The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 2

Emma receives a terse note from Aunt Eugenia commanding her attendance at an exclusive dinner the next evening. The instructions are explicit: Emma must be polite and charming, smile, avoid expressing her opinions on any significant topic, play cards when invited, and lose if her aunt signals her to do so.

On the morning of the dinner, Emma feels unwell but forces herself to climb Primrose Hill to feel a sense of accomplishment. She reflects on her love for her home in St. Crispian’s and her precarious financial situation, resolving that her survival there is “[n]ever impossible.” Later that night, she summarily dismisses the event in her journal, writing that the dinner was “exclusively stupid.”

While walking one day, Emma encounters Mr. Pierce. She awkwardly compliments his height, and they walk home together. He asks about the “lucky-unlucky marble” she mentions retrieving from the church. He also accepts a dinner invitation he believes came from Emma, confusing her. Realizing that Archibald invited Mr. Pierce without including her, Emma confronts Archibald. She insists on co-hosting, arguing that she legally owns the house and that Archibald will have nothing to discuss with their guest. Archibald grudgingly agrees, making her responsible for all arrangements.