Countess' lover

In the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, France was defeated.

The fine snow was falling, and the flying white covered the whole of Paris, as if it could hide the ugliness and chaos of this huge Vanity Fair.The defeat of a war takes away the lives of countless handsome officers, but it can also create many enviable women. We usually call them widows.Of course, the enviable widows here mainly refer to those upper-class ladies who have obtained the property of their husbands and are free and carefree.

They are young, rich and beautiful, and have a romantic figure. Compared with unmarried girls, they are less youthful and more charming.Most importantly, they have money.Fame, wealth, and power are undoubtedly the important pursuits of most of the upper-class Parisian nobles, and many people even work hard for them all their lives, so they don't hesitate to give up some things they think are unimportant.In terms of wealth alone, courting a rich widow is obviously one of the shortcuts to getting those.

And when the Franco-Prussian War ended, one of the most envied widows in Paris was probably the former Miss Marguerite Emily de Durrant, now Countess Bernard.

The countess was famous for her beauty and generous dowry before she got married. Although she was finally married by the wealthy Earl Bernard, it is known that the young earl prefers men with thin waists and long legs. On the second day after marrying the countess, this The weak and elegant earl chose to go to the battlefield.To some extent, the earl's death is a blessing to many people.

Naked little angels flap their wings on the wall, the arc-shaped ceiling blends perfectly with the ground, and the light gold and light white tones are graceful and bright.The walls are covered with curved or s-shaped lines, making the whole room harmonious and natural.

At this moment, in this very room, the tailor was making the countess's dress, so that the most fashionable dress would be ready for the next ball.

"Would you like to try this one? It's champagne, with a brownish-red wig and rubies?" The maid dutifully offered the lazy countess her choice of clothing.Margaret is going to the opera house to enjoy the opera tonight, and the costumes for the trip must be carefully selected.

"Champagne? Sweet as a girl, I'm a widow." The countess repeated mockingly.She is not yet 20 years old, the age between a girl and a young woman, young, beautiful and full of charm.She has fair skin, exquisite and gorgeous features, and although she is tall, she is considered petite and slender among noble ladies.The long pale golden hair hangs down to the waist, as if sprinkled with a layer of sunshine.What makes her most proud is her plump breasts and sufficiently thin waist, which are very enviable in the era when corsets were popular. "Change to that black and gray one, and my waistcoat. By the way, I heard that the lead singer of the opera house has changed to an unknown little girl? I hope she won't disappoint me. What's her name?"

The Countess asked casually, but the maid did not dare to compliment her casually, "It's Christine Darae. The lady's complexion is still so good, very charming and young, even if she wears black, it will only make her complexion brighter. I believe Plenty of gentlemen would still be crazy about you."

The maid's compliment brought a smile to Margaret's face, and she gently shook the fan in her palm, with a slow and rhythmic rhythm, full of the elegance and calmness of an upper-class lady. "Is there anything else interesting? Life in Paris bores me with nothing but clothes and the opera. And Raoul, I heard he was in trouble at the opera on his first day?"

Raoul Chaney, as popular as Marguerite among gentlemen, was loved by many ladies for his handsome appearance and elegant and gentle conversation.Of course, Margaret wasn't among them.Compared to the gentle and slender handsome man who resembled her dead husband, she prefers a tall, strong, mature and cold man.

"Yes madam, the legendary Phantom of the Opera," the maid described vividly to the Countess, and it was not difficult to see that she was also a little scared. "Today is when the original two managers left, and the new manager received a letter from the Phantom. Letter from the ghost. The ghost asked that no matter what performances, the fifth box on the second floor should always be reserved for the ghost. It is really horrible, I heard that this paragraph is still written in red ink."

"Red ink? Interesting." Perhaps it was the countess' natural curiosity and bravery, she strongly urged the maid to convey her meaning, no matter how much she persuaded her, she would not give up, and tonight she will appreciate it in the box occupied by the ghost opera.

The night should be quiet and peaceful, but this is not the case in Paris, which is full of luxury and luxury. The opera house is brightly lit, and guests come and go in an endless stream.

The Countess wore a black neo-rococo dress tonight, with simple lace accents where appropriate, and a slender corset on a rich bustle.There are black gemstones of the same color on her chest, and the breasts are dotted with the size of pigeon eggs.Her long hair was coiled up, and she didn't have too many wigs to modify, but with her natural beauty and temperament as the base, the countess tonight was still charming and breathtakingly beautiful.

"How could God create such a perfect work? My Mrs. Durant, even the goddess of beauty in Greek mythology cannot match your beauty." The newly appointed manager Richard flattered the Countess with all his flattery. He couldn't hide his worry, "How can such a beautiful lady be in a dangerous environment? Even if it may be just a threat, a joke. Maybe we can provide you with another equally superior box to ensure that you can be safe and comprehensive to see the whole performance.”

Safety?comprehensive?Margaret's hand shaking the fan paused, and the shallow sarcasm was hidden in the corner of her mouth so that no one could see it. "What does it matter? You just need to prepare a box for me."

"But..." The new manager and his partner glanced at each other, still not giving up, "You probably don't know the horror of that ghost, and Miss Carlotta's temporary departure is also related to him."

"Okay, okay." The countess was a little impatient, she closed and opened the fan, fanning it quickly.She was not used to the crowding and noise on the first floor, and she still preferred a clean single room. "That's more interesting, isn't it? I don't believe in the existence of any ghosts. By the way, if you two see Count Raoul Chaney, remember to ask him to come up with me. The box on the second floor should be spacious enough to Let's get together."

The Countess' will was too firm, and the poor new manager wanted to curry favor with her. At this moment, he could only welcome Margaret to the box with a flattering smile, and then quickly went to Earl Shani.

The countess is an opera lover, so when the first note echoed in the hall, she stopped the conversation*, just nodded with Raoul, and then re-entered the beautiful melody.

Tonight's performance can indeed be called a classic, and no concert Marguerite has ever heard before can match it.Various famous musicians take turns to perform, whether it is Saint-Saëns' "Dance of Death" or the famous "Drinking Song" singing are fascinating.But what amazed the audience the most was the singing of the unknown Miss Christinda Aye.

"It's a sound from outside."

"She immerses the whole Paris in the beauty of music!"

People were so impressed, and Margaret thought it was good.The young soprano has a light voice, and although she lacks in singing and technique, she can integrate emotion into her singing, which is something that many prima donnas with perfect singing cannot do.

The warm applause continued, and the always reserved Countess put down her fan and applauded her.However, the countess's reserve, the gentleman next to her seemed even more excited and uncontrollable.

He stood up abruptly from his seat, applauding as if he couldn't feel the pain in his hands, his light blue eyes sparkled, and before the singing was over, he couldn't wait to run to the backstage.

"Young man!" Margaret sighed, suddenly feeling a little old.She has never felt the sweetness of love, even though her face is still as delicate and beautiful as a rose, her heart is also old.The countess touched her fair and tender cheeks, and realized that maybe it was time for her to find a man.

Like the rolling of iron shafts and the shaking of wooden locks, she heard the sound of silk rubbing against the ground, rustling like poisonous snakes in the dark.Margaret stood up suddenly and took a few steps back quickly.The huge skirt was really not conducive to fast movement. She could clearly feel the high heels stepping on the lace of the skirt, and her body fell back uncontrollably.

"I'm afraid I'm going to make a fool of myself this time!" the countess thought sadly.She swiped her hands sideways desperately, trying to find something to cushion her.

Thank God!Her hand seemed to be grasping something silky and thick. Although the guy was unwilling to let her grab it and back away, Margaret still held him firmly.The slender waist seemed to be so powerful for the first time, twisting and swinging in the air, and suddenly fell into the arms of the person who appeared at no time.

Almost at the same time, the rose-colored curtains used as decoration in the box crashed down, and the heavy wooden shaft just hit her previous seat.

If she hadn't avoided it in advance...then the consequences would not be as simple as making a fool of herself.Thinking of this, Margaret shrank into the stranger's arms even more in fear.

It was obviously a man, with a broad and strong chest, giving people a strong sense of security.The panic caused Margaret to let go of her restraint and elegance for the time being. She indulged herself in the arms of a strange man like a frightened little rabbit, not thinking about her identity or who that man was.

Her head rested on the man's neck, and her half-exposed breasts unconsciously rubbed against each other.The man didn't know whether he didn't pay attention or was too nervous, but he kept his body stiff and let her hold him without saying a word.

The movement here has attracted the attention of the theater, the performance had to be stopped, and people started to commotion.The man seemed to have regained his senses at this time, and turned into the darkness that no one could see.

Margaret almost fell down, but she still held him firmly.

"let go!"

She had never heard such a beautiful voice, and just two simple characters made her heart throb.

Margaret raised her head and went straight up.The black silk has no frills, its texture is good but slightly monotonous, and the collar is turned up to cover the chin. The man's jaw is wide and has a masculine feel.The lips are very thin, and on the top...is it a silver-white mask?

The light came through, turned into the corner, silvery white, orange light, and mostly dark to create a heart-pounding atmosphere.As if bewitched, Margaret stood on tiptoe and kissed the slightly shallow lips under the panicked eyes of the masked man.