"I will not tell you a word. I assure you."
"Is he going to be married?"
"Look in the letter and you will have no occasion to ask me."
"Miss Watson, suppose you were to take it, and oblige me by reading it out; you have done your breakfast, and I am still busy with mine."
"No, indeed, I quite agree with Lady Gordon in thinking it very indolent not to read it for yourself, and shall certainly not countenance it at all."
"I see you are in a conspiracy against me, and that is very unfair when there are two ladies to one man," replied he laughing.
"I am just going to make you even as to numbers at least," returned Emma, "for I am about to leave the room."
She did so, and Sir William immediately taking up the letter, read it through quietly and returned it to his wife.
"Well," said she, "what do you think of that?"
"First, that it is rather extraordinary your brother's proposal of a visit should cause you such annoyance; and secondly, that you should think it necessary to make this visit a secret."