I am aging gracefully in the world of famous books

Three days later, Pei Xiang introduced Bernard to the Bennet sisters. When the two young girls met Pei Xiang's fiancé for the first time, they were first dazzled by his handsome and dazzling appearance. In De's gentle and affectionate smile, he immediately thought of the rumors about this person, and couldn't help but feel a sense of regret.

The Smithsons and Mr. Bingley also came this time, but Miss Bingley did not appear.

Miss Smithson and Pei Xiang whispered in their ears, saying that Caroline Bingley was planning to come together, but she changed her words temporarily when she heard that Mr. Darcy was going to a party at a certain club tonight and would not come to the theater , Said that she felt a little unwell and had to stay at home to rest for the night.

As for Miss Bingley's admiration for Mr. Darcy, Miss Smithson absolutely does not want the other party to get what he wants.

It's not that she also longed for Mrs. Darcy's position, but because when they first met, Caroline Bingley took Miss Smithson as a rival in love and guarded against her, and said a lot of gossip that was both positive and insidious.

Although it later turned out to be a misunderstanding, and Miss Bingley also politely expressed her favor, Miss Smithson has always remembered this grievance.

Pei Xiang said with a smile: "Miss Bingley might feel regretful if she doesn't come to watch tonight's performance. Tonight's soprano is Miss Sesta, and I heard that she will leave after singing this performance." This is the stage."

Miss Smithson nodded in agreement: "I've heard that too, alas, what a pity, I've always liked Miss Sesta's singing skills."

Mr. Bingley, who was walking in front, heard the conversation between Pei Xiang and the two, and quickly introduced the famous soprano Miss Sesta to Miss Bennett. Mr. Smithson, who was by Miss Elizabeth's side, added some information. Talk and laugh with men and women.

Seeing this, Pei Xiang quietly asked Miss Smithson: "Your brother to Miss Elizabeth?"

"My brother has praised Miss Elizabeth at home, and he has always visited their residences recently. However, it is a bit too early to talk about this now. Our family, um, may be more opposed."

Pei Xiang nodded to express his understanding, and Miss Smithson added:

"Actually, my family hopes that my brother can marry the Darcy family. They prefer Miss Georgiana Darcy, but if I have to predict, this possibility is very small."

"Miss Darcy is only 16 this year, isn't it? It's too early to talk about marriage."

"But she is Mr. Darcy's own sister, and she has a dowry of at least [-] pounds." Miss Smithson elongated her tone, deliberately imitating the tone of a shrewd lady, and made a high-spirited The expression made Pei Xiang amused.

All the way into the theater box lively, everyone sat down one by one. After the curtain opened on the stage, Pei Xiang didn't chat with others much. She likes to concentrate on enjoying the performance and doesn't want to be distracted at this time.

Probably because of the experience of working in the theater, Pei Xiang knows the hard work of actors and behind-the-scenes staff very well.

She knows that every night's performance is soaked in the painstaking efforts and sweat of the theater staff, so she chooses to use a sincere and dedicated attitude to respect the results of this day and night hard training.

As for what the people around her were doing and thinking, that was out of her concern.

By the time the play ended, it was raining heavily outside.

"Hey, why is it so crowded today? Usually when it rains, it's not so chaotic."

"Probably because, uh, tonight is Miss Sesta's last performance. There are so many spectators that almost all seats are full."

"That shouldn't be so busy, it's like a place where low-class people gather." Someone grumbled and complained.

"Oh, it was said earlier that it was raining heavily outside, and there was stagnant water in front of the door, and the carriages of the various families could not pass. In addition, there are so many people tonight, so we can't arrange it for a while."

At the entrance of the theater, Mr. Bingley escorted Miss Jane Bennet into the carriage, and Mr. Smithson also held up an umbrella for Miss Elizabeth. Pei Xiang noticed Miss Smithson's unhappy expression, and quietly poked Bernard , gesturing for him to put the young girl into the carriage first.

Bernard shrugged helplessly, and obediently left Pei Xiang's side, but he couldn't help complaining secretly in his heart.

Half of the reputation he gained in London as a passionate flower protector was deliberately created by himself, and the other half was built up by Lucy for him.

She always has a gentlemanly courtesy and care for certain women. Sometimes, it is not convenient for her to help directly, so she directs him, the "fiancé", to do it. Slowly, his reputation becomes strange.

Pei Xiang was standing alone under the eaves and waiting, because there were people coming and going at the entrance of the theater, and everyone was in a hurry to get on the carriage and leave here. Coupled with the wind, rain and water, the scene was a bit noisy and hectic.

Pei Xiang avoided the noisy crowd a few times, and was gradually squeezed to the edge. She looked around, and simply ran along the high steps and intermittent eaves to cover the intersection, all the way to the intersection.

Finally, he didn't have to dodge back and forth, Pei Xiang breathed a sigh of relief.

At this time, a black carriage on the opposite side of the road suddenly turned and drove towards the position where Pei Xiang was hiding from the rain and the others.

Pei Xiang took half a step back to prevent the muddy water splashed by the wheels and horse's hooves from staining her skirt.

However, unexpectedly, the temporarily turning carriage did not gallop away, but stopped not far from her.

"Miss Wilkes, why are you standing here alone?"

Fitzwilliam Darcy jumped out of the carriage and strode towards Pei Xiang stepping on the stagnant water.

He quickly opened a big black umbrella, raised it directly above Pei Xiang's head, and moved two steps to stand at the air vent, blocking Pei Xiang from the cold wind and rain at night with his back.

Pei Xiang didn't feel how cold or embarrassed she was at first, but at the moment when Mr. Darcy walked over with an umbrella, she suddenly sniffled hypocritically and felt her eyes a little sour.

However, this little emotion came inexplicably and disappeared quickly. Under the cover of the man's tall figure, her strange sense of panic was quickly appeased, and immediately, Pei Xiang couldn't help smiling.

"I'm waiting for the carriage, are you passing by here?"

"Well, just came out of the club."

Darcy noticed that Pei Xiang had been drenched in a little rain, a strand of hair stuck to his forehead, and his brows were slightly frowned:

"Where's Bernard? Didn't he come out with you tonight?"

"I asked him to take Miss Smithson to the carriage first. The water in front of the theater is quite serious. The carriage cannot pass, so we can only walk a certain distance."

"Go to my carriage first, and I will take you back."

"Bernard will be here in a minute."

"I'll leave a servant here to help you pass the message to Bernard."

Just as Pei Xiang was about to answer, Bernard's voice came from not far away: "Lucy, why did you come here?"

Bernard held an umbrella, followed by a servant, who stepped towards Pei Xiang and Darcy while shouting.

"Oh, Mr. Darcy, are you here? Good evening, Mr. Darcy."

Darcy nodded, and looked down at Pei Xiang: "Mr. Bernard, since you are here, I will hand over Miss Wilkes to you, and don't let her stand alone in the wind and rain."

Bernard blinked, feeling inexplicably provoked.

"Of course, I will take good care of Lucy. There is no need for Mr. Darcy to worry about it. I also want to thank you for helping Lucy hold the umbrella. I will come to the door to thank you in person some other day."

Darcy tilted the umbrella in the direction of Pei Xiang again, and said lightly:

"Get Miss Wilkes into the carriage quickly, and we'll talk later if we have anything to say."

Bernard choked.

Pei Xiang looked left and right, reached out to the male servant not far away, and signaled him to hand her the extra umbrella in his hand.

"Mr. Darcy, you should go back quickly. The temperature is low at night. Keep warm after you go back."

"Miss Wilkes, you have to pay more attention."

While speaking, Pei Xiang held up the umbrella by himself, waved goodbye to Darcy, and then followed the male servant leading the way to Bernard's carriage.

"See you later, Mr. Darcy." Bernard bowed slightly to Fitzwilliam Darcy, and left with a smile.

Darcy stood in the rain holding an umbrella, silently looking at Pei Xiang's slender back, separated by the rain curtain, at this moment, he did not restrain the strong emotion in his eyes.

It wasn't until Bernard's carriage started that Darcy turned and left.

At the same time, another passing carriage passed by, and Elizabeth, who was sitting in the carriage, happened to see this scene under the streetlight through the window.

Doubt flashed in her eyes.

"Liz, what are you looking at, close the car window, the rain is coming in."

"Oh, alright."

Elizabeth recovered from her stupor, looked at the place just now, and found that Mr. Darcy had left, so she closed the car window.

—Mr. Darcy to Miss Wilkes...

——Maybe I think too much!

——Rainy nights and lights always cause hazy misunderstandings.

In the middle of the night, Elizabeth tossed and turned on the bed. She always recalled the scene she had glimpsed by chance. The more she recalled, the more she felt that she had not misunderstood Mr. Darcy's expression and his silent gazing posture.

——Is that reluctance and forbearance?

Elizabeth threw the quilt over her head, unwilling to believe that the proud Mr. Darcy could be in love with someone else's fiancée.

——It seems that he has been restraining his feelings.

——At the last gathering at Bingley's house, Mr. Darcy did not show courtesy to Miss Wilkes. Although they had a conversation, it was all in line with the etiquette among friends, and there was nothing out of bounds or inappropriate.

——Moreover, I have never heard of any private contacts between the two, and they usually meet and talk in social situations.On the contrary, Miss Wilkes' fiancé has a good reputation and is really not a good man.

Thinking of the characters, appearance, wealth and status of Miss Wilkes, Mr. Bernard and Mr. Darcy, and the relationship between the three of them, Elizabeth opened her eyes wide under the quilt.

—So, Mr. Darcy has been secretly in love with Miss Wilkes?

—It is said that Miss Wilkes and Mr. Bernard were engaged when they were in America.

——They met Mr. Darcy in London, so it is presumed that Mr. Darcy appeared late, and he fell in love at first sight?And then fell in love with the wrong person?

Elizabeth suddenly remembered Darcy's various performances in Hertfordshire, and a bold idea came up.

——Perhaps, it wasn't because he was too arrogant that he didn't want to make friends with us country gentlemen.Instead, she was deeply in love, depressed all the time, and not in the mood to meet new friends.

——That's why he commented on Jane like that at the ball, saying that she was only fair in appearance, not outstanding. If his sweetheart was Miss Wilkes, I could barely understand what Mr. Darcy said.

——In the eyes of the admirer, the admired person is naturally very good, and Miss Wilkes is indeed outstanding.

——If she is not good enough, how could a person as proud as Mr. Darcy be tempted even though he knew it was inappropriate, and how could he suppress it so hard.

Elizabeth once again recalled Mr. Darcy in the heavy rain, and suddenly felt that it was not easy for him. Even though he had an enviable wealth status, outstanding talent, learning and appearance, emotionally, he was just like any ordinary person, worrying about gains and losses. Often can't get what you want and get what you want.

——And Miss Wilkes, with such a fiancé, I don't know whether it is good or bad.

Elizabeth could not deny Mr. Bernard's charms, but she could not ignore rumors of his flirtatiousness either.She felt that in Miss Wilkes' engagement there was still a great deal of misfortune.

Suddenly discovering a big secret, Second Miss Bennet scratched her hair and ordered herself not to continue thinking.

Since Mr. Darcy has been restraining his feelings, and it seems that he has no intention of breaking other people's engagements, she can't speculate and imagine arbitrarily based on the scene she caught by chance.

Before going back to sleep, Elizabeth thought that since Mr. Darcy's arrogance was justifiable, she would not care about his disdain for Jane, and of course...and his unintentional offense to her.

Elizabeth had no grudges and prejudices against Darcy, so she would not pay attention to and observe him. Since then, Fitzwilliam Darcy was really an ordinary man to Elizabeth Bennett. The young gentleman is gone.

Even though he is powerful and powerful, he has little contact with her, and will no longer have an impact on her life and mood, no matter whether it is good or bad.

The next day, Elizabeth looked at Mr. Smithson, who came to visit early, and showed a relaxed smile.

It was not long after this meeting that the Bennet sisters left London.

It is said that Mr. Bingley also returned to Netherfield Park a week later, and this time it was not Mr. Darcy but Mr. Smithson who left London with him.

Pei Xiang is still preparing to return to the United States. In view of the recent tension between Britain and the United States, she seems very urgent.

However, accidents often come at the busiest time. Just when she was happy to tell everyone that everything was ready, there was another problem with the supplier she had contacted earlier. This accident once again stumbled her and Berner Germany's trip back to the United States.

"Yes, Bernard must have the goods from that one, and I don't know why."

Pei Xiang smiled and chatted with the wives about the recent situation:

"Bernard won't listen to me, he's made a decision and he's leaving the matter to the agent, and I can't get in the way.

It's just that when those agents come to look for Bernard, they can't always meet him. At this time, I need to come to deal with some specific affairs temporarily. "

"That's great. He let you get in touch with this, it's a performance of trusting you. However, it's really hard work for you. You have to deal with those boring and annoying mundane affairs."

Pei Xiang smiled and listened to the words of the pampered ladies, occasionally chiming in. After a few parties, everyone she knew would know the recent situation of her and Bernard.

Although it was inevitable that some people would mutter behind their backs, guessing that Bernard deliberately delayed the time because he was reluctant to leave Mrs. Albert, but most people still felt that Pei Xiang was not lying.

After all, several of Bernard's agents were indeed directed around by her, buying this one at a time and ordering another one at a time, which dazzled outsiders.

By the end of March, during the Easter period, some decent families have left London for their holidays elsewhere.

Pei Xiang was still busy in London, while her fiancé, Bernard, took Mrs. Albert to Bath, a spa resort.

It was said to be "quietly", but it was not really a deception. When Bernard left London, he "inadvertently" met a few acquaintances, and soon everyone learned of his itinerary.

On this day, Pei Xiang was eating breakfast when he saw the butler walking in with a panicked expression. Behind him was a travel-worn gentleman with the chill of early spring on his coat. It looked like he had rushed all night.

"Miss Wilkes, Mr. Anderson has something important to report."

Pei Xiang put down the tableware in his hand, and his face became serious: "Please tell me."

"Miss Wilkes, a very sad news, please condolences..."

The news of Bernard's accidental death spread to London. Pei Xiang fainted because of the shocking news. After she woke up again, she reluctantly walked out of the bedroom with the help of the maid, and endured the grief of the person who heard the news. Bernard's "killed" details.

When she heard that Bernard had an accident with Mrs. Albert, her complexion became even uglier.

"They went to Bath together? You said, Mrs. Albert was also in the carriage?"

"Er... yes, Miss Wilkes."

The reporter lowered his voice. He did not tell the poor lady in front of him that his fiancé had been protecting Mrs. Albert beside him when the carriage overturned.

Although both of them died in the end, Bernard's face was bloody and almost completely destroyed, while Mrs. Albert's face didn't have many scratches except for two fatal injuries. Out of her identity.

As for the mangled Mr. Bernard?Of course, the rescuer didn't need to confirm it again and again, because everyone knew that it was Mr. Bernard's carriage, and he was in the carriage at that time.

Pei Xiang sighed. Others thought she was lamenting her experience and the death of her fiancé. Only Pei Xiang knew that she was lamenting Mrs. Albert. In this accident, only Mrs. Albert was the real victim. Bar.

——If I hadn't taken steps at every step, been cautious and cautious, and softened Bernard with life-saving grace, Mrs. Albert's tragedy today would also be my fate.

Because he knew the general story of Bernard's death, the pain in Pei Xiang's eyes lightened a lot, and his face was not as pale as when he first heard the bad news, but he seemed to gradually cheer up.

Her rapid and stable emotional performance did not arouse any gossip and criticism, on the contrary, everyone sympathized with her even more.

On the second day, Bernard's agent and lawyer in London visited. It turned out that before the accident, Bernard explained that if he was not in London or it was inconvenient to manage the property, all matters would be handed over to Pei Xiang take care of.

"Well, I'll take care of it for a while, butler, have you notified Mr. Bernard's family in America?"

"Miss Wilkes, yesterday... After I received the report, I asked someone to notify you."

Pei Xiang nodded slightly, her brows were full of exhaustion and burnout, she twitched the corners of her mouth, and said in a flat tone:

"That's good. When Bernard's family arrives, I'll hand over these property matters to them. Moreover, Bernard's family will have the final say on how to deal with Bernard's funeral."

In London, Pei Xiang dealt with Bernard's affairs in an orderly manner, and was about to move out of Bernard's house and live in the house he had secretly bought long ago.

Of course, she said that she didn't want to look at things and think about others, and what happened to Bernard and Mrs. Albert made her extremely disappointed, and she really couldn't face everything that had happened before.

And at Rosings Manor in Kent, Darcy, who was having breakfast, received a report from London, stood up abruptly, and turned down the chair behind him very rudely.

"Darcy?" Mrs. Catherine de Boer looked at her usually stable nephew in surprise, wondering what could make him lose his composure.

Darcy woke up from the shock, he breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Lady Catherine and Cousin Anne, and bowed slightly:

"Sorry, I'm sorry, but I was so shocked to hear the sad news of a friend."

The servant helped Darcy rearrange the tableware and raised the chair, and Darcy sat down again.

"Darcy, what happened to one of your friends? It's very bad."

"Aunt, I guess you don't know him. It's a friend of mine in London, Louise Bernard. He was in an accident on his way to Bath for a holiday. It is said that the horse was startled and the car rolled over a steep slope. .”

"Oh, God bless the poor soul."

Next, Mrs. Catherine began to talk about various accidents that might be encountered during the journey at the dinner table. As she talked, she also mentioned her worries about her daughter Anne, from her physical condition to her studies, and tried to Let the nephew know more about the excellent character of his own daughter, and it is best to have some admiration.

Darcy listened absently to Lady Catherine's chatter, his thoughts drifting away.

He remembered Pei Xiang's promise to him. She said that the marriage contract issue could be resolved within half a year. He believed her, but he didn't expect it to be so sudden.

——If I had known... I would never have left London.

— But how did she expect Bernard's accidental death?What's the secret here?

—Is Bernard really dead?

——Perhaps, the way she prepared to dissolve the engagement wasn't this kind of death. Then, is she also caught off guard now?

——London, does she want to face many affairs alone?

——People from the Bernard family will definitely come from America, and those mysterious people who have dealt with Bernard, will they make trouble for Lucy?

All of a sudden, Darcy's heart was filled with all kinds of worries and doubts, and he didn't even have the extra energy to pay attention to his own future, which was completely disturbed by worrying about gains and losses.

Then there is the fact that, in any event, whether true or not, Bernard's death is a very unfortunate event.

Although Darcy will not feel sad, but he will not be happy because of it. Facing the lost life, Darcy can only be silent.

Among all the complications at the moment, he was most worried about Pei Xiang's situation.

Fitzwilliam Darcy, therefore, putting down his unfinished breakfast and making a brief apology to Lady Catherine and Cousin Anne, prepared to leave Rosings at once for London.

Naturally, Mrs. Catherine couldn't stop her nephew who insisted on leaving. She expressed her disappointment because she lost another chance to match Darcy and Anne.