[Emma] Becoming Jane Fairfax

Lance has been depressed recently.

The sales of newspapers continued to rise, and the selling price of newspapers also gradually increased, which made him happy. However, a piece of land in Manchester that he was looking at for building a textile factory was bought by someone first. Moreover, more and more factories were opened in Manchester. His friend told him that if he didn't start soon, even if he had money, he would have nowhere to spend it.

He plans to go to Manchester for another inspection. If he can find a land similar to the previous one, he will get a loan first and buy it later.

At this critical juncture, Mrs. Amedeo and Miss Amedeo insisted on his going to some draper's ball.

Miss Amedeo said: "Mom's meaning couldn't be more obvious. Do you think this is just a ball? She likes to introduce you to those noble ladies at the ball. You or I can marry a noble. It's her lifelong wish. Don't expect her to give up after a few times of resistance. You didn't attend the dances specially arranged for you before, and your mother is already very angry. If you find an excuse to hide this time, I'm afraid of her Can get angry. For the sake of mother's fragile health, my dear brother, don't leave this time."

Lance rubbed his eyes, got up and opened the window of the office. It was snowing outside again, and he shivered when the cold wind blew.

There was no escaping the dance.

The formation to Manchester has been cancelled, and Lance has more time to deal with newspaper affairs. In any case, the increase in newspaper sales is a thing that makes him happy. He has to maintain the upward momentum, if only for Finally sold for a good price.

He called old Jack into his office and asked, "Has Mr. Mayer's third article arrived?"

Lance forgot that he once rejected Jonas Mayer's work without hesitation and made up his mind not to accept it, but now Mayer is a weapon in his eyes to attract readers, It is a guarantee of newspaper sales.

He wished he could have all of Mr. Mayer's work at once.Of course, in order not to let Jonas change jobs, he gave Jonas twice as much as other authors.

Old Jack had the same mood as Lance: "According to the time of the previous three submissions, the manuscript should have been submitted in the past two days, but he hasn't sent a letter until today."

Lance frowned.

Old Jack didn't forget Mr. Amedeo's dislike for Jonas at first, and hurriedly explained: "This kind of situation is common. Sometimes, the author has no inspiration, can't write satisfactory works, and can't write a satisfactory work. As a matter of solution, let's give Mr. Mayer a few more days, maybe tomorrow, tomorrow he will write."

Lance was not worried that Mayer would cut off the manuscript. After all, the existing newspapers in London could not pay him more than the "Daily Morning News", but he was more worried about the long-term.

"Have we no other author besides Mr. Mayer who can write this type of novel?"

Old Jack immediately understood that he was afraid that the newspaper society would be "hijacked" by an author.

"He's not the only one. Alvin and Jonathan have tried to write, but it seems that they haven't got rid of the framework and style of adventure novels, and it will take some time." Old Jack thought for a while and helped Jonas Said a good word, "Mayer should not be a person who is arrogant with some achievements. Although I haven't seen him in person, I can feel it from his novels."

Lance glanced at him with a half-smile, said nothing, opened the cabinet, and took out three envelopes.

Old Jack stretched his eyelids and looked around. It was Mr. Mayer's letter.

"Mr. Amedeo, this is..."

Before Old Jack finished speaking, Lance's expression suddenly became serious, as if he had discovered some important secret.

"These letters are all from... Highbury, if my eyes are right. Highbury!"

Could it be someone he knew?

Old Jack didn't know the significance of Highbury to Lance, and wondered in his heart that it was just a small village in Surrey. Why was he so excited?

"Yes, the three letters from Mr Mayer are addressed to Highbury, Mr Amedeo, is there any question?"

"No problem, but..." Lance was thinking about how to make his guess clear.

At this moment the secretary knocked at the door and came in, announcing the arrival of Mr. John Knightley.

Lance put the letter in the drawer and told old Jack to go back to work first.

John Knightley, having just finished a case in the courthouse near the newspaper office, came to lunch with a friend.

"I heard from Miles that your fancy land in Manchester was bought, and I came here to see you." The lawyer obviously gloated.

With a blank expression on his face, Lance pointed directly at the office door: "Get out."

John Knightley was even happier, and simply pulled up a chair and sat down: "Mr. Amedeo is too disrespectful to an old friend, well, I am very satisfied with your disappointed and angry expression, so I will not follow you." You care about it. Do you have lunch together at noon?"

"No." Lance clicked on the documents on the table, indicating that he still has a lot of work to do, "I have to finish these as soon as possible. I will go to Manchester after the dance next week. This time, I'm really going to buy the factory land, absolutely."

"A ball at Mr. Lewis, the cloth merchant?" asked John.

Lance raised his eyebrows: "Are you going too? Did he invite everyone with status in London?"

John said with a smile: "I know, he invited businessmen, lawyers and nobles. Mrs. Amedeo must be very happy, maybe you can find a noble lady at this ball."

"John, if you still want to have lunch with me at noon, don't mention this, and let me save a little trouble before the dance." Lance suddenly remembered something, and he took the three letters out of the drawer again, and handed them To John, "Look at this, do you recognize the note? This man probably lives in Highbury."

John took a look, and his eyes widened instantly: "God, I have never seen such an ugly handwriting! Who is this man? A writer? His handwriting is too powerful. What are you talking about, he is Haibo Liren? Are you sure?"

Lance thought for a while, then shook his head and said, "Not sure if he's a native of Highbury, but his mailing address is Highbury."

John frowned, and briefly read the three letters as if looking at something disgusting: "He is that Jonas Mayer? I didn't expect his handwriting to be so ugly. I was surprised. No To think that there is a writer living in Highbury."

"So you don't know who he is?"

John returned the letter to him, and said with a smile: "Although Highbury is a small place, it has a large population, and it is not easy to find it. I will ask my brother to help you pay attention. Maybe he is really from Highbury." .”

Lance squeezed the letter in his hand and wondered if he had seen Jonas Mayer in Highbury. According to his judgment, Mayer should be a thin, sick, gloomy middle-aged man A man who lives in a dark attic and writes and draws all day. Maybe he lives in Highbury but doesn't go out often, or...

"Lance."

"Lance."

"Lance."

Lance's thoughts were interrupted by John, "What? Eat?"

John pointed out: "Miss Amedeo is here."

----

Wei Lai's life in London was very happy.

In the first few days of her arrival, she still carefully observed the new family, and decided to say less and do less and make no mistakes, but gradually, she let go of her guard and began to really enjoy life in London.

This is thanks to the cheerful and easy-going Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Dixon.

Especially Mrs. Dixon, who took good care of her, even her own sister. Of course, she did not forget to persuade Wei Lai to go to Ireland with their husband and wife.

"I promise that when you go to Ireland, Mr. Dixon and I will find you a gentleman of a well-to-do family. Really, Jane, you should trust me."

When Mrs. Dixon entered, Wei Lai was contemplating the fourth novel, and when she interrupted, her thoughts were all messed up.

"Alice, well, I won't think about marriage for now." Mrs. Dixon was about to open her mouth when she heard that, but Wei Lai raised her hand to stop her, "I know what you're going to say, don't worry, I didn't either. Wanted to do the governess thing, and now I'm thinking about next week's prom, what dress should I wear."

"There's nothing to worry about. If you don't want to wear your own, you can just wear mine. We're about the same size anyway."

"How can that be?" Wei Lai took out a small purse from the drawer and put it on his wrist, "You can go out with me to buy one. The dresses we visited yesterday were pretty good."

"Buy one!? But..." Clothes are not cheap in London, and Mrs. Dixon was afraid that her dear friend would be out of pocket.

Wei Lai was a little embarrassed, smiled, pulled Mrs. Dixon over, and shook the small purse: "My aunt gave me the money when I left, and I can still afford a dress."

She had seen it yesterday, and the two manuscript fees she earned were enough to buy a dress.

Wei Lai and Mrs. Dixon came to a clothing store on Bond Street. Mrs. Dixon was a frequent visitor here when she was a maiden, and the boss received them warmly.

Wei Lai fell in love with a skirt yesterday. She pretended to go shopping first, and then asked the boss to take out the skirt.

The boss also liked this delicate dress very much, and he was full of praise: "This is pure French craftsmanship, Miss Fairfax, look at this skirt, this neckline, how beautiful it is, it is not comparable to ordinary skirts, Even in Paris, there may not be a few shops that will have it, and the fabrics are shipped from China, fine silk."

China.

Wei Lai's hands trembled slightly, the silk under his fingertips was smooth and soft: "Is it really Chinese silk?"

The boss thought she suspected that she was lying, and was a little displeased: "I have been here for ten years, but I have never deceived customers."

"No, no, boss, don't get me wrong, I don't suspect that you are selling fakes." Wei Lai immediately decided to buy the dress.

Suddenly, a hand stretched out and quickly took the skirt.

"It's such a beautiful dress. It's French craftsmanship. I knew it when I saw it. My family also has a similar style."

It was a young girl, wearing a goose-yellow long dress, listening to the voice, making people think she was a lively person, beside the young girl stood an older lady, wearing a dark blue skirt, very quiet smiling.

The young girl didn't seem to see the two people around her, and asked the boss directly to buy this skirt.

Mrs. Dixon couldn't help but said, "Miss, I'm sorry, we were the first to see this dress, and we have to pay for it."

The lady tugged at the girl's sleeve as soon as she heard it, and the girl snorted reluctantly, reluctant to put down the dress she liked: "Boss, I bought it, and I will double what they pay."

The boss is in trouble now, no one can afford to offend him.

Mrs. Dixon became angry: "Miss, first come, first served, we come first, and you snatched the dress we liked as soon as you came, isn't it unreasonable? If you give double, I will also give Double."

double?

Wei Lai was anxious, she didn't have so much money.

"Alice, forget it."

Mrs. Dixon was so angry that she forgot the fact that her friend had no money, and said firmly: "Even if we bought this dress at five times the price and threw it away, we will not let it go."

The girl looked at Wei Lai and Mrs. Dixon arrogantly, and when her eyes fell on Wei Lai, she smiled contemptuously: "I'm afraid you won't be able to pay five times the price, don't pretend to be rich, boss! , this skirt, ten times the price, I bought it."

Mrs. Dixon blushed with anger, and then she remembered that Jane probably didn't have much money in her purse, but, is she going to let this hateful woman get her way?

Wei Lei pulled Mrs. Dixon to leave, but heard the lady say: "Miss Kingsley, although this skirt is very beautiful, but the pattern is too complicated. My brother hates this style. I have a skirt. It’s exactly the same as this one, but the pattern is simpler than this one, and I bought it in Paris, and my brother dislikes it, he likes simplicity the most, I just saw a dress with a simple style, I think he must like it.”

"Really?" The girl was skeptical, and looked at the skirt reluctantly, "Does Mr. Amedeo really like simple styles?"

"Of course, I can assure you."

Amedeo?

Was it the Amedeo she knew?

Mrs. Dixon happily took back the lost and recovered dress. Of course, the boss also confiscated five or ten times the price.Sure enough, the girl chose a dress with an extremely simple style, and quickly paid and left.

Mrs. Dixon shrugged at the girl's back, and turned to ask the boss, "Is she from the Kingsley family?"

"Yes, her father is the earl who went bankrupt from gambling."

Wei Lai asked, "What about the other one?"

The boss said: "Her? She is not a regular customer in my store, I don't know."

The author has something to say: Sprinkle a little blood, I still can't let them know each other's true identity.