Emma get hurt."

Churchill thought for a moment, and finally nodded, "Okay. What are you going to do in London?"

The carriage drove to Mrs. Brolow's house where she had been.

"Get out for a while." She ordered him.

"..." Churchill got out of the carriage displeased.

Harriet lowered the curtain of the carriage, took off her dress as quickly as she could, and changed into a boy's suit she had "borrowed" from Emma's servant.Then tie up her hair and tuck her blonde locks into a hat.

Almost every time-traveling woman has her own skills-dressing up as a man!

She opened the curtain again, and Churchill looked at her, stunned.

"Go and knock on the door now, and give this letter to the lady of the house." She didn't bother to explain, and handed him the letter she had prepared, "Tell her, you are from Highbury, and Mrs. Goddard entrusted The letter you sent, this letter is very urgent, please read it right away, madam."

"..." He took the letter and did not act.

"What?" She frowned.

"...Can you be more polite to me?" He curled his lips, "At any rate, we are considered...partners."

"Okay. Mr. Churchill, please, thank you." She grinned at him, "After delivering the letter, drive the carriage away, and your task is completed. You can do whatever you want, come here before dinner Come pick me up."

"...I can't ask why?" Churchill smiled wryly.

"right."

Harriet lay in ambush behind the pillar across the road, watched Churchill knock on the door, and the butler opened the door. He said a few words to the butler, and handed the letter to the butler.

Waiting for the reaction over there.She took a hand of plaster on the ground and wiped it on her face to add another layer of insurance to her disguise.

Churchill's carriage drove away as planned.

She stared intently at the door of the house.

But after a while, the lady didn't come out, only a person who looked like a maid hurried away.

What's going on?She looked down and thought.

She is a letter written in the name of Mrs Goddard.The general idea is that Harriet Smith is seriously ill, and I'm afraid she's about to die.

If she had been in close contact with Harriet's parents, she would have told her/him the news.Then she just needs to track to know who her father or mother is and where they live.

This is her plan to lure the snake out of its hole.

But... why no response?

Is it true that she doesn't matter at all, and if she dies, they will be happy to see it?

If this is the case, it would be too tragic if her parents didn't have the slightest feeling for her. She should give up her plan to find her parents.

"What?" Suddenly, he was patted on the shoulder.

She looked back, it was Churchill.

"Awaiting a reply?" He smiled.

correct!

A flash of light flashed in her mind.

Her parents probably don't live in London!The maid just now was sending a letter to Madam!

"Oops!" She turned around and grabbed Churchill, "Where's the nearby mailbox?!"

They ran wildly, and she finally found the maid tens of meters in front of the mailbox.

"Have to stop her!" said Harry breathlessly.

Churchill glanced around and found three wandering teenagers, so he ran over, said a few words to them, pointed to the maid, and took out some coins.

The three teenagers looked at each other a few times before walking towards the maid.

Churchill took her to hide in a corner to watch.

I saw that the boys bumped into the maid on purpose, several people pushed and shoved a few times, and then the boys left.

Churchill waved to them from the corner.

The leading boy took out a letter from his pocket and shook them, "Three shillings."

"What else?" Churchill sneered.

"...Hmph." The boy reluctantly took out a small purse.

Churchill snatched the letter and the purse, took out three shillings and threw them to them, "Get out of here."

Harriet read the sealed letter.

"What's next?" Churchill asked with a smile.

She squeezed the letter, and quickly ran towards the maid again.

"Hey, what do you want to do?!" Churchill shouted from behind, but he didn't dare to come out, for fear that the maid saw him when he delivered the letter just now.

Harriet ignored him, and ran up to the maid, "Madam, is this yours?"

She took out the purse.

The maid fumbled in her pocket, only to realize that the money was missing, "Oh! Those little bastards must have done it just now! Thank you so much, sir!"

"You're welcome." Harriet handed her the purse, "By the way, there is still a letter, do you want to post it? Let me put it in for you."

She raised the letter in her hand, and quickly threw the letter in without waiting for the other party's answer.

"Ah, yes." The maid paused, and then had to thank her again, "Thank you, sir."

"It's my honor to serve a lady." Harriet leaned on the mailbox and smiled at her thinking she was handsome.

The maid saluted her embarrassedly, turned and left.

Seeing the maid walking away, Churchill came over and patted her on the shoulder vigorously, "What's the matter with you!"

"Don't touch me!" Harriet almost cried in pain.Even though she's dressed as a boy, she's still a girl, okay?Was he trying to slap her to death with such force!

She was picking at the mailbox, moving her hands out little by little.

Churchill took a closer look, only to find a thin thread clutched in her finger.

The other end of the thread was, of course, the letter, which she poked with a needle.

She pulled the thread carefully so that the needle would not come off.

After finally pulling out the letter, she was greatly relieved and slumped on the ground.

If the letter is taken away like this, the maid may ask the lady to rewrite it and send it out if she finds that the letter is lost.What if her parents knew that she was dying and suddenly felt conscience-stricken and went to see her in Highbury?That lie was exposed.

"What if the letter falls?" Churchill asked as he walked.

"I have to find a way to turn through the mailbox before the postman arrives." Harriet touched the letter in her pocket and let out a long breath, "I'm lucky today. The letter didn't fall, and I happened to meet those children... ...how did you know they would do this?"

"Not exactly," Churchill interrupted her. "There are these wandering kids on every block, and stealing is what they do best. When the patrolmen come, they run, and when the patrolmen leave, they come again. There are not many of them here, civilians." More over there."

"?" Harriet was a little surprised.

"You rarely come to London, do you?" Churchill smiled sarcastically, "This is London, aha."

In an instant, Harriet had a sense of sight from Austin to Dickens.

"Anyway, thank you very much today." Harriet washed her face by the fountain, and went back to the carriage to change into women's clothes.

"Uh..." Churchill smiled, hesitant to speak.

"What?" She tilted her head and looked at him, "You're going to get a haircut, or buy something... just go, I'll wait for you in the carriage."

Although she really wanted to suggest that Churchill should not give Jane such a cool and domineering piano, she still endured it.She must respect the original work, the original work.

"Yes." Churchill nodded.

After he finished what he had to do, they set off on their return journey.

Churchill looked at her several times, still hesitant to speak.

"Say whatever you want!" said Harriet impatiently.

"Uh... I want to know, are you sure you want to open that letter? It is against the law to open other people's letters privately." Churchill said in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, I've already read it." She raised the opened letter and smiled at him grimly, "You are also an accomplice in stealing the letter."

"Then... can I know the content of the letter?" Churchill asked cautiously again.

"Haven't you heard that curiosity killed the cat?"

"No."

"..."

"How should I say, we are also considered partners." Churchill smiled flatteringly, "I took such a big risk and helped so much, don't I... Besides, you know my biggest secret, although I don't know that you are How do you know..."

"You know I'm an illegitimate daughter." After thinking about it, she decided to tell him the truth.She may still need his help in the future, and exchanging secrets is conducive to the unity of the two.

"Yes." Churchill nodded.

"I want to find out my background." She briefly said the matter.

Fortunately, she is still in the Austen world instead of the Dickens world, otherwise she would probably have to go through twists and turns, being tortured and bruised all over her body to find her parents.

I love you Austin greatly.

"So, this letter..." Churchill hesitated for a while, then asked again.

"It's related to my life experience." She said vaguely.

"Are you going to find your biological parents?"

"Won't."

"Then why?"

"I was posthumous - my father died 18 years ago. My mother was also married long ago."

"Why don't you go to your mother? It's taken me so long to hear about her."

"Why are you so much?!" Harriet stared at him dissatisfied.

Mr. Knightley would not have asked so much.He is always gentle and considerate, moistening things silently.

Suddenly she thought of Mr. Knightley.

Churchill touched his nose and stopped talking.

There was silence in the carriage.

When she arrived, she finally answered his question softly, "My mother is already married, if I show up, it will ruin the reputation of her and her husband's family."

This was the nineteenth century, when chastity was very important to unmarried women.

"Miss Smith..." Churchill looked at her, "I'm sorry."

"Keep it secret!" She gave him a big smile.

"Of course." He also smiled, and graciously helped her down.

☆, banquet

Mrs. Cole invited Mr. and Miss Woodhouse to their party.Emma was a little hesitant because they were nouveau riche.

But Harriet knew that she heard that the Weston couple and several other wealthy families had been invited, and she was not balanced. This hesitation was mostly a show, so she encouraged her to go.And Emma pretended to ask the opinions of several wives, so she decided to go.

But this time Harriet was not with them.Because she and the Bates mother and daughter, Miss Fairfax and other "low status" guests arrived at night.

Mr. Knightley picks them up in a carriage, which is one of her favorite moments in the original book.

He is a real gentleman, he does not treat the other person differently because of his appearance, property, or background. He knows how to respect others and is very considerate.

She looked at him and greeted him.

He smiled and nodded back.

Harriet also chatted with Jane for a while on the way.This is a wonderful girl, there is no doubt about it.While Emma found her aloof, Harriet found her composed.She appreciates this kind of girl, although she has no money, she is high-end and upscale, low-key and connotative.

When they arrived at Cole's living room, Emma and Churchill were already chatting.

When Emma saw Harriet, she waved to her, "Oh, my dear little girl, here you are at last."

She took Harriet by the hand, and whispered, "I was just now discussing Miss Fairfax's new piano with Mr. Churchill—do you know that?"

"Oh, I heard. Someone sent Miss Fairfax a beautiful piano." She glanced at Churchill.

"Well, we are guessing the mysterious gentleman who gave the piano—I think it must be a gentleman, who could it be?" Emma glanced at Jane, "Mr. Churchill thinks it is her adoptive Colonel Campbell, but I think it might be Mr. Dixon... He must have appreciated her performance very much and fell in love with her deeply, but unfortunately he couldn't marry her because of the difference in family status. He married her who had an inheritance of 1 pounds My friend... oh, poor Miss Fairfax...she can't force a smile, she can only pretend to be calm."

"Miss Woodhouse." Harriet patted the imaginative girl's hand dumbfounded, "Maybe she has another admirer. After all, she is so beautiful and intelligent."

"Maybe." Emma shrugged noncommittally.

After dinner, the sweets were brought, and the ladies chatted in the drawing room, most of whom were very interested in Jane's new piano, and pressed questions around her, making Jane blushed.Even Mrs. Weston kept asking about the performance of the piano.

After a while several men also came.

The handsome Mr. Frank Churchill, after greeting the ladies, walked straight towards Emma and the others.

Look what you've done.

Harriet looked at Jane, and smiled at Churchill with a bit of sarcasm.

Churchill looked at Jane.

"What's the matter?" asked Emma.

"Oh, I think Miss Fairfax's hair is very interestingly arranged. Maybe I should ask if that's the Irish way." He went up to Jane.

"Oh," said Emma to Harriet, looking after him, "he spent a day in London doing his hair. You know that?"

"I've heard a little bit." Harriet smiled.

Emma and Harriet spoke a few more words, and went to chat with Mrs. Weston.

After a while Churchill came back, smiled at Harriet, and sat beside her.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

Harriet knew he was referring to his fiancée, of course, and nodded, "Yes, beautiful and intelligent and elegant."

"Oh my god... I love her so much." He looked like a man in love who was intoxicated, "You don't know how painful it is for me to be with her day and night these days, but not being able to let everyone know my love. . . . Thank goodness I finally have someone to talk to, Miss Smith."

"Since you love her so much, why don't you tell me?" Harriet looked directly at Churchill, "Maybe you will be disinherited by your aunt, but what does that matter? You have a very good education, I believe you will find a An errand to support myself, my wife and children is no problem. And Mr. Weston will certainly not leave you alone."

"...Miss Smith." Churchill paused for a moment and said, "Perhaps you have lived in a shabby house in the past, so you don't know the difference between a shabby house and a mansion, but if you let a person who lives in a mansion live in a shabby house, the feeling is very obvious .Sorry to be blunt, but that's the way it is—you and Miss Woodhouse are on such good terms that you should have understood the difference."

"It's up to you." Harriet pursed her lips, turned her head away from him, "I promised you will do it—if you insist on doing it. But don't blame me for not reminding you in advance, Women are very sensitive to such things, so be prepared to be read by her forever."

"Thank you for the advice." Churchill approached her with a warm smile and whispered, "Now you smile first, look at me, and then bow your head."

"..." She complied.

"Very good." He chuckled softly, "Now lean towards me a little bit, look up at me, smile charmingly, and then lower your head."

What the hell is charming? !

She was as coquettish as she could be.

"Not bad, someone has already noticed us." Churchill whispered in her ear, it seemed to outsiders that they were flirting in whispers, "Be more shy, and look tempted by me."

"Aren't you kidding me?" She gritted her teeth and smiled, "If you dare to trick me, I'll beat your handsome face into a pig's head."

"Absolutely not." Churchill laughed, "From this angle...it's really charming."

"Mr. Churchill." Knightley came suddenly, "Mrs. Weston seems to want to chat with you."

"Oh, yes." Churchill nodded to her, then walked to his stepmother.

Harriet smiled at him awkwardly. "Mr. Knightley."

"What do you think of him?" He looked at the young man who was chatting with Mrs. Weston.

"Oh . . . I think most people think he's a warm, polite, likeable young man," said Harriet flatly.She knew that Mr. Knightley had a bad impression of Churchill, but since she and Churchill were teammates now, she had to defend him.

He was about to say something more, but Emma walked over quickly, "Mr. Knightley!"

"I'm sorry first." Emma's rescue was timely, Harriet heaved a sigh of relief, and hurried to the side, leaving Emma and Knightley to chat alone.

"Oh, Miss Smith." Churchill came over with a glass of wine, bent down and whispered in her ear, "like a vicious she-wolf to me, but like a lamb to Mr. Knightley."

none of your business!

How is she like a sheep!

Harriet glared at him. "Mr. Knightley is a real gentleman, a respectable gentleman."

Next, Emma and Jane played the piano and Churchill sang.He seemed very happy, and collaborated with Jane on song after song.

Harriet's eyes fell on Knightley.He frowned, and went to say something to Miss Bates, and Miss Bates hurried forward, and Jane would not let her play any more after playing one piece.

He takes such care of everyone.Harriet smiled, only feeling warm in her heart.

Mr. Knightley turned his head suddenly, saw her smile at him, and nodded her head.

She quickly turned her eyes back to Churchill, not daring to look at him again.Then a little remorse, feeling that he had been so rude, turned to see Knightley, but he didn't look at her again.

The singing came to an end, and soon someone suggested dancing.So the dance music started.

Churchill, of course, was the first to come out and invite his secret fiancée, Miss Fairfax, to dance with him.

In the second song, Churchill actually came to invite her. Although Harriet knew that it was her own instigation that he refused to invite Emma, ​​she was still a little frightened, so she had to dance her first dance cautiously according to her memory.

She was a little embarrassed to meet Churchill's playful eyes, so she glared at him again.

The next day she visited Emma at Hatfield.

As soon as Emma saw her, she spit out what she wanted to say, "Dear Harriet, have you heard that Mr. Knightley picked up Miss Fairfax at yesterday's banquet!"

"Oh, and Mrs. and Miss Bates." Harriet nodded.

"Mrs. Weston said he might be interested in Miss Fairfax . . . perhaps he was the gift of the piano." Emma raised her voice.

"Miss Woodhouse, I don't think so. Mr. Knightley has always been a very kind man, and I believe he sent the Bates family only out of his kindness and thoughtfulness." He even took her to and from London himself. , Emma must not know about this.

"Also, he doesn't seem like someone who would give away pianos."

"Yes, I checked with Mr. Knightley as soon as I heard it, and he won't marry her, oh, thank God." Emma pressed her chest, "I can't bear to have someone else's child inherit Dunwell. Well, it must belong to my nephew Henry Young."

"Miss Woodhouse..." Harriet took her hand, with an idea, "Have you ever considered that your child... will inherit?"

"Me?!" Emma's eyes widened (⊙o⊙).

"Yes, if Mr. Knightley could be in love with anyone, it must be you.—I believe he is in love with you." Harriet continued her persuasion.Let Emma realize this earlier, maybe they can get married earlier.

"Harriet! how could you think that?!" Emma laughed. "I believe he loves me, and I love him--but we are brother and sister, as I love my brother-in-law." Like Mr. John Knightley. Perhaps I love my brother-in-law more than he scolds me, unlike his brother."

"But—" Harriet tried to make her aware of the love between her and Knightley.

"Harriet, you may not have been in Hatfield for a long time, so you have such misunderstandings, and you will understand after a long time. You must never have such strange thoughts again." Emma snapped Clapping her hand, "Let's practice the piano, though I think Miss Fairfax plays it much better than I can, and I can't do it any better."

"No, I think you play very well," said Harriet; "so do Mr. Cole and Mr. Churchill."

"But Miss Fairfax is better." Emma was not pleased.

"Perhaps she's going to be governess after all. The Miss Coxes said last night that she might not have a hard time finding employment in the upper classes."

"Oh, the Cox sisters!" Emma curled her lips. "They're vulgar too."

☆、Mrs. Elton

Emma and Harriet met Mrs. Weston and Miss Bates when they were picking out lace in Ford's shop.

Miss Bates invites them to their house to hear Jane play her new piano.

Miss Bates babbled on and on all the way, so quickly that Harriet could hardly hear her.

It probably means that Mr. Knightley kindly gave them a lot of apples...

Mr. Churchill kindly helped Mrs. Bates fix her glasses...

……

When he arrived at Bates' house, Churchill was indeed repairing glasses there.

Before that he had tuned the piano, and they all sat down to enjoy Jane's performance.

Miss Bates was still chattering, and Churchill quietly teased his fiancée.Harriet saw it and said nothing.Emma didn't understand, but said a few words.

Mr. Knightley rode past to greet them, and especially Miss Fairfax.

Harriet looked at Emma.

Perhaps it was because he had verified it with himself, Emma did not show any worry.

On the contrary, it was Harriet herself who faintly felt a little heartbroken.

It was two days before Harriet went to Emma because of a meeting with a wife who wanted a governess.

"Harriet! It's a pleasure to see you!" said Emma, ​​pulling her affectionately. "You don't think anything exciting is going to happen, you never guess—we're having a ball!"

"Prom?" Harriet remembered the plot.But... did she seem to miss something?

"Yes, I discussed it with Mr. Churchill. Mr. and Mrs. Weston also agreed, and my father also agreed. Of course, you must be included in the invitation, my dearest friend!" Emma's face lit up with excitement, " Mr Churchill said it must be me and him dancing."

Harriet watched Emma anxiously.The imaginative girl seems to be immersed in the scene where the handsome guy Churchill pulls her to make her debut at the ball.

Could it be that what she was worried about would eventually happen as in the original book?

"Miss Woodhouse, I think Mr. Churchill..." Harriet looked embarrassed, "not a very reliable person."

"Oh, Harriet, what are you talking about?" Emma said rationally, "Of course I know he has his faults, but isn't that what I need to tolerate? Harriet, you can't expect It's too demanding for a person to be perfect."

"..." Instead, Emma taught her a lesson.Harriet was a little speechless.

Emma couldn't go this way, so Harriet had to go to Churchill again.

Fortunately the Woodhouses were very close to the Westons, and she soon met Churchill when they were guests of the Westons.

While everyone was chatting cordially over tea and desserts, she found an excuse to leave and at the same time gave Churchill a wink.

She walked to the corner at the end of the aisle, saw Churchill following up with a face of reluctance, and pulled him over.

"What's the matter with you? Promise me!" She said in a low voice.

"What's the matter?" Churchill was still at a loss.

"Miss Woodhouse! You promised me to stay away from her!" She gritted her teeth.

"Yeah. I didn't do anything to her." He spread his hands. "But you also know that Randalls and Hatfield are old neighbors. I can't ignore her completely. It would be rude."

"What about the dance?" She snorted coldly.

"I want to hold a dance. Doesn't it violate our agreement? I just want to have some fun while I'm at Highbury, otherwise it's too boring. As soon as the plan was proposed, Miss Woodhouse was very interested and wanted to work together. I What can I do?" He looked helpless, but Harriet thought he was faking it.

So she reprimanded in a low voice, "You don't have to ask her to dance either!"

"My God, even if I'm married, it's not that I can't dance with other ladies, right? Besides, it's just an engagement." Churchill looked at her with some sarcasm, "I just invited her to dance out of the cherishment of the friendship between our two families. First dance."

"But others may not think so." Harriet stared into his eyes coldly, "You should find an opportunity to explain to Mrs. Weston that you have no unreasonable thoughts about her—if you really cherish the friendship between the two families if."

"Is it necessary?" Churchill looked embarrassed. Seeing how determined she was, he nodded, "Okay."

"Get away from her." Harriet looked at him menacingly again.

"Yes, ma'am." Churchill bowed exaggeratedly, "Is she falling in love with me? ... I swear I didn't do anything to her, if she still wants to fall in love with me, I can't help it .”

Scumbag, male.

Harriet longed to punch that smug handsome face.

She had to admit that Churchill was right.

She might fall in love with Churchill even if he didn't try to hook her up.This was beyond Harriet's expectation.

After all, he is handsome and good at playing, his family background and age match Emma very well, and the relationship between the two parents is also very close.It is reasonable for Emma to regard him as an ideal object.

But, he's already engaged...

What a headache.

Fortunately, he received a letter not long after that Mrs. Churchill was ill and asked him to go back immediately.

Harriet knew he would come again, but she was content to have some peace for a while.

After Churchill left, Emma's life went on as usual, but Harriet found that she sighed and sighed a little more, and sometimes she was so distracted while sitting. —It seems that she is still a little in love with Churchill.

When Mrs. Weston received his letter, she read it anxiously, and turned her head to reflect on it with Harriet: He mentioned me, and he still cared about me, even you, Harriet, he cared, He said, "Is Miss Woodhouse's beautiful little friend okay?" Well, he feels in love, and I don't know how to respond... I don't mind having a romance with him, but if What if he proposes?You know I'm not married, and Mr Churchill is doomed to be hurt... My dear Harriet, how should I refuse him?

The imaginative girl who had just begun to love her was seriously distressed.

Fortunately, something soon diverted Emma's attention.

Mr. Elton is getting married.

"Dear Harriet, I'm so sorry, I made a stupid mistake." Emma repeated the old story, feeling guilty, "You were so gentle, easy-going, and beautiful, and he gave you up and went to someone else— —probably for the dowry, oh, how unwise he is."

Harriet said repeatedly that she never held any grudges against Miss Woodhouse, she was the best friend she had ever met... That man is not important at all...

----

"Harriet, that's an impertinent, conceited woman, and I should not wish to call on her if it were not for politeness," Emma said to her on the way.

They were invited by Mrs. Elton to her house.

"Oh, I think you're right," echoed Harriet.She had only seen her once, at Elton's wedding, and she looked beautiful from a distance, but her cheekbones were a little high, which made her look a little mean.

"Last time I chatted with her for more than ten minutes - she obviously didn't understand anything, but she pretended to understand! She pretended to be kind to the inferior people, but she was actually very arrogant." Emma was very displeased. said.

"Oh, poor Miss Woodhouse..." She took her hand.The benefits of being a follower are reflected at this time. She can talk as little as possible and let others treat herself as air.If she is facing someone she doesn't like, trying to avoid contact will make her feel comfortable-but if others treat Emma as air, Emma will definitely feel that her self-esteem will be greatly hurt.

However, Mrs. Elton did not seem to intend to treat Harriet as nothing, and turned the conversation to her from time to time.

"Oh, Harriet Smith, have you ever taken piano lessons? It's a surprise that a boarding school in Highbury has a piano." Mrs. Elton snorted.

"It was a long time ago, Mrs. Elton," answered Harriet.

"Isn't that old?"

"It's not new, but it can still be played."

"Oh, what a pity there are forty kids and only one old piano."

"Harriet Smith, have you ever eaten this kind of snack? Certainly not."

"Dear Harriet Smith, as a decent married woman, I feel it is my duty to remind those low-level girls who have little education and no moral sense..."

There were endless conversations like this, and Harriet could only bite the bullet and accept them.If she wanted to retort, she would immediately be labeled as "the illegitimate daughter of the bottom class is really uneducated".

What's even more outrageous is that the rumor of "Harriet Smith once loved Mr. Elton" actually spread.

Needless to say, Mr. Elton said this in order to please his new wife. As for why Mr. Elton said that, it is likely that the source is her pig teammate, the brainy girl Emma.

Emma was also very angry about this, and gradually alienated Mrs. Elton.

It is touching that Mrs. Weston has been on her side, not only trying to clear up the rumour, but also being very, very kind.

"My dear Harriet, we both know it's not the case." Mrs. Weston shook her hand. "It was Emma's mistake . . . causing you so much trouble."

"I wouldn't blame Miss Woodhouse, Mrs. Weston." She smiled. "Well... I suppose it will be all right after a while."

"Harriet, I hope you know that Mr. Weston and I both like you very much. We don't mind your background, so don't be burdened by it." Mrs. Weston said pleasantly.

"... thank you, ma'am," was all Harriet could reply.

But something seems wrong?

And so the friendship between her and Emma was often joined by another person—Mrs. Weston.Small gathering places also come to Randalls from time to time.

Today, they are still doing needlework and chatting.The talk was nothing but the affairs of Highbury and the ladies.Mr. Knightley called and chatted with them.

"Mrs. Elton has been very near to Miss Jane Fairfax lately, and they are often seen walking together," said Emma.She never had a good impression of Mrs. Elton.

She went on, "Mr. Knightley, are you not very fond of Miss Fairfax?"

Hearing this, Harriet couldn't help pricking up her ears.

"Yes, everyone knows that I like her very much." Mr. Knightley said bluntly.

yah yah...