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drink tea；—Miss E。 gave her a caution to be at hand； in a manner
which convinced her of Mrs。 E。’s holding it very important to have
them both close to her when she moved into the Tearoom； and
Emma was accordingly on the alert to gain her proper station。 It
was always the pleasure of the company to have a little bustle and
croud when they thus adjourned for refreshment；—the Tearoom
was a small room within the Cardroom； and in passing thro’ the
latter； where the passage was straightened by Tables； Mrs。 E。 and
her party were for a few moments hemmed in。 It happened close
by Lady Osborne’s Cassino Table； Mr。 Howard who belonged to it
spoke to his Nephew； and Emma on perceiving herself the object
of attention both to Lady O。 and him； had just turned away her
eyes in time； to avoid seeming to hear her young companion
delightedly whisper aloud ‘Oh！ Uncle； do look at my partner。 She
is so pretty！’ As they were immediately in motion again however
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Charles was hurried off without being able to receive his Uncle’s
suffrage。 On entering the Tearoom； in which two long Tables were
prepared； Lord Osborne was to be seen quite alone at the end of
one； as if retreating as far as he could from the Ball； to enjoy his
own thoughts； and gape without restraint。—Charles instantly
pointed him out to Emma—‘There’s Lord Osborne—Let you and I
go and sit by him。’—‘No； no；’ said Emma laughing ‘you must sit
with my friends。’
Charles was now free enough to hazard a few questions in his
turn。 ‘What o’clock was it？’—‘Eleven。’—‘Eleven！—And I am not at
all sleepy。 Mama said I should be asleep before ten。—Do you think
Miss Osborne will keep her word with me； when Tea is over？’ ‘Oh！
yes。—I suppose so。’—tho’ she felt that she had no better reason to
give than that Miss Osborne had not kept it before。—‘When shall
you come to Osborne Castle？’—‘Never； probably。—I am not
acquainted with the family。’ ‘But you may come to Wickstead and
see Mama； and she can take you to the Castle。—There is a
monstrous curious stuff’d Fox there； and a Badger—anybody
would think they were alive。 It is a pity you should not see
them。’—On rising from Tea； there was again a scramble for the
pleasure of being first out of the room； which happened to be
increased by one or two of the card parties having just broken up
and the players being disposed to move exactly the different way。
Among these was Mr。 Howard—his sister leaning on his arm—and
no sooner were they within reach of Emma； than Mrs。 B。 calling
her notice by a friendly touch； said ‘Your goodness to Charles； my
dear Miss Watson； brings all his family upon you。 Give me leave to
introduce my Brother—Mr。 H。’ Emma curtsied； the gentleman
bowed—made a hasty request for the honour of her hand in the
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Jane Austen： The Watsons 24
next two dances； to which as hasty an affirmative was given； and
they were immediately impelled in opposite directions。—Emma
was very well pleased with the circumstance；—there was a quietly…
chearful； gentlemanlike air in Mr。 H。 which suited her—and in a
few minutes afterwards； the value of her Engagement increased；
when as she was sitting in the Card…room somewhat screened by a
door； she heard Lord Osborne； who was lounging on a vacant
Table near her； call Tom Musgrave towards him and say； ‘Why do
not you dance with that beautiful Emma Watson？—I want you to
dance with her—and I will come and stand by you。’—‘I was
determining on it this very moment my Lord； I’ll be introduced
and dance with her directly。’—‘Aye do—and if you find she does
not want much Talking to； you may introduce me by and bye。’—
‘Very well my Lord。 If she is like her Sisters； she will only want to
be listened to。—I will go this moment。 I shall find her in the Tea
room。 That stiff old Mrs。 E。 has never done tea。’—Away he went—
Lord Osborne after him—and Emma lost no time in hurrying from
her corner； exactly the other way； forgetting in her haste that she
left Mrs。 Edwardes behind。—‘We had quite lost you’—said Mrs。
E。—who followed her with Mary； in less than five minutes。—‘If you
prefer this room to the other； there is no reason why you should
not be here； but we had better all be together。’ Emma was saved
the Trouble of apologizing； by their being joined at the moment by
Tom Musgrave； who requesting Mrs。 E。 aloud to do him the
honour of presenting him to Miss Emma Watson； left that good
Lady without any choice in the business； but that of testifying by
the coldness of her manner that she did it unwillingly。 The honour
of dancing with her； was solicited without loss of time—and
Emma； however she might like to be thought a beautiful girl by
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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