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have been asked many times, but recently, you have been too busy to accept."
Mrs Wilson, tired of the bickering, interrupted, "David, you work too hard. You should get away from the city more often. Colonel Barclay has a splendid place in Bath; I am sure he would love to have you both, wouldn't you, Colonel?"
This led to a further discussion on the attractions of Bath, which held no interest for Emma, who slipped out of the room and went quietly upstairs while her husband continued to argue. Soon afterwards, she heard the front door close and James's carriage proceeding down the road. He had an apartment in Brunswick Square conveniently situated close to the Inns of Court, where he worked when Parliament was not sitting.
Emma had been there once or twice with her mother-in-law, who was always giving her son items of household linen and other equipment to ensure the comfort of his bachelor existence.
She recalled a linen press and a chest of drawers, which Mrs Wilson had insisted he needed to have installed in his dressing room, despite his protestations that it would only clutter up the place.
"My mother insists that I need all these things when, in fact, all I need is a good butler, a cook, and a manservant. I am fortunate that I have all three. In fact, I inherited my man, Watson, from my father; he is so good, I scarcely need give any instructions at all--he anticipates everything!" James had claimed when they had met a few days later and she had teased him, asking if he was finding the linen press useful.
Even in those early days, she had wondered at her ability to engage in light-hearted banter with her husband's elder brother in a manner that she could never contemplate with David. His capacity to turn every conversation into an argument, one he had to win, whatever the cost, had soon crushed her enthusiasm for trivial chat or playful teasing.
The week after their journey to Pemberley, Mrs Wilson surprised her daughter-in-law at breakfast one morning with the news that they were to make a visit to the family property in Kent. "There are some things of Mr Wilson's which James thinks I should have moved to London before we close the place for the Winter. I agree with him, and I should be very glad of your company, Emma," she said and added, "David is busy, as usual, but James will accompany us. He has promised to let me know this evening if we can travel on Friday."
Emma knew at once that James had "arranged," as he had promised, an "appropriate time and place." Knowing the old house in Kent well, he could not have chosen better. She agreed immediately to accompany Mrs Wilson, adding that she hoped the weather would remain fine.
Later that day, when his mother was resting upstairs and Emma was reading to her daughters, James Wilson arrived unexpectedly, only staying long enough to take a cup of tea with them before rushing away. He did, however, leave a message for his mother. "Please tell my mother that everything has been arranged for Friday's journey to Kent--it is best that we return on Sunday afternoon. We shall have to take her carriage--mine is not big enough."
Emma asked, "How many shall we be?"
"Just the three of us and mother's maid, of course. She goes nowhere without her," he said as he apologised and flew out the door on his way to a meeting in the city, leaving her smiling at his enthusiasm.
After he had gone, Emma contemplated her situation. Once again, she felt as if her isolation was being opened up and her unhappiness was relieved, just a little.
She had deliberately held back from her parents the true state of her ten-year marriage. It was not only because she had not wanted to break their hearts--she knew what the truth would do to her father. There was some of her pride involved, as well.
The decision to marry David Wilson had been hers alone. She had consulted no one, not even her brother Jonathan.
David was the good-looking, ambitious one of the two Wilson brothers. She had known him first as a boy,