Emma Chapter Twenty-Eight Summary

  • All of the company gathered in the Bates house speculate on who could have given Jane such a nice piano.
  • After all, a piano is a pretty major gift!
  • The general consensus, that Colonel Campbell sent it to his ward, is one that Emma secretly rejects.
  • Emma notices Frank smiling knowingly at her across the room.
  • Perhaps he’s thinking again of Emma’s comments about Mr. Dixon?
  • Jane begins to play music that came with the piano.
  • Ironically, all of the music is from Ireland (where the Dixons now are).
  • Emma and Frank whisper together about the potential implications of this.
  • Again, Emma feels slightly bad about making so much fun of Jane, but, well…it’s fun.
  • Jane plays an Irish tune.
  • Frank whispers to Emma that the song is his favorite one.
  • Miss Bates spots Mr. Knightley out in the road.
  • She shouts out the window to him to join them.
  • He seems inclined to come up for a few minutes, but when he hears that Frank is there, he rides quickly off. (Tension, anyone?)
  • Miss Bates recounts the fact that Mr. Knightley sent an entire bushel of apples – in fact, his very last bushel – over to their house when he found out that Jane liked apples.
  • Nothing says loving like a bucket-o-apples.
  • Jane’s a little upset that Miss Bates told Mr. Knightley that they were out of apples. She doesn’t like to be dependent on anyone. Especially handsome, single men.