My Dearest Miss Fairfax by Jeanette Watts

Author:Jeanette Watts
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: historical romance, clean romance, jane austen, adaptation, regency era, history 1800s, historical fic, austen romance, sweet regency, music and love
Publisher: Jeanette Watts

Chapter Fifteen

As if the day had not been going badly enough already, Mr Knightley came across her when she bought more paper at Ford’s, and insisted on walking back with her to pay his respects to her aunt and grandmother.

“For your letters to your friends in Ireland? How fares Mrs Dixon and her family?” Mr Knightley asked.

“Quite well, thank you,” Jane saw no reason to encourage conversation with him, but he seemed determined to talk to her.

“Did you ever receive a letter from Colonel Campbell, to tell you about the pianoforte?” he asked next.

Of course he would bring that up. Everyone else in town had tired of such old gossip, and had moved on. It did her no small disservice to dredge up the topic, now. “I did write to let him know his letter may have been misdirected, but I have not had a response yet.”

“It is a generous, but thoughtless gift,” Mr Knightley surprised her by saying.

“Thoughtless? To provide me with hours of joy?” Jane asked. Mr Knightley was possibly the only person in the village with less tact than the newly arrived Mrs Elton.

“It was thoughtless to expose you to the kind of speculation that comes with such a generous gift,” Mr Knightley frowned. “I am sure some portion of the gossip has reached your ears. I believe I overheard Mr Churchill and Miss Woodhouse making fanciful guesses at other possible donors to your enjoyment. I dislike the thought of your reputation being damaged over a generous impulse.”

Every part of Mr Knightley’s statement rankled. She did not appreciate his criticism. She also disliked the picture he was painting of Mr Churchill and Miss Woodhouse giggling together while Mr Churchill encouraged her indecorous speculations. “My reputation can survive a generous impulse from a man who wishes he could do as well by me as he did by his daughter. Miss Woodhouse and Mr Churchill can say whatever they like. They are both people of consequence, and can speculate over things that are trifles to them, but mean the world to me.”

“That’s what I am trying to tell you,” Mr Knightley persisted. “Their giggling about this ill-conceived gift can be a trifle to them, but do you a world of harm. You-” he cleared his throat in an odd manner. “You need a protector. Your grandmother and aunt may be well regarded in this community, but they are ill equipped to offer protection to an accomplished young woman of marriageable age. If you had a respectable home, and a husband, your future would not be in jeopardy.”

“Dear God,” Jane thought to herself, “he’s going to propose to me!” She realized she needed to discourage him, and quickly. “Mr Knightley, pray do not worry yourself on my behalf. I am very content with my future. I am not in need of protection. My aunt and grandmother will do. No one would ever say that they are not perfectly respectable.” They had reached her front door. She opened it, and hurried

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