The Happy Life of a Duchess

"Welcome, Mr. Duke and Miss Duchess."

Count Garcia saw them at the door and walked up to greet them very affectionately. Next to him was one of his brother-in-laws, Mr. Green.

Adele quickly saluted, and the other party also responded politely.

The two sides looked very friendly, and there was no embarrassment that Adele had witnessed before when she and Margaret went shopping.

It can be seen that the acting skills of people in this circle are all good.

Adele smiled and watched what her father was talking to them, and she listened to the content of the conversation while distracted.

She didn't really understand it either, after all, she hadn't taken the initiative to ask about the family's property so far, and only knew the general way to get money.

Their conversation seemed to be about business. The Duke praised Count Garcia for his talent in business, and kindly advised him that young people should not spend most of their energy on the stock business. Such income is not stable enough. However, the turmoil and success of the United Kingdom may not necessarily be able to replicate them in France.

It is rare for Adele to see her father like this, so these words are very thoughtful. Although everyone knows that stocks are difficult to deal with, but when the other party seems to be on the rise, it seems that being able to give good advice The Duke's father really appreciates Count Garcia.

But the other party didn't care too much. Although he agreed, he didn't seem to take it too seriously. He didn't know whether it was because he was very confident in his strength and financial resources, or there was some reason she didn't know. Earl Garcia just laughed. He said that he wanted to play billiards with the Duke's father, and then he said that he would go fishing with him later.

Young people's activities are no longer suitable for the Duke, such as hunting, it is almost impossible for a person of his age.

Count Garcia, a young man, was very sincere and willing to say that he would go fishing with him.

Adele couldn't help feeling a little vigilant——

In any case, he is not the ideal marriage partner in her mind, so please don't draw red lines on her indiscriminately because of this.

Although this man is good-looking and has a good conversation, the worst thing is that he has the common faults of men, he is romantic and passionate, has many lovers and is a typical "boy who spreads money".

If Adele came to the other party's house with a large dowry, but the other party borrowed or directly embezzled the money to support the little lover outside, then she might wish to chop off his uncontrollable body parts with a knife, until No one will ever think about it.

"Okay, okay, Garcia, please invite the guests in, the princess should be in a hurry, cute girls like them always have a lot to say." His brother-in-law said this, and Adele felt that the other party Looking at her eyes and her words, she is greasy, and I don't know if she is too sensitive.

"You're welcome." Adele saluted with a smile, and hugged the Duke's father again. He looked extremely happy.

"Don't drink too much, you know?"

She asked a word, and then looked at the waiter he brought, the other party nodded to show that he knew, and the Duke didn't mind her restraint like this.

When he went to drink at the officer under him before, he got drunk all of a sudden, and when he came back he vomited badly, and couldn't eat for a long time, which frightened her, and the Duke didn't dare to mess around.

"Got it, go play and dance more, don't you like Mozart's music very much recently?"

"I mean, his music is very lively and spiritual, which is why I like it very much." Adele had to correct a sentence. Seeing that the guests in the carriage were about to get off, she didn't waste any time and politely declined his brother-in-law. Invited by the leader, he walked in with the waiter.

"What's the stock?" Entering the room, Adele hastily ordered Jenny before being approached.

"When you are playing with them later, ask for me. You don't have to make it too obvious, just ask casually if it's 'Count Garcia's business has improved again' or something like that, don't ask bluntly, it's so ugly .”

In order to prevent Jenny from asking too clumsily and looking unattractive, Adele also personally taught her the skills of questioning.

Jenny has nothing else, she is sure of being obedient. She nodded, expressing that she will never forget to do things for her when she is having fun, and she will definitely try her best to do it well.

But this matter, Adele estimated that there will be a result soon, and it doesn't have to wait for Jenny to ask.

If Earl Garcia really made money from stocks, then the wives will have to discuss this matter, and then add one or two more for him.

After all, there are only a few quantifiable criteria for choosing a husband, the amount of property is one of them, and one of the wealthy son-in-law has made a lot of money, so it is impossible that no one cares.

Although Adele doesn't like him, she also knows that he is definitely the husband candidate that many young ladies consider. Moreover, today's party is held in such a grand style, and what kind of hunting is it? Some people count on him to throw some money out, and they have to exchange information with each other.

"Adele, long time no see!"

Mrs. Castellana usually got together early to discuss gossip and exchange information with the wives, but she was not in the chess and card room today, but was waiting not far from the dance floor.

Although the dance hadn't started yet, she was still a little surprised. Surprised, she still smiled and held his wife's hand.

"I'm so glad to see you. I really didn't come in vain today." Adele gave Jenny a look, and she went to play after saluting.

"Small mouth is so sweet." Mrs. Castellana smiled and pulled her to the side to talk instead of standing at the entrance of the corridor. "I feel much better when I see you. It's good to be young."

"Ma'am is not very old." Adele answered the words very naturally, and she was polite for a while, which made her happy.

"Didn't I come here to wait for the Duval family?" She whispered to her, "I just saw their carriage, so I came here to wait for a while."

"Who wants to come, but you are waiting in person?" Adele made a slightly surprised expression.

"Not exactly, but I don't like being with that..." Mrs. Castellana glanced at a certain place on the dance floor, and Adele followed her gaze, and saw a bright-looking, The aristocratic girl in a bright orange-red long dress was surrounded by everyone. There was a big circle, and there were three or five men. She was talking to the two female companions beside her.

"I don't want to be with her, it's annoying."

She pouted exaggeratedly, but held back her eyes from rolling.

Unlike Mrs. Dressel, Mrs. Castellana is only in her [-]s and [-]s, but her mentality is very young, even a bit childish, and occasionally she looks very naive. It can also be seen from her behavior that when she meets someone she likes The people she likes will be easier to talk and have a closer attitude, but when she meets someone she doesn't like, then her mouth will be poisonous——

Things like "ugly people have a lot of things", "isn't it scary to go out at night when you look like this?" and words like "femme-hearted people don't come out to make troubles, and the devil will not accept you", that is crackling. .

"That is...?" Adele narrowed her eyes slightly, and quickly recovered her calm smile.

"Miss Sophie from Barry's family," she sneered, "stay away from her, she is a poison, whoever touches it will be in trouble."

"Didn't she come with the Barleys' carriage?"

Adele reacted abruptly.

"Ah yes, she just came back from the palace and came here directly. It's not polite, but who made Mrs. Green like her." Mrs. Castellana didn't take it seriously, and she didn't think she could enter the palace. It's an honor, or rather, it's just that I don't want to flatter her.

"I don't know what her 'good sister-in-law' asked her to go to the palace with, but she has more bragging capital. I can think of how those people flattered her and how she thought she was so arrogant. Unobtrusively praising the palace's magnificent luncheons and dinners..."

Mrs. Green is the eldest of the Garcia sisters, and one of the hosts who helped Earl Garcia organize today's party.

Her married husband, Mr. Green, was the one who greeted the guests with Earl Garcia at the door. Mr. Green's ancestry was an Austrian nobleman, and he was quite good in terms of blood.

However, due to the lack of production and the high cost, an old nobleman like him has long lost the wealth in line with their family history. This is why Mrs. Green and her younger sister followed her younger brother closely.

Adele was a little surprised. She thought that Sophie Barry's appearance would at least conform to Mrs. Castellana's aesthetics. She was always very tolerant of good-looking people, but she didn't expect to face this glamorous The majestic sexy lady, she will have such a sharp attitude.

But Mrs. Castellana didn't seem to want to talk about this matter, so Adele took it over with a smile. She seemed very satisfied with this, and her smile became more kind.

"I received a letter from Ms. Duval a few days ago. She said that she is already well, but her father is just in trouble to stay at home to take care of her." Mrs. Castellana has a much wider source of information than she does. Many people also like to share news with her, and of course she will reciprocate some true or false gossip or match people up to facilitate a marriage.

"Then is she coming today?"

Adele was a little surprised, but couldn't help but began to wonder, so would a certain bold and clever gentleman also come?

"Yes, she hasn't appeared in the social circle before, and everyone is waiting to see her." Mrs. Castellana patted her chest exaggeratedly with the hand holding the handkerchief.

"Fortunately, she still has a sense of proportion, otherwise I'm really afraid that she won't show up until the Easter ball, and then I don't know how to introduce her to everyone."

"..." Adele just laughed.

She thought of the Barry's and Baron Bernard's carriage following the Duval's, and of some gentleman who, by chance or not, had not met, and she could not say whether she was happy or not.

Saying that she expected it seemed to be a discount, but she couldn't lie to herself if she said she didn't expect it.

However, the Baron's family tried so hard to climb up to the Duval's house, and even brought the Barry's family, which was closely related to their relatives, but it didn't seem to be very successful.

At least from Mrs. Castellana's tone, judging from the matter of bringing Miss Duval into the circle, the lady next to her is more important. She has corresponded with Miss Duval, and the one over there is simply Didn't make it to the Duval house.

According to the etiquette, the two families who want to make friends must at least have the more important husbands of both families visit each other. After such a process, they can be regarded as getting to know each other, and then they can invite each other to dances and dinners as closer friends.

Up to now, the families that have been actively visited by the Duval family are not many, but there is no Bernard family anyway, at least Mr. Duval has not been there. As for his son Armand, everyone still thinks it is important. Not quite enough.

"Would you like to get to know me later? Miss Duval is a good girl with a pure temperament and a sincere personality. She is a very lovely girl. I think you and her will get along well." Mrs. Castellana patted her hand , Seeing her nodding and smiling in response, she was relieved.

"I think, that little girl may be a little less talkative and a little bit shy. In this regard, she is not as bold as you. You are also a newcomer, but let's see which wife doesn't like you now." , you performed very well."

"Of course, there are also reasons because she came from a small place, but now that she is in Paris, she may marry a Parisian family in the future. Naturally, she can't be like the past. Good girl, you should talk to her more, you two listen to her." It seems that the situation is similar, and she will probably have a more sense of identity with you."

"It sounds like Miss Duval is a very delicate girl?"

"Oh..." Mrs. Castellana thought for a while and nodded affirmatively, "You might as well say that you are sentimental, but the little girl is pure and innocent, so it is inevitable that she will be moved by those touching love stories, and her brother and father It is inevitable that I love her very much.”

The relationship between Mrs. Castellana and her husband is so-so. Her daughter has already been married. Perhaps the previous rumors have had some impact on her and her daughter's reputation. In the end, her daughter was arranged by her husband to marry into a Spanish noble family. , on this point, she had quarreled with her husband quite a bit, and when it was mentioned, her words were mostly complaints.

Now she has no other hobbies, and she doesn't have a deep feeling for this kind of close and friendly family relationship.

Adele once asked Mariana on the sidelines, and finally Mariana told her that the marriage was more like an exchange of interests.

Miss Castellana came to the noble family in Spain and brought certain commercial benefits to the family——

This kind of thing is not uncommon. In addition, women do not have property autonomy, and parents, usually fathers, must make decisions about marriage.

Otherwise, how can it be said that it can be sold by the father when it is raised to an adult.

Speaking of this at the time, there was irony in Mariana's voice.

"Lady Castellana."

Armand stopped first, and he and the people behind him saluted her.

"Mr. Armand, Miss Duval, you seem to be in good spirits."

The young lady who walked in behind Mr. Armand was wearing a beautiful sky blue dress. She was slightly thin, with flushed cheeks, and a pair of beautiful and gentle blue eyes. With a decent smile on her face, she looked at her brother. His eyes were full of trust.

Adele looked behind the two of them, and unexpectedly found that the person she expected was not there.

He was distracted, facing a pair of curious blue eyes like a fawn.

"Hello."

The other party reacted, feeling ashamed of his rashness, and immediately saluted her.

Adele smiled and put up her skirt in return. Just as she lowered her head, she heard footsteps approaching.

She turned her head reassuringly.