Mrs. Cole was so kind as to sit some time with us... saying, 'I know you cannot have heard from Jane lately, because it is not her time for writing;' and when I immediately said, 'But indeed we have, we had a letter this very morning,' I do not know that I ever saw anybody more surprized. 'Have you, upon your honour!' said she; 'well, that is quite unexpected. Do let me hear what she says.'"

Emma's politeness was at hand directly, to say, with smiling interest --

"Have you heard from Miss Fairfax so lately? I am extremely happy. I hope she is well?"

"Thank you. You are so kind!" replied the happily deceived aunt...

Whenever I read this passage an ingenious and animating suspicion enters my brain. Does anyone else think it possible that Mrs. Cole, like Emma, also chose to visit the Bateses on this day because she too thought herself safe from any letter from Jane Fairfax? Can it be possible that there are others in Highbury who find Miss Bates as tiresome as Emma does, particularly with regard to her going on about Jane? Miss Bates tells Emma how great a favorite Jane is with Mrs. Cole, but I wouldn't be surprised if she told Mrs. Cole what a great favorite Jane is with Emma too, since 'Emma's politeness was at hand directly, to say, with smiling interest' etc.