It was just as well.
When they reached the threshold of the park, they were suddenly surrounded by crowds of people, both walking and riding the path, or ducking around trees in the shade. Emma’s eyes traveled across their faces, innocently looking for Mr. Godwin. She wanted him to catch a glimpse of her with Mr. Bernard, to see if it elicited any type of jealous response. Or perhaps it would hurt him and discourage his efforts, so maybe she didn’t need to see him. Besides, there was something about the way he’d looked at her when delivering his flowers that made her pause. But why should she? He’d likely received that look countless times before heartlessly moving on, so she would let him know just what it felt like.
“Are you looking for anyone in particular?” Mr. Bernard asked, shaking Emma from her thoughts.
Emma would have flushed for being caught, but she tried to appear natural. “Not at all. Just so many people here, I imagine it will be easy to see someone with a familiar face.”
“Indeed. I suppose that’s true, considering I was lucky enough to see you out riding with Mrs. Dunn that day before the theatre.”
“Yes, that was lucky, wasn’t it?” Emma responded, trying to give him an encouraging smile, but he did not look her way, not even once.
Again they fell into silence, just as the Serpentine came into view, dotted with swans and ducks on its blue waters. It was a lovely sight, and Emma was about to express that thought, when she heard a cry in the distance. “Emma!”
It was a lady’s voice that made her turn, and as Emma scanned the crowd, she eventually caught a glimpse of her friend, Laura Roberts.
Emma grinned, waving in return. “What a pleasant surprise!”
Laura hurried up to the curricle, taking Emma’s outstretched hand. “How good to see you.”
It was only then that Emma noticed Laura was not alone and had a handsome gentleman on her arm. Adding to Emma’s shock was that it was the vicar, Mr. Thorne. The same gentleman Emma had introduced to her weeks before.
Suddenly remembering her own companion, Emma stumbled over her words. “Do forgive me. Mr. Bernard, this is my dear friend Miss Roberts, and this is Mr. Thorne, a vicar from the country. And this is Mr. Bernard, introduced to me by Mrs. Dunn.”
They exchanged pleasantries while Emma fixed eyes on her friend, longing for an explanation that Laura could not possibly provide in their current setting. Had they formed an attachment? Is that why she hadn’t needed Emma’s assistance in overcoming her heartbreak over Mr. Godwin?
The thought gave Emma slight concern. What if it hadn’t been much of a heartbreak at all? With Laura’s obsessive personality and tendency to overdramatize, what if her attachment to Mr. Godwin had been all one sided? Did that mean Emma was punishing Mr. Godwin needlessly? For he certainly wasn’t the same man who ruined her sister, and if Laura hadn’t been as hurt by him as she’d thought, was Emma’s whole revenge for nothing? It could be said that every scoundrel needed to learn a lesson, but did Mr. Godwin really deserve the devastation she had prepared for him?