I didn't sleep all night, and when I woke up the next day, Georgiana had a pair of big dark circles under her eyes. She had carefully looked at Mr. Darcy several times throughout the morning, and Mr. Darcy had seen nothing unusual during the day. He wrote a letter before breakfast, as usual, and had a hearty breakfast, then took the horsewhip from the servant's hand and prepared to go out.

Georgiana began to wonder if what she had seen in the piano room last night was a dream of hers, and she tentatively called out to Mr. Darcy: "Brother, I forgot to show Emma the piano score yesterday, can you help me bring it to her if you stop by the way?"

Mr. Darcy did not turn around, and was silent for a moment, and said a little coldly: "I'm going to St. James Street on an errand, not by the way, give it to her next time she comes or you go to visit." ”

"But Emma told me yesterday that she really wanted to see the score sooner. "Georgiana lied to her brother for the first time, and her voice trembled a little. "Scarborough Market was supposed to have piano accompaniment, and Emma loved it when she first heard it with her mother when she was a child in the country. The last time she sang it, she regretted that the song had lost half of its charm without accompaniment, just as the old days had faded away from the colorful colors."

"Give it to me. Mr. Darcy interrupted Georgiana's plea, looking like every brother who is so entangled by his sister's chatter that he has to go to the boring business.

Georgiana glanced at Mr. Darcy's left hand, which was clenched with the whip, his knuckles turning white from excessive force. "Uh, okay, okay. ”

Mr. Darcy strode out with the score. Georgiana paced back and forth a few steps uncomfortably, and suddenly felt a little like crying, her proud and upright brother, who never refused to show a little vulnerability and rudeness in front of people, and how much torture she had suffered in silence in her heart.

In the afternoon, Mr. Darcy came back very early because of the guests who had come to visit. If it had been before, Georgiana would have asked Mr. Darcy if Emma was happy, but now she was afraid of irritating her poor brother. Well, should I ask?

Mr. Darcy didn't notice Georgiana's abnormality, and all he could think of was what Emma had said to him sincerely. "Ever since I was a child, I didn't have my mother by my side to teach me, and I was often rude. The last time you said that I was behaving improperly and acting was not the work of a lady, I thought about it later, and it turned out that my words and actions were indeed not in accordance with the rules. But please believe that I have no ill intentions, and I will never be so rude again. Mr. Darcy thought to himself, with some confusion, what he had just said, as if to apologize for his inappropriate words. And then what?

The brother and sister were worried, and the living room was quiet for a while.

The silence was broken by a visit from Mr. and Miss Bentley.

Miss Bingley fell in love with Mr. Darcy at first sight, but remained ladylike. While he was considering how to say a few more words to Mr. Darcy, the empathetic (Miss Bingley's feelings) called Mr. Bingley aside, as if he had something to say to him.

"That" Georgiana looked nervous, struggling inwardly to speak. She could not bear to see Mr. Darcy tortured, but it had a great impact on both Emma and Mr. Darcy's reputations

Mr. Bingley has always been gentle and easy-going, not to mention that Georgiana is the somewhat introverted sister of his friend. "Don't be nervous, if there's anything you don't want to be known by, I promise I won't say it. ”

Georgiana was soothed by Mr. Bingley's gentle manner. She had known Mr. Bingley for a long time, and he was indeed a gentleman to trust. "Then I solemnly ask you not to tell anyone else about my problem, not even my brother. ”

Mr. Bingley straightened his back sternly, "I swear." ”

Georgiana asked softly, "You went to London with your brother last year, did you see Emma at that time?" Last night she couldn't sleep and crossed her fingers in the bedroom to count the intersection of Emma and Mr. Darcy. Emma and she have been in correspondence, and she knows when and where she has been in the past two years. Except for not going to London, she was there when her brother and Emma met. Thinking about it, it should be what happened in London last year or the year before she didn't know something. If Mr. Bingley, who was with her brother last year, didn't know, she would have to wait for her cousin, Lieutenant Colonel Fitzwilliam, who had been with her brother the year before, to return from the army.

"Oh, of course. Mr. Bingley thought that Georgiana was so cautious about asking something, but it turned out that she was asking her good friend Emma. "We met Miss Kentra on our third day in London. ”

There was a sudden slight commotion in the living room.

Mr. Bingley looked to the door, and one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen walked in with a gentleman's arm. The long hair that shimmered like gold in the light was simply coiled behind his head, the corners of his eyes were slightly raised, and his emerald green eyes looked affectionate. Wearing a long blue dress, the color is from top to bottom from light to dark, the hem is the dark blue of the night sky, dotted with pearls, and the long skirt moves between walks, as if the starlight is flowing under her feet, and her demeanor is extremely moving.

Whispers came from where the ladies were sitting. "What is this?"

"It's the new Earl of Kenta and his sister, Miss Kentera. ”

"It's not that the Earl of Kentra is idle and makes a mess of Yorkshire. But look at her," a noblewoman gestured with her hand to her chest. She was referring to the pearl jewelry Emma was wearing, full of pearls that shimmered softly and charmingly on Emma's chest and ears.

"Even if the Earl of Kentra can't manage the affairs of the county, but the Kentra family is an old nobleman, and it has been inherited for more than ten generations, so such jewelry is nothing. ”

The eyes of the unmarried ladies who looked at the handsome Earl of Kenta softened even more. Such a young, handsome and wealthy earl, even if he is not a gentleman who does not do his job, he will not hide his flaws.

The unmarried ladies remained reserved and did not speak. The married ladies had no such concerns, and tasted the Earl of Kenter, and then turned their eyes to Miss Kentra. "That Miss Kentra is really a rare beauty in the social world, but it's a pity that her father died, and I don't know how much dowry her brother is willing to give her?"

"I haven't heard of the dowry, but Miss Kentra is already engaged, and now Colonel Cruise, the younger brother of Viscount Cruise. ”

"Oh, that's a pity. The lady cast a pitiful look at Emma. She thought that Emma was being treated as a burden by the Earl of Kentera, so the Count of Kentra made a family affair for her at will. A colonel without a knighthood is not a good place to be.

Others saw what she meant. "No, the marriage was made for her by the old Earl of Kentra. Young lady, carried away by love"

"Oh. "I see. ”

Mr. Bingley did not notice the whispers, for the beautiful young lady was smiling at him, and she was approaching. She walked up to him and saluted gracefully, "Long time no see, Mr. Darcy." ”

Mr. Darcy Bentley then reacted, and it turned out that this beautiful young lady was looking at his friend Fitzwilliam Darcy next to him! He had been friends with Mr. Darcy for so long, and it was the first time he had seen a lady and Mr. Darcy with such a natural and familiar attitude.

Mr. Darcy did not appear to be in love as Mr. Bingley thought, and was not even a little more excited than usual, and returned the salute very calmly: "Miss Kentera." ”

Could it be another case of a lady who had been miserably rejected by Mr. Darcy's intentions?, but the Miss Kentra was not very disappointed, and Mr. Bingley was puzzled.

Emma noticed the handsome, young, rich-looking gentleman standing next to Mr. Darcy, and her eyes turned to his golden hair and emerald green eyes. "This is Mr. Bingley?"

Mr. Bingley was taken aback. "Yes. "Had Miss Kentray ever met him?

Emma smiled slightly: "Long Yang, once Georgiana said that her brother has a very good friend, Mr. Bingley. In fact, she knew Mr. Bingley earlier than she knew Georgiana, after all, Mr. Bingley was the second male protagonist of pride and prejudice, and he appeared early.

After a brief introduction to myself, the ball began.

Emma and her brother danced a song, and instead of going to the other ladies, they followed George to the men's side.

George looked at his sister helplessly and indulgently, and explained: "My father and I had that happen last year, and Emma has always liked to be by my side ever since. ”

The gentlemen had more or less heard of the terrible murder and frame-up of that year, and immediately expressed their understanding of Miss Emma's behavior. One of the gentlemen, sitting next to Mr. Bingley, said indignantly, "It is terrible, it is hard to imagine that such a mad man could have caused Miss Kentra to suffer these misfortunes." ”

When Emma heard her brother talk about the events of the year, her eyes were slightly watery, and she looked very pitiful. She hung her head and thanked the gentlemen tenderly for their kindness.

With Emma in attendance, the gentlemen talked a little more about sex than usual. From the war that lasted for several years, to the current taxation, to the development of business today.

"In my opinion, cotton weaving and iron-making are nothing more than squeezing a small profit from the workers, and the voyage is faced with the storms of the sea. Today, the real way to make a fortune is in the South American colonies. How about it, is the Earl interested?"

Emma had been sitting beside her brother and did not speak, but when she heard this, she glanced at her brother and said coquettishly: "I have heard that there are a lot of barbarians there, will they be in danger?" This man she had never seen before, claimed to be the merchant Robert, whose main capital was in the cotton textile industry.

The gentlemen were amused a little by Emma's naïve question. Although gentlemen do not usually talk about these things with the ladies, they just need to know the latest hairstyles in Paris and know how to play a beautiful piano music. But Emma asked curiously, and they wouldn't spoil Emma's interest. Mr. Robert said tactfully: "The mineral deposits are on the periphery of the occupied territories, and how can the barbarians stop the exploitation of our merchants." ”

"I see. Emma secretly rubbed her brother's sleeve with her hand.

"And what does the Earl of Kentra mean?" Mr. said he had not yet given up on the idea of RaGeorge taking a stake.

"Oh. The Earl of Kentra shrugged his shoulders and gave him a nonchalant look. "I saw four thoroughbred horses two days ago, with snow-white fur, elegant and robust. I couldn't buy it until six thousand pounds, and the owners of the four little treasures were too greedy. But I'm going to take them back to the manor anyway. If you want to invest, you may not be able to come up with much money. ”

Mr. Robert looked a little disappointed, but he hadn't given up lobbying yet. "Who doesn't know that you have a good eye for investing. Even if you only come up with a hundred pounds, the people who follow in your footsteps will provide plenty of money. ”

Emma slowly shook her fan three times on her chest.

George seemed to be very proud of the compliment: "Then you can find a time to talk to my agent in the next few days." ”

Mr. Bingley kept an eye on his friend, and noticed that he had secretly glanced at Emma, but the angle did not seem quite right. From his point of view, the end of his gaze seemed to be Emma's hand.

Mr. Bingley was very confused and got up and invited Emma to dance. Emma readily agreed. While dancing, Mr. Bingley glanced at Emma's hands, which were indeed very beautiful, fair and slender, but not unusual.

After the ball, Emma and George said goodbye to Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, boarded the carriage and left.

Let's take a look at the scene in the carriage that Mr. Bentley does not recall:

George drank a few glasses of wine and got a little dizzy, rubbed his temples and asked lazily, "Why did you ask that Mr. Robert to go to a surrogate?"

Emma shook her head: "After the South China Sea bubble, the commercial monopoly of the original South American colonies was suppressed, and he just wanted to take a bite of this ownerless cake in the name of your Earl of Kentera." The exploitation of mineral deposits was only a pretense, and when a concession was granted to create a sphere of influence from the occupied territory, the trade in minerals, crops, and slaves could be carried out at the same time. I asked him to find an agent not because I thought that his proposal could be considered, but because now that the franchise company has collapsed one after another, he wants to pull you into the shares, and I am afraid that there will be a problem. ”

George nodded. "You know more about business than I do, so I'll take care of the rest. ”

Back to Mr. Bentley's perspective:

"Oh my God, this is horrible. ”

"Have you heard?"

"Did he really do that?"

Overnight, news of Fitzwilliam Darcy's supply of weapons to the French army spread throughout London.