aristocratic engagement

"Don't promise her, don't promise her, don't promise her..."

Annie almost burst out laughing. Georgiana clasped her hands tightly, staring at the couple, repeating whispers in her mouth, and her expression was almost more serious than her daily prayers.

"The way you look now seems to be more worried than anyone else in the venue." Anne teased, "The ladies want to have the opportunity to dance and contact Darcy. What are you doing for it? The princess is so honorable, and what is the reason?" So beautiful, I think any gentleman here is secretly praying that Darcy will not agree to her."

The next second, it was Georgiana who answered her joking question with an annoyed growl.Anne turned her head and saw that after Darcy said something, she stood opposite the princess and bowed slightly.

That's what it means to dance.

Annie raised her eyebrows, both surprised and reasonable.Darcy has no reason to reject such a noble lady who looks down on all ladies no matter in appearance or family background.The fact that he gave his first dance to his aunt was impressive enough.If he doesn't give the princess any more face, before tomorrow morning, he might be blocked by all nobles with daughters and landlord families with similar backgrounds.

Another cheerful and elegant song sounded in the arena. The gentlemen and ladies either exchanged their dance partners politely, or stood in front of each other with intertwined eyes for some well-known reasons. , and some did not find a suitable dance partner, talking and laughing against the curtain by the wall while admiring the couples on the dance floor.Ladies' skirts of various colors bloomed among the dance steps...

After the second dance, Mr. Darcy did not invite the Duchess to dance again. Anne felt that he looked a little resistant and tried to leave, but was stopped by Mr. Fitzwilliam.Fitzwilliam whispered something in his ear, Darcy frowned slightly, and then looked out of the window across the crowd.

Annie was taken aback, her heart skipped a beat for an instant, she pulled Georgiana past the big pillar and hid behind the big pillar.

"Your brother seems to have discovered us." Annie said with a sigh.Georgiana froze for a moment, cautiously poked her head out, then turned back to her with a sigh of relief and said, "You are too careful, Anne. My brother must not have noticed us. He is inviting Viscountess Campbell to dance."

Annie blinked her eyes: "Oh... Really. Maybe I was too nervous, maybe Darcy just glanced casually just now." Even though she said this, Annie still felt that Darcy really looked at her just now.

The two moved to the original "peeking" place, pointing at the situation in the arena with great interest.After Darcy danced this dance, he was invited by another bold lady. He was the undoubted leading man of the day. He kept a cold face in the ridicule of the crowd, and he did not refuse the ladies' invitation after all.

As an onlooker's perspective, Anne can easily spot the gossip that people in the venue can't know-for example, when the princess is facing out of the window and no one can see her expression, she frowns and even spits out indecently. Tongue out, as if everything in it was unbearable; the Carter sisters were arguing about something by the corner window, and a handsome gentleman was at a loss to persuade; young Mr. Wood and Sir Stirling's new wife from Sneaked out of the doorway, seemed to move intimately in the shadows...

Annie sighed secretly in her heart, and at the same time subconsciously wanted to cover Georgiana's eyes.

"What's wrong?" Georgiana blinked suspiciously, her eyelashes brushing against her palm.

"Ah—a little bug flew past you just now, I was afraid it would hit your bright and beautiful eyes." Annie's words made Georgiana giggle: "Annie, you are so humorous!"

Annie glanced over there again, and found that the two had disappeared in the shadows, so she let go of her hand in time.Georgiana asked, "Did the little bug fly away?"

"Yes, dear," Anne replied.

The two reverted to their old ways, shrunk their bodies, squatted on the ground and looked into the house.The venue has already ended again, I don't know which dance is the first.Except for the gentlemen and ladies who were particularly energetic and fond of dancing, most of them chose to pause for a while to make way for the people who were just standing beside them chatting.

Anne glanced over the crowd, and saw Lady Catherine sitting on the sofa in front of a portrait, chatting with the Duchess back and forth, looking very harmonious; the future Earl Fitzwilliam was surrounded by gentlemen, A group of people were holding wine glasses, their expressions were a little serious, which was incompatible with the joyful atmosphere; Sir Stirling was sitting in an armchair by the fireplace, his eyes drooping and his energy was low. Considering his age, it should be a normal time at this time It was time for him to fall asleep, and the young lady knelt by his lap, her beautiful and charming eyes looked at the group of gentlemen who were talking, and their eyebrows swirled.

Anne saw all kinds of people, but did not see the host of the ball.

"Where did brother go?" Georgiana was also looking for him in the crowd.

Annie couldn't answer her, and the two looked around for a long time, but found nothing.

"Pa——" There was a sound of a dead branch being trampled and cracked suddenly from behind, and then a deep human voice rang in the ears of the two: "You don't stay in the room obediently, squatting in the snow to peek, are you?" In order to make my aunt and I furiously invite a doctor tomorrow morning, tie you to the hospital bed, and keep you locked in the bedroom until Christmas Eve?"

"Ah!" Georgiana was startled, and sat down on the snow, "...brother, why are you here..."

Anne's eyes widened, and she turned her face to the side, but she was facing Darcy's slightly squinted, slightly angry eyes, which were only twenty centimeters away from her.Annie said calmly, "I'm sorry, we shouldn't peek, so we'll go back immediately."

"Sorry? Why are you apologizing?" I didn't expect Darcy to grab such a casual word without politeness.

"I'm sorry...for making you worry." Annie reached out and pulled Georgiana up.Georgiana grabbed her hand with some fear, and hid half of her body behind her.

Not knowing what her words hit, the irritability in Darcy's eyes slowly removed more than half, he scratched his neckline, stretched his neck, and said, "Sorry, I just... can't control my temper. Annie patted him on the shoulder understandingly. Obviously his irritability was not caused by them, so she said brotherly: "Don't worry, everyone has bad moods!"

The bridge of Darcy's high nose moved slightly, and a shallow crease appeared on the arch of the nose.He stood up, let out a breath, and then stretched out his hand to Annie, making a gesture to pull her up.

Anne obediently put her hand in his hand, and Darcy "lifted" her up with a little force—it really lifted her up, and Anne felt that her legs didn't even use any strength.

Darcy let go of his hand quickly, and stood aside with his chest folded, his eyes beckoning them to go back to the room quickly.Georgiana immediately obeyed and took Anne's hand to leave, but found her pained and motionless.

Annie looked at Darcy's puzzled eyes, and squeezed out a slightly embarrassed smile: "My feet are numb."

TBC.