Emma is certain that everyone sees herself as Mr. Frank Churchill's object, yet upon hearing of his engagement to Miss Fairfax, Harriet hurries into the subject only as a surprising piece of gossip.
If Emma was correct, and everyone saw his attentions as she supposed, he acted so in front of Miss Smith several times (including the over-the-top flirtation on Box Hill). Yet, Harriet did not see this instance as a chance to commiserate, and perhaps return Emma's support to herself during her disappointment over Mr. Elton.
Is Harriet, the romantic, sweet-tempered Harriet, really so dense? Or was Emma, who is shown over and over to judge wrongly about what those around her see and mean, that obtuse herself, and the behavior of Mr. Churchill was only singular in her estimation?