[Comprehensive Book] A Rose for Catherine

The wind in Longborn in winter is light and a bit chilly.

Under the setting sun, Knightley could see Catherine's thin red face from trotting quietly. His expression and smile were very light, but he never made people feel cold, but only felt that he was gentle and elegant.

Catherine glanced at him quickly out of the corner of her eye, and asked tentatively: "Mr. Knightley, haven't you left Longbourne for London?"

"Well, I left with Darcy and the others a few days ago." After they settled down in London, Knightley turned back again, "But I think, Kitty, as a friend, I shouldn't leave without saying goodbye."

Catherine opened her mouth in astonishment: "So you came here on purpose to say goodbye to me?"

"Yes, I have come to say goodbye to my friend."

Knightley admitted without hesitation that the corners of his moist lips were slightly raised, and when he looked at Catherine, he lowered his head slightly, which would make people feel that his gaze was full of tenderness.

Catherine laughed: "It's a blessing to be in your heart as your friend. Sir, you are such a good friend. If there is a chance in the future, you can come back to Longbourne, we will be very happy welcome you."

She had few friends, especially in this so-called strange world, Charlotte had one, Mr. Pen-Pal had one, and now Mr. Knightley.

But Charlotte is about to get married and start a new life of her own. Mr. Pen Pal has never met her, only Mr. Knightley really appeared in front of her—even though they will say goodbye soon.

"I will spend this Christmas in London, and maybe I will come back again. The scenery of Longbourne is unforgettable. But Miss Kitty, even if I don't go back to Longbourne, we will still have a chance to meet." He said I thought about my words, "I wonder if you would like to go to my farm to pick strawberries next summer. They grow very well, and I think you will like them?"

He would have invited her to pick apples if it had not been out of season when he came to Longborn.

"If you are willing to invite me at that time." Catherine blinked her eyes, was a little surprised when she heard the word "strawberry" for a second, and quickly agreed.

"Of course, of course, I will remember to send you an invitation, and you can bring your sisters along."

Catherine said: "Then I can share the good news with them later."

Knightley smiled softly again, he put his hat back on, and looked at Catherine with a hesitant look.Catherine said before him: "Then sir, goodbye, I wish you a good journey."

Knightley got on his horse and touched the brim of his hat lightly: "Goodbye, Kitty."

Catherine waved to him, watching him gradually disappear from her field of vision, retracted her gaze, and ran back to the house with her skirt in her hands.

Under the afterglow of the setting sun, Knightley looked back for the last time. In the mansion covered by the barren vegetation in winter, the girl's slender shadow was drawn into a long line and melted into the golden sunset.

Catherine returned to the living room. Elizabeth sat on the cushioned chair with her chin propped up and looked at her with a narrow face: "Dear Kitty, have you fallen in love with that gentleman? That gentleman must be interested in you, otherwise He wouldn't come back to Longbourne on purpose just to talk to you for a while."

Jane was putting new lace on a skirt. Hearing what Elizabeth said, she couldn't help but look away from the work in her hand and look at her sister.

She cares more about her sisters than herself: "Kitty, do you really like him? But he has left, and we don't know what kind of person he is."

"Oh, my dear sisters, what are you all thinking? He and I are just friends, just like Charlotte and I." Catherine felt helpless and a little embarrassed at the same time.

Elizabeth took the chair closest to her: "Friend? Kitty, we all know that you and Charlotte are friends, but Mr. Knightley is not Charlotte."

Regarding this situation, Catherine immediately decided to bring disaster to the outside world: "Lizzie, rather than talking about my clueless matter, it's better to talk about that Mr. Darcy. Although he has left, his friend Mr. Bright is still here." Did not leave."

It was almost Christmas, and instead of returning to his high society, Richard Bright, who should have been back to London long ago, ran to Longbourn every day.He even took great pains to rent a manor at a high price not far from Bennet's house, and scattered a lot of gold coins in exchange for the most fashionable furniture in London and various expensive imported goods. It seems that he has settled in the countryside of Longbourne for a long time the meaning of.

Lydia's prejudice against him had disappeared along with his appearance, and only occasionally did she remember how much she hated this man, but most of the time Lydia was still happy to stay with him.When Brett was renovating the manor, he specially invited Lydia to give advice. This kind of quiet gesture captured Lydia's heart. Catherine had no doubt that Lydia would become the first girl in the family to get married.

Because of Brett and Lydia, Mrs. Bennet diverted her concern from the two eldest daughters who made her feel uneasy, and earnestly urged the youngest baby girl to catch Brett, the wealthy son-in-law.Lydia responded perfunctorily, and in fact didn't take it seriously—what was she doing marrying so early when she was so young, and she could dance with a lot of handsome boys at balls?

Elizabeth joked that she got angry for no reason, and she yelled: "Kitty, I told you that he would never have any thoughts, not to mention he is gone, and I will never see him again for the rest of his life!"

Catherine whispered: "That's not necessarily true."

After the sisters joked with each other for a while, Lydia returned beaming, and as soon as she entered the house, she pulled Catherine over to announce the good news excitedly.

"Mr. Bright has a mansion in London. It is said that it was built in the last two centuries. It is very beautiful, like a palace. He invited our family to visit the mansion before Christmas. He will come to visit tomorrow and mention this to Dad. thing."

Catherine wasn't excited, she was full of "Brett, this hateful guy is going to attack her innocent and ignorant sister so soon", she reluctantly bent her lips, and gritted her teeth: "This is really——I'm so happy gone."

Brett's purpose is to abduct Lydia, and everyone else is incidental.Catherine glanced at Lydia with complicated eyes. She had already started to think about which dress she would wear to London, her face was full of excitement, and she said that she must wear her favorite pearl brooch this time. She has bad intentions.

Even if she knew that the other party had bad intentions, Catherine couldn't stop it. Mr. Bennet always doesn't care about anything, and you can do whatever you want. Even if Catherine said such impolite words to him angrily last time, he was right. Catherine's attitude did not change, and as for Mrs. Bennet, she was naturally eager.

She talked excitedly about getting new dresses, gloves and hats for her daughters, but when it came time to decide who would go, she decided to stay at home.

Afterwards, Catherine realized that she, as a mother, was afraid of going with her, and it was not so convenient for Lydia to go anywhere, so it was not easy to be alone with Brett.

Catherine felt a little sorry for Mrs. Bennet's efforts to get her daughters married.

Mr. Bennet had no interest in going out. He snorted softly, and was a little displeased that a young talent like Brett had a crush on his stupidest little daughter. The ladies discussed with great interest.

Mary didn't want to go either, she just wanted to stay at home and read.Lydia must go, and then pull Catherine. Elizabeth and Lydia are not on good terms, so she doesn't want to go. In the end, Mrs. Bennet decided to let Catherine and Lydia go to Brett's mansion. Elizabeth and Jane went to visit Uncle Gardner in London, accompanied by the two eldest daughters, and when they returned they went with Uncle Gardner, who was visiting Longbourne before Christmas, so that they could be taken care of.

Catherine was reluctant at first, the weather was already very cold, she didn't want to go out, she just wanted to write a new manuscript by the fire, but considering that Lydia had no one to take care of her, and she needed to see what she wrote in the newspapers. Whether the ad that was posted was responded to.It just so happened that the address she left was not too far from Brett's mansion.

It's not easy to find a reasonable opportunity to go out that doesn't arouse any suspicion.

After such a calculation, the final candidate for London was decided.

The four sisters went to London in Bright's carriage, and Mr. Bright followed on horseback. Before leaving Longbourne, he repeatedly assured Mrs. Bennet that he would take good care of the ladies.

On the way into the city, he naturally chatted with several ladies. He was handsome, well-spoken, kind and easy-going, and he had ulterior motives to please the ladies, so he easily won the two elders of the Bennet family. In the end, Jane and Elizabeth gave up their original plan and agreed to meet Uncle Gardner's family first, and invite them to visit Brett's mansion in London.

In his words, he didn't look down on the aristocratic superiority of the Bennet family's uncle who was a businessman. This made the ladies feel good about him, and even Catherine was a little surprised.

These days, it is common for the gentry class who inherited their ancestral estates to look down on business people, but as a nobleman, Brett can treat businessmen as equals, which can be said to be rare.

Mrs. Gardner had been told that her nieces were coming and received them warmly, while Mr. Gardner went to greet the unexpected guest, Mr. Bright.

The girls chatted with their aunt for a while, and Lydia began to talk about Brett's invitation to them as guests. She was young, begged a few words in a coquettish tone, and pulled Catherine to help, and Mrs. Gardner's will Loosen up a bit.While she was hesitating, Mr. Gardner and Brett walked in. It turned out that they had already made an agreement during this period of time.The ladies first rested at Gardner's house for a few hours, and then rushed to Brett's house with their uncles and aunts to have dinner, visit the mansion, and stay overnight.

He is warm and thoughtful, and even Catherine, who believes that he is up to no good, can't find a fault in his handling of people.

During dinner, the chef cooked French dishes, and the taste was full of praise from several guests. Catherine silently ate a third more dinner than usual. She put down the knife and fork, and glanced at Lydia quietly. Did not say.

Cannibalism is soft.

It wasn't until that night, when everything was about to end, that Catherine was knocked dizzy by a shock, that she didn't know why Brett was courting them so much——

He proposed to Lydia!