aristocratic engagement

In the ballroom, there are shadows of people, clouds and temples.

The musicians of the band sat in the seats reserved by Mrs. Reynolds, took out their instruments one after another, fiddled with the music scores, and chatted with each other.

The dance has not officially started yet, and the guests are all waiting for the arrival of the host.The gentlemen gathered together in twos and threes holding wine glasses—zwnj; those who knew each other greeted each other's current situation, and those who didn't know each other regarded the ball as a place to make new friends.This kind of ball is the best opportunity for squires and lords to exchange contacts with each other.

The ladies are all like the freshest embellishment in early spring, and the fluffy skirts bloom with various flowers when walking and turning around.All kinds of perfumes filled the whole dance hall, and the temptations of you coming and going were hidden in the laughter.

Lady Catherine sat down on a sofa by a tall pillar, surrounded by ladies and ladies.From time to time, some familiar gentlemen came forward to salute her.

Mrs. Catherine's mood was lifted by those flattery, and even the sharpness and pickiness between her brows in the past also faded a lot.

With Lady Catherine as the center, the flow of people is the densest.In name, although she is not the host of the ball, everyone knows that it is impossible for Mr. Darcy to personally organize the ball, and she is the most talkable person.

At the other end of the ballroom, the Bingley sisters leaned against the wall, walked through the crowd, and looked at the gorgeous Lady Catherine from afar.

"I really don't understand why those women want to curry favor with Mrs. Catherine. Don't they know that Mrs. Catherine's daughter will also come to the ball today?" Caroline twisted her veil angrily.

"Oh... darling, don't do that, it's too rude. Do you want all the gentlemen to see your masterpiece? No one would like a lady with—zwnj;—zwnj; strength and temper—zwnj;." Miss Bingley Hold down her hand.

Caroline—zwnj; gasped in her chest, twisted and put the handkerchief into a secret pocket.

"Of course they know that none of the people present is a fool. I dare say that at least [-]% of the ladies are here for Mr. Darcy, and there are two like me - zwnj; who have already engaged in marriage." Miss Bingley gave a small wave to her fiancé among gentlemen in the distance, showing a shy smile.

"Oh... lovely Hesto." Caroline turned around and rolled her eyes.

"He's really cute, Caroline." After finishing speaking, Miss Bingley also turned around and pulled Caroline towards the back of the curtain, hiding her figure from the crowd.

"It's you, Caroline, even if Lady Catherine wants to marry Miss de Bourgh to Mr. Darcy, is it—zwnj; sure?" Miss Bingley lowered her voice and began to analyze carefully , "These days, have you seen that lady pays special attention to Mr. Darcy?"

"No, no..." She frowned, "Mr. Darcy is so good and the conditions are so good, can she still be picky?"

"Oh, look at Miss Darcy, among the ladies present, there is no one who is of higher birth than her, right? But who is she looking at?"

"That George Wickham . . . zwnj; an inferior man who is nothing!"

"Exactly! I guess, Miss Nade Bauer grew up with her—zwnj;, I'm afraid there is not much difference... They are born with everything, and the most important thing is not status, but' Love'," said Miss Bingley in a secretive voice.

A flash across Caroline's face—zwnj; the slightest unnaturalness.What my sister said seems to be saying that she is not "true love" for Darcy, but that she values ​​his status more.

'But, that's not the case. ' murmured Caroline to herself, 'I love Fitzwilliam Darcy, not his money or his estate. '

Is it really so?

Miss Caroline seemed guilty again.

"Besides, I don't see that obsessive obsession in Mr. Darcy's eyes. You're always jealous of his kindness to Miss de Bourgh, but, as far as I can see, it's only out of being a cousin." and gratitude for their care of Miss Darcy for so many years."

Miss Bingley spoke clearly and clearly, and Caroline couldn't help nodding when she heard it.

Seeing that Caroline seems to have listened to her words, Miss Bingley said while the iron was hot: "Whether Miss de Bourgh and Mr. Darcy can really come together, Mrs. Catherine is Mr. Darcy's aunt, That's why those ladies took the initiative to curry favor with her!"

"But if Mr. Darcy likes - zwnj; people, even if Lady Catherine doesn't like her, she can't do anything with them?"

"Having said that, once you become the mistress of Pemberley Manor, you always have to associate with this relative! The Darcy family only has the blood of Mr. Darcy, and the Fitzwilliam family, even The earl—zwnj;zhi is not as close as Lady Catherine. She is Mr. Darcy's most valued elder!"

"...So you want me to please her like those people—zwnj;?! I can't do it!—zwnj; Seeing her arrogant face reminds me of her equally arrogant daughter!"

"—zwnj; a cousin is nothing to be afraid of!" Miss Bingley gritted her teeth and pinched her cheek, "As long as they are not—zwnj; right, what can she do with you no matter how arrogant she is?"

"But……"

"Mr. Darcy is here!" A sudden commotion broke out in the crowd, which interrupted Caroline's debate.

Miss Bingley immediately grabbed Caroline's arm and walked towards the crowded place.

Everyone gathered at the gate, and as the gate was slowly opened by two servants, Mr. Darcy's slender and tall figure appeared in front of them.

Beside him, - zwnj; a strange and stunning young girl attracted everyone's attention.She is like—zwnj; a living deep-sea pearl, exuding a soft and predatory light.The innocence of a girl and the softness of a woman are perfectly integrated on her face—zwnj;

Surprisingly, when she and Mr. Darcy stood together, their temperaments did not blend and complement each other, on the contrary, they seemed evenly matched.

There was a—zwnj;—zwnj; smile on her face, and her eyes were like soft goose feathers—zwnj;—zwnj;Caroline heard that those gentlemen who prided themselves on being rigid and restrained gasped—zwnj; and straightened their backs involuntarily.

Her arm was on Mr. Darcy's wrist, and the two came slowly from the door.Mr. Darcy slackened his pace and leaned imperceptibly slightly in her direction.

"Oh... dear, you are finally here." Madam Catherine's operatic tone sounded from the wall pillar, and everyone involuntarily stepped aside—zwnj;

Lady Catherine proudly introduced her daughter, the Honorable Mademoiselle Anne de Bourgh.

Gentlemen and ladies stepped forward—zwnj;—zwnj; to salute, and Darcy, acting as a flower protector, introduced the guests to the girl beside him.

"Louisa, I think...we've missed the mark." Miss Caroline's voice squeezed through her clenched teeth.

"Damn it, Mr. Darcy clearly—" Miss Bingley also frowned angrily, seeing her sister's toothache-like pained expression, swallowed back the second half of the sentence.

The cheerful sound of the band sounded, and the gentlemen and ladies dispersed one after another, standing in two rows facing each other in the middle of the ballroom.

"Time to dance." Miss Bingley tugged at her sister's arm.Mr. Hurst came towards them, and Miss Bingley greeted them with a hasty smile.

Miss Bingley looked back at her sister, only to see that she hid behind the pillar, her eyes were still fixed on the focal point in the arena——

The much-anticipated man and girl stood face to face in the middle of the crowd, and gracefully took the first zwnj; dance step with the beat of the music.

'It's a perfect match. ' thought Miss Bingley.

Anne was a little grateful that Darcy brought Wickham to the ballroom the day before — zwnj; and practiced — zwnj; times with her in advance.

Practicing on your own and dancing in a team is not at all—zwnj;

Annie couldn't count the number of times she was almost knocked down by ladies and gentlemen who couldn't figure out the dance steps, and she couldn't count how many times she turned around.

—zwnj; All movements are based on feeling.

Fortunately, Darcy's dancing skills are superb-Anne wonders how he has such skillful dance steps-and Anne did not step on his feet in embarrassment under the hint of his small movements.

'Or maybe he hid quickly, and those shoes escaped the fate of being trampled on. '

Anne had to admit that this guess was more reasonable.

—zwnj; After the song ended, the venue heated up, and Annie felt almost exhausted—this was definitely a double torture of physical strength and mental strength!

Anne let go of the hand she held with Darcy with some difficulty, and the two saluted each other—zwnj; a salute.

Annie let go of the hand holding the skirt, and just - zwnj; raised her head, she saw Darcy staring at her - Annie's heart jumped - zwnj;, her face became inexplicably hot, and she lowered her head.

She was about to slip behind a certain—zwnj; curtain to breathe a sigh of relief,—zwnj; a familiar figure stood in front of her.

"Miss de Bourgh, do I have the honor of asking you to dance?"

Mr. Bingley bent his waist slightly, and under Darcy's secretive gaze, a burst of cold sweat broke out on his back.

Annie's eyes swept around—zwnj;circle, and saw that everyone was observing the movement here intentionally or unintentionally.

'If Darcy continues to invite you to dance, you—zwnj; must agree to him! ' Mrs. Catherine whispered in her heart in advance.

Annie stretched out her hand resolutely, handed it to Mr. Bingley's palm, and slightly bowed her knees and said, "It's my honor."

Mr. Bingley showed—zwnj; a gentle smile, but what he got was a knife from his friend.

Can't wait for Darcy to speak, all the ladies are rushing here.

Anne suppressed her laughter, winked at Darcy, and said silently, "Good luck and enjoy the dance."

The second song gurgled like a stream—zwnj;, and everyone quickly determined each other's dance partners, and stood in two rows facing each other again.

Only then did Anne realize that Darcy's dancing partner was indeed the ambitious Miss Caroline.Annie raised her eyebrows, and there was an inexplicable smile on the corner of her mouth.

She turned her head to look at her current partner, only to see Mr. Bingley blinked guiltily, and it was all right—zwnj; a gentleman's salute.

"This is Miss Caroline's idea, isn't it? Mr. Bingley." Anne said to Bingley when the formations crossed.

"Sorry, this is indeed Sister Sister's idea." Mr. Bingley admitted decisively, "I understand her thoughts. Although I don't agree with it, as her elder brother, I really can't bear it..."

"Mr. Bingley, you don't have to explain to me. Darcy is not my exclusive dance partner, and I have no reason to doubt you." After finishing speaking, Anne winked her eyes playfully, "However, you'd better pay attention—zwnj; Feet—I'm not much of a skilled dancer."

"Your dancing is so graceful—hiss!"

The praise stopped abruptly, Mr. Bingley's forehead—zwnj; danced, and his feet were stepped on by the soft dancing shoes, but because the music continued, he endured the pain and numbness and continued to dance—zwnj; a dance step.

"Are you punishing me?"

"If I say no, you—zwnj;will not believe me." After Annie finished speaking, she said goodbye—zwnj;steps, "However, whether you believe it or not, I can only say that I did not mean it. "

Bingley couldn't help laughing: "I believe in you."

Annie nodded, stopped distracting him from chatting, and focused on the dance steps—God knows, why—zwnj; more people, the dance that was well practiced turned out to be messed up.

Perhaps it was a lack of tacit understanding, or perhaps Mr. Bingley's feet were not as flexible as Mr. Darcy's. After this dance, Bingley suffered unspeakably.

He wanted to ask Miss de Bauer countless times if she did it on purpose, but when he saw the bewilderment and pleading for help in her own eyes when she changed formation, he had no choice but to swallow the question back.

The second dance was finally over, Anne breathed a sigh of relief, and before other gentlemen came towards her, ignoring Lady Catherine's fire-breathing eyes, -zwnj;smoothly ran along the edge of the wall to the other side-zwnj; Next to the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Annie ate some dessert and drank some wine behind the curtain.

Just as he was about to put the dinner plate back, he saw Georgiana sneaking out of the window.

'ha!Sure enough, it was impossible for Georgiana to stay in the room obediently, listening to the singing downstairs without being moved. '

Annie pursed her lips and smiled. She looked around and saw gentlemen and ladies were either dancing, or gathering in the hall—zwnj; eating and talking together. to the garden.

Georgiana immediately beckoned and led her to the dark place—zwnj; squatting down behind a bush of roses.

Annie was out of breath, looking at Georgiana's bright glasses in the dark, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

——This—zwnj; everything is extremely familiar, just like the ball at Rosings Manor—zwnj;.The only—zwnj; difference is that Anne escaped from the ballroom this time.

Georgiana also covered her mouth, her eyebrows and eyes curved.

Darcy glanced around in the crowd calmly, but couldn't find his target, and the corners of his mouth hung down involuntarily.Scared—zwnj; a delicate lady—it was a blessing in disguise, and the air around him was much cleaner.

Anne and Georgiana secretly looked at the —zwnj; curtain theater in the ballroom—

Darcy has no shortage of dance partners, even if his cold face scares away—zwnj; some little girls, there are still ladies who come to him and pass by him inadvertently.

As the host of the dance party, he couldn't leave the stage halfway, so he had to firmly remember the face of the lady who danced with him—in case he accidentally danced with the same—zwnj; Be" fell in love with her.

Miss Bingley—zwnj; has been dancing with her fiancé, and when she was a little tired, Mr. Hurst, who was full of energy and enthusiasm, went to invite Miss Caroline to dance.

Miss Caroline is very beautiful. Although the Bingley family is not very prominent among many big landlord families, she has no shortage of dancing partners. —zwnj; branch and — zwnj; branch, quickly cast the initial boredom away.

Annie watched with relish, and suddenly, the people around her—zwnj; froze.

Annie followed her gaze—Wickham was like—zwnj; a butterfly, dancing on the dance floor.

As has been said before, he dances beautifully.All of his dance partners—zwnj; without smiling,—zwnj; danced, and even their movements became much more intimate.

"I'm jealous, Anne," said Georgiana suddenly.

"Who are you jealous of?" Annie asked knowingly.

"Those ladies...those ladies who danced with Wickham. Anne, even if I tell you that I am determined not to love him anymore, I recognize his face and desires.

But feelings don't mean that they can be forgotten, they can be forgotten; it can't be said that they can be ignored, but they can be buried in the bottom of my heart, right? "

Annie looked at the rosebushes in front of her, and suddenly found that there seemed to be a flower bud quietly emerging from it, shyly facing this strange world.

"I can't help it...Annie, have you never tasted such a feeling of jealousy?"

Have it?

Anne was stumped by the question.

What does it feel like to be jealous?Sour?Or pain?

Such emotions never seemed to occupy her heart.However, when Georgiana raised this question, in Annie's mind, that person's face unexpectedly—zwnj; flashed past.

The sourness and pain have never been there, but...

No, is that awkwardness just jealousy?

When she found out that Darcy's second dance partner was indeed Miss Caroline; when she realized that Mr. Bingley came to her to invite her to dance so that her sister could get closer to Darcy; After the second dance, deliberately avoiding everyone's sight, and quietly came to the garden...

Annie bit her lower lip, shook her head, and put the - zwnj; strange thoughts in her mind behind her.

"No?" asked Georgiana, seeing her shake her head.

Annie raised her head and looked into the window.There were so many people, she couldn't find the dance partner.

'Maybe he has already sat down on the sofa to rest, with gentlemen and ladies surrounding him,—zwnj; the night can't stop. '

"No." Annie shook her head again.

Georgiana didn't give up, she turned around, her eyes widened, her tone intensified, and she asked curiously again: "Really? I saw you dancing, and I saw you dancing with Mr. Bingley, when Ka Miss Lorraine volunteered to be his partner. Anne, I dare say, never—zwnj; ever looked more in harmony and in tune than when you danced."

Annie's eyes were fixed on the rose, and her tongue involuntarily touched the roof of her mouth.

"...I saw him dance—zwnj; one dance with many ladies, but he didn't dance a second—zwnj; with any—"

"No, dear," interrupted Anne. "I've never been jealous, or what it's like. Maybe someday—zwnj; days, when I—"

"You really are here."

Darcy's voice came from behind.

Annie -zwnj;stiff, -zwnj; didn't know what to do - what did he hear?How much did he hear?When did he come here?Georgiana is a villain... Could it be that she came here to test herself on purpose?

And what did she say just now?

Georgiana stood up, sighed like a little adult, and patted her brother on the shoulder.

The budding rose swayed gently in the wind.

The author has something to say: *Annie: Oh, sorry.

Ah Yigu, Annie jumped into the hole dug by Georgiana and buried the soil herself.

*8, the author still feels sweet hehe~

*有没有发现，最近的几章越来越肥了。我认为值得几条评论来夸夸QWQ~感谢在2020-12-2911:49:22~2020-12-3004:55:00期间为我投出霸王票或灌溉营养液的小天使哦~

Thanks to the little angel of irrigation nutrient solution: MK73 bottle;

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!