Dear Mr. Darcy [Pride and Prejudice]

Chapter 16 Last Year in the Cotswolds

Georgiana returned to her room preoccupied, frowning as she stretched before bed.If you ask my brother, my brother is so proud, it must be very painful to be exposed face to face.So ask Emma?Emma seemed completely unaware.Although she was struggling in her heart, she didn't sleep all night last night, and she gradually fell asleep on the pillow.

Georgiana dimly saw Emma staring at her tenderly, and put her hand gently on her forehead to test the temperature: "Honey, are you still uncomfortable?" Georgiana felt aggrieved in a daze: "Uncomfortable." Emma brought over a bowl: "Try this?" Georgiana wrinkled her nose: "I don't want to eat." Emma helped her up, scooped up a spoon and put it to her mouth: "Just take a bite, have a taste Well." Georgiana took a mouthful reluctantly, and didn't feel the nausea as imagined: "Sweet and sour, delicious." Emma laughed: "Then eat some more."

Georgiana opened her eyes on the bed.She seemed to know where the time she had neglected was.

Deep and shallow greens lie on the slowly undulating field, stretching and stretching as far as the eye can see.Several small villages and towns are dotted in between.Suddenly, there was a crisp sound of horseshoes on the winding path.Some of the wandering sheep raised their heads, glanced casually at the guests coming from afar while chewing, then lowered their heads and continued to enjoy the delicious and juicy pasture.

Mrs. Murray, unlike the herd of grass-minded sheep, broke into her husband's study as soon as she came back from the ladies' afternoon tea.

"My sir, I am really surprised that you can still write letters here leisurely. Didn't you hear that the most luxurious garden in the village lived in several guests from afar? I heard that one of them was the Earl Your Excellency, there is another gentleman with an income of ten thousand pounds a year. Mrs. Stocker has always ignored us because Mr. Stocker has a distant uncle who is a baron. If these two noble gentlemen first Invited the family to a dance, and I couldn't hold my head up when I saw her for years to come."

"My dear, don't be in a hurry. I'm sure Mr. Stoke's family won't receive the invitation first. In fact, I sent the invitation card at noon, but it seems that one of the ladies is sick, and it's not too disturbing to go at this time suitable."

It was Georgiana who fell ill.

Emma sat on the edge of the bed, watching the doctor prick Georgiana's fingertip to bleed, and then prescribed her a potion with a pungent smell, feeling a little toothache.If given the choice, she still hopes to live in the 21st century.Although as a nobleman, she has comfortable food, clothing and housing, but the level of productivity and technology cannot be bought with money.In this day and age, even if the royal family underwent surgery, it would still be "bang hemp", that is, they would be knocked unconscious.

After being tossed around, Georgiana looked even weaker than when she first arrived.Emma pushed back the curly hair stuck to her forehead with sweat, wiped it gently with a handkerchief, and tested the temperature with her hand.The little angel dazedly rubbed against Emma's soft palm.Emma's heart was about to melt, she held her face and looked at Georgiana, until she fell into a deep sleep with even breathing, and then retreated lightly.

Although Mr. Darcy was also worried, Georgiana was already a 15-year-old girl, and it was inconvenient for him to stay in her bedroom all the time.Georgiana's room was very close to the stairs. Emma closed the door, and when she turned around, she saw Mr. Darcy in the living room downstairs looking up at the upstairs, with a deep wrinkle between his brows, and his face was full of worry.

Emma deliberately stepped down the stairs. A man like Mr. Darcy doesn't like to expose his fragility and worries to others.Hearing the sound of footsteps, Mr. Darcy came back to his senses and resumed his usual expressionless face. "Miss Kentra."

Emma was a little distracted. Genes are really strange things. Mr. Darcy, who is proud and cold, has a shy and soft sister like Georgiana. "Georgianna is already asleep. After the doctor took the blood, her body temperature has dropped a little, and she still has a little fever. The fresh air, warm sunshine and quiet environment in the Cotswolds should make her recover soon." Emma can probably guess Mr. Darcy blamed himself for taking his frail sister on a long journey.

Emma's words really eased Mr. Darcy's heart. Seeing that there was a shadow in Emma's eyes, he slowed down his tone: "Thank you for taking care of Georgiana, but now you need to rest even more."

Emma frowned and said, "I'm a little thirsty. I'll go upstairs to have a rest after I get down to drink a glass of water." She originally wanted to go back to her room to sleep, but seeing that Mr. Darcy was very worried about Georgiana, she came down to comfort him, but Don't let Mr. Darcy know about such things.

Emma finished her glass of water and went back to her room to rest.Mr. Darcy sat for a while, still a little worried, and decided to go up to see his sister.

The temperature in southern England in July is still very high. In order to prevent Georgiana from catching cold, the windows were tightly closed, and a thick quilt was added to the bed.Georgiana fell asleep and felt thirsty. She moved painfully and opened her eyes. "water......"

The maid hurriedly turned around and went out.Mr. Darcy stopped her and pointed to the half glass of water on the table.

The maid explained: "It was used by Miss Kentra. Miss Darcy drank the medicine just now and felt that the cup smelled. Let us take it out and clean it."

Mr. Darcy was taken aback.

Although the horse-drawn carriage is already quite a comfortable way of traveling, the road conditions are too bad.No matter how luxurious a carriage is, it can't save a country road full of dirt and gravel.After sitting in the carriage for a few days, Emma felt that her whole body was about to fall apart.It was easy to reach the destination in the morning, and Georgiana fell ill before she had time to rest, and she took care of her for another day.Emma fell into a drowsy sleep, and when she awoke it was broad daylight.

After hastily washing up, Emma went to Georgiana's room first.Georgiana hasn't woken up yet, but her body temperature has dropped, and her face doesn't look so haggard anymore.Emma breathed a sigh of relief, and she was also worried that the little angel was too weak, and the fever would turn into pneumonia.

As soon as she relaxed, Emma suddenly felt her stomach protesting non-stop.She didn't eat much for lunch yesterday, and slept through yesterday's dinner. Emma was so hungry that her eyes were about to glow green.She barely maintained her manners and went downstairs, but was told that the two gentlemen had gone out early in the morning and hadn't come back yet.

This means that meals cannot be served for the time being.Emma had to ask the maid to go to the kitchen to get something edible.Breakfast was not yet ready, but something was ready, and the maid brought two shortbread and a little cold meat.

Emma asked the maid to leave, and just as she stuffed a piece of shortbread into her mouth, George's voice came from outside the door: "I don't really like going to the country for vacation, and I don't think it's as lively as the city. Even if there are more flowers and plants, it's nothing to see. When I came to the Cotswolds, I felt that I should withdraw my evaluation, riding a horse in such a beautiful green grass forest is really a great joy in life."

An unfamiliar male voice was full of flattery: "Everyone in the Cotswolds would be proud to receive such a compliment from you. Although the country people here don't know the etiquette and are not as prosperous as your Yorkshire, the scenery not bad."

Emma almost choked, and slapped her chest hard to swallow the shortbread stuck in her throat.If you don't come back sooner or later, you come back at this time.If it's just George and Mr. Darcy, she doesn't have to care too much about her image in front of them. After all, her image is almost ruined in front of them_(:зゝ∠)_They will understand her.Who knew that there would be guests coming to the door in the morning, if a stranger saw her image of a dignified and elegant noble lady, it would be ruined!It was too late to go upstairs, and Emma glanced left and right and couldn't find any good shelter, so she had to stuff the plate under her skirt.

"In a few days, we can go hunting...Emma?" George called suspiciously to his younger sister who had her back turned to the door and didn't know what she was doing.

Emma turned around when she heard the sound, and secretly stuffed the veil for wiping the corners of her mouth into her sleeve. She was the dignified and elegant Miss Kentra again. "Brother, Mr. Darcy, who is this?"

The strange gentleman took off his hat and bowed, revealing half of the hair on the top of his head: "This is Adam Stoke of the Cotswolds. He is the pastor of this district under the care of Earl Andrew."

Emma showed a gentle and reserved smile: "Mr. Stock, hello. I am Emma Kentra, and George is my elder brother."

"It's Miss Kentra." Mr. Stock exclaimed. "No wonder I feel that you have a great demeanor just after seeing your back from a distance. The Cotswolds are too remote, and even the ladies of the country gentry have not received the education they deserve, let alone those country women. In the past few years, I Your eyes have almost lost the ability to discern beauty, and your beautiful face and elegant manner have washed away my eyes and my heart."

Emma couldn't help shaking.As the young lady of the earl's family, she could hear compliments almost every day, but she still felt a little uncomfortable at this moment. "You are really flattered..."

"No, it's not a compliment. I daresay you would be hard-pressed to find a more attractive lady than you, even in London. Only you, who are not only beautiful, graceful, talkative, and stylishly dressed, can She is truly a qualified lady. Although I had to preach the gospel of the Lord in this remote countryside for a few years due to my duties, my distant uncle was Baron Wall. I also studied in London, and even now I will Concerned about fashion issues, for example, the smell of this perfume you wear is familiar to me. Excuse me." Mr. Stock twitched his nose. "Looks like... cold meat and shortbread?"

Emma was about to break out in a cold sweat.

Fortunately, Mr. Stock immediately overturned his absurd conclusions. "I'm really sorry, I have a cold and my nose is not very comfortable recently, and I can't distinguish the smell."

No, no, you are being modest, I only ate a piece of cold meat and a piece of shortbread in total, and I hid a little under the skirt, which can be smelled, and my nose almost caught up with a police dog.Afraid of revealing her secrets, Emma hastily cast a look of help at George.

Mr. Stocker is over 40 years old, and Emma and Emma are completely of the same generation. When he complimented Emma, ​​George didn't take it seriously. Instead, he felt that Mr. Stocker was a bit kind.When George was a dandy, he was surrounded by quite a few of them.But when Mr. Stock tried to identify Emma's perfume, George's smiling face suddenly sank.When he smiled, he looked like the original dude who didn't know the world, a little arrogant and frivolous, but overall he looked approachable.Once the face is straight, it looks particularly oppressive.

Mr. Stock didn't know that the earl, whom he wanted to please, was about to get angry. He regretted that he couldn't distinguish the perfume at the critical moment, so he sincerely praised Miss Kentra's taste, and instead praised Emma's skirt. "Such silky and delicate fabrics must come from the mysterious East, the land rich in tea and gold..."

"She doesn't care much about fashion issues, Emma, ​​I have something to tell you." George interrupted Mr. Stock very politely, and came over to take Emma away.

Emma's face turned pale with fright, she sank into her dantian and used a heavy weight pendant. "No!" Brother, I appreciate your kindness, but I asked you to take Mr. away instead of me.

George wondered, did my sister like listening to Mr. Stocker's lame compliments? "Why?"

Emma felt that the plate under her feet was about to be exposed, so she quickly lifted her hind legs slightly to adjust the angle. "I, I've been standing for too long, my feet are numb. Aren't you guys going to discuss hunting? Go sit down on the sofa and talk in detail. I'll be there in a while."

George did not understand what Emma meant, and put his hand on her arm. "I'll help you sit on the sofa."

"No, brother, the guests are still waiting, don't worry about me." Emma pinched George backhand.What about the most basic tacit understanding between siblings?

Mr. Darcy, who had been standing beside him without speaking, saw Emma's awkward movements, and suddenly remembered the scene of that night.The same is true for him who hides Emma under his coat, trying to send Mr. Housekeeper away while adjusting his posture to cover up.Mr. Darcy stops George, who is pinched and bewildered. "Georgiana has been in the same situation, so don't worry. We are all here for the first time, and Mr. Stocker is very familiar with the Cotswolds. Why don't we sit down in the living room and listen to his advice on hunting?" ?”

After Philip's incident, the relationship between Mr. Darcy and George became much closer, but George had never seen Mr. Darcy with such a gentle attitude and such a humble tone, and he couldn't help being stunned for a moment. "Ah, yes..."

Mr. Stock was somewhat flattered to see Mr. Darcy, who had always been indifferent, ask him for advice. "This, I am very familiar with it and dare not say it, but I have been here for eight years, and I still have some understanding of the Cotswolds."

Mr. Darcy listened and went in.George and Mr. Stock followed him naturally to the sofa.

Sure enough, the critical moment depends on the male god!Emma gave Mr. Darcy 233 likes in her heart, and carefully moved the plate between her feet.

When Mr. Darcy received Emma's grateful eyes, the corner of his mouth couldn't help but curl up.Before that dangerous rainy night, Mr. Darcy had had little impression of Miss Kentra.When Emma went to Pember for help, almost everything he did was in the area that he could not tolerate.He felt from the bottom of his heart that Emma could not be called a lady at all.But because Emma's situation is too special, although Mr. Darcy can't accept it, he can understand it, and gradually gets used to it.Until now, when he discovered Emma's predicament, Mr. Darcy's first reaction was not "how unreasonable!", but "how can we help her cover it up?".But at this time Mr. Darcy was not aware of this dangerous change.

After breakfast the doctor examined Georgiana again, and concluded that she was well, but advised her to stay in bed for two days.

Georgiana couldn't hide her disappointment, but she lay down obediently.Emma knew that Georgiana seldom came out, and she fell ill and needed rest after finally going out to play, so she must be unhappy. "Let me read to you. When you feel better the day after tomorrow, let's go out for a picnic, okay? My brother came back and told me that there is a big beech tree on the hillside not far away, and the surrounding grass is full of blooming eucalyptus." Cheju."

"Okay." Georgiana imagined, her eyes sparkling. "Can I listen to novels? I'm talking about the kind of novels that are serialized in newspapers. My brother doesn't like me to read them, because some of them are not in style, but I still want to read them..."

Emma raised her hand and kissed it lightly. "Your will is the direction of my sword."

Georgiana was amused and giggled, and felt a little shy inexplicably.

The British newspaper industry is very developed now. Although the Cotswolds are a bit remote, there are still some local newspapers sold, but the way of selling is not known.Emma called the maid who was sweeping the floor and asked, "In the Cotswolds, are newspapers sold at a fixed point or someone comes to sell them at regular intervals?"

The maid's answer surprised Emma. "Mr. Kentra has ordered several newspapers. Today's newspaper has just been delivered downstairs. Which one do you want to read? I'll get it and deliver it to your room."

Emma didn't ask the maid to get it. She didn't know what kind of newspapers had Georgiana's favorite novels, so she decided to look for them herself.

After Mr. Stoke's long-winded farewell, Mr. Darcy was a little dizzy from the endless compliments, and wanted to read a newspaper to calm down.As soon as he picked up the newspaper on the table, he heard Emma's voice behind him. "Mr. Darcy."

It was obviously impolite to speak while holding a newspaper. Mr. Darcy put down the newspaper and turned around. "Miss Kentra."

Emma was a little ashamed to think of the morning's events, but felt it necessary to thank Mr. Darcy for his help. "Morning, thank you..." She looked up at Mr. Darcy, and Mr. Darcy looked at her expressionlessly. Emma felt a little guilty, so she revealed the truth. "I was really hungry in the morning, so I took some shortbread and cold meat. Unexpectedly, my brother, you and Mr. Stocker just came in..." She was really embarrassed to say the plot of stuffing things under the skirt up.

Emma didn't need to go on, Mr. Darcy knew exactly what had happened.He thought with a sullen face, this is too disgraceful, a young lady did such a thing, I should tell her severely that this is inappropriate behavior.But in fact, the soft tone of his speech surprised him a little. "Next time you should ask the maid to deliver things to your bedroom."

Emma was already ready to be punished, but Mr. Darcy was so considerate and nodded movedly: "I must remember, I won't make such a mistake again." Who said my male god is indifferent Human?Obviously gentle and considerate, okay?

Mr. Darcy felt that there was something wrong with his attitude, but thinking of the water glass yesterday, he couldn't say anything harsh, so he had to change the subject. "Would you like to read the newspaper?"

Emma nodded. "Is there a less serious newspaper?"

Mr. Darcy, who had never read a less serious paper, gave Emma all that was at hand to choose.

"Thank you," Emma held out her hand, then drew it back. "Which newspaper do you want to read? I just use it to pass the time, so I can just pick one." Mr. Darcy has a plan for everything, and strives to be in order. Maybe he will not feel comfortable not reading a fixed newspaper.

"No...no, I'll read them all." Mr. Darcy caught a glimpse of the contents of the top newspaper and immediately took all the newspapers back.

"All of them?" Emma raised her eyebrows. "Do you like to watch these?"

Mr. Darcy's ears were flushed with shame. "No, yes, yes, I like to read them all. You can go to the study and find some books to pass the time."

Emma cast a blank glance at Mr. Darcy. "All right."

Mr. Darcy hurried back to the bedroom with a stack of newspapers in his arms.After his back disappeared, Emma covered her mouth and laughed and fell on the sofa.She hadn't read the papers, but when Mr. Darcy put them back she knew what was going on, and George must have subscribed to some vulgar tabloids.But it was interesting to see Mr. Darcy's reaction, and she couldn't help teasing him for a moment.

It took a while to stop laughing. On the way to the study, Emma deeply criticized her behavior just now. She was too disrespectful to Mr. Darcy as a benefactor and male god. She must hold back next time.

The author has something to say: So know why Georgiana doesn't know?She fell ill in bed.

Mr. Darcy's attitude:

Outrageous→Understandable→Help cover up→Help the evildoer (not achieved yet but soon)

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