Detective Mary

Chapter 8

Until now, Mary had never understood why Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy had made such a mess of what was clearly a misunderstanding that could be resolved with a good conversation.

And now, Mary deeply appreciated why Elizabeth hated Darcy so much - to be reasonable, this kind of straight male circuit, if not by virtue of having read the original book to know Mr. Darcy's nature straight, in exchange for Mary would also hate him!

In order to save Mr. Darcy's image in Elizabeth's heart, Mary can be said to be doing her best.

Today the Bennetts' daughters arrive at Meryton, and Mary is still trying to pester Elizabeth with kind words.

"Just don't be angry."

The town was bustling with activity, and while the other sisters went to the bonnet store to look for new accessories, Mary took Elizabeth's arm and whispered, "Mr. Darcy knows he was in the wrong, he just couldn't bring himself to do it, as gentlemen are wont to do."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, "I did not realize that my bookish, unsocialized sister knew how gentlemen think."

Mary, "Uh."

Mary, who was not popular nor did she like to talk to the opposite s*x, really had no business saying that. She couldn't do anything about it, so she had to be slimy and pouty and say, "That's what it says in the poems, ah, gentlemen have self-respect."

"I never doubted that Mr. Darcy did as well," Elizabeth sneered a few times, "I suppose gentlemen's pride is pride, ladies' is not, especially a girl of mediocre appearance from a country district such as myself."

It was over, Mary cackled in her mind.

Now Mr. Darcy had really offended Elizabeth. Her original intention was to prompt the two to resolve their misunderstanding as soon as possible, but she didn't realize that after one dance their misunderstanding was even worse than in the original story.

If the butterfly effect of traveling through time and space caused Elizabeth and Darcy not to be together, then Mary had really sinned a lot!

"I do think Mr. Darcy realizes his mistake," Mary muttered, "Give him another chance, Lizzie."

Elizabeth was puzzled, "Why do you care so much about my good or bad opinion of Mr. Darcy?"

"I don't think he is as bad as everyone says," Mary responded honestly, "Mr. Darcy may be arrogant, but he is essentially good."

"......"

"Lizzie?"

Elizabeth's expression quickly hardened, "Mary, are you confiding with me that you are leaning toward him?"

Mary: ?????

Wait a minute?

What Elizabeth said was so completely unexpected that Mary didn't react for a moment. Elizabeth, on the other hand, took her stuttering as a sign that she was being spoken to, and she quirked her brow, "Granted, Mr. Darcy meets your criteria for a husband, but you've always taken things a little too idealistically."

Where did Mr. Darcy fit her criteria for a mate!

Mary cried and laughed, this ouroboros was too shocking!

She had to open her mouth to explain, "Where were you thinking, Lizzie. I don't like Mr. Darcy, I just simply don't want to see you and him fall out over a misunderstanding."

However, the more Elizabeth thought about it, the more wrong she became; normally Mary had a lack of interest in socializing, neither enjoying interacting with others nor caring at all about the opinions of others. Now she was uncharacteristically and enthusiastically concerned about other people's social lives? There's something wrong with that any way you look at it.

And Mary's criteria for companionship were very different from those of other girls; she was always attracted to men who were different. Byron was her passion, she was interested in the "London detective", and she admired Mr. Darcy when everyone disliked him.

"If you like him, I have no reason to say anything."

Therefore, Elizabeth scowled and said, "But to want me to also admire a man who disrespects me is too strong, Mary."

"Wait, Lizzie, I really-"

"Okay."

Elizabeth was getting a little angry, she didn't want to argue with Mary over Darcy.

"This ends here, I don't care about you and you stay out of my way."

"......"

Mary really couldn't have said it with three more mouths.

Think carefully, Elizabeth will be so think it is not unreasonable, Mary weekdays on any man are not interested, suddenly in front of Elizabeth left a Darcy, right a Darcy, Elizabeth is not Mary's stomach worms, how do you know that she wants to be the idea of the bride?

What's more, Elizabeth is a headstrong girl, she determined things will not be shaken by others, Mary explained also useless.

This is not a matter of concern, anyway, when Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, she will naturally understand Mary's intention. But ......

The more Mary thought about it, the more helpless she became, probably because she had really acted too much.

She spoke condescendingly, "Well then, I'm sorry. I won't talk to you about Mr. Darcy anymore, but I really don't like him, and you can't misunderstand me like that."

Obviously she was the one who had been unforgiving in the first place, but Mary was thin and small-looking, and with her eyebrows knitted together, her little face looked pitiful and innocent. Elizabeth couldn't help but lose her voice in laughter when she saw this worried and resigned look of her anger.

Elizabeth long Mary a few years, naturally also know that her sister can not be so good to bully - Mary bold very it, usually outside without saying nothing, but as long as she is willing to talk, behave do not know how wanton.

Posing this look, clearly is to Elizabeth pouting, almost directly put "I am aggrieved!" The words "I am aggrieved!" were written on her face.

"Well," Elizabeth raised her hand and gently tapped Mary on the side of the head, "get your act together, Miss Bennet! What on earth are you trying to do by dragging me around without going to the hat store to pick out a trinket?"

It was better to be the older sister who knew her sister.

Seeing that Elizabeth wasn't angry anymore, Mary immediately put away her put-upon demeanor and spoke with a smile, "Since we're all here in Meriden, I'd like to visit little Geoffrey's mother."

Elizabeth flinched.

Mary's sudden mention of the previous burglary was proof enough that it wasn't over.

"Da ...... uh, 'that gentleman' said that little Geoffrey was indeed instigated," was all Mary had to say when she was not allowed to mention Mr. Darcy," So I'd like to visit his house and ask his mother exactly what happened."

"Do you need me to accompany you?"

"No, little Geoffrey's house is near-" Mary suddenly stopped speaking.

"Mary?"

"Lizzie," her eyes crossed to Elizabeth, "do you recognize that gentleman?"

"What?"

Elizabeth was just about to turn around when Mary tugged her back and admonished, "Don't be too obvious."

"......"

Mary's sneaky, mysterious stance made Elizabeth a little nervous, and she waited until Mary said yes before she turned her head slightly and used her afterglow to see a man walk by on the other side of the street.

He was well-dressed, with a dark gray suit and coat tailored to fit snugly and neatly, a hat of the same color on his head, and a cane in his hand.

The habit of dress suggested that he had come from a large city, either London or Birmingham, and possessed a different air than the young men who were to enlist in the nearby militia regiments. The man was tall and thin, Elizabeth only saw a side of his face, but that was enough, his knife-like face was impressive.

If Elizabeth had seen it, she would never forget it.

"No," Elizabeth shook her head, "what is it?"

"There is another gentleman in Meriden who is a complete stranger, I have not seen him from social occasions, that is understandable," Mary spoke, "but you have not seen him either, proving that he is not attending any socials."

"So?"

"So what's he doing in Meriden?"

Mary immediately picked up her skirts.

"I'll go check it out."

"Wait, Mary!"

Where is this going to work? Stalking a male stranger, no matter how bold or resourceful, is not something an unmarried lady should do!

Elizabeth was just about to reach out and pull Mary back when the skinny girl was already well out of reach.

Mary's thoughts were straightforward: Mr. Darcy himself had said that young Geoffrey had been instructed by a strange gentleman. And there were not many strange gentlemen in Meryton.

Country life was not like London; there was far less traffic than in the city, and decent people were even rarer. Even the news of a new occupant at Netherfield Manor could reach Mrs. Bennet's ears the next day, let alone Meryton, which was much closer.

If any decent gentleman had come, and he hadn't even been in and out of society yet, Mary's mother, Mrs. Bennet, would have been the first to know - and not only know, but would have been able to find out if he was married, what his family was like, and what his character was.

So for the Bennetts, there was never a "strange gentleman" in the neighborhood.

Mary left the hat-shop, and, in order not to attract attention, turned her head in a circle, and hastened down another street to the rear of the strange gentleman again.

The man did not seem to realize this, and still walked on at a steady pace. Mary, keeping a short distance from him, also slackened her pace.

She followed the gentleman for two blocks before the gentleman took a left up ahead and turned into an alley.

Mary was instantly a little hesitant.

She was not a fool, walking to a place where there were fewer people, in case there were any accidents could be troublesome. Mary knew that she had a small physique, and in a real situation, unless she had practiced boxing, it was impossible for her to defeat a grown man.

But to give up like that, she wasn't willing.

After a moment's thought, Mary retraced her steps.

She decided to walk down to the alley and take a look around, however when she stopped at the intersection and looked to her left, the lengthy alley was empty.

No one? Mary's heart skipped a beat; had he gone inside one of the buildings? Did he find himself, or did he--

"Miss Mary Bennet."

Mary: !!!!!

A male voice suddenly sounded behind her, almost making Mary jump in fright. She let out a gasp of surprise and covered her mouth as she turned around.

Standing in front of him was the strange gentleman who had been walking in front of her just moments before. Not only did he call out her name with unerring precision, he raised an eyebrow at the sight of her terrified expression.

Mary noticed at once that the man had eyes as sharp as a falcon's.

The strange gentleman looked at her, "What are you following me for?