aristocratic engagement

Anne's bar mitzvah didn't take a whole lot of trouble.

It seemed that Lady Catherine had stopped sending out invitations because she had settled a matter of her own.Since last Christmas, Mrs. Catherine's family members have been in trouble one after another. In the spring, she almost lost Anne.

Annie's body hasn't fully recovered yet, and the large-scale dance party may also make her overwhelmed.

This is the only branch of the de Bourgh family, so Lady Catherine only sent an invitation letter to Earl Fitzwilliam's family, telling them to hold Anne's coming-of-age ceremony at Pemberley Manor.

After breakfast, Lance came on horseback.

"Mother and Lawrence just left home and headed to London, and the invitation letter was delivered. Fortunately, I was at home and did not miss Anne's birthday." Lance explained to Mrs. Catherine shyly, and then bent down and excited Georgiana Embrace.

Lady Catherine was a little upset, but she couldn't show up, and accepted his apology and gift awkwardly.

"Did Auntie and Cousin Lawrence visit Uncle?" Annie asked while asking Lance to sit down on the sofa in the living room, and Du Li poured a cup of tea for everyone.

"This is one of their purposes." Lance took the teacup, took a sip, and sighed with relief, "Besides, the Earl has to go to the council to report on his duties. Maybe he will return in less than a month. It's the original job."

Annie was surprised, and was happy for Lawrence: "Cousin Lawrence should have gone back a long time ago. With his talent, it's too wasteful to be an idle manor owner in the old house!"

When Darcy heard her words, he raised his eyebrows: "It seems, my dear, you dislike me for doing nothing?"

Annie covered her mouth and glared at him: "You know I didn't mean that!" She was all too familiar with his skills, and if it weren't for all the things that happened a few days ago, they would have already left for London.

Darcy just smiled.

Lance's eyes lingered between the two, and suddenly said, "Are you engaged?"

Annie's face flushed immediately, and she shook her head hastily.She was unscrupulous in front of Darcy, but Lance was...an outsider after all, Anne was still a little uncomfortable.

——After all, everyone saw her rejection of the marriage contract with Darcy.

Unexpectedly, the slap in the face came so quickly, and Annie had to "really smell".

The corners of Darcy's mouth curled up, he shrugged, and spread his hands.

Lance cast a sympathetic look.

Darcy asked with concern about the recent relationship of the newly promoted Earl Fitzwilliam, and Lady Catherine also sat up straight.Lance also spread his hands: "How could he have the heart to think about this this year, and his mother didn't urge him."

Madam Catherine frowned in dissatisfaction: "It's because she is too worried. Lawrence is not married yet, let alone has no sign of an heir!"

"Mom!" Annie shook her head at her.

Mrs. Catherine waved her hand: "I know that Miss Campbell. Apart from her poorer family background, there is nothing wrong with her! For so many years, she has never been engaged or married. Lawrence also thinks about her, and she has delayed until now. I They seem to be a good match."

Madam Catherine's words were astonishing, and Anne asked in surprise, "Don't you value family status the most?"

Mrs. Catherine curled her lips: "Am I an old antique in your eyes? Family background is important, but life is lived by two people. As long as a lady has a good character, for the Fitzwilliam family, is it still greedy for that little dowry? "

"Mom, you impress me and make me feel ashamed." Annie hugged her arm intimately.

Lance didn't answer, he and Darcy looked at each other, understanding each other's meaning.

The scandal between Miss Campbell and the Edgertons was so closely covered that if Darcy hadn't ordered people to keep an eye on it, they wouldn't have discovered it.

When Darcy saw Lance like that, he knew that he was also an insider.

However, no one wants to make everyone unhappy on this occasion. Even the master of the coming-of-age ceremony knows it well and just pretends not to know.

After sitting in the living room for a while, the pastor came to the door.

The old clergyman was the most respected man on the Pemberley estate, and had been old Wickham's assistant.If it weren't for George Wickham's appearance, he might have to give up his position to young people.

The old pastor was very grateful for Mr. Darcy's generosity, and devoted himself to Miss de Bourgh's bar mitzvah.

After reading the guidance and teachings of the sage to Miss de Bourgh and sending blessings, the old pastor quietly stepped aside with the manor of the manor and began to chat.

"Mr. Darcy, I have never seen you so happy." The old pastor cut to the chase.

"Have I ever been so sad that I worry you?"

"At least, you never said such witty things to me before, Mr. Darcy." The old clergyman smiled very kindly. "If Lady Anne is alive, she will be very happy."

A momentary surprise appeared on Darcy's face: "You mean, that 'engagement'..."

"That's just a verbal agreement between Mrs. Catherine and Mrs. Anne." The old pastor glanced at Mrs. Catherine, "However, they are not all jokes. Mrs. Anne once prayed to God in the confessional... Sorry, I violated my professional ethics by telling you about this."

As a pastor, it is not right for you to leak the confession of the believers you heard while pretending to be a saint.

Darcy shook his head: "I don't blame you, and I believe that mother won't blame you either. It's just that you don't have to violate your holy duty like this."

"Because I saw your...sorrow." The old pastor shook his head slightly and walked out of the garden in front of the manor.

Darcy followed, a little surprised: "What did you see?"

"Mr. Darcy, you are not confident. This is very strange to ordinary people. Even I can see the love and obsession for you in Miss de Bourgh's eyes."

Darcy was silent.

"Frankly, there are very few gentlemen richer and wiser than you."

"If everything could be determined by conditions, then there wouldn't be so many—" Darcy stopped, he didn't want to curse his love.

"Mr. Darcy, maybe you can try to be more casual." The old pastor saw through his panic at a glance, "In her eyes, you are not only a considerate gentleman, but also a lover."

"But I'm worried, my vulgar and violent side frightens her." Darcy gritted his teeth irritably, "It's not good, she finally landed in my palm, but the beast in my heart will break out of the cage at any time and take this flower Delicate roses scare away."

"However, a rose has thorns, so maybe it's not afraid of the sharp fangs of wild beasts." The pastor patted him on the shoulder, "Maybe her thorns can also scare away other malicious prying eyes."

The pastor lifted his chin and raised his eyebrows.

Darcy looked along his line of sight: at the edge of the wilderness, a man and a horse came galloping.

"Mr. Darcy, your enemy is coming, cheer up!"

Just like on a rainy night many years ago, uninvited guests came to the manor.

With a bright smile on his face, Alan Egerton greeted everyone at Pemberley Manor.He carried a bulging package on his horseback, which was filled with gift boxes, large and small.

Lady Catherine, Georgiana, and Darcy all received one present, and even Lance, with a look of astonishment, accepted three—including his mother's and brother's.

Nobody wants to be upset on Anne's coming-of-age birthday, as long as she reaches out and doesn't hit a smiley face.

Lance muttered in a low voice and asked Georgiana how this person came, Darcy only said lightly: "The Duke of Bridgewater sent a greeting card."

"I asked my father to write a greeting card for me." Alan bowed respectfully, "How can I forget Annie's coming-of-age birthday? After thinking about it, I can only be worthy of it if I have the courage to ask my father to come forward." Only the honorable Miss de Bourgh can let Mr. Darcy accept my invitation."

After Allen finished speaking, he took out a thin gift box from his arms, and handed it to Anne with both hands.The gold-dusted wrapping paper glistened in the sun—no one would doubt that it wasn't real gold.

Annie pursed her lips tightly, suppressing her nausea.Du Li immediately stepped forward to take the gift box for her.But Allen held on to the gift box tightly and didn't let her succeed.

Allen showed a fragile expression: "Annie, I..."

Annie bit her lip tightly, and took the gift box from him.Allen's expression remained unchanged, still a fragile look of begging.

Annie took a deep breath and opened the gift box.

In the gift box, there was only a fluffy piece of paper.

—This is a contract, the Bridgewaters' contract for the digging of a canal, and the price is a kiss from Mademoiselle Anne de Bourgh.

At dinner, Allen used his flattering abilities to praise everyone at the table, directly or indirectly.Even Mrs. Catherine, who had a bad impression of him, softened her face after the meal, and was even able to talk to him calmly and ask about the situation at home.

"The situation at home is not very good." Allen shook his head, with a look of grief, "My grandfather passed away, and my elder brother was so sad that he couldn't even get sick. You know, he has always been the most beloved child of my grandfather. .”

Lady Catherine said a few polite words of relief.

But Annie suddenly raised her head from the dinner plate and glared at him.No one knew better than she what he meant—his father had become the new Duke, and his brother might not survive this winter.

Allen is about to become the Duke's heir.

Alan noticed her gaze and sent a gentle smile.

The knife and fork in Darcy's hand made a harsh sound on the dinner plate.

In the middle of the night, after the party was over, Annie returned to the room exhausted. After washing, she changed into a beige nightgown, and planned to write a few more pages in her diary before going to bed.

"Dong dong dong."

There was a rhythmic knock on the door.

Annie put down her pen and came to the door. Suddenly, her footsteps stopped: "Who is outside?"

"it's me."

It was Darcy's voice, Annie suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, and opened the door.

The tall figure approached, and Annie was taken aback. Before she could react, she was wrapped in his arms.

With a bang, the door was slammed shut.

In an instant, Annie was pressed hard against the door panel, a generous palm was placed under the back of her head, and the familiar breath was pressed down on her head and face,

"Why—" Annie's question was blocked before she could ask.

The fiery lips and tongue eagerly pried her lips open. Annie didn't resist, but was captured by him at once, throwing away her helmet and armor.He seemed to want to rob her of all the air. After a while, Annie couldn't bear the lack of oxygen and the pain at the base of her tongue.

"Hmm!" Annie tried to pinch the soft flesh around his waist again, but she didn't want to. He nimbly grabbed her wrist and pressed it heavily on the top of his head, making a dull impact sound.

"Dong dong dong." There was another knock on the door, and Allen's voice squeezed through the crack of the door, "Miss Annie, have you fallen asleep yet?"

The author has something to say: woc.com got stuck in the last minute and got disconnected... I am on full attendance on Saturday and Sunday, and I am about to cry

_(:з」∠)_上一章果然高审了，需要小天使们的安慰呜呜呜希望不要被红锁【明明都是脖子以上啊呜呜呜】感谢在2021-01-0921:55:38~2021-01-1000:08:51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: 10 bottles of saberlulu;

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