Er which couple are we talking about here? Mr and Mrs Weston? The Eltons? At first I thought it was the Knightleys but er...that's not it... Um, so which couple was it?

I must admit it's been some time since I read Emma. So when I read this I was thinking Emma/Knightley... which I'm sure is your intent untill the surprise at the end... but LOL when I read the last line I thought "who is augusta hawkins and what is this author thinking hooking knightly up with her instead of emma!" LOL like I said it's been awhile since I read the book, so I didn't get it untill I read the reviews and everyone was talking about Elton. I get it now and on a second read it fits them perfect! I love it!

Very amusing and intelligent play on expectations. Very well written and edited, as well - I really like the way you incorporated phrases from the book like "an old married man." I'm not quite sure that Mr. Elton, a clergyman, even though he's not a very good or upright one, would actually think "By God" though. Just a minor note of dissonance. But you do capture the perfect smarminess and humor that makes up the Eltons. Thanks!

Ooh, in your own wicked way, you've given Mr. Elton EXACTLY what he deserves. To be so ungenerous to others in his own "happiness" -- yup, that sounds about right...

Another "Gotcha..." Like Emma and her aquaintances (remember at the Churchills' ball, as soon as the Eltons showed up, everyone scurried away forthwith) I couldn't stand Mr. Elton and his new wife for their snobbish, impertinent, loud, self-important, and classless ways. You cleverly disguise their "true" characters by portraying them from their own POV as oppose to the POV of others. Internal and external beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, huh?

Interesting story :-)

Aha! Sneaky, sneaky Chocolate. Here I was, imagining Jeremy Northam and Gwenneth Paltrow, when I should have been imagining Alun ** and Juliet Stevenson. You are tricky. Loved the suprise. :)