[Comprehensive Book] A Rose for Catherine

Except for the sisters Catherine and the "adventurer" who ran away from home, all the people who came to the Donville Ball were neighbors who were familiar with each other.

Mrs. Goddard, headmaster of the girls' school which Catherine had visited, was also in order for the dinner.Perhaps because she has been engaged in education for a long time, she has a special kindness in her eyebrows and eyes.She brought a young girl to the party, a student at her boarding school.

Knightley introduced her to Catherine. Before the ball officially started, Catherine chatted with Mrs. Goddard for a while and learned that her school had a great relationship with the local church.

Before they had time to chat, however, the ball began, and Mrs. Goddard took her students to meet people.Her female students attended such a banquet for the first time, and their attitude was rather reserved, but there was no fault in the etiquette.

The female student followed Mrs. Goddard and kept secretly looking at Catherine. Catherine met her gaze and smiled at her with a gentle expression.

Mrs. Goddard led her pupils away quickly, and Catherine hesitated, wondering whether she would dance now as a token of her friendliness.After all, Darcy's experience and lessons in Longbourne are the first-he is undoubtedly a noble character, but his performance at Longbourn, resulting in an annual income of [-] pounds, did not save his reputation.

Lydia was soon invited to dance her first dance. She was a frequent visitor on the social scene, and she was well-informed by Mrs. Bennet, and she was always at home at various balls.This time is no exception.

When Catherine struggled, Knightley came to him.She remembered that her good friend was also a person who didn't like dancing.She tilted her head and asked, "Aren't you going to the room with other gentlemen to play cards?"

Such balls usually have card-rooms for the entertainment of gentlemen who do not want to dance, and Mr. Knightley can enter there to avoid dancing. ①

Mr. Knightley did not intend to go to the card room. He said: "I am not as interested in this matter as I am here to see them dance."②

Today's social atmosphere is that gambling is prevalent, and people can't help adding chips when they play cards for entertainment. Many people regard gambling debts as "debts of honor", but Knightley is one of the few people who does not like to participate in these activities.Catherine doesn't like gambling. Whether it's the pursuit of the excitement of spending a lot of money or the delusion of a huge profit, it is not worthy of praise.She understood this, and joked by the way: "Participating in such an event, if I can't win, I will be very disappointed, so it's better not to let there be any possibility of disappointment in the first place."

Knightley nodded. "But that doesn't apply to other things. Kitty, you don't refuse to try a thing because it might have bad results."

"In fact, nothing can guarantee a satisfactory result. Unforeseen accidents may change everything." Catherine thought for a while and answered him this way.

"Yes." Knightley seemed to be pointing. "For example, now you might want to try a dance."

Catherine giggled: "May I guess, sir, that you might want to try asking me to a dance?"

Knightley answered her, "According to etiquette, I should invite you to a dance."③

Catherine didn't think much about it. The long-term relationship made her tease subconsciously: "What if you don't follow the etiquette?"

Knightley looked down at her with eyes half-downcast: "Then I'm trying to invite you to dance with me."

Catherine's eyes widened slightly when she heard this, and she could hardly hide her surprise.She paused, avoiding his gaze uncomfortably.When she met his eyes, she had a feeling that was hard to describe in words.

It seemed that something that had been tightly covered had been torn off a corner.This change terrified Catherine subconsciously.

But when looking at the past again, the previous feeling seemed to be just Catherine's illusion.Knightley just made his usual innocuous joke as a close friend.

After a long time—in fact, less than a minute—Catherine gave her answer uncertainly.

"If so, I would also like to choose to try it."

Just try to dance a dance.

The author has something to say: [Short.I don't know why I feel uncomfortable with my left hand in the past two days, and the card is also very serious, so the update is not stable.It is expected to be completed at around 30, so it will definitely be completed in mid-to-early August at the latest, so you don't have to worry about the author running away. 】

①: At that time, the ball would prepare a chess room or billiards room for the gentlemen who were not going to dance at the ball for their entertainment.It is said that gentlemen will speak yellow accents when there are no ladies.

②: At the ball, the gentleman does not dance himself but can watch other people dance and hang out, but he cannot disturb the gentleman who is standing quietly with his partner when the dance stops.

③: The man should dance with the lady he met at the ball, especially if the lady has no partner, he should invite her to avoid embarrassment. (Because this lady may not know anyone at the ball, and people who are unfamiliar (should mean that they have not been formally introduced) cannot dance. There is a mistake in the previous text here, so I will correct it.)