little miss austin

Alice was not in a hurry because she knew that Napoleon would be ousted eventually.But the overall situation is one thing, and she doesn't remember so much about local wars.Oliver was not seriously injured, which made her relieved.On the passenger ship heading to Lisbon, she was in a hurry, for fear that she would be late and only see his body—once a person in this era suffers any serious trauma, he basically can only fight hard, without antibiotics, it is very difficult It is easy to die from an infection of a small wound.

It has been two years and 10 months since he left Madeira Island sadly and angrily. He has also changed. He is no longer a simple pampered young master. Before seeing him, she was always worried that he would suffer from PTSD. such mental illnesses.

Settling into his residence, Sidney and Kate busily unpacked their suitcases, hung up their clothes and changed the sheets, pillows and comforters.

Oliver's clothes, casual clothes and military uniforms, were neatly arranged in the closet, and she looked at them curiously.The young officer brought his personal servants and orderlies, and there were 3 maids serving him in the residence.

Sidney asked if Oliver's clothes should be put away.

"No, just hang it here." Probably because of wearing military uniforms most of the time, the number of shirts has been greatly reduced, and there are not many other coats.The red uniform of the British Army is very flattering and can make a young man look particularly tall and straight.

She reached out and touched the uniform.

Thinking of this is like two people living together, with half of the closet hanging on their own clothes.She imagined it, if it was Oliver, it didn't seem so difficult to accept?

"I'm really worried about Master Oliver's injury. Miss, where is Master Oliver's injury? Is it serious?"

"Thigh, left thigh, hope he doesn't become a lame."

"Miss! Can't you think of something better?"

"George is lame on his right foot, he is lame on his left leg, and they happen to be on one side and one on the other."

"Miss, if Master Oliver heard what you said, he would think you were cursing him."

"I don't have it!" She opened the drawer of the bedside table and checked what was inside. "It's very possible. I haven't asked the doctor yet. I hope he didn't hurt any important parts."

"for example?"

"For example, the most important part of a man."

"Miss, you are learning badly now!"

"Ah! Look! What is this?" The bedside table has 3 layers of drawers. On the first layer, there are some odds and ends, such as creams, combs, etc.; on the second layer, there is a notebook; A small wooden box.

Alice thought it was some kind of jewelry box at first, but when she opened it, there was a small ball of flesh-colored objects inside.

She didn't know what it was, so she picked it up to have a look, and once she realized what it was, she immediately dropped it.

Close the drawer quickly.

"Miss?" Sydney didn't see what it was.

"Damn! How could he put this—just in the drawer?" She was inexplicably angry.But when he thought about it, his room, of course he could put it wherever he wanted.

"What is it?"

"Not something an unmarried lady should know."

Sydney stared at her suspiciously.

Alice suddenly couldn't help laughing again, "It's not surprising that he has this."

"what exactly is it?"

". Male contraceptives."

Sidney blushed, "Miss, you really shouldn't know this."

"I originally wanted Jacob to help me buy a few and study them, but I still don't know what to say so that he won't be stunned by me." She is an unmarried girl, and she definitely can't buy it by herself.

Sidney looked frightened: "Miss!" She stammered and struggled, "This is not good, no—it's not natural."

"It's expensive, it's troublesome to use, and it can't be used repeatedly. Most people can't afford it." So Oliver bought it

For your own use, or?There is no way to ask him directly.

"As a maiden, you know too much!" said Sidney reproachfully.

"Oliver is a grown man, and it's time to learn how to use it."

"That's not what I mean, and I don't want to know about Master Oliver... Anyway, just pretend you didn't see it."

Oliver, who lives in a nursing home, never expected that she would find something indescribable. He only thought that Alice would come to see him as soon as he heard that he was injured, and he was very happy.Surely Alice had not received Francis's letter, but that did not matter, the important thing was that she came.

——This shows that she always has me in her heart and has not forgotten me.

He thought so wishfully.

He was eagerly looking forward to the dawn, so that she would come to visit him again.

Alice arrived at the nursing home early in the morning and had breakfast with him.The orderly fetched breakfast for two and brought it to his room.

The location of the sanatorium is very good. It is said that it was originally a seaside villa of a member of the royal family, but was requisitioned by the British army.Oliver's room faced the sea and had a very spacious terrace. They had breakfast behind the French windows on the terrace, so that it would not be too cold and they could see the sea in the distance.

"Are you still in a wheelchair?"

"Yeah, I'm not fine yet."

Alice was very suspicious, but she couldn't ask to see the wound, so he had to take off his trousers.

"What do you usually do?"

"Walk around in the morning, come back to read books and write letters. Play cards with people in the afternoon."

It's really retirement living.

After the Battle of Bussaco, on October 10th and 13th, the Anglo-Portuguese coalition forces fought another encounter in Sobral. The battle lasted for two days, and the battle was relatively stable. The Portuguese Allied Forces suffered more than 14 casualties, and newcomers came to the officers' sanatorium.

On the whole, Oliver’s background is very good, but because he doesn’t have a title, he has always been a “Lord”. There are officers with similar backgrounds like him in the British Army and the Portuguese Army, but most of them are the youngest sons of the family. If you are knighted by military merit, you can only be a "Lord"; the eldest son heir like Oliver is quite rare who is willing to go to the battlefield.

General Wesley was also of noble birth, his father was a first earl, but he had no title of his own.It is said that he joined the army because of a girl. The girl was of similar origin to him. She was a nobleman's child. The woman's father and brother disliked him because he was heavily in debt and was not a good husband, so he was not allowed to continue to associate with the girl. , Determined to get ahead.

"It's boring. There's nothing else to do?"

"Nothing fun."

There are indeed not many entertainment projects in this era.

"Perhaps you can go to the ball with Julian."

"I have nothing to say to Julian."

"Do you still dislike him?"

"He's a lot better than he was before, but he's stubborn, he's still a megalomaniac."

Oliver smiled, "He told me a lot about you."

"So?"

"Are you happy? I mean, of course I don't like anybody approaching you, not even George, not even Ivo, but if you—if you want to—"

"You don't need to know what I think, it's none of your business."

"I understand." He sighed softly, "Alice..."

"Ok?"

"I'm really glad you came to see me."

"I might just stay a week and go."

"Where have you gone?"

"Egypt. I haven't been to Cairo yet. I've been to Egypt and I want to go to Italy."

"I should go with you. I have a few weeks off. Would you like me to go with you?"

She hesitated, "No

Ask for it. "

"Don't worry, I won't fight Ivo again." He said with a smile.

"Let me push you out for a walk." She stood up quickly.

She said she was pushing him, but she couldn't push him, so Jacob pushed the wheelchair, and Alice walked aside.

The daytime temperature in Lisbon at the end of October was around 10 to 15 degrees, not too cold. She wore a large woolen scarf.

Late autumn is not a good season for swimming. There are no people on the beach, and the sea breeze is blowing.

"Have you started writing a new book? It seems that it has been more than two years since the last novel was published."

"I haven't figured out what to write yet."

"Any questions?"

"Maybe I have too many ideas in my head and I don't know how to choose."

Oliver pondered for a moment, "Choose what you like, choose what you are good at."

"I originally planned to return to England after visiting Italy, and then I would consider the next novel when I return to China." Sharpening a knife is not a mistake in chopping firewood. It is indeed a relatively important thing to gain knowledge. This is a kind of accumulation. The new book things, not busy.

The sea breeze blew her hair, she tied it with a hair tie, and wore a cloth headband on her head, revealing her smooth forehead.

The sea breeze penetrated through the bottom of her skirt again, causing her skirt to bulge like a lantern skirt.

She didn't care about the lantern-like skirt.

"The summer in Sintra is pretty good. I like swimming in the sea at night."

"If you stay until summer, I'll swim with you at night."

She glanced at him with a smile, "Oliver, sometimes I feel that you are very different from before, but sometimes I feel that nothing has changed."

"Have I changed?" he was surprised.

"You probably don't realize it yourself. You... you haven't changed much, but you've changed. How do you put it? You've matured, although you still look more like a college student than an officer. But it's just a little bit different." It's the same."

"In your opinion, is 'change' a good thing?"

"For the most part, it's a good thing. In fact, you are already very good and perfect, but sometimes... you don't look like a real person."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just use George as an example. He just does what he wants to do within his own ability. He is very selfish, right? But selfish people will get more happiness because they don't have to worry about what other people think." think."

"I still don't understand."

"You'll always understand."

Alice stayed with Oliver at three meals a day, and dined with him.

The sanitarium for military officers had good food, and the British supply ships brought a lot of supplies from the mainland and the colonies, and it was much easier to receive and send letters.Alice wrote to the family saying she was in Lisbon this week because Oliver was injured and she had come to visit him.Speaking of Lisbon, it is very peaceful, and the Portuguese are having fun with a nervous mood. Even if the world ends tomorrow, there will be waves.

Mrs. Austin wrote back, asking her to be careful. If the French invaded Lisbon, she would drop all her luggage and find a way to come back. She would not want anything, as long as she was alive; , and it's time to go home.

Neither Cathy nor Jane's letters mentioned much about the Peninsular War.Cathy said that Lord Bundfield had a new boy, and Oliver had a little brother.Jane said that Tom went to Ireland, and he would have to stay for three to five years before he could come back.

Francis had a son late last year, whom he named Francis William, adding another child to the extended Austin family.

As for Charles Austin, the letter from Bermuda was a long way off but arrived in time, and Charles became a father again this year, with a second daughter, Henry Yate Jane, born in July.

Alice has written to her little brother, saying that if there is another daughter

Son, you have to use "Alice" to name it.charles long

The girl's name was Cassandra, the second's name Henryyet was from the baby's aunt Henryyet Palmer, and Jane, of course, was from Jane Austen.

The extended Austin family is thriving and growing.

Oliver said that the newborn baby brother was quite calm, but Julian was very angry, complaining that his father would not be able to protect him at the end of the day, and that it was not counted to upgrade his mistress to a wife, and he actually gave birth to a little boy who divided the family property.

"I've talked to my father, and you won't lose your share."

Julian muttered, "I don't want to admit that kid is our brother."

Speaking of the younger brother from the same mother, Alice suddenly thought of the third son who only existed in legends.

"Is it okay if you don't admit it?" Oliver looked at his brother with a smile, "There is nothing to worry about, the parish that father promised to Evan will also be given to him. give him."

The size of the parish, Steventon is a very small parish, with an annual income of 100-150 pounds, and a large parish can easily earn 500-1000 pounds a year, and it is not a problem to support a family of ten.

Julian sighed: "Growing up is so boring! Except for some things, it's better when I was a child, there are not so many annoying people and things!"

After more than ten seconds, he jumped up again, "I have to write to him again to ask for some money, at least I have to pay back the money I owe outside."

"How much do you owe? Didn't I just give you £500 a few months ago?"

"It's not enough. Anyway, don't worry about it, my father will definitely be willing to help me pay off the debt." There was an attitude of "the son's debt is paid by the father, it's only right and proper".

Oliver wasn't seriously hurt, and Julian had nothing to worry about, came to see him every day, and was busy hanging out with Evan, probably going to proms, flirting with young ladies at proms, and pursuing some of them , half-truth, half-false, quite proud of the number of women he has seduced.This is the usual state of these noble children. Some people can play from 18 to 38 years old. They just want to be a happy bachelor. How can there be single happiness!

Julian played poker with them for an hour and left soon.

Alice threw down the cards, "You should be recovering soon, and I should go too."

"Save it for after Christmas. It's winter and there are no wars in winter."

"I'm always going."

Oliver was suddenly upset, "Yeah, you always have to go. Is it true that I have to lose arms and legs so that you will stay by my side?"

"Then why?" She widened her eyes, "If you really lack arms and legs, I will definitely despise you."

He was angry and funny, "You are really going to piss me off."

His gunshot wound had actually healed long ago.

Walking with crutches is not a major problem, it can't be regarded as walking like flying, and the basic limb functions are normal.But he refused to leave the hospital, and the nursing home could not expel him.

He was afraid that if he announced his recovery today, she would leave tomorrow.

After 34 months and more than two years, he never forgot her.

It might be a bit of an exaggeration to say that it was for her to join the army, but she was right, a man should have a career—not a career—rather than just thinking about the little tenderness between a man and a woman all day long.

However, what he didn't expect was that in a ghostly place like the military camp, he would see rough guys every day, which made him miss her even more.

There is also a ball, whether it is in the small town of England where the officer course is taken, or in Gibraltar and Lisbon, the social ball is an essential and important event.He knows that he is handsome, so he will definitely be the object of secret liking for many girls, but when you already have a cute girl in your heart, it is impossible to let go of other girls.

In this he was very different from Byron.Byron thought,

As many cute girls as possible, he has a heart of love - so that's why Byron

Up to now, it can be regarded as her lover at most, and there is no further reason.

Julian told him everything about Alice that he knew along the way.He thought it was funny at first, but Julian was self-righteous again, saying that he would help him take care of his future wife. Alice must not know that she still needs to be "guarded", so why didn't she give Julian a kick?

But after Julian talked about Byron and Gabriel, he felt lucky to have such a spy by her side.

It would be a lie to say that he was not jealous of Byron and Gabriel.He hadn't even kissed her yet!

On the one hand, he wanted to keep her by his side, but on the other hand, he couldn't really keep her.

He thought, she might want to try things between men and women, or just want to experience the pleasure of being pursued. According to her inner fear, she has not made the necessary preparations, and she is unlikely to try the first item , the second term is a more reasonable explanation.

In this case, he can barely accept it.

She has the right to contact other men, she can choose and compare, so that when she finally chooses him, he will virtually become the victor over all opponents.That would be a very fulfilling thing!

Who says men are not competitive?He doesn't need to "compete" for anything else. His family property and title will definitely be his in the future; his career can be counted. Being injured is not something to be ashamed of, but it proves his bravery. There must be honors. Next year, he might be promoted to a major. This is because he is too young to be promoted too quickly;

For a young and promising man like himself, with fortune and fame, the next thing he had to think about was love.

His colleagues didn't quite understand why he had no lover or mistress before. After Alice came, they all suddenly understood: a young, beautiful and lovely lady with a company at home, who would have such a fiancée who still spends time outside? That's a little too much.

Oliver didn't think about explaining that his colleagues directly regarded Alice as his fiancée.

This injury has benefited him a lot. Leaving aside these things in the army, at least he can now be sure that Alice still cares about him. Love him, he can't believe it.

Ivo wrote to say that after she had gone he had received a letter from Francis saying that Oliver had not been seriously injured.Ask her if Oliver is really all right.He also said that after playing around for a while, Byron decided to leave Egypt and go to Italy. He would stop in Malta for a week on the way and asked her when she would leave Lisbon and whether she would go to Malta or meet in Rome.

Alice sent a reply to the hotel in Malta, saying she was going straight to Rome.

Julian and Evan are also leaving Lisbon, but they are returning to Egypt. They have not been to Egypt yet, and they plan to join them in Sicily after visiting Egypt.

While Sidney was busy packing, Alice took all the little boxes in the third drawer of Oliver's bedside table, and left him a note.

In fact, it wouldn't be surprising if he had a secret lover.He is 26 years old. If you say that he is still a virgin, she wouldn't believe it if he dared to say it.

However, this has nothing to do with her.

She thought for a few seconds before deciding to ignore the question.

Christmas in Rome was no more lively than Christmas in later generations, and businessmen hadn't thought of using Christmas for annual sales and other activities.And because the Vatican is the headquarters of the Catholic Church, and the Anglican Church is the Anglican Church, and Catholicism is two religions with the same origin, Alice is not interested in participating in any church Christmas commemorative activities.

Life in Rome is relatively leisurely.Because the men hadn't come yet, Alice didn't go out very much, and when she went out, she only walked around the hotel.

Like London and Paris, Rome has dining rooms and cafés exclusively for women, and the upper class

Women who meet can gather outside their homes, drink tea or coffee, read books, and spend the whole afternoon.

Alice always took the three Jacobs with her.The difference in the costumes of master and servant can be seen. Sidney and Kate’s skirts are either plain or striped, while Alice’s skirts are basically printed or embroidered, with many accessories, such as lace on the neckline and hemline. Lace, bows at the back of the waist, and more.

The hair accessories are also different. Sisters Sidney and Kate all wear English-style house wrap hats. Alice doesn't like this kind of hat very much. She uses more hairbands to decorate her hair.