The day after the party Emma is still delighted but so chagrined at Jane's musical ability that she sits and practices "vigorously an hour and a half" before Harriet comes in. The latter's references to the Martins make Emma feel obliged to accompany her, as protection, to Ford's shop. Standing in the doorway at Ford's, Emma sees Mrs. Weston and Frank approaching the Bates house. Seeing her, they come forward and Frank lets the two women convince him that he should accompany Mrs. Weston to see Jane's pianoforte. Harriet has just waveringly managed to complete her transactions when Mrs. Weston and Miss Bates arrive and invite them over to appraise the new instrument. Back at home Miss Bates is surprised that Frank has not completed fastening the rivet of Mrs. Bates' spectacles, but he says that he has been helping Jane make the instrument steady while Mrs. Bates was asleep by the fire.
When Jane plays, Frank harps upon the Campbells and Ireland to Emma, with innuendos about the instrument. He seems to want Jane to hear him. When Miss Fairfax smiles at some of his words, Emma, who has been feeling sorry for her, now decides that she is "cherishing very reprehensible feelings."
George Knightley comes by on horseback, and Miss Bates talks with him from the casement of an adjoining room so loudly that all can hear. He offers to bring something for her from Kingston, but she wants nothing—except to rattle on with her talk and to get him inside if possible. When she thanks him effusively for some apples he recently sent them, he is embarrassed and says he must hurry on. Shortly afterward the other guests leave also.
