Emma

in a civility to her father, from which she was so pointedly excluded.
She had not even a share in his opening compliments.—Her name was not
mentioned;—and there was so striking a change in all this, and such an
ill-judged solemnity of leave-taking in his graceful acknowledgments,
as she thought, at first, could not escape her father’s suspicion.

It did, however.—Her father was quite taken up with the surprize of so
sudden a journey, and his fears that Mr. Elton might never get safely
to the end of it, and saw nothing extraordinary in his language. It was
a very useful note, for it supplied them with fresh matter for thought
and conversation during the rest of their lonely evening. Mr. Woodhouse
talked over his alarms, and Emma was in spirits to persuade them away
with all her usual promptitude.

She now resolved to keep Harriet no longer in the dark. She had reason
to believe her nearly recovered from her cold, and it was desirable
that she should have as much time as possible for getting the better of
her other complaint before the gentleman’s return. She went to Mrs.
Goddard’s accordingly the very next day, to undergo the necessary
penance of communication; and a severe one it was.—She had to destroy