aristocratic engagement

Before Annie came back to her senses, a heavy woolen overcoat was thrown over her head and face.

Annie's shoulders sank, and before she could struggle, she was held down again.

"Do you want to die? I'm afraid you won't catch a cold when you come out dressed like this in this day and age?" Darcy's voice came from above his head muffled.

Before she could respond, Annie's feet were empty.

——She was lifted up.

Lifted?

???

"You didn't even change your shoes, you really don't want your life."

A slightly hoarse voice buzzed above her head.

Annie's head was covered in a heavy coat, and her breath was full of familiar smells.Suddenly, the world spun and she was hugged horizontally.

His face was flushed under the coat.

I don't know if it's because of lack of oxygen, or because I haven't slept all night, Annie is a little dizzy.

Even without touching the skin, her supported neck and knees became stiff.With thick clothing covering her cheeks, she could hear a strong heartbeat in her ears.

That heartbeat gradually coincided with his own, more than ever.

After a slight bump, she was put down. There was soft lawn under her body, and what seemed to be the big willow tree behind her.She was about to straighten her legs when her feet were caught and stuffed back under her clothes.

Annie struggled to push off the coat covering her face, and the cold, steamy air penetrated into her nasal cavity and reached her chest cavity.

As far as the eye can see, there is a pair of eyes reflecting himself.

When his gaze met her, before Annie could react and look away, she saw him lowered his eyes, turned sideways, and sat beside her.

Darcy's heavy coat was now wrapped by Anne, and he was clad only in a thin white shirt.Annie felt a little sorry, and was about to lift off her clothes, but his hand was held down by him.

His palm was hot, and Annie shrank back like a rabbit as if she had been burned.

"..." For a while, she didn't know how to start her opening remarks. She had too much to say, but she was like a ball of wool that was ravaged by a cat, and she couldn't find the end of the thread.

Darcy's breathing was long, and after a long silence, he finally broke the calm.

"The Duke of Bridgewater is dead."

"Dead? Who?" Annie didn't respond for a while.

"The Duke, the grandfather of Ellen Edgerton." Darcy explained.

"???" Annie's eyes widened. This old man, who almost saw God a few years ago, survived another winter, and passed away in spring?

"You said that after you left Bingley's house, you went to London for this matter?" Annie asked.

"Yes, I had reached Newton by then, and having received the news at the posting station, I immediately turned my horses around and set off for London."

Anne flinched unnaturally when he said the word station.

"How did the old prince die?"

"Deadly."

"Death of anger???" Another unexpected piece of news.

"It's about Alan Egerton..." At this point, Darcy turned to look at Anne, as if observing her expression.

But Annie didn't show any special concern, and she didn't move her eyebrows or eyes, as if she was hearing news from a stranger.

This made Darcy silently breathe a sigh of relief in his heart.

"Do you remember Miss Campbell?"

Anne nodded.

"She was engaged to Ellen Edgerton not long after we left London."

Annie's pupils shrank suddenly, and she couldn't help but turned to Darcy's direction, and asked, "Does Lawrence know about this? How is he?"

"...He should be very happy?" After hesitating for a moment, Darcy suddenly said with a strange expression.

"Happy?!" Annie was puzzled. "Isn't he deeply attached to Miss Campbell? For so many years... I never dared to doubt his sincerity."

"The premise is that Miss Campbell can be worthy of his sincerity, my dear." Darcy shook his head, with a hint of contempt and sarcasm in his tone, "Guess how the Duke was so mad?"

"About Miss Campbell?"

"of course."

Annie blinked her eyes, not sure how a grand-daughter-in-law-to-be could piss off an old man like the Duke who has seen everything in the world...

No, how could it be so harsh, Annie knocked her head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry—when did she think so "dirty", could it be because she was stimulated by Wickham?

Seeing her beating his head, Darcy reached out and grabbed her hand: "If you can't think of it, you can't think of it. What do you do for beating your head? If you beat yourself again, you will become even more stupid."

"I'm not stupid!"

Darcy pursed his lips and looked at her tolerantly.

Annie's eyes fluttered under his gaze, and she forgot to withdraw her hand for a moment.

"The only thing that can make the Duke angry is something related to little Edgerton." Darcy cast his eyes into the distance mockingly, "Perhaps Miss Campbell is not satisfied with marrying the second son of a noble family who cannot inherit the family business." , on the night of the engagement banquet, climbed into little Edgerton's bed."

There was a thunderclap on the ground.

Annie was stunned: "What, what? Edward Edgerton? Miss Campbell and him... No, no, how could Miss Campbell be this kind of person? If she had climbed high and powerful, she would have had a good relationship with Lawrence all these years ago !"

Lawrence and his pen pal have corresponded for many years, and they should be in love with each other.Although the countess did not approve of his love, she never took drastic opposition measures. On the contrary, she often inquired about Miss Campbell at social balls.

"However, the fact is that she has shamed the Duke's mansion, and made the old Duke so angry that he never recovered."

"So you said Cousin Lawrence would be very happy?" Annie asked in surprise.

"It's just speculation on my part, I haven't seen him in London."

"...How many people know about this?" Annie asked in a murmur.

"Of course such a scandal was well concealed. If I hadn't arranged for people to keep an eye on the Duke's Palace, I'm afraid I wouldn't have heard of it."

"You, you also sent someone to monitor the Duke's mansion?"

Anne couldn't believe it. When she left London, Allen's move made her unwilling to touch anything related to the Duke of Bridgewater's mansion.Even after that, she faintly heard the news that the Earl's death might be related to the Bridgewater family, she subconsciously let herself ignore this point.

But Darcy didn't.

His calmness was even greater than his own.

Even though he never showed his deep condolences to the Earl in front of himself, Lady Catherine, and Georgiana, he secretly did more than anyone else.

"Of course, Anne. At the earl's cemetery, I promised that as long as you insist on investigating the matter of the earl, I will definitely be with you."

"But I hardly did anything myself."

"Because you are a woman, you can't come and go freely like me." Darcy didn't bother to comfort her, but just pointed out this objective fact.

Annie fell down on the root of the tree dejectedly.

Suddenly, she realized that her hand seemed... still being held by him?

Annie blinked unnaturally, and before she could stop her hands, the hotness automatically relaxed.

The back of her hand was slightly wet from being held, and Anne's other hand unconsciously grasped this hand and rubbed it lightly.

'2 minutes. 'Relying on the number of heartbeats, Darcy silently counted the time when his hands were folded this time.

Looking down at her slightly flushed cheeks, Darcy was pleasantly surprised.But he quickly suppressed the urge to move, and tried his best to control his calm voice:

"Remember, I guessed at the time that the reason why the Earl kept silent was probably that he was afraid that you would offend someone you couldn't offend, or that his enemy might be vulnerable without you having to deal with it at all. "

There was a sudden flash of light and flint in Anne's mind, and countless joints were opened one by one: "You mean, the Duke of Bridgewater is the person behind the scenes?!"

He had already stepped into hell or heaven with half his foot. Even if Annie hadn't dealt with him, he still wouldn't live long.

But dealing with a duke, for Anne who didn't even have an identity in the sun, it was tantamount to nonsense.

"So... so, Ms. Campbell may be part of the plan at all?" Annie was tongue-tied, "No, why would she do that? It's not good for her."

"I don't know her thoughts, and I haven't figured out the logic behind it for the time being." Darcy replied frankly.

"We have to go to London! Since we already know so much information, we must be able to figure it out!" Anne said firmly, looking into Darcy's eyes seriously, and said, "I know Ai Lun and Miss Campbell are reasonable beings, and it's all so queer, Darcy."

Darcy was about to speak, but Anne's mind immediately turned. She was eager to express, and she covered Darcy's mouth.

"Canals!!!" cried Anne, "the Duke of Bridgewater started out building canals, you must know about that! Remember, I told you that a coal mine was recently discovered on one of my small estates. , How to transport coal to Manchester and London after mining, digging a canal is the only feasible way... I have never believed that the earl's personal grievances can put his life at risk, Darcy, there is no other reason than profit."

Darcy raised his eyebrows and nodded.

The girl's slightly messy hair was randomly scattered on his coat, and there was a slight bruise under her eyes, obviously she hadn't slept all night.

However, the excitement of faintly touching the truth made her face flush, and for a moment she forgot the defense and boundaries she had always adhered to.

He took the hand that covered his mouth and held it in the palm of both hands.

Her face froze, her eyes wandered, but she didn't withdraw her hand.

Darcy's eyelids quivered slightly, and he put that hand to his lips.

Annie's heart beat so fast that it almost jumped out of her throat.

That piece of cold lips did not touch her hand, and his breath lingered on the back of her palm, as if waiting for her response...or resistance.

"Honey, you said that you might be allergic to red currants, and it might kill you.

I don't know what you mean, but I do know that you don't hate it, do you? "

"Whether you like it or not, I just want to tell you now, I like it, whether it's sour or sweet."

The author has something to say: there will be another chapter later, ah... Another crazy day for Mr. Darcy!

感谢在2021-01-0323:52:57~2021-01-0420:58:40期间为我投出霸王票或灌溉营养液的小天使哦~

Thanks to the little angel of irrigation nutrient solution: Qin2 bottles;

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!