[Comprehensive Book] A Rose for Catherine

As long as there are good-looking skirts, most ladies have no way to resist their attractiveness.Naturally, Jane couldn't resist the attraction of jewelry and clothing.

Elizabeth thought it was a good idea, but she had the worst relationship with Lydia in the family, not even with Mary.Elizabeth couldn't bear to talk about it with Lydia, so the sisters negotiated that Lydia should come forward.

Catherine guessed that Lydia would not refuse. In fact, she has good feelings for Jane, the big sister. It's just that she didn't know how to get along with Jane because she was not close since she was a child. The two older sisters whom Mr. Nut valued.

Sure enough, Lydia didn't show much reluctance and reluctance when she heard it, but she was a little proud, but soon she sighed: "We can use the reason of modifying the clothes to try on the clothes that are ready, But we're going back to Longbourn in two days, and we're not going to be in time."

She pouted unhappily.

"It doesn't matter, we can come to London after Christmas, after all, you have to provide Leonard with more design drafts."

Catherine answered quickly.

The matter was settled in this way, Elizabeth turned back and told Jane, and Jane agreed happily, forgetting for a moment that she had rejected Mr. Bingley again in her uncle's living room.Although she has made up her mind to give up this relationship, she really likes that handsome and easy-going young man sincerely. He said sourly. ①

Before halfway through the day, Brett sent someone from his house to deliver something, saying it was a Christmas present for them, and he made a point of wishing Lydia a Merry Christmas.A little shyness appeared on Lydia's face, and she sat on the sofa blankly. After the people left, she suddenly jumped up and threw herself on Catherine on the side!

"Kitty, I'm so glad!"

She carried Catherine around the living room several times before opening the presents.

Bright was interested, not only the couple in London, but also the Bennets and Phillips couples in Longbourn got a share.These gentlemen have a set of hardcover books, which can be regarded as sent to Mr. Bennet’s heart. Although Colonel Phillips and Mr. Gardner may not be able to read them, they are very stylish as decorations.For the ladies are hand-woven cashmere shawls and a jewel brooch, precious and dignified.

The ladies all have a string of pearl necklaces, with some slight differences in style.Among them, the one marked for Lydia was the most exquisite, and the pearls were the roundest.There is also a small card pressed in the jewelry box containing the necklace, with neat and powerful handwriting, and Lydia's name and blessings are outlined in beautiful English.

Eighty-nine times out of ten it was written by Bright himself.

Such a generous gift made the Gardner family lively early in the morning. Mrs. Gardner looked at the exquisite gemstone brooch, the sapphire was shining brightly, "Mr. Brett is really a generous and kind man."

Mr. Gardner interjected: "But the generosity is too great to make one wonder if he has other motives."

Catherine cast a veiled glance at Lydia as he said this.Lydia looked at the handwritten card over and over happily, not paying attention to the thoughts of other people in the room.

As the eldest sister, Jane naturally has the right to express her opinion on this: "These things are too expensive, but we have no way to return gifts of equal value."

Lydia really liked the pearl necklace, thinking it would match her dress, so she muttered reluctantly: "But we didn't ask him to give the gift, he offered it on his own initiative."

As soon as she finished speaking, she thought that he was pleasing her family for her sake, so she was both happy and uneasy.

Mr. Gardner pondered: "Lydia is right. But these gifts are indeed too expensive. I will discuss with your father how to return the gifts. You don't have to worry about these things. I didn't accept the gifts but returned them courtesy."

Because of this frighteningly expensive gift, Elizabeth forgot to tease Catherine when Mr. Knightley finally sent a post saying that he would come to visit.Catherine, on the contrary, was delighted that her good friend was coming, and introduced him to the two elders with great interest, and assured him that he would be a pleasant gentleman.

She was so excited that she didn't notice the meaningful eyes of the Gardners looking at her.

At two o'clock Knightley was alone at the door, announced by the maid.Mr. Knightley's younger brother and sister, with whom Catherine and Lydia had last chanced contact, were absent from the young couple.

He was a little paler than when he left Longbourne, perhaps because of the cold winds that had blown the London streets.Catherine said half-jokingly and half-concernedly: "Mr. Knightley, didn't you come by carriage today?"

"I took a carriage today. John and Isabella must let me go out in a carriage." He responded mildly, "It is not necessary to use a carriage for the distance from Brunswick Square, but the cold wind in London in winter The carriage is necessary."

John and Elizabeth were the names of his brother and his brother's wife, Catherine had heard it, and there was nothing she could not understand, but as to Brunswick Square—

"Does your brother live there? I... have heard of it." Catherine changed her tone again as she spoke.

She wanted to say that she had a friend—that is, the gentleman with whom she had been in constant correspondence, who lived there, but she could not say how she knew this friend because of the presence of other people, so she had to keep her mouth shut. carry.The gentleman did not hesitate to provide her with her own address. At first, Catherine was worried that her identity would be exposed because of the address. Although Aunt Gardner helped, she still only left the address of the nearby post office.

When she thought about it, she felt a little guilty for Mr. Pen Pal.

Aunt Gardner glanced at Catherine with a smile and said, "We also have a family we know living there, which is a coincidence."

Knightley didn't find anything unusual in this sentence, and said: "There are so many places where people live in London. It is not unusual for people with a lot of acquaintances like you to know one or two families in a certain area."

"I don't know if you recognize him or not. His surname is Leonard, and he is a well-known businessman."

A trace of astonishment flashed across Catherine's face, and then she buried it carefully.

Knightley thought for a while: "I haven't met this Mr. Leonard, but my brother made a deal with him once, and he said that this gentleman is a man with excellent vision."

Mr. Gardner couldn't help being happy when he heard this: "You said that, which makes me feel more at ease." He said that he was about to do a business with Leonard on porcelain.

Although Mr. Knightley is not in business, he often communicates with his brothers who have property in London. He himself has a thorough study of English law and has served as a magistrate for many years. He is quite insightful in this matter. Mr. Na had a good chat.

After they finished talking, Catherine, who had listened to the conversation, said thoughtfully: "Mr. Knightley, I can hear that you respect the law very much. But if the law is not perfect in some respects, you will choose to Follow them?"

"Miss Kitty, there will always be incompleteness in the law at any time. Because our society is always developing, but the law is not changing every moment." He smiled slightly, "but We also continue to have new laws, and before new laws that are sufficiently perfect appear, we can try to find a balance between legal provisions and social reality.”

"Most things are not as good as everyone wants, but we try to make it a little bit better."

"Your thinking is different from that of many people." Catherine said with emotion, "Although I can't agree with all of your views, I think what you said is right."

……

Knightley sat down for a short time before getting up to take his leave.At the end of the year, he was also very busy. He had a large manor and real estate, but there was no hostess in the manor, so there were a lot of things to deal with before Christmas. Take time out of your busy schedule to visit.

Catherine accompanied him to the door.The Gardners also got up to see off their guests, and they drew a little distance from Catherine and Knightley.

Catherine said softly: "Good-bye, Mr. Knightley."

There was a faint smile on the lips of the young man, like the sunshine dispelling the dark clouds in the winter sky in London.

"Miss Kitty, I wish you a Merry Christmas."

"of course."

"Merry Christmas to you all."

After he said this, he left the mansion completely. The coachman was already waiting for him. He got into the carriage and waved goodbye to the Gardners and Catherine who walked to the door.

"Merry Christmas."

Catherine answered her friend silently in her heart.

On the morning when the Gardners packed their things and took their niece back to the country, Catherine received two letters addressed to her.One was a letter from Mr. Pen Pal, which was sent to the house after a lot of trouble, and was forwarded to Catherine by Mrs. Gardner.

The other party first apologized for not replying for a long time, saying that he was invited by a friend to go out recently, so he did not see the letter she sent.He also mentioned his rash behavior of sending two gold coins, saying that he had misunderstood him, and hoped that she would forgive him for everything.

The next paragraph asked about the progress of her new work?He has already read some of the plots she sent, and thinks that these texts are already excellent, and there is nothing that needs to be changed.He put forward some of his own thoughts and opinions at the end of this paragraph, including many suggestions for the remaining plots of her new work, and some sentences made Catherine feel enlightened.

At the end of the letter, he mentioned some trivial things, and said that he had spent a wonderful time in a village in Hertfordshire, where the countryside scenery is very beautiful.He also met a new friend, a very lovely (the word has been redacted here) lady, and he thought that if they had the chance to meet, they would become like-minded friends.

Catherine didn't think much about the word Hertfordshire. After all, Hertfordshire's rural scenery is famous in the UK.She stared at the scribbled place for a while, and the handwriting was hesitant and procrastinated around here. She thought to herself that when he described the lady, he had to carefully choose the words, as if the lady treated him very differently and made him hesitate like this. How to describe people well.

This letter was within Catherine's expectation, but the other letter was completely beyond her understanding.

It was handed over to her by Princess Charlotte this morning.

A text message and an invitation.

The author has something to say: ①: The plot in the original novel that Jane had a crush on other people before Bingley probably meant this, and it came from Elizabeth.But I can't remember which chapter this is from.When I have time, I'll look it up and add an explanation.