[Comprehensive Book] A Rose for Catherine

If logic is emphasized, being friends or not has nothing to do with whether Knightley is married or not.But Catherine has linked them.

Catherine: "..."

She lowered her eyes, staring at a trembling flower at the side of the skirt, as if she had nothing else to do.

Knightley was a little helpless.

He didn't agree with Catherine's evasive attitude, but he couldn't force her to ask her inner thoughts without any scruples.

The atmosphere was silent for a while, and just when Catherine thought that the matter would be revealed in such an understatement, Knightley said unhurriedly: "Kitty, why do you think that after I get married, we can't get married?" continue to be friends?"

This is a very direct question.

Catherine glanced around, and there was empty land everywhere, the sound of the river mixed with the chirping of insects in summer, and the lush bushes were not far away.There was really nothing to divert her attention.

Catherine bit her lower lip, really not knowing how to answer this question.But she knew she had to answer the question.

She settled down, and while thinking about the words in her heart, she told Knightley her true thoughts.

"I have always regarded you as my most important friend. Sir, you know that you mean a lot to me. Without your help, it might be difficult for me to make this step." Catherine straightened herself Looking up, he said to Knightley, "But because of this, I can't be sure that this friendship will still be the same after you started your own life."

Catherine's concerns were clear.

Even if Knightley has no plans to marry anyone now, it is impossible for him not to marry for the rest of his life. This is quite strange news in the society.After Knightley gets married, his attention will definitely be transferred to his wife and children. As a friend, especially a female friend, coupled with the current atmosphere of gentlemen and nobles who like to raise lovers, it is difficult for others not to think that they are There is some unspeakable relationship between them.

Even if she could put aside the gossip herself, she would never want to teach Knightley's future wife to think the same.

This is a reason in the secular sense. In Catherine's heart, there is another reason that she cannot tell others, and she cannot figure it out clearly.She couldn't use certain words to describe her mood, but she just subconsciously felt that as long as Knightley married someone and fell in love with someone, she would no longer be able to continue this friendship with him.

Catherine couldn't tell anyone about such absurdly selfish thoughts.

"Kitty, I value our friendship." Knightley's voice was uncommonly serious, and it was the first time that they had had such divergent views on something. "I have a lot of friends. Even if I marry someone I like, my friends are still a very important part of my life. Kitty, do you want to say that if you will marry someone because of who you are going to marry?" , abandon your friends completely?"

"It's different." Catherine shook her head. She didn't think about her own reasons, because she was so convinced that she would not enter a marriage.If she is going to marry someone one day, it must be that person she loves so much that she can't extricate herself.Catherine did not think such a person would appear.

She even dared to swear that the character of many self-confessed gentlemen and aristocrats in this era is not as good as her friends.She couldn't bear the whole life of a prodigal son who was sheltered by the glory of his ancestors and played games all day long.

Knightley looked at her steadily for a while: "Kitty, I can't know all the thoughts in your heart, so I can only tell you what I think. I regard you as my most precious and lifelong friend. My friendship with you will not be affected by any change. What you worry about may not be a part of my life, but I am sure that my friends are a very important part of my life now."

Catherine wanted to say, how dare you guarantee future things so easily?But she couldn't help thinking immediately, how could she be worthy of his sincerity even if she doubted a sincere friendship like her?

She thought a lot, but didn't say the last sentence, but gently suppressed all the intense feelings.

"We've come a long way, it's time to go back."

They haven't seen each other for a week after that.

Knightley called once, and Catherine avoided him by staying in her room revising the manuscript.This is nothing, but Elizabeth happened to be at home that day. She had heard about the "friendship" between Catherine and Knightley for a long time, and accidentally learned that they were once "pen pals". Seeing that their relationship was suddenly cold and stiff, I couldn't help asking Catherine.

Catherine was troubled, she scrapped several sheets of manuscript paper one after another, and the ink from the quill was blurred on the snow-white paper, which made her even more upset.Catherine sat in front of the window in a daze with her chin propped up. The quill she hadn't put away rolled to the corner of the table and was about to fall.Elizabeth who walked in picked up Catherine's quill and put it back into the ink bottle, "Kitty?"

Catherine looked back: "Lizzie?"

"You seem to be troubled by something, Kitty?" Elizabeth looked at her, wondering how she might comfort the little sister if her guess came true.

Catherine hesitated for a while, picked up the quill again and wrote a line of sentences on the manuscript paper. Feeling calmer, she confided part of what happened that day to Elizabeth.

She thought Elizabeth could give her some advice, but Elizabeth just looked at her in surprise.

"Kitty, do you really think that ordinary friends talk about getting married later? When there is no warning about it." Especially when the two friends were of different sexes.

"I don't think you need any advice or persuasion, you just need to be more sober."

Elizabeth stood up, glanced at her manuscript, and said to Catherine cheerfully, "Kitty, try to write a different story."

She walks away.

Catherine sat at her desk, scrapping her eighth manuscript of the week.

Catherine's thoughts revolved around this matter, and it was still a bit messy after a week.Her always clever mind seemed to be a bit inadequate when facing this matter, and Elizabeth's almost straightforward reminder that day made her feel even more at a loss.

This is something that has never happened before.

It was as if her plans had slipped far and wide without her noticing, and she was at a loss as to what to do, and at the same time, there was a light-hearted joy in the sudden loosening of something tight.

Fortunately, the arrival of a person temporarily saved her from this state.

It was a sunny Saturday, and not long after breakfast, a low-key carriage stopped in front of the house in Longborn.The housekeeper knocked on Catherine's door with a dignified face. Catherine didn't know why, and almost thought that something major happened.

When Catherine walked out of the yard and saw this somewhat familiar carriage, she realized where the butler's wife was nervous.Princess Charlotte waved to her while sitting in the carriage.She was accompanied by a lady of Mrs. Bennet's age, with her hair neatly combed back, which made her look less gentle.At this moment, the lady was looking at Catherine critically.

Princess Charlotte introduced the Lady to Catherine as one of her governesses.She is also a friend and elder who is very close to her.

The older lady nodded reservedly to Catherine, and Catherine returned the same courtesy.

She came here unexpectedly today to surprise Catherine.

Princess Charlotte invited Catherine to visit the land she had chosen that was suitable for building a school.That piece of land is not cheap, and Charlotte's excess annuity is not enough to pay the price. Fortunately, His Excellency the Regent paid part of the price for her. Princess Caroline, who receives a large amount of alimony from the Regent every year, is unknown. For guilt or otherwise, a generous pound was also offered.

The owner of the land is a descendant of a baron. His family has lost its former glory. In order to maintain a decent life, he agreed to sell the land at a suitable price.

"The architect will be there soon." Charlotte shook Catherine's hand. "It's a beautiful view, and I think you'll like it. Let's go, and we can make it back before dark, Kitty?"

Catherine had no reason to refuse.Her heart was beating fast, and that was undoubtedly what she had been expecting for a long time.She quickly ran into the house and had a quick word with Mrs. Bennet, jumped into Charlotte's carriage, and set off.