aristocratic engagement

"...It should be, isn't it my responsibility to take care of my cousins?" Annie's mind was running fast, but she quickly calmed down. Darcy only regarded her as his younger sister, and in her heart, Darcy's death was just a matter of life. A cousin whom I have known for a few days.So what about Madam Catherine's wishful thinking? If something can be achieved just by thinking about it, there won't be so many frustrated people.

"Can I go to a ball? Pemberley never had a ball, but I've been to a village ball - oh, the boys wanted to invite Darcy, but he's too dignified and busy - and the girls danced really well." It's so pretty, is there anything more beautiful than girls' blooming flower-like skirts in this world?" Wickham suddenly said with bright eyes, his face full of longing, as if the glory of the Darcy family is also Like his glory.

"I want to go too!" cried Georgiana, quickly forgetting her depression.

Mrs. Catherine flatly refused: "No. Only gentlemen, ladies and ladies who have formally stepped into society can participate in the ball. Miss Darcy has to wait patiently for another ten years." She raised her teacup to her lips and squinted He squinted at Wickham, "A dance in the village? The kind of place where you can go in and have fun for a few pounds?"

"Darcy, they actually invited you to a place like that. Oh, God...doesn't anyone know how to be polite now? It's lucky that you are a sensible person, otherwise the reputation of the Darcy family will be ruined!"

The air was stagnant. Madam Catherine's undisguised disgust and harsh words made Georgiana a little at a loss. She couldn't understand her aunt's anger on this matter.Darcy didn't know what he was thinking, and looked at the fire with a blank expression.

Anne probably knew what Madam Catherine was thinking. In her heart, just as she tried her best to maintain the honor of the de Bauer family, the Darcy brothers and sisters lost their father and mother, but the Darcy brothers and sisters were still high-class people, young and promising. Fitzwilliam Darcy will sooner or later reappear the style of old Darcy.Those despicable and lowly people are so confused, or did they do it on purpose?If Darcy appeared in such a place, the whole social circle would laugh at the decline of the Darcy family!

Lady Catherine was very fond of the fine flattery of Boy George Wickham, but that did not mean that she regarded him as a man of the same class and rank as the Darcys.

Understanding is one thing, agreeing with it is another.

Anne could understand Lady Catherine's anger, but she didn't have this deep-seated sense of class.In other words, Anne is almost the only one who has mastered God's teaching that "all men are equal".

But no one wants to add fuel to the fire in front of an angry Lady Catherine.

All night long, the parlor echoed with Lady Catherine's harsh, prim and forceful advice.Annie noticed that the servants were also full of indignation and indignation.The dignity of the masters means their dignity.Annie remembered that Du Li once said that the tenants around Rosings Manor had put in all their efforts to send their children to work in the manor, and they took this as a sign of their status.After Du Li was selected as her personal maid, her parents and brothers also gained higher respect from the villagers.

When Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng reminded the ladies to go to bed, Mrs. Catherine finally finished venting.Her face softened unnaturally, and she said to the two girls who were saying good night: "You won't be able to attend the dance, but the guests will stay for a few days after the dance, and there may be several parties. You will be invited to attend."

Georgiana smiled so broadly that she didn't notice that Lady Catherine said nothing about George Wickham, as if he didn't exist.

After it was confirmed that the ball would be held before Christmas, Rosings Manor became completely busy.All the locked doors on the second floor were opened, and the servants had to spread carpets in every room as quickly as possible, and wash all the quilts on the beds. No matter where Anne and Georgiana went, they were surrounded by people. Maids in a hurry.

Such a tense atmosphere made Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng's temper even more irritable. The maids have long been accustomed to the simple life of only two hostesses in Rosings. The sudden work made it difficult for them to get started, and the sound of buckets being overturned was heard from time to time in the corridor. and the low scream of the maid.Annie noticed that, even when changing sheets and draperies, people tripped over themselves.

"I don't want to go to Hansford Village to temporarily hire maids to help, unless you tell me with your own abilities that you can't even do the most basic job as a maid." Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng suppressed her urge to scold, tired He pressed his head firmly, "I think there are quite a few people in the village staring at the vacancies in Rosings Manor."

The maids were silent, and couldn't help speeding up their movements. Anne and Georgiana just heard Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng's threatening words when they were walking up the stairs to the second floor after dinner.They had just set foot on the second floor when Georgiana slipped on the sole of her foot, screamed, and fell hard to the ground.

Annie's eyes widened, and she hurried up to help her up, but she slipped and almost fell down. Fortunately, Darcy, who had just come out of the room and walked towards the stairs, helped her, avoiding the danger of facing the ground.

"Georgianna!" Before Annie could stand still, she wanted to rush up to help her up again.Darcy was one step ahead of her, and picked Georgiana up.Georgiana obediently did not cry out, but sobbed weakly.Under Anne's instructions, Du Li hurried downstairs and asked the coachman to bring the doctor.

Darcy squatted on the ground to check Georgiana's situation. Georgiana bit her lip and said something in a low voice, but Anne couldn't hear clearly.Annie looked down and saw that the place they had just stepped on was damp, the carpet had been taken away for cleaning, and a thin layer of ice had formed on the wooden floor due to the cold weather.

Annie's face turned cold. What she didn't know was that her current expression was almost exactly the same as that of the angry Lady Catherine.

Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng almost fainted. She picked out a beautiful maid in the trembling maid team. Her face was pale, and her beautiful blue eyes were like a sea of ​​sea water, which was trembling.

"You did it?" Annie's tone was very calm, but everyone dared not make any sound.

"...Yes, yes...Yes, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I just forgot..." Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng pushed away her hand, and the maid sat down weakly and bonelessly, "...I I just forgot..." she kept repeating in a low voice.

"Baoli knocked over the water basin at noon, and I reminded her several times to replace the carpet immediately, but it seems that she didn't listen to a word." Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng blamed herself, "I am also responsible for this matter, but I did not supervise. good."

Baoli repeatedly confessed to Darcy, knelt on the ground and tried to grab Darcy's clothes in a panic.Darcy frowned, and took a few steps back holding Georgiana, avoiding it.

Annie snorted coldly when she saw that she was admitting her mistake while showing her proud breasts and my beautiful face that I was pitiful for "quietly".She turned her head to look at the Darcy brothers and sisters, they didn't say a word, waiting for what happened to her.

Annie knew that she had to come up with an attitude that would convince them all.

"Daniel told me that there is still a lack of a servant who raises horses in the stable." Her words made Baoli show a frightened expression, "Since she is not competent for the work in the manor, she should start learning from the simplest. She parents..." Annie looked at Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng.

"Her parents were working in the garden."

"Is there still work in the Winter Garden?"

Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng dared not speak.In fact, Rosings Manor raised many such idlers. In order to maintain the decency of the large manor and the de Bourgh family, a certain number of servants is indispensable, but where is the manor with only two mistresses who do not participate in society? So much work to do?

Annie was silent for a while, her eyes swept over the faces of those servants, only two or three of them dared to look at her.At this moment the doctor came hastily, and gave Miss Darcy a cursory examination with skilful proficiency under all eyes.

"No bone," the doctor announced.

Anne breathed a sigh of relief, and Darcy discussed with the doctor to take Georgiana back to the room. When Darcy passed by her, Anne whispered, "I will give you an explanation."

Darcy's reply was to pat her on the shoulder without saying anything.Georgiana's tears stung him. It was the child he raised with single-handed care. In the days when he lost his parents, Georgiana was the only warm existence in his life.Of course he was angry, but it was absolutely impossible for him to spread his temper on his aunt and cousin.If it wasn't at Rosings Manor, the maid...

After Georgiana's room door was closed, Anne said coldly, "The servants in the backyard are not allowed to enter the manor, Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng, you should understand this."

Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng understood. She appointed two strong maids to carry the crying Baoli away from the servant corridor on the other side. Her mournful cries echoed throughout the corridor.Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng couldn't bear it. Most of the maids in Rosings Manor were raised by her, and she also had some friendship with their parents...

"I hope you don't think I'm making a fuss, Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng." Anne turned her head and looked at the woman, "Miss Darcy is fine, it's worth Polly praying to God day and night. Mother doesn't mind that the manor spends a year A lot of money keeps a group of ladies who don't work, but at least they should take their master's 'occasional' orders to heart."

The maids didn't dare to breathe, and Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng immediately understood that this was trying to make an example of others.

"Of course, there will be rewards for doing a good job." The corners of Annie's lips curled up, and she pointed to a thin little maid who was huddled behind the crowd, "Let her take over Baoli's job." The voice just finished , the maids couldn't help whispering and exchanged secretive glances with each other.The girl who was called at the end widened her eyes.

"Cabrie, come forward and salute Miss de Bourgh." Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng winked.

Capri walked forward step by step with the broom in his arms, looking at Annie with admiration and gratitude in his eyes.Annie felt a little uncomfortable in her heart when she heard her words of gratitude to Dai, but it didn't show on her face, and her brows were slightly stretched, as if she was very satisfied with her attitude.

Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng secretly sighed, this bearing and courage are worthy of being the only daughter of Sir de Bourgh and the Countess of Fitzwilliam, and the future owner of the manor—of course, if Anne adopts other methods, Mrs. Jiang Jinsheng can still come up with something No other reason to praise her.

In fact, her practice of hitting a stick and then giving a sweet date refers to the classics she read in her previous life.More importantly, Annie realized that she really became a player in the game.

"I've got to talk to my mother," thought Annie.

TBC.