[Emma] Becoming Jane Fairfax

Retiring the engagement cannot be completed overnight, and Wei Lai is fully prepared for it.

When she was in college, her boyfriend at the time was caught cheating on her, and she proposed to break up. On the premise that the other party was wronged, she dragged on for two months before she got away, not to mention that Jane and Frank were still a fiancee. It is one step away from getting married. If the two parties cannot reach an agreement, the marriage will not be withdrawn.

So when she heard Frank's words, apart from sighing, she didn't have much psychological fluctuations.

The third dance came to an end, and neither Wei Lai nor Frank said a word.At this time, neither of them felt very comfortable.

As they planned when they were privately engaged, they just had to be patient.Frank's aunt, Mrs. Churchill, is seriously ill. If she is seriously ill, she will have no power to oppose Frank making decisions about her marriage, or when she dies, all restraints on Frank will be completely gone, and Mr. Weston is not in his consideration at all. , At that time, he can marry Jane in a fair way.

did not expect……

Although Frank was smiling, there was no smile in his eyes at all. Wei Lai glanced at him a few times, unable to understand what he was thinking, but the hand holding her arm was getting tighter and tighter.

The third dance is over.

The male and female dancers curtsey to each other.

Wei Lai glanced down, Frank was still holding her right wrist.

I say……

"Miss Fairfax, it's the fourth dance soon." Frank let go of her wrist, and squeezed it up a little.

Are you ready to let go?

Wei Lai smiled apologetically, with obvious fatigue in his voice: "I'm sorry, Mr. Churchill, I'm a little tired, and I have to rest for a while before I can continue dancing."

She only learned two dances, used up one, and used the rest with caution.

Frank squinted his eyes and made her heart skip a beat. He seemed to be wondering whether she was really tired or didn't want to dance with him, but soon, he let go of her forearm and said very gentlemanly: "Fee Miss Elfax don't be sorry, I should be ashamed, I forgot you're not very strong, and I wouldn't forgive myself if you got sick from being my partner. Fortunately, tonight Enough time for us to have fun and hopefully we can dance again when you rest up."

He gently held Wei Lai's right hand fingers gently and sent her back to her seat.

The move won praise.

Harriet said to Wei Lai enviously: "It is said that Mr. Churchill is the most gentlemanly young man in Highbury. I thought people thought of him too highly. There are many young and promising gentlemen in Highbury. , but, to-night, dear Jane, I think he is being judged justly, and it must be nice to dance with him."

It was so good, it made her hands turn red.

Wei Lai joked: "You want to know, if you dance the fifth dance with Mr. Churchill, don't you feel it?"

"Jane!" Harriet gave her a weak look, "Don't talk nonsense! Mr. Churchill's next dance will definitely be with Miss Woodhouse. I..." She suddenly realized that it was the fourth dance. , no one has invited her yet.

Miss Bates was sitting opposite, Wei Lai saw her complexion, so she went over to ask a few words. After she finished listening to Miss Bates' endless chatter, she found that Mrs. Elton and Mr. Elton were sitting in her seat. standing next to his wife.

"Jane." Harriet looked puzzled, whether to sit or stand, hesitating whether to give up her seat. She reminded Mrs. Elton that it was Jane's seat, but Elton The madam simply ignored her and sat down.

Wei Lai probably knew what happened when he saw Harriet's expression.She shook her head slightly, indicating that it was okay.She stood beside Mrs. Weston.

"Aren't you going to dance, my dear?" asked Mrs. Weston.

"I just danced with Mr. Churchill. Unfortunately, my body is not up to par. I feel tired after just one dance. I have to rest for a while and dance again."

The fourth dance came to an end, and the guests waiting for the fifth dance all stood on the dance floor. As soon as the music ended, they could immediately replace the people on the field.

Emma looked at the dancers on the field with endless interest, and she didn't feel sorry for missing the third and fourth dances, which were all her favorite tunes, but the fifth dance was "Auspicious Market", her last dance Love, she has to play.

"I am going to the fifth dance, Mr. Knightley, and you?"

Knightley was about to drink, when the glass touched his lips, "Me? Continue playing cards with those old men."

"..." Emma made an expression of "you're really terrible" and rolled her eyes, "The good time is wasted at the poker table, Mr. Knightley, you might as well go to Hatfield to accompany my father, maybe And he'll give you a bowl of porridge that's super healthy."

Knightley nodded thoughtfully, then put down his glass and walked out.

Emma hurriedly grabbed him: "Where are you going?"

"To Hatfield with Mr. Woodhouse, and a bowl of porridge."

Emma choked on him.

"Miss Woodhouse, Lucky Market is about to begin," urged Mr. Weston.

"Yes, I'll come right away," said Emma, ​​turning her head to Knightley in a low voice. "You and I have known each other for so many years, and I know that you don't like to dance, but there is no one here who can dance better than you. "

Knightley wanted to keep a serious expression, but he couldn't hold it back. There was a gentle smile on his brows and eyes: "Then who do you want to dance with?"

"Will you invite me?" Emma met his eyes.

"My dear Emma," said Knightley, holding out his hand, "will you dance with me?"

"Very willingly, you and I are not real brother and sister, there is nothing inappropriate to dance together."

"of course."

Lance was stalked by businessmen and squires headed by Mr. Cole all night, and finally escaped from the chess and card room. Leaning against the door frame, he smiled jokingly at Knightley, what was the last thing he said he liked about dances?

Knightley knew what Lance meant and pretended not to see it. Emma followed his gaze, nodded and greeted Lance, then turned her head and asked Knightley: "Mr. Amedeo is the same as you Don't like dancing? He doesn't seem to be doing a single dance."

Knightley said with a smile: "I'm afraid he attends more balls in a month than we do in a year, and let him dance!? Didn't you see him hiding in the chess and card room?"

Emma pursed her lips and snickered.

Lance lost interest and wanted to yawn, but it was indecent, so he held it back abruptly, looking casually with one pair of eyes, and bumped into another pair of distracted eyes unexpectedly.

Wei Lai and Lance were both taken aback for a moment, and they both avoided subconsciously, but they both saw it, so they didn't say hello, what's the manners?

The two looked at each other in unison, smiling and nodding.

The score turned to "Auspicious Market", the musicians on stage got ready, and the fifth dance was about to begin.

"Mr. Elton, won't you go to the dance?" asked Mrs. Weston. "There are only six couples on the dance-floor, and there could be another couple, won't you?"

"Of course, Mrs. Weston," said Mr. Elton, "it would be my great honor if you would be my partner, an old married man."

Mrs. Weston smiled politely. "Sorry, I won't be dancing tonight. You can invite another young lady, however." She pointed to Harriet.

At this time, Mrs. Elton got up and went to her husband, and asked: "My dear, what are you talking to Mrs. Weston? Aren't you going to dance? It's just started now, hurry up."

Mr. Elton repeated Mrs. Weston's words to his wife. Mrs. Elton's expression changed instantly. "Oh" loudly: "Miss Smith, heh..."

Harriet sat upright when she heard Mrs. Weston suggest that Mr. Elton come and ask her to dance.God, Mr. Elton...

She was so nervous that her heart was beating wildly, and suddenly she heard Mrs. Elton's cold "ah", her whole body was half cold, and her face turned pale.

Wei Lai was standing beside Mrs. Weston, she could clearly see all the small expressions of the Eltons, and thought, Mr. Elton would definitely not dance with Harriet.

Sure enough, Mr. Elton went to invite Mrs. Cole instead.

Mrs. Cole was trembling with joy: "Me? Hahahahaha, Mr. Elton, I'm old and I can't dance anymore. I just came here to experience your young people's party. You should invite young people Ma'am, Miss Smith hasn't danced tonight."

"Miss Smith?" Mr. Elton looked back.

Harriet lowered her head, tugging at her skirt tightly.

From Wei Lai's point of view, Harriet's eyes were already red.

"I didn't notice that Miss Smith hadn't danced yet. I saw her sitting there all the time, and thought she was tired and resting. Unfortunately, I am an old married man, and I am not fit to dance with young ladies. Although my dear wife will never blame me, but I must remain true to her, I will go back to my wife, maybe she will dance with me at the next dance."

Mrs. Elton thought that her husband had given her enough respect in front of outsiders, and she poked her neck proudly, "I never agree that wives control their husbands to death, and husbands should have their own social activities. I said the same thing to Mr. Elton. I told him to ask other ladies to dance, but he insisted on dancing with me. My dear Mr Elton, you had better invite a young lady, and I think Miss Fairfax would be very good."

Wei Lai was thinking about how to comfort Harriet when she heard someone mention her name, and when she turned around, she was startled.

She danced with Mr. Elton?

It wasn't her blowing, no matter how thin Jane's body was, she was afraid of breaking Mr. Elton's small arms and hands by jumping.

"I'm not suitable. Mr. Elton just said that he is a married man and is not suitable for dancing with young ladies. Mrs. Elton, we all know that you are a low-key person and you will never deliberately show off. Even at such an important ball tonight, I only... wore three rings. What a pity that you and Mr. Elton only danced once, and I think everyone would like to see your superb dancing again."

Mrs. Elton refused to give up after hitting a snag, and Mrs. Elton smiled brightly: "I am a married woman, and my energy is no better than your unmarried ladies. It is so hard to be a headed wife. I think Wes Mrs. Ton knows no better than you, Miss Fairfax, don't refuse, you've only danced once, and I don't agree, as your faithful friend, that a young girl should have vigor. When I was unmarried, I had enough energy to dance four or five dances."

Mrs. Elton gave Mrs. Elton a look, and Mr. Elton stepped forward. Before he stretched out his hand, Wei Lai dodged, sat back in her seat, and took Harriet's arm by the way, smiling at Elton The frightened faces of the Ton couple.

"Everyone is different. I am a person who gets tired after just one dance. I envy you, Mrs. Elton, for your vitality when you were young. Everyone in Highbury knows that I am weak. If I dance too much, I may faint. Here, I'm self-aware, so I won't cause trouble for everyone. Mr. Elton, you'd better invite Mrs. Elton, everyone is waiting to see your next dance."

Mrs. Weston was very angry at the Elton couple's rudeness to Harriet. When she heard Wei Lai's words, she immediately chimed in: "Yes, we are all waiting. It's a pity that you only dance one dance with your superb dancing skills." gone."

In fact, Mrs. Elton sprained her ankle after the first dance, otherwise she would be willing to give up the limelight to Emma.

Now, she can only bite the bullet and go on.

"Thank you, Jane." Harriet said with red eyes and choked up.

Wei Lai patted her hand and said in a low voice, "You're welcome, you should, a fancy hen."

Harriet burst into laughter: "Keep your voice down, don't let her hear you."

"Miss Fairfax." Mrs. Elton's cold voice interrupted the two whispering, "As a person with rich social experience, I have to risk your anger to remind you that in the It is very unreasonable and rude to refuse a gentleman's invitation to a ball. Fortunately, Highbury is only a small place and there are no rules. Otherwise, in a big city like Bath, there may be no respectable guests at the next ball. Men will ask you to dance."

Harriet gasped, and grabbed Wei Lai's hand tightly.Mrs. Elton's words affected Harriet, not her.

"Really? Oh, thank you for reminding me." My sister didn't care.

Mrs. Elton wanted to say something more, but suddenly stopped.

A tall figure walked towards them and stopped in front of Wei Lai.

Wei Lai looked up, huh?

Lance bent down slightly, stretched out his hand, and asked politely: "Miss Fairfax, may I have the honor to ask you to dance?"

The author has something to say: It’s not that Mrs. Elton doesn’t understand social rules and deliberately makes trouble for Harriet and Wei Lai, but that she doesn’t like these two at all. Harriet is an orphan who doesn’t know her parents , there are rumors that she is an illegitimate daughter, so her status is very low (refer to Jiongxue in "A Song of Ice and Fire"), the Eltons looked down on her, which was normal in that era.

As for Wei Lai (Jane), because she is poor, has no background, no influence, and cannot marry a rich husband, Mrs. Elton has a sense of superiority in front of her.

But Wei Lai obviously resisted her, and Mrs. Elton was not reconciled, thinking: You poor bastard with an uncertain future dare to fight with me, see if I don't punish you.