Once I realized that figuring out what Frank Weston Churchill believed—that Emma suspected he and Jane were in love when he left the first time and that he was certain that she knew after the ball—wasn’t enough, that in the end we would have to figure out what Jane knew, I set out to figure it out.

Semi-edited transcript:

Again, either Jane breaks character and flips out over a stupid flirtation, but also- also her saying that– Emma saying that she’s going to help Frank get a wife. Choose him a wife.

“She must have hazel eyes,” whatever. But still, it’s not– it’s– and then she just– The way that is, like, she’s not even pretending. Like, she it’s not even like, “Well, I’m going to avoid her, but I’m going to do it in such a way that I don’t make any waves.” I don’t– I don’t really make– She’s sending a message.

And if Emma didn’t know about she and– about Jane and Frank, Emma would just be as confused as she actually is. Right? Like, she wouldn’t even get the message. How would she– like Jane’s- Jane’s pretty rational. I guess that’s the thing I’m saying. Sort of like what Mr. Knightley says. She has feeling. She definitely has feeling. And good sensibility, and patience, and forbearance and–

If Emma doesn’t know, then her flirting with Frank isn’t something to get that mad about, even with what she said to Miss Bates. Because by the time Emma starts, like, trying to be nice to her and invite her along in the carriage and just– I mean, she sends back the arrowroot. She sends it back. She’s sending a message. She could have just– she could have just been like, even, I mean, sending it back? It’s arrowroot. I mean, I don’t know how to– for- for Emma flirting? With a guy that Emma doesn’t know it’s bad to flirt with? It makes no sense. I mean, and then she’s back to being normal again? I don’t understand.

That’s– Even, like, not claiming any sort of special knowledge of Jane Fairfax, doesn’t that seem weird? For like– doesn’t that seem different than everything else she’s done? Like, a little extreme?

I know it seems extreme because I’ve heard a million people say it. Okay, not a million. Two.

But still, it does seem extreme. Unless like– But if she thinks Emma knows, and has started to– especially if she’s started to feel some– they’ve had their moments, especially the day before. Then it’s very different and what she– and all that makes complete sense.