All fluff, and that's all. :D


"What are you doing, Riley?"

"Packing your things, Sir!"

"Why are you packing my things?"

"We are going home tonight, Sir!"

"I didn't say I'm going home tonight?"

"But…Miss Woodhouse said so…"

Mr. Knightley was choked, he surely had free reign to command Riley, but only not in Miss Woodhouse's house.

He huffed to the next door and knocked at it.

"Come in! Abigail, did you see my yellow ribbon? I think I left it…Mr. Knightley…"

Mr. Knightley stood stiffly at the doorway, watching Emma yanking up a shawl from the nearest seat back and wrapping it around her shoulder hastily trying to cover her silky, light yellow dressing gown. He shifted a little, as if to leave the room, but he didn't.

We have been engaged. It won't be an unpardonable breach of propriety if Emma doesn't feel offended.

"Mr. Knightley, I'm…I'm dressing for dinner…"

"I know, you told me before you came back."

"Are you…do you need something from me?" She blushed at her terrible wording, hoping he would not distort it.

"Why did you let Riley pack my things?"

"Don't you want to go home? You have been staying here for almost twenty days."

"No I don't!" most firmly.

"But you should whether you want or not."

"Why should I, Emma? I'm not well enough to be moved. I will be badly re-injured on my way home."

"Mr. Knightley, you have just walked six turns with me in the garden, the total distance is at least no shorter than that from Hartfield to Abbey. Besides, I'm not so cold blood to let you go on foot. James will go with you, I'm sure he can handle your carriage much more steadily than you even believe."

"But my heart will be broken if you drive me out."

Emma sighed indulgently at the vexatious Mr. Knightley, "Dr. Perry had told father that you're mended well and could go home safely now."

"I believe Mr. Woodhouse doesn't mind if I stay one or two more days."

"I met William Larkins on my way back from Randalls this morning. I'm afraid he will kill me if I keep you any longer."

"Larkins? He surely should know his master's wellbeing is much more important than his master's estate." cried Mr. Knightley.

"Then what about the parishes, the residents of Donwell? I remember Mr. Weston mentioned a few days ago that there're some intractable matters waiting for your decision?"

Mr. Knightley was silenced for a second, "Why are you so clever, Emma? I'm almost convinced."

"So Riley can continue his packing?"

"Only if you reward me."

"Reward you?"

Mr. Knightley left the doorway, strode across the room to Emma and halted right before her, lowering his head to hers with a wicked smile. Emma shot him an annoyed look but her body acted conversely. She stood on her toes, pressing her lips tenderly to his and being instantly held.

Mr. Knightley was a most fetching lover. Emma could never get tired of his intimacies towards her. His gentle, firm and passionate kisses reminded her over and over again that she was ardently loved. She believed she would like to die in his arms when he held her…

So she was startled and caught by a sense of loss when suddenly he released her and took a step back with jaw clenched and eyes closed.

"Mr. Knightley! What happened? Are you alright?" Emma approached and tried to hold him again.

"Don't Emma, give me a minute."

"Should I call the doctor? I call the doctor now." Emma ran to the door.

"NO, no! Emma, stay here, don't move." He grasped her arm and let it go at once as if Emma was burning him.

After quite a while Mr. Knightly opened his eyes, finding Emma looking at him and blinking back tears, "Are you alright? Did I hurt you?"

"No, you didn't, Emma. I'm very well."

"You're lying. I can see you're suffering the pain." A tear rolled down, "And you don't want to tell me the truth."

Mr. Knightley bit his lower-lip with cheeks beginning to burn. "I promise you, my dear Emma, I'm perfectly well. And … I'll tell you … someday later … once ..."

Emma tilted her head, studying his face bewilderedly until all of a sudden something of deep natural instinct struck her. A bright shade of crimson suffused her face before she spun on her heels and ran to the window, farthest away from him.

Mr. Knightley restrained his urge of following her, unless he wanted Emma to claim a chaperone when next time meeting with him. He stood where he was and watched her back. That flawless feature and figure were always his favorite, even the view of her back was more than enough to fix his eyes forever. He all but went mad again when recalling the feeling of her soft, seductively curved young body, covered only by a thin layer of fabric, nestling in his arms.

He swallowed, decided to go but refused to move. At least one more kiss, even a chaste one will do, thought he.

"All right, I'll get out of here tonight." He grumbled as ruefully as he could.

As expected, Emma turned and stepped back to him, standing a little farther than he wanted, "Will you come to dinner tomorrow?"

"And breakfast." added he quickly.

Emma giggled helplessly, "You better take the carriage. You shouldn't overexercise now."

"I don't really mind getting injured again, my Emma. You will hold and feed me anyway." He stole a last kiss for now from her before escaping the room, "I'm waiting for you downstairs, Emma."


When Mrs. Weston was recovered enough to walk out of the house and call on her friends, Emma prevailed on her father to hold a big dinner party for her dear friend and little Anna Weston. Mr. and Mrs. John Knightley, Frank Churchill had all contrived to come.

It's indeed a harmonious and cheerful assembly where there're so many events to congratulate on. Mrs. and Miss Weston's safety, Mr. Knightley's recovery, Jane Fairfax's engagement to Frank Churchill, Harriet's wedding. Everyone was ebullient and beaming, even Mr. Woodhouse didn't find any of them poor, if only Eltons were not here.

Mrs. Elton easily had more ambitions than capabilities of presiding over a gathering, and the thing was she never ceased trying. She scanned the dinner table, eyes fixing on Miss Fairfax sitting right opposite her across the strawberry cake.

"Oh Jane my dearest friend, you little saucy thing. How could you manage so without a tiny divulgence? Or I should never contrive to find you an attractive position. But I must confess that we do have been long expecting a … you know, noble gentlemen and charming young ladies are always blessed by lord. We just didn't predict in the right direction…"

The bustling room silenced instantly at this vivid presentation to the satisfaction of this elegantly dressed young lady. She scanned again and smiled at the embarrassments, surprises, regrets, bewilderment, worries, and a schadenfreude, "it's very true, Augusta." echoed Mr. Elton.

Emma grinned lovely when she glanced at Mr. Knightley seated next to Jane and found him at the edge of an explosion of anger. She turned to Jane and resumed the topic gracefully, "Dear Jane, I presume we are to lose you soon as you just came back home?"

"With my aunt and Mrs. and Mr. Weston's being here, I can hardly imagine your avoiding my frequent presences." smiled Jane gratefully.


"Emma, I must tell your father about our engagement, I cannot bear that insufferable woman insults you!"

"Mr. Knightley, I never heard you using such a strong word against a lady, it's unforgivable."

"She deserves it, and her dear Mr. E." paused a second, "And I want them to know you love me, not him."

"You are still annoyed with that?" teased Emma.

"Only a little better. And they also should know you do not need their compassion, you are fiercely loved by a much more amiable man."

"Mr. Knightley, I hardly believe you are considered more amiable than Frank Churchill by any of them." Laughed Emma.

"Am I not?"

"You are, but they don't know, and I am glad with that."

"Then can we go to your father now?"

"I'm afraid father will be distressed at the idea that I will be taken away from him. I'm so sorry Mr Knightley. If..."

"Emma," Mr Knightley took her hands and kissed them, "I never said I will take you away from your father?"

"Even though it's not far, I don't think father will agree to move to Abbey."

"I am not going to move your father anywhere either."

"Then you will visit Mrs Knightley everyday as you do Miss Emma?" confused Emma.

"My darling dear Emma, had you not kicked me out, I am still living happily with you and your father by now. Won't you take me back?"

"Are you serious, Mr. Knightley? That's different."

"I don't see any difference."

"Living constantly with my father, losing all your independence, living in his father in law 's house as the master of Donwell Abbey? Mr Knightley, you must reconsider it!"

"I have, Emma, and I know I will be perfectly content by living at Hartfield with you and your father, day and night.


Epilogue

"Mrs. Knightley!" Mr. Knightley emerged at the doorway, looking lovingly at his new wife.

Emma, standing by the fireplace, shifted at her new appellation, but didn't turn round. Night had fallen, the world quieted down, the only sounds in her ears were the crackle from the burning woods and the pitter-patter from her own heart.

Mr. Knightley approached and embraced her chastely from back, "Feel cold? You are shivering."

Emma turned in his arms to face him with arms around his waist, cheek on his shoulder. "No, I'm sorry."

"Never be sorry Emma, the only thing matters to me is you're happy every day, which makes me happy."

Emma looked up and smiled at him, "Then why aren't you kissing me now to make me happy? What are you waiting for?"

How could Mr. Knightley, who had been struggling so hard to restrain himself from being unthoughtful, resist such straightforward an invitation. "Emma..." only one vague word escaped his lips before they were occupied in a much more pleasing way. And not only her lips, cheeks, forehead, and eyes were welcoming him now, he dared even to expand his explorations to her ears, neck and collarbones which he had longed for months but could not touch until now...

"Mr. Knightley..." murmured Emma, enchanted by his burning desire for her.

"My dear Emma, you do know I have another name, right?" His voice was muffled by her silky smooth skin.

"Yeah, why?"

"Then prepare it for yourself, 'Mr. Knightley' will soon be insufficient for you to use." with quite an endeavor he pulled himself up and grinned wickedly at her.

"I fear you have to stick on it forever, Mr. Knightley!" Emma retorted.

"Well, let's see who's having the last laugh." He pecked her loudly on her lips before swinging her off her feet, striding proudly to their colossal bed like a triumphal knight!

Fin


Thanks for reading!

Some how I like a less serious Mr. Knightley, even a little boyish in front of Emma. And you? : )