And why didn't Frank just take Harriet to Mrs Goddard's? Surely that would've been more appropriate, given the situation. And why did the Bates and Jane get forgotten by the Eltons before the ball?

Miss Bates busy chatting adds to the tension, and her comment that her mother chatted all evening with Mr Woodhouse, yet we never hear her speak, as she is deaf. And why did Miss Bates have to slip away without telling everyone when she settled her mother to bed for the evening?

Mr Weston also appears to have a veiled dig at Mrs Elton, in how he talks about Mrs Churchill, and her origins. Tension plus. Of course this goes over the top of her head, if he intends it this way.

And we know from the ball that Frank doesn't like Mrs Elton/Mr Elton, nor does Mr Knightley, nor does Emma, and then later nor does Harriet, afterwards. And of course they keep this to themselves.

The gossip about the gipsies goes all over the town, in spite of Emma's wish for intrigue, to save her father worrying and limiting her outings further.