That thought never entered my mind that poor Mr. Knightley was leaving his dear Emma, fearing she might be lost to him forever. One could only imagine what he would have desired to say to Emma but was constrained from doing so at that moment of departure. No wonder he was somewhat out of sorts with his brother's family in London.

Here still is another high water mark on his character as he returns from London and his thoughts are only to comfort Emma when she was to discover Frank and Jane to be engaged. Only a man with the rare quality of unconditional love could put aside his own possessive feelings and focus totally on the object of his devotion!

From Ch 49:

".... He had, in fact, been wholly unsuspicious of his own influence. He had followed her into the shrubbery with no idea of trying it. He had come, in his anxiety to see how she bore Frank Churchill's engagement, with no selfish view, no view at all, but of endeavouring, if she allowed him an opening, to soothe or to counsel her...."

Wow, how precipitous was Miss Austen's handling of this encounter! It could have gone either way in that defining moment. Thank God for another turn in the shrubbery.