Emma's Perfect World Gets Its First Crack — Emma

Emma Woodhouse is twenty-one years old. She is pretty, smart, and rich. For most of her life, almost nothing has gone wrong. Her real problems are getting everything her own way and thinking too highly of herself, but she does not see those as problems yet.

For sixteen years, Miss Taylor lived at Hartfield. She was more like a sister than a governess. Now Miss Taylor has married Mr. Weston and moved to Randalls. The wedding leaves Emma alone with her nervous father. She misses her friend badly. Her father hates all change and thinks Miss Taylor made a mistake by leaving. Emma tries to cheer him up by talking about visits and carriage rides.

That evening Mr. Knightley visits from London with news of Emma's sister's family. He will not join the mourning for Miss Taylor. Emma says she made the match herself four years ago, when Weston borrowed umbrellas in Broadway Lane. Knightley says that was only a lucky guess, not real skill. Emma insists she encouraged his visits and helped along the way. Her father begs her to stop matchmaking. Emma laughs and names her next project: finding a wife for Mr. Elton. Knightley is the only person who tells Emma when she is wrong, but with Miss Taylor gone, matchmaking becomes her new hobby.