[Pride and Prejudice] Becoming Katherine Bennett

Elizabeth and Catherine announced the decision to the family.

Catherine looked at Mr. Bennett: "Dad, is there enough horses for today?"

Yesterday Mrs. Bennet sent Jane to Nedfield on horseback rather than in a carriage, on the grounds that horses were not enough for the farm work.

"Unfortunately," Mr. Bennett turned a page of the newspaper, "there are enough horses, but Will drove the carriage to the town to buy something, and he just set off not long ago."

After hearing this, Elizabeth and Catherine were very frustrated. Elizabeth quickly came up with an idea: "We can walk there. It's not far away. It's only three miles."

After thinking about the puddles and fields along the road, Catherine and other family members rejected the proposal.

"I don't mind walking, but I don't want to be covered in mud." Catherine felt goose bumps all over her body just thinking about the sticky feeling of mud mixed with water, sticking to her boots and skirt.She looked at Elizabeth and made another suggestion: "We can go on horseback."

Elizabeth said uncertainly: "I don't know how to ride a horse, do you?"

Catherine replied in a more uncertain tone than her: "It should be counted... Oh Lizzie, don't look at me like that, have you forgotten what I have learned?"

That was at least five months ago.

After discovering that horses are the main means of transportation in this world, Catherine, who adapted to her new life, proposed to Mr. Bennett that she wanted to learn to ride a horse.Mr. Bennet agreed and arranged for the family groom to teach her, and the end result was that she could trot for a while.

However, when Catherine realized that ladies always take a carriage when they go out, and her life circle is so small that there is not even one subway stop away, and she didn’t even go out when she started writing, she never took it again horse.

Catherine was full of confidence: "It's okay, Lizzie, no matter what we can go on horseback, at least we can go faster than us, and we can avoid getting dirty."

They soon discovered that she really shouldn't have such confidence.

In Catherine's mind, theoretically as long as the horse is still alive, it will walk, and they will be able to reach Nedfell. It's just a matter of time, but everything will be faster than walking.

But in fact, when they rode for less than a mile, the horse, which was usually very obedient to the groom, seemed to sense that Catherine was not very good at riding, and began to deliberately oppose her, walking in the opposite direction, or After walking a few steps, she lowered her head to eat grass, and when Catherine pulled it up, she could feel it fighting against the reins. 2

After trying to forcefully pull the horse up but it left the ground with both front hoofs at the same time, almost throwing Catherine and Elizabeth to the ground, Catherine was completely discouraged and did not dare to try to urge it anymore, so she could only follow the horse's temper and wait for a while Going east for a while and then going north, she had to work hard to drag it back to its original route, and the whole journey progressed extremely slowly.

When the horse was halfway through, Elizabeth really couldn't wait, jumped off the horse and said, "Kitty, tie the horse to this tree, let's go over there."

To tell the truth, Catherine was in favor of the proposal, and she wanted to leave the horse alone, or even kick him if she could.

But she didn't think she could kick the horse, and she was worried that it would be stolen, then she would feel distressed to death, and now she can only be thankful that they went out early: "I'm worried about the horse. Lizzie, you go first, the worst case is I'll be home by the time I get there, and that's not bad, just in time for me to pick you up and start walking back."

Catherine's words made Elizabeth laugh: "Oh Kitty, forget it, I want to go home and have dinner."

"Remember to ask Jane to drink more hot water." Catherine ordered.Straight man tips are great for sore throats.

Elizabeth knew that horses were expensive, and she was worried about Jane, so she couldn't help here, so she finally agreed with Catherine's suggestion.

Catherine continued to ride slowly and round and round.

When Nedelfell Hall finally came into view, she breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that the torture was finally over.

Nedfil Manor is the largest manor in the area, covering an area of ​​nearly three square kilometers, with endless lawns, wide roads, and well-designed courtyard landscapes.The central building of the manor is in Baroque style, with intricate carvings and rich atmosphere.

Catherine and the horse were torturing each other while moving forward with difficulty. When she was about to reach the manor, she saw a person walking and stopping under the tall and tall trees beside the road ahead, as if he was taking a walk.

At first, Catherine guessed that it was a housekeeper or a servant who was sent by Mr. Bingley to pick her up. After she got closer, she found that the other party was not wearing a wig, and she was not wearing a servant's clothes but a gentleman's attire, so she guessed that it was Mr. Bingley himself. .

When she recognized that figure as Mr. Darcy, she couldn't help hoping that Mr. Darcy would leave after seeing her, so that she wouldn't have to think hard about the topic and look at his expressionless face.

Mr. Darcy may have heard her prayers.

When Catherine moved forward enough to see Mr. Darcy's expression clearly, she found that he was not expressionless, but that she could easily see the incomprehensible words on his face.

"Miss Bennet." Mr. Darcy nodded slightly at her.

"Mr. Darcy," Catherine sat on the horse and did not dismount, and she was not going to make any moves to provoke the horse, "You have seen my equestrian skills. In order to prevent Jane from recovering from her illness when I arrive at the manor, please allow me Don't stop, take a step first."

"..." Mr. Darcy's lips moved slightly, but there was no sound.

Catherine rode on.Presently, to her surprise, Mr. Darcy followed, walking on the horse's side.

Mr. Darcy said: "Forgive me for being curious, Miss Bennett, did you come out of home with your sister?"

"Yes," Catherine replied, "we rode together, but we rode too slowly, so Elizabeth walked first."

Mr. Darcy did not answer.

Catherine broke the pot with a trace of righteousness: "Laugh if you want to laugh, Mr. Darcy, I don't mind your contempt. I haven't ridden a horse for a long time. I thought I could ride a horse, but I forgot the experience I had when I rode a horse last time." The experienced groom was by the side all the time, and only with his care can I control the horse smoothly. I miscalculated myself, and there is nothing to be ashamed of, after all, everyone has times when they don’t know themselves.”

Mr. Darcy raised his eyes and looked at her in shock.

Catherine guessed that the line in his mind must be "I have never seen such a brazen person".

Whatever Mr. Darcy was thinking, his words were positive: "Miss Bennett is always straight."

"Thank you, I take this as a compliment." Catherine smiled at him.

At this time, the horse that had just obediently passed 300 meters started to roil again and began to turn to the right. Catherine quickly shortened the rein with her left hand and gave a left turn command.The horse stopped going to the right, but it didn't go away at all, and stayed where it was, refusing to move.

Thanks to it, Catherine has already remembered all the "national quintessence" that she is about to forget today, and she is talking fragrantly all the way.At this moment Mr. Darcy was beside her, and she had nothing to say but to pull harder on the rein.

"You have to control your body to sit upright and not lean in the opposite direction," Mr. Darcy said. "You are giving two instructions like this, and it doesn't know which one to listen to." 2

Catherine followed his advice and quickly sat upright.The horse quickly turned to the left as she wished, but before she could breathe a sigh of relief, she watched him turn his head and begin to turn left.

Catherine felt like the top of her head was going to smoke.

Angrily throwing the reins, Catherine was about to dismount, tie the horse to a tree, and enter the manor first.She had tried just now, and she couldn't even lead the horse, so Mr. Bingley had to find a servant to do it.

And Mr. Darcy probably couldn't stand it anymore, he took a step forward, and before Catherine dismounted, he nodded slightly to Catherine: "Miss Bennett, I guess you must be very anxious at this time and want to see your family , please forgive my rashness. I have no intention of negating your technology, I just hope that I can help you a little."

Catherine was confused and didn't understand what he was talking about. Her eyes were round and she looked at him inexplicably.

Mr. Darcy did not explain, walked around the horse's left shoulder silently, held the rein under the horse's head tightly with his right hand, slightly straightened his arm, and gently held the rein with his left hand.