Free Mr Knightley’s Diary by Amanda Grange Page B

the Westons' party.
    'Isabella and Emma have managed to persuade their father to accept the invitation,' he said.
    'Have they indeed? They have done well. He does not like to go out at the best of times, and at Christmas, with his family at Hartfield, and snow threatening out of doors, I thought they would find it impossible.'
    'The Westons have consulted his feelings in everything. The hours are early and the guests few. Besides, I said that if he did not care to go, then Isabella and I must go without him, for we could not snub the Westons. He became so agitated at the thought of treating the Westons with less than their due that he was persuaded, particularly once Isabella had pointed out to him that there would be no difficulty in conveying everyone, as we had our own carriage at Hartfield.'
    'I mean to go, too.'
    The boys had finished their lesson, and we walked down to the stream. It had been so cold overnight that it had frozen over. The boys delighted in skating on it in their shoes, and we have promised them that, if the weather holds, we will skate properly tomorrow.
    'Do you not miss all this?' I asked John.
    'I do, but I would miss my business more, and it holds me in town. I cannot have both, so I am content with visiting you whenever I can.'
    By the time we returned to Hartfield, the boys were exhausted, and they were able to sit and play quietly by the fireside.
    'What good children they are,' said Mr Woodhouse contentedly.
    'When they have had Uncle Knightley to wear them out!' said Emma. 'It is a good thing he invited them to the Abbey, where they could run about.'
    'They are lively children. They need to use up their energy, and where better than at their uncle's house? And what have you been doing?' I asked Emma.
    I looked at the drawing by the fire and picked it up. I noticed that it had not been done by Emma, but by her niece.
    'This is good. This is very good,' I said teasingly to Emma. 'I think it is your best work'
    Emma laughed.
    'I cannot aspire to such greatness. That is Bella's picture.'
    'Did you do this?' I asked Bella.
    She nodded.
    'And what is it?' I asked, looking at the squiggle on the paper. 'Is it a castle?'
    She shook her head.
    'Is it a horse?'
    She shook her head again,
    'What then?'
    'Papa!' she cried.
    I looked at it from every direction, and discerned an eye and a mouth.
    'A very good likeness. I like it even better than your aunt Emma's portrait of Papa. You have caught his expression beautifully.'
    Bella was delighted, and we settled down to a comfortable family evening. Mr Woodhouse seemed to have accepted our dining at the Westons' as a settled thing, and a few more cheerful conversations on the subject reconciled him to going out on a cold, dark evening.
    As I walked home, I found I was looking forward to it.
    Wednesday 23 December
    I had Horrocks find our skates, so that by the time John joined me with the children, I was ready to take them down to the stream.
    John and I showed the boys how to fasten the skates, helping them as they needed it, and then we all ventured on to the ice. The weather was perfect for our enterprise. The air was cold, but not biting, and a weak sun shone down on our faces. The exercise was invigorating, so that we all returned to Hartfield with hearty appetites.
    After taking tea, Emma proposed charades. Isabella fell in with the suggestion readily enough. Harriet seemed lethargic, but was compliant. The children went up to the attic with Emma and Isabella, and came down with an armful of clothes. There was great hilarity as Bella put on an old dress of Isabella's, which was far too big for her, and walked round in her mother's shoes, which were also far too large. In vain did Emma, Harriet and Isabella try to persuade her to part with her treasures, and tempt her with other, more suitable, clothes!
    The children were too young to understand much of it, but they liked dressing up, and the rest of the party enjoyed the game.
    The first charade took us