- Emma’s (imaginary) love affair with Frank is a bit shaken when she hears that he’s driven all the way to London just to get his hair cut.
- Sure, he’s rich and can do whatever he wants…but he wants to do this?
- London’s a long way away.
- And it’s expensive. And, well, more than a little silly.
- The Westons and Emma have a long talk about what Frank’s haircut means. You can tell that there’s not a lot going on in Highbury, huh?
- Mr. Knightley hears about Frank’s haircut and mutters something under his breath about Frank being an idiot.
- Emma pretends not to hear him.
- Emma learns that the Coles are giving a party.
- She promptly decides not to go.
- The Coles, you see, aren’t quite as high up the social ladder as the Woodhouses.
- In fact, they’re only the second most important family in town.
- Emma spends several delightful minutes thinking about how she’s going to turn their invitation down.
- There’s just one problem – she hasn’t gotten an invitation yet.
- As she finds out, everyone else in town is already invited.
- All of a sudden, the party doesn’t look so bad anymore…maybe she would have gone!
- Finally, an invitation from the Coles arrives.
- Mr. Woodhouse is convinced that Emma will come down with a dreadful cold if she leaves the house for a party – but she manages to talk him out of his fears.