Water lanterns and dreams in 1 nights

We are on the dance floor, each holding one hand, her other hand is on my shoulder, and mine is on her slender waist.She didn't wear perfume, but there was a subtle scent of jasmine in her hair. This soft femininity was strange to me, but not a terrible strangeness, neither loved nor disgusted.

We danced slowly to a soothing tune, and occasionally talked softly, and there was still a girlish shyness in her demeanor, which was also a slight natural expression, which did not disgust me.Then there is a cheerful dance music, the music turns fast and fast, the violin plays joyously, people exchange, rotate, and make fun, the ladies' fluffy skirts are flying in the air, elegance flows away from the whole body, and the atmosphere becomes hot. It is the moment when the party will be heated.

After the repertoire ended, I felt a little short of breath. Even though I had practiced riding and shooting, my physical strength was still not good, because I never had the opportunity to exercise my physique in my life.Penelope's hand was still on my shoulder, and mine was still on her waist. I accidentally glanced at the dance floor, and suddenly saw the Duke staring at us intently, his face pale and distorted, as if he had been angered. Take away all self-control.To make an inappropriate analogy, it seems that the rich man ran into the robbers carrying his property head-on.I've never seen him so angry, I've never even seen him lose his temper, and he's always taken care of his emotions so flawlessly that they don't get out of hand.Puzzled, I saw him trying to calm down and said something short to me. I read his mouth and said "come here".

I didn't understand what changes were happening to him. Out of concern, I said goodbye to Penelope. She was reluctant to part with a disappointed expression, "I don't know when we will meet next time."

"There's always time."

I parted from her and went across the dance floor to the Duke.When I looked at him again, there was no trace on the Duke's face, and he once again hid all his emotions, as if what I just saw was just an illusion, and what proved that my vision was correct was that his expression was still very gloomy.

"I saw that you found yourself a girl." He opened his mouth, deliberately lowering his voice, and his words slipped like cold silk. "Aren't you going to introduce yourself to your father?"

"Her name is Penelope, and she is my new friend."

He sneered disdainfully: "If you want a wife, I will choose a good one for you. You are still young, and you are easily attracted by that kind of smart woman."

"You also chose your mother yourself."

The Duke put his hand on the nape of my neck, leaned slightly to speak to me, our faces were so close, I saw the sarcasm in his black eyes, he whispered softly to my ear, his moist and hot breath beat On my ear and a small piece of skin under it: "My old man was dead at the time, and if you want to find a wife for yourself, you have to die."

He slowly loosened his grip on me, and said indifferently: "It's getting late, go back to your room."

I looked at him in bewilderment, and he looked back at me, adopting a tone of conviction and persuasion: "Go back, don't worry me. Those people are not a good thing."

I nodded, listened to his words and left the ball.

"This is really strange." Halfway, I said to myself.The chatting and laughing of the guests gradually became inaudible, and the sound of the orchestra became weaker and weaker, reaching a volume that would be ignored if you were not careful.Before returning to the bedroom, I looked at the clock, it was just past nine.Light clouds covered the deep blue sky, and under the silvery moonlight, Nightingale began to sing his first song of the night.

10. Duke 09

At first I thought it was the wind, rustling away from the tips of the grass blades.The night in autumn is cool. After waking up in the morning, the grass is covered with round and bright dewdrops. The sky is getting dark earlier than before. Now it is only eleven o’clock in the evening. If there is no moon and starlight, it will be dark outside, only the lights Brighten up a small space.There was a moment of silence, and then there was another soft call. I looked carefully for a while and recognized my name. "Andre..." the voice called, and it took me a moment to realize that it came vaguely from Penelope.

I opened the window and looked down through the yellow and pink vine roses that climbed the wall. It was she, the daughter of the Viscount family, Penelope, with red hair braided behind her head, dressed in riding clothes, With both hands behind his back, he looked up at me with a smile on his face.

"Why are you here?" I asked in surprise.

Since we got to know each other at the banquet that day, even though the Duke didn't like me mixing with her, but because of her amiable personality, I didn't dislike her, we still managed to hide it from the Duke, and went out to play together a few times, compared to other noble girls, It's almost close to action.I knew she was always bold, but I never expected that she would dare to break into the Duke's manor alone at night.

"The weather is so nice tonight. I suddenly wanted to see you, so I came here on horseback." She said lightly, and showed me the whip she held in her hand, "Why don't you invite me to sit up?"

"No... That's too easy to alarm others, just wait a moment, I'll go down now."

"You know, if you didn't have so many roses on the wall by your window, I might be able to climb it myself," Penelope said with interest, and for a moment it was hard to tell if she was joking or telling a story. real.

"I advise you not to." I said, "Wait until I change my clothes."

I dressed in a hurry and went downstairs on tiptoe. The wooden stairs are so bad. After a long time, some parts will creak and creak. Such a sound is insignificant during the day, but it is surprisingly loud in the silent night .They have recently been entirely restored and are not yet complete.

"Little prince, are all your clothes only white?" When I finally stood in front of her, Penelope asked with a smile.

"Originally there were other colors. I don't know when, but when I realized it, there were almost none." I spread my hands at her, "Speaking of which, did you come to see me for something?"

"I told you just now because I wanted to see you."

"If you really want to see someone because of someone, according to common sense, I should also go to you."

"Okay, so will you come?"

"No." I honestly said that this behavior is that I am both unseemly and pointless. "You look embarrassed. How did you get in anyway?"

"I climbed over a high wet wall covered with ivy, and I gotta tell you it wasn't easy." She showed me the green sap on her hands, "and then went through a small forest, around Pond, dodge the guards, and here I am."

"You came around from behind." I understood, "That must have taken you a lot of time."

"You don't even dare to think about it."

I looked at her clothes that were wet with dew. Apart from moss, there was also some mud on them, "Come and sit down." I stepped back a few steps and sat down close to the wall, "Be careful not to get the rose thorns."

"I don't even dare to think," she said, "I will go over mountains and mountains, and not only will I not be kissed by the princess, but I will sit in the mud with you."

"Don't talk nonsense, the ground is dry. Besides, what use is a princess's kiss to you?"

"The princess's is no use to me, but I do need the prince's," she replied.

"I'm starting to understand why you came here." I didn't look at her, and the rose flower exuded a vague fragrance, and this was the first time I smelled its fragrance. "What happened recently?"

"Let me tell you, there is such a nasty guy. The girls don't agree with him, but he has power as a bargaining chip." Penelope turned to look at my profile, "What do you think?"

"No opinion. I guess the girl wants to pave herself a safe path beforehand."

"I'm running out of time." Her bright smile was mixed with bitterness. "If I had to choose, I would rather it be you. You are a good person."

"Are you going to accept your request just because I have a good personality?" I asked back.

"Of course not," replied Penelope, "but I can see that you're not interested in those girls, and I'm not bad. You don't like me, but you don't hate me." I kept silent. In other words, she added, "It's just an engagement, I promise. If you have a girl you like, we can break off the engagement immediately."

"And you can also use me as a shield! Didn't you say that you don't want to socialize with those aristocratic ladies who are twisting their minds, and since you have reached this age, such socialization is inevitable before you find a fiancée for yourself. "

"I can't promise," I mused. "Father won't allow me to choose my own wife."

She scratched her head in puzzlement, and said very unladylike, "Why?"

"I don't know," I said. "Anyway, I can ask. Whether it works or not, I'll send a letter to your house tomorrow afternoon to say so."

She was overjoyed, gave me a hug, and stood up immediately, "Then the matter is settled, I'll wait for your news." After receiving an affirmative answer, she was like a nimble and silent shadow, and quickly walked towards the back of the manor, The way she came moved, and when she left, it was as silent as when she came.

What a strange lady this is.That being the case, there was a reason for her father to trip me so desperately at the banquet. Looking at it this way, I can even taste some funny and cuteness from this father and daughter.

"Security facilities need to be strengthened." I muttered, got up and bent down to pat the dust and grass on my body.And when I stood up straight, out of physiological inertia, my pupils shrank suddenly, and suddenly there was another person in front of me. Before I felt frightened, my body reacted first.when i look back