Flowers, Swords and France

In the summer evening, the long-lost wind finally began to blow around, bringing rare coolness to people. In this gentle breeze, a rented carriage stopped at the Count of Dillion's house.

When the gatekeeper found that it was the married eldest daughter Julie of this family, he hurriedly bowed and saluted, and then let the eldest daughter in.

When she arrived in the courtyard, Julie, who was dressed simply, got off the carriage and walked step by step towards the mansion where she had lived for twenty years.

Because she couldn't afford a private carriage, Julie had always come here in this way. Perhaps for this kind of face consideration, she rarely returned to her parents' home.

However, from her expression, she didn't see any dissatisfaction or embarrassment with the current situation. Instead, she seemed a little anxious. She quickened her pace and walked into her home, and didn't even respond to the servant next to her greeting.

Soon, she came to the door of her sister's room.

When she knocked on the door, Matilda's response soon sounded outside the door.

"Is it my sister?"

"Yes, it's me. Can I come in?" Julie said hurriedly.

She sounded a little weak. It seemed that she was really sick, she thought to herself.

"Of course, the door is not closed. Come in quickly, sister!" Matilda answered immediately.

Julie immediately opened the door and walked in quickly.

Then, she saw her sister standing by the window.

Looking at her sister's slightly pale face and listless look, her uneasiness in her heart became even worse.

"Matilda, how are you now?" She walked forward. She held her sister's hand, "I heard that you were not feeling well, so I came to see you."

"Yes. I'm fine now, thank you!" Matilda replied with a smile.

Although this smile was a little weak, it finally made Julie feel a little relieved.

"Do you have a cold? If you are sick, take a good rest and don't work hard on yourself." Then, she glanced at the books on the desk and looked at her sister with some displeasure. "Don't do anything that requires your energy. Take good care of yourself. What can't you do when you are well?"

"Yes. I know, sister." Under Julie's slightly reproachful concern, Matilda's smile became more and more relieved, "Thank you for coming to see me."

"What's so strange about me coming to see you? Why are you so surprised..." Julie sneered. Then she pulled Matilda to sit down, "Speaking of this, I'm sorry, Matilda..."

"Sorry? What's wrong?" Matilda was a little surprised. "Did you do anything?"

"I apologize because I didn't do anything..." Julie sighed slightly, "Did the turmoil a while ago really make you feel bad? I'm sorry that I can't help you."

"Oh, this..." Matilda smiled and shook her head, "It doesn't matter. We will handle the problem ourselves, you just live your life in peace."

"How can you say that? I was raised by my father after all." Julie sighed again, "Well, it's meaningless to say this now. Finally, my father is out of danger. Is this also thanks to Mr. Treville? I have heard that the president seemed to have planned to let my father resign. In the end, Charles ran to the president in person and tried to persuade the president. In the end, he even sacrificed himself to make the president change his mind... This is really rare. We really have to thank him."

What puzzled Julie was that after hearing Charles' name, Matilda's face suddenly froze, and then she lowered her eyes unnaturally.

"Well, I really should thank him!" After a moment's delay, Matilda also echoed her sister.

"Such a capable person, and so kind-hearted, is really touching." Julie couldn't help but smile, as if she thought of something, "But it's a pity that he can't be my brother-in-law."

"Huh?"

"Haven't you heard about it? It's all over the social scene now, even I, who rarely get involved in it now, have heard about it," Julie smiled and looked at her sister, "Treville is now planning to get engaged to his cousin, um, that is, Miss Charlotte de Treville, the Duchess who we met at the opera house that day... Ha, what a pity, even now I still think you two are quite a match."

After hearing the news, Matilda's face became even paler, but soon returned to normal.

"Don't say that. We've seen her before. The Duke's daughter is really beautiful."

"She's just beautiful. 'Beautiful' is everywhere in the social world. What's so strange about it? Although I don't know Miss Treville very well, I've heard from friends that although she appears to be kind on the surface, she is very arrogant inside. I'm afraid Charles will have to suffer in the future." Perhaps because she wanted to defend her sister, Julie's tone was a little harsh after mentioning Charlotte. "What is really valuable is brains and talent. Which of these things do you not have? It's a pity that he didn't know the value of it and went to find such a young lady. Maybe he coveted the dowry of the Duke's family?"

"Don't say that. It's too embarrassing." Matilda's face was slightly red.

"Anyway, it's just the two of us now, what can't we say? But it doesn't matter. Although Charles is gone, it's not like France can't find a suitable person. We can still find more slowly." He said a few mean words. After saying this, Julie smiled at her sister again, "Having said that, even if Diamonds also need to be polished to be dazzling. How can people recognize the goods if they are not allowed to do so? Matilda, I have to talk to you again. You are usually too boring. At this age, you should learn from the tricks of those ladies. Don't think people are shallow, even if they are really shallow, it's still good as long as they can achieve their goals..."

Matilda didn't dare to reply at all when her sister made such corny remarks, she just lowered her head and listened quietly.

"Hey, it's pointless to lecture you like this all the time. You have to listen. Forget it, I'm here to visit you today. I won't talk about these boring things. Matilda, recover as soon as possible so that you can Enjoy life. By the way. Did you receive the invitation?"

"Invitation?" Matilda was a little confused at first, but soon understood, "Are you talking about the banquet that Mr. Treville is going to host?"

"Well, yes, I heard that in order to eliminate any bad luck before his transfer, Charles planned to hold a dance. It seems that a lot of people were invited. Even Lucien and I received invitations!" After a moment, he seemed to think of it again. As if something, she glanced at her sister again uneasily. "But, Matilda, if you feel embarrassed, just don't go?"

"Awkward?" Matilda was startled. Then he shook his head. "It's not embarrassing, I plan to attend."

"Well, in that case, let's go together then? I'll go with you in a carriage, and I'll save Lucien a lot of money, hahahaha..." Julie laughed as she spoke, and of course the last sentence I said it deliberately to amuse my sister.

But smiling, Julie's smile gradually disappeared. Because she found that her sister's reaction was strange, or a little sluggish. She seemed to be preoccupied, not like the usual sharp and sharp Matilda.

What happened? Julie was getting more and more confused.

Then she took a closer look at her sister.

His face is pale, but his expression seems a little strange, and he always feels, always feels a little strange...

Subconsciously, she stretched out her hand.

Matilda didn't react in time. When she wanted to retreat, the hands had already been placed on her forehead.

No fever at all, no hoarseness in speech.

In other words, there is no disease at all.

Looking at Matilda's slightly frowning expression as she dodged quickly, Julie suddenly had a very scary thought in her heart.

"Matilda...Matilda...Matilda!" Her eyes widened, and she didn't know what she was shouting. "Can't you...?"

"Ah, I thought it was easy to hide it beforehand..." Matilda gave up her struggle and sighed helplessly, "But, my parents still haven't found out...or they won't go at all. Pay attention, don’t worry, sister.”

Read the original text in Liu#9@书/吧!

"...Don't worry? Are you crazy?" Julie grabbed her sister's shoulders and shook her fiercely, "Who is it? Who is it?!"

After a moment, an answer flashed through her mind, and her eyes widened.

"Is it him? Damn it, is it him? I should have thought of it a long time ago. How could he help you so much for no reason? This dog in heat, I want to kill him! Kill him!" Huge The anger caused tears to well up in her eyes, and also made her completely forget the grace she had learned since childhood. She continued to shake her sister violently, "Matilda, why are you so stupid! People like dad deserve What are you doing?"

Matilda allowed her sister to roar like this. It wasn't until her sister slowly regained her senses that she answered in a low voice.

"Dad is not worthy, this family is worthy. Besides, things are not what you think..."

"Isn't that what I thought? You are crazy! You are such a smart person, how could you be deceived by a man like this! No matter what he tells you, don't believe it! Don't you know about the social world? The most important thing is It’s just a man’s rhetoric!” Julie continued to scold her sister, tears kept flowing, “This dog... I won’t let him go, I won’t! He can’t pretend that nothing happened and get married safely. That lady, I will let him..."

"So I said, you are wrong, everything is really of my own free will." Matilda sighed.

Then, she told her sister everything about that night.

As Julie listened, her expression gradually changed from anger to confusion.

"Why?"

"Didn't you say that? It's just more pleasing to the eye..." Matilda replied with a smile.

"You're crazy!"

"Then what do you want me to say? Because you ran away, so I can't run away, because you are lucky, so my rebellion can only go so far - do you want to hear this?" It seemed that he had broken through his reason. Like a dike, Matilda suddenly shouted back.

Julie looked at her sister, speechless.

Matilda lowered her head, obviously regretting her gaffe just now.

"Sister, okay, okay, don't talk about this. The matter has been done, so there is no need to regret. Besides, I really don't regret it..." Then, she held her sister's hand, "Even if In this way, I still love you, live a good life, and I will definitely help you."

Julie still didn't reply.

"Don't be like that, actually...actually I felt pretty good that night." Matilda suddenly laughed, "No wonder so many girls like to be unrestrained..."

"Sorry..." Julie muttered to herself.

"Don't talk about this." Matilda held her sister's hand tightly, "Let's talk about something interesting? For example, what kind of clothes should I wear to the Duke of Treville's mansion..."

The new shock left Julie speechless, and she stared at her sister in amazement.

"You...you're going to go like this?"

"Is there anything wrong with going? I really want to go and see." Matilda nodded, "I've been staying at home for a long time, and it's not bad to go out and relax occasionally."

Julie moved her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she sighed dejectedly.

"You...you're really weird."

"Maybe." Matilda smiled and nodded. (To be continued...)

ps: I found that the previous special episode seems to have caused some misunderstandings...

Let me explain, the second son is just a joke that the author wants to play with Lelouch. They are undoubtedly the children of Ciel and Charlotte... In addition, Fran is not married.

Don't think of me as such a terrible person...