[Emma] Becoming Jane Fairfax

Mrs. Churchill's inquiring eyes turned around Wei Lai's face, and she couldn't believe it.In her opinion, this ordinary-dressed girl from a poor family put all her effort into getting engaged to Frank because of the status and wealth of the Churchill family.

She proposes to withdraw the engagement, what is the plan?

The room fell silent again.

Wei Lai held the hem of the skirt tightly with both hands, every muscle in his body was tense, and he tried to pretend to be calm.Mrs. Churchill didn't seem to believe that she had come to break off the engagement, and she didn't think she was retreating.

"You secretly got engaged to Frank, isn't it because you are greedy for the wealth and status of our Churchill family? Why should I believe that you are here to cancel the engagement?" Mrs. Churchill sneered, "You ignorant young people! Do things without regard for the consequences, Get engaged if you say engagement, and cancel if you say it’s cancelled. What do you think of a sacred marriage!? I think you should have been educated even though your family background is not good. Is your selfish behavior worthy of the education your parents gave you? I haven’t I've never seen a girl who doesn't pay attention to her reputation like you! You dare to come to me on your own initiative, do you think you stand up and apologize to me, and this is the end of the matter? "

After speaking, Mrs. Churchill was out of breath and coughed violently.

Wei Lai called someone to come in, and poured tea for her at the same time, but Mrs. Churchill ignored her.

The living room door opened, and in came Frank.He was outside the door all the time, and the movement inside could be heard clearly. His young and handsome face was taut and bloodless, and he didn't even look at Wei Lai after he came in.

"Aunt." Frank's voice was almost inaudible.

Mrs. Churchill supported her chest and looked at him with hatred: "Your uncle and I have worked hard to educate you, look at what you have done! I am so mad! You go out, I still have something to say to this Said the lady."

Frank squatted beside Mrs. Churchill, touched her arm lightly with both hands, and said in an almost pleading tone: "Auntie, for the sake of your health, let me help you upstairs to rest."

After all, she was raised by herself as a son. Mrs. Churchill calmed down a little, "This matter can't be handled well, can I rest? I'm not for you, get out!"

Frank sighed and retreated helplessly.

The moment the living room door was closed, Wei Lai, who had lost his consciousness, woke up in a flash and shivered.

Mrs. Churchill sneered: "Now I know I'm afraid? Daring girl! Why weren't you afraid when you tricked Frank into getting engaged to you secretly? Now I'm starting to investigate. You are afraid, ridiculous!"

Wei Lai was scolded for almost half an hour, and she felt that it was almost done. Besides, she was not a masochist, "Mrs. Churchill, I came to you today to discuss the solution to this matter with you. Frank and I are secretly engaged. It is already a fact that I have asked him to cancel the engagement many times. Marriage between men and women is irrelevant, but he is unwilling. Maybe he thinks my request is too abrupt, but I have thought it through. As for what you said, I coaxed him to quietly Engagement, you underestimate Mr. Frank Churchill, he is not a three-year-old child without his own ideas, I can't coax him. I know you will definitely make a perfect marriage for Frank, and I am happy to see him get the happiness he deserves, so , I sincerely hope that our engagement can be annulled."

The expression on the face of the girl in front of her was very serious, and she didn't seem to be fake, but Mrs. Churchill didn't understand, and at the same time she was a little angry: "You mean you don't like Frank?"

Good eyesight, indeed.Wei Lai pursed his lips and smiled politely: "Mr. Frank Churchill is very good. Many young and rich ladies are willing to marry him. I used to admire his knowledgeable and humorous, but who cares about feelings?" It is also uncontrollable, if two people who do not love each other are tied together, this marriage is destined to be a tragedy rather than a comedy."

"The mouth is quite good!" Mrs. Churchill can fly cold knives in her eyes, "It's so nice to say, it's nothing more than your empathy, hooking up with a man with more money and status, so you can't see it. I'm on Frank, I know best about you, a young girl who clings to the rich and powerful, relying on her beauty and figure..."

"Mrs. Churchill!" Wei Lai interrupted her unbearably, "My attitude is very sincere, and I admit my mistake frankly. To be honest, the feeling of private engagement is not good. I didn't feel the happiness that a fiancee should have for a few days. , I live in the panic of being discovered all the time, and I can't even sleep well. I have already received the punishment I deserve. You don't need to belittle me and insult me ​​again and again, but delay the time to deal with business. I don't know When the Weston couple and Mr. Churchill come back, I think we should finish this matter as soon as possible."

"Do you also care about your reputation?"

"And, of course, the reputation of Mr. Frank Churchill."

Mrs. Churchill didn't care about the reputation of a strange girl, but she had to care about Frank's reputation. Frank was going to work in the government. If his reputation was damaged, he would have no future.Thinking of this, she couldn't help admiring Wei Lai's voluntary confession. If she found out, it would be difficult for her to guarantee that she would stay rational and not make trouble. By then, the whole of Highbury might know about it. .

"Are you sincerely willing to cancel the engagement? Isn't it a trick?"

Wei Lai nodded emphatically. If she was playing tricks, would she send her to her door in the cold to scold her?

"I would really like to call off the engagement."

Mrs. Churchill finally smiled: "Although you have done such an embarrassing thing, fortunately, you have self-knowledge, interrupted the mistake in time, and did a good job. Mr. Churchill and I did not agree. Presumably your parents don't know either. Of course the marriage contract doesn’t count.”

Wei Lai let out a long breath, feeling relieved.

With Mrs. Churchill's words, the matter of canceling the engagement has moved forward by more than half.Mrs. Churchill may speed up the process of getting engaged to Frank, and her behavior today will definitely hurt Frank heavily, but she must let Frank know that she is really announcing the engagement, not losing her temper, and this engagement cannot be delayed any longer.

After the matter was settled, Mrs. Churchill didn't want to see her anymore. Wei Lai quickly came out of the living room, only to find that her back was soaked.

Frank stood outside the door, looking at her with a smile, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. He wanted to say something, but he didn't say anything after all.

"Sorry." Wei Lai bowed apologetically, and walked out of Landauer quickly.

There was a strong wind blowing outside, and the wind rolled up the snow and small stones on the ground, hitting the person's face with pain, Wei Lai tightened his skirt, pinched his sleeves to cover his cheek, and walked forward at a faster pace.

There was the sound of a carriage behind her, and she moved aside. The carriage suddenly stopped in front of her. Emma opened the window with a look of surprise on her face: "Jane! Why are you here? Come up!"

Wei Lai patted the snow on her body, and rushed into the carriage in two or three steps, she almost froze.

Emma poured a cup of hot water and stuffed it into her hand. The cold hand suddenly touched the hot object, causing her to hiss in pain. Anyway, her hands and feet felt warm.

After Wei Lai finished drinking the water, he asked Emma, ​​"Where have you been in such a cold day?" Is there anything important that can persuade Mr. Woodhouse to allow her to go out in this weather.

Emma seemed to know what she was thinking, and said with a smile: "Papa is sleeping, he doesn't know, I came out quietly. I went to Downwell, and I discussed with Mr. Knightley to go to the cottage in Margotley Town for a party Everything. I dare say it will be an unforgettable party for everyone, it hasn’t even started yet, I’m already looking forward to it.”

In addition, there is another piece of good news that makes Emma even more happy. The Eltons will not attend the party.Although Emma hated the couple, she still wrote them a sincere invitation letter, and she could not let the people in Highbury think that she was not polite and deliberately bullied the respectable priest and his wife.

However, perhaps Mrs. Elton was not personally involved in the party planning, and she lacked the motivation to go out in the cold weather. On the afternoon when the invitation letter was delivered, the pastor and his wife sent someone to Donwell to say that they had other arrangements on the party day. , will not participate.

"Actually, I guessed that the Eltons would not attend. I know them too well. Mr. Knightley didn't agree with my guess, but it turns out that I was right. I know that I have always had the ability to observe people." Before my sister and brother-in-law got married, I saw that there was a spark of love between them. Mr. Knightley didn't know it at all. He didn't believe my judgment until they got married." Emma was full of pride, " Oh, by the way, Jane, who else do you think will be at this party? You never guess."

Wei Lai thought for a moment: "It can't be Churchill and his wife."

"The Churchills! Of course not!" Emma couldn't help laughing, "This is a young people's party, and Mrs. Churchill is so seriously ill, how can she have the strength to go to Margaret Town with us? You really surprised me. Let me tell you, it's Mr. Lance Amedeo and Miss Lydia Amedeo, I didn't expect them to come here from London!"

Wei Lai was no more surprised by this answer than the Churchills. However, Emma's excited appearance infected her, and she began to look forward to this Sunday's party.

Compared to Wei Lai's relief, Frank Churchill fell into pain.

He always thought that Jane was just expressing dissatisfaction with him by canceling the engagement. In fact, she wanted to get married quickly. It wasn't until today that he suddenly realized that she was serious, so that she would rather be used by her aunt with all kinds of ugly Verbal abuse also cancels the engagement.

Standing by the window, Frank took a deep breath of air, and the anger in his heart seemed to be frozen.

Mrs. Churchill lost her temper and was unable to do anything else. The maid helped her upstairs to rest. After a while, the maid came down and asked Frank to go upstairs to see Mrs. Churchill.

Mrs. Churchill was in poor spirits. Frank did not dare to make a big noise. He tiptoed into the room and closed the door gently. Turning his head, Mrs. Churchill looked at him expressionlessly.

"...Aunt."

"If that girl doesn't come to me today, will you marry her after I die?"

Frank didn't expect Mrs. Churchill to ask directly. He froze for a moment, and quickly denied: "Of course not. After we got engaged, I was thinking about how to confess this matter. I knew we did something wrong, very stupid behavior. But Jane is very Nice girl, I was attracted to her the first time I saw her in Weymouth, and I couldn't help it, so I got engaged quietly."

"Was it your idea or hers?"

"We negotiated."

"So it wasn't your idea?"

Frank said nothing.

Mrs. Churchill is relieved. If Frank took the initiative to ask for a private engagement, then their husband and wife have failed in his education for many years. Think about it too. With the status of the Churchill family, why should Frank go to such lengths if a lady from a famous family cannot marry her? I want to marry such a poor girl.

"As long as it's not your initiative, I'm relieved. I'm going back to Richmond tomorrow, and you go back with me, and then we'll go back to Enscombe."

Frank sat down on the edge of the bed and said with a smile, "I want to stay in Highbury for a few more days."

Mrs. Churchill raised her eyebrows: "What else do you want to do with her?"

"Auntie, you misunderstood. It's not because of her, but because of my father." Frank said, "I'm going to work in the government soon, and I won't be able to go back and forth between Enscombe and Highbury at will, maybe even in a year Not once, I want to spend a few more days with my father while I'm not working. Auntie, don't worry, I will never devote any affection to her again. "