affection for Emma was genuine, as Emma's was for her. What I was trying to express, and did it badly, was that unless I missed something they were not of the same social class. Given Emma's snobbery toward others, especially Robert Martin, and to a lesser degree the Bates (hinted at in this reading), I am somewhat surprised that she had such a close relationship with Miss Taylor, later Mrs Weston. So I guess I need to assume that it was because Emma's mother had died when Emma was very young, Miss Taylor took over the role of female parent and won Emma's heart, but Miss T. didn't give her the same sort of discipline her mother would have. Was that a class difference at work? Was it a matter of temperment on the part of Miss Taylor, was it because Emma was so very appealing and winning in her ways? Or did it have something to do with the role of a governess?