Posted on Sunday, 4 November 2001
What Happened To the Characters in Jane Austen's Unfinished Novel "The Watsons"--Some Ideas
Jane Austen's novel "The Watsons" ends midway through with Charles Watson and his wife returning to Croyden. This is what happens after:
Emma didn't really look forward to this interview-she did have some curiosity about it but had no idea why someone like Lady Osborne would be interested in her.
Lady Osborne also would have changed her mind about the interview if she had known of Mr. Howard's interest in Emma. She had great enjoyment from Mr. Howard's company and although being a proud woman and unlikely to admit it, would be jealous of having to share it with another woman. She had been the sole recipient of his respectful attention for quite a number of years and he was a great favorite of hers. He had been of considerable solace to her after the death of her husband. Ever considerate and thoughtful, he was, though unrecognized by her, an indispensable part of her current social life, keeping it from being dull and boring. She had no desire for him to have any attachments elsewhere.
Emma was ushered into Lady Osborne's private sitting room. Lady Osborne complimented her on her appearance and manners and then briskly got to the point. She mentioned that she could not but help notice Emma's great kindness at the ball to 10 year old Charles and to his mother. She said that for some time she had been considering hiring a companion, noticing that her daughter's friend, Miss Carr was such a comfort to her daughter.
Emma observed that Lady Osborne's features were a little drawn and somewhat changed since the ball and that she did not appear to be in the best of health. She surmised that this might be why there was a sudden interest in acquiring a companion.
Lady Osborne, with her dark eyes and handsome features, was physically fragile but with an imperious manner and seemed totally confident that Emma would accept her proposal.
Emma declined, citing the need to care for her father and the necessity of being at home at all times because of his illness.
Lady Osborne frowned at this. There was a small amount of discussion concerning Emma's other sisters being at home and it ended by Lady Osborne being somewhat displeased and dismissing Emma by saying, "Very well, Miss Watson, you must do what is best for your situation."
Emma leaves and later that day Lady Osborne communicates the essence of the meeting to her children, who were aware of the interview and had been curious about it. Lord Osborne warmly supports his mother's judgment in trying to get Emma as a companion but Miss Osborne was angry and critical of Emma for refusing.
A few days later, Lord Osborne socializes with Tom Musgrave and gets him to write to Emma's older brother Charles about his mother's offer to Emma and urging him to use his influence to get her to accept the offer. Tom does this a week after the interview, Emma receives a letter from Charles trying to persuade her to accept the offer, pointing out its many advantages. Included with the letter is an angry chiding note from her sister-in-law, Jane, citing her ungrateful behavior toward her brother and herself if she does not accept the position. Emma shares this letter with both sisters and while Elizabeth supports her in not taking the position, the surprise is that Margaret also supports the decision. It had occurred to Margaret that if Emma was a live-in companion that she would be in the intimate, daily company of Tom Musgrave, and as she was already jealous of the attention he had been paying her sister, she saw it as good that Emma would not be there.
About this time Emma receives another letter, this one from her sister Penelope, who has been staying at Chichester with friends, trying to entice rich, old Dr. Harding into marriage. The letter is from Croyden and Penelope is staying several months with her brother and sister-in-law. In her letter she regrets not having got home sooner to see her dear, newly-arrived sister and looks forward to it eagerly. She also comments on the potential marriageable men that Emma would meet if she took the companion position and what an advantage that would be. She ends by urging acceptance.
The exposure on the ground brought on pneumonia and Tom was dangerously ill for a week, though being a healthy young man, he was never near death. He stayed a fortnight and was then moved to his own home. The blow on the head made him fairly sensitive to loud noises and loud voices for many years. His health fully returned but was never as robust as it had been.
Lord Osborne was in London on business matters for his mother at the time of the accident and sent Tom a brief, indifferent note lamenting it. Lady Osborne and Miss Osborne also sent brief notes but never came to visit him or to help in any way, such as sending their personal physician to look at him. Mr. Howard visited daily and lady and Miss Osborne inquired once or twice about Tom from him and then never inquired again, being engrossed in their own affairs.
Elizabeth and Emma tenderly and skillfully nursed Tom back to health, with Elizabeth getting up at all hours of the night to make sure he was all right, and she spent several nights at his bedside when he had the night sweats from the pneumonia.
Margaret, who had had hysterics when they brought Tom into the house had no ability at nursing the sick or patience with a sick person. She was also afraid of catching the pneumonia and avoided the sick room. She was required to help out with her father much more, as the other women helped Tom through his illness, and felt very put upon and complained about it several times. She was also Jealous that Penelope had stayed at Charles and Jane's for so long and had thereby avoided helping out at home. Charles and his wife refused to bring Penelope to Stanton since there was disease in the house. Also, Penelope felt little inclined to come. So there were no visits during the Christmas holidays and a very subdued Christmas was shared by the Watsons that year.
Margaret's loud, sharp tones and vexatious voice also jarred on Tom's sensitive nerves as he was healing and he heard enough of her dealings with the servants and her sisters to see the side of her that lay under the gentle, smiling exterior.
Mr. Howard visited Tom from his first knowledge of the event, offering the ladies any help that lay within his power. He couldn't help but observe Emma's quiet, considerate care of the invalid and it was not long before his warm regard grew into love and admiration. He was constrained somewhat by circumstances, supporting himself, his widowed sister and her three children on a clergyman's income.
After a fortnight, Tom Musgrave was transported back to his own house. During his healing at home, he had a lot of time to meditate on who his friends really were. His feeling for Elizabeth had also changed. Her tender, compassionate care of him deeply affected him and had deepened his feelings for her. They both had evolved from the previous slight infatuation to more substantial feelings for each other. Emma had given him good care but Elizabeth had been there day and night and he now felt that he needed someone like that to share his life and care for him. He felt that he had received truly loving care and he had realized how rare that is.
When he was back on his feet, he started visiting the Watson ladies, always going in the daytime(no more reckless night rides), and he always brought them a gift, winter produce, hams or turkeys from his farm. Elizabeth was very happy and much of her former beauty came back. Emma was happy for her but Margaret was jealous and resentful initially. She soon grew resigned to the inevitable and when he came to visit, would keep to her room, pleading illness. Emma could see that some months hence a wedding would take place.
After a decent period of mourning and some energetic courting, he married and became quite contented and happy. His sister, however, was unhappy. After a brief reign as first lady at Osborne Castle, she was displaced and began extended visits to other relatives, only retiring home for the holidays.
Meanwhile, Emma and Margaret had been living a much quieter life and were getting ready to pack up and not long hence, move to Croyden to live with their brother and sister-in-law, niece and Penelope. The pending change had dampened her spirits a great deal, but she fought against the depression. Her only pleasure at present was to go to church on Sundays to hear Mr. Howard's sermons. Margaret usually pleaded a headache to avoid church, so she went alone. Mary Edwards, who before her wedding would come to see he occasionally, when weather permitted, was at present busy with her new wifely duties. Sam had set up as a surgeon and they lived with Mr. and Mrs. Edwards.
It was a beautiful early spring morning and Emma and Margaret were talking, as the packed boxes, of the imminent wedding of Lord Osborne and Miss Morland. Their own move to Croyden was only weeks away and their brother Charles had already been there several times about legal matters concerning the house. They had also received a cold but civil note from their sister-in-law welcoming them to their new home. Emma was resigned to going but not really happy about it.
There is the sound of a carriage outside. Margaret goes to see-see that it is Mr. Howard and runs up to her room so he doesn't see her with an old house dress on. Emma answers the door, likewise conscious of flushed cheeks and a modest dress. Mr. Howard has a sense of repressed excitement about him. He tells her that he recently had an interview with Lord Osborne and that he will officiate at the upcoming wedding and that Lord Osborne wishes her to attend. He also tells her that Mrs. Blake has had an offer of marriage from a distant cousin who had recently become a widower. Mrs. Blake likes the man and is going to accept him.
He then proposes to Emma, telling her of his long abiding love and that now he is free to make an offer to her. He also tells her that he consulted with Lord Osborne and got his full enthusiastic approval. Emma is overcome and overjoyed. The two leave the house and go for a long walk on the grounds, sharing their first really intimate conversation.
In due time Emma is married. Her sister-in-law sends a very happy message of congratulation but can't come due to the illness of her daughter. Charles and Penelope come, bringing another, different, but equally ornate silver salver as a wedding present. The wedding dinner is only slightly spoiled by the bickering between Penelope and Margaret. Sam and his new wife and Elizabeth and her husband are there. The elder Edwardses are there. Lord and Lady Osborne send a beautiful set of silverware.
Life settles down after the honeymoon. Margaret and Penelope have gone to live with Charles and family at Croyden. The sale of the Watson's house provides a couple of hundred pounds apiece for each of the daughters.
Lord Osborne's new wife, being a sensible person appreciates Emma and the two become real friends. Emma and her husband are often at the castle and are on an intimate footing there. Her brother Sam and his wife and her sister Elizabeth and her husband are nearby and the seasons go by with a sense of quiet accomplishment and in general cheerfulness.