Chapter 22 Chapter Twenty Two

The duke's first impression is neither that of a scholar nor that of a prodigal son. He brings neither book dust nor a plump courtesan.However, he is indeed full of the aristocratic style of the highest class, unlike Jiaqi's father-in-law, Duke Philfer, who always gives people a trance feeling, as if he can't believe that he is so lucky.This person is born to be superior to others, born to rule the people, and has been managing and supervising with a dignified attitude since he became an adult.His duke style alone is enough to frighten half of the upper class into silence and reverence.

Jiaqi was not immediately intimidated.Although she was brought up with only one goal, to be a duchess, she seems to have inherited democratic ideas from her paternal ancestors.Good night, sir. Mrs. Tremais, I heard that you could not come, but it seems that you have changed your mind.There was a helpless smile in his answer, obviously he knew the real purpose of this dinner very well. The mother's attitude is the most surprising. She obviously has no idea of ​​democracy, but she doesn't show sincere awe.Jiaqi originally thought that her mother would be proud, because she finally managed to get Jiaqi and the Duke to meet, but Mrs. Roland's face was serious and determined, as if she had gone through a painful journey to Greenland and finally arrived at a lifeless wasteland.

The Duke's attitude towards Mrs. Roland was even more subtle.He's the kind of person who doesn't know what kindness is, and is likely to be just tolerant of friends and condescending to others.However, when he praised Mrs. Roland's flower art, he showed care and delicacy that Jiaqi hadn't noticed before. Condon was late. He had just come back from the beach thirty minutes ago, fresh from the shower and his hair still wet. Please allow me to introduce my son-in-law, Lord Tremais, and Mrs. Roland rarely showed a hint of banter.Lord Tremais, this is His Excellency Duke Perrin.

Fortunately, Your Excellency, although Cong Deng has just been married in a hurry, he has a more master-like posture than Jiaqi's mother and daughter, and successfully played a friendly appearance that is completely ignorant of the conspiracy.I had the honor to read the masterpiece, "Eleven Years Before the Troy War", which is very thought-provoking. The Duke raised a thick black eyebrow.I didn't expect my work to be available in the United States. I don't know if it's sold in the US, but the one I have is a gift from my mother-in-law when she visited London. The Duke glanced at Madame Roland through his monocle.If it weren't for his dignified manner and self-deprecating expression, he would have looked like a character in a caricature.

Mrs. Rowland shifted her weight from one foot to the other and back again.Jiaqi widened her eyes.This small gesture seems to be nothing, and the two men must not understand how important it is, but Jiaqi knows that her mother will never be restless, she is always as stable as a pillar carved into the image of a goddess in a Greek temple, and it can also be maintained for thousands of years . My mother is keen on the works of the blind poet Homer and understands them very deeply, Jiaqi said.When it comes to relevant knowledge, few women can have more extensive knowledge than her, and even the average man can hardly match it.

This sentence made the Duke look surprised again, and not just because there are women who understand his specialization field.He nodded slightly in the direction of Mrs. Roland.Ma'am, please accept my appreciation.Be sure to tell me why you love this obscure science. Mrs. Roland smiled like a castle wall.Cong Deng glanced at Jia Qi, obviously also aware that the atmosphere was extremely unusual. Hollis came in to announce that supper was ready.Mrs. Roland was visibly relieved, and proposed to go to the dining room in two pairs. The dinner was a hard one, and the only good thing for Mrs. Roland was that the Duke did not immediately succumb to Jiaqi's charm.

When Jiaqi was a child, she was often anxious about her daughter's appearance, because she couldn't become a flawless beauty, just like Victoria when she was young.Only Jiaqi's height kept growing, which was completely out of fashion. Her pair of broad shoulders and provocative eyes made Victoria even more headache.Years later, when Victoria finally understood that she didn't have to stare at her daughter's clothes and hairstyles for flaws, she noticed a strange thing that eluded her. Men would stare at Jiaqi intently, some were even dumbfounded.At dances and dinner parties, men's eyes are always glued to her, but Jiaqi just walks, talks, or looks in their direction inadvertently.Victoria put a distance in her heart and observed her daughter from an objective perspective, only then was she surprised how strong Jiaqi's charm was in the eyes of men.

She didn't know how to describe Jiaqi's original allure, that dazzling sensual beauty, which definitely did not come from Victoria.Victoria couldn't help feeling that she was getting old, that her years had passed, and that the beauty she was so proud of was far inferior to Jiaqi's youthful radiance and beauty. At dinner, Jiaqi was dressed in a vermilion velvet dress, her throat and arms were shining brightly under the flickering candlelight, like the goddess of water springs described by the painter Bouguereau.The Duke only spoke to Jiaqi when necessary, and when he talked about the ratio of cloudy and sunny weather in London and Devon recently, he just hummed a few times.Jiaqi's husband often peeked at her through the rim of the cup, and his eyes drifted away every time he took a bite. Duke Perrin was different. Most of his attention was on the plate, and he solemnly tasted the delicacies served one after another, including sorrel soup, Norman Local style plaice, duck with loon sauce.

Madame, please allow me to read the chef of the beautiful mansion, the Duke suddenly raised his head and said.The taste is not as bad as I thought. Victoria was absurdly happy.On the day of the chocolate bet, she was implying that he would quickly drag her upstairs to love this lonely old bone. Since then, she has been on pins and needles. She told herself countless times that it was only because it would be too embarrassing to have her plot exposed face to face that she improvised that set of excuses.The problem is that she is very bad at telling lies on the fly, and it usually takes hours or even days to prepare, otherwise she will blurt out the truth, otherwise it will be nonsense, and the stench of lies can be smelled miles away. .

Did she unknowingly speak the truth?Could it be that this absurd ruse was really just creating an opportunity for her to catch the Duke's eye and finally notice her after so many years?He didn't completely believe it, but he didn't completely disbelieve it either.Truth has an inner power to penetrate doubt, no suspicion, however deep and entrenched, can hold back. Thank you, she said, but I disagree with the way you put it. I don't speak politely, ma'am.As if to prove what he said was true, he glanced at Jiaqi and Cong Deng, and then said that I am an old fool who has been away from the social circle for many years, so please forgive my curiosity.In this year, do couples who are about to divorce live in harmony like you?

So to speak, Condon replied, in a tone as soft and rich as vanilla pudding.He looked at Jiaqi and asked, what do you think, dear? Of course, Jiaqi reluctantly agreed.We hate getting sloppy, don't we, Tremais? This exaggeration left the duke speechless, so he changed the subject to a safer subject.Lord Tremais, I heard that you have the magic power of turning stones into gold. No such thing, my lord.Mrs. Tremais has the real business sense, and I just want to match her financially as much as possible. Victoria glanced at Jiaqi, hoping she could hear the hidden love in Condon's words, but confusion flashed in Jiaqi's eyes, obviously she heard a completely different meaning. I always thought you were better, said Victoria.Mrs. Tremais's success was built on the legacy of her ancestors, but you started from nothing. Ma'am, you are overrated.America loves adversity success stories, but I'm not that kind of protagonist, Condon replied.My venture capital came from a large loan secured by Mrs Tremais' estate. Jiaqi choked on the wine.She picked up the napkin and covered her mouth and coughed. Hollis quickly brought a clean napkin and a glass of water. She took a big gulp and immediately continued to cut the duck. Since Jiaqi didn't speak, Victoria had to ask the question.I don't know about it.how did you do it. Condon, like Carrington, signed a prenuptial contract that included a clause that forbade him from directly taking Jiaqi's property.I certify to the bank to let them know who I am and who she is.I produced my marriage certificate and the Thai newspaper's marriage announcement, and the New York bank assumed that if I couldn't repay the loan, my wife would come to the rescue.His smile hides wildness. God.The son-in-law's sleek and elegant appearance is too dazzling, and Victoria has never discovered that he is so capable.Victoria had always wondered, when they were on good terms, that a shrewd and able heiress could be in love with a refined and gentle nobleman, and there was no couple so different from each other.She underestimated Condon, because he was too personable, making her think he lacked vigor. The Duke took a sip of Burgundy red wine appreciatively, which was the top mellow wine of Romanée-Conti that had been cellared for 14 years.Victoria found him smiling and was deeply shocked. He is not a typical handsome man, his facial features are not refined, even a little rough, with bushy eyebrows and a nose like Mont Blanc.Such a look could easily appear stern, but an almost imperceptible smile brought about a huge transformation.Those beautiful chestnut brown eyes light up, the lips add vitality, melting the cold arrogance and replacing it with a surprisingly warm and earthy masculinity. irresistible.She doesn't easily describe a person like this, in fact, she has never described any man in the world like this.Suddenly, she understood why those well-bred ladies were willing to fight for him and become street-swearing shrews. In general, small country seders are my dislike, he said.But, ma'am, if you had told me about such a great live show earlier, I wouldn't have asked you for additional entertainment. There was a dead silence at the scene.Victoria was in a daze, so she didn't feel embarrassed right away. She didn't realize that the focus of the topic had suddenly shifted from the Tremaiss to her. Sir, Jiaqi's words are teasing, please speak clearly. Oh, Jiaqi, really, it's not something shameful, Victoria said hurriedly.Your Excellency the Duke just wants me to play cards with him, and of course I am happy to do so. Sir, Jiaqi said to the Duke with a sly smile, I heard that you were a prodigal son when you were young, but it seems that you are still a villain now. Jiaqi!Victoria shouted shyly and urgently. But the Duke didn't seem to be angry, but rather amused.I was indeed a prodigal son in my youth, and that would be a little too polite a description.As for my tricky request, let's put it this way, even if it's a little too much, it shouldn't be rejected. Victoria felt herself blushing like Jiaqi's dress.Oh, she hates blushing in front of others, it's too immodest and childish.Condon buried his head in his food like a starving ghost, as if he didn't hear the five-minute conversation just now.Jiaqi understood Cong Deng's hint and poked hard at the remaining duck meat on the plate.But the duke was not done yet. Little girl, he said to Jiaqi.I want you to realize how lucky you are to have a mother who is willing to dance with the devil for you at this age. This time Condon picked up the napkin and coughed violently, but it didn't sound like choking, more like muffled laughter.The dinner, which had been a barbed comedy, had turned into a complete farce. She already knew this dinner was a bad idea, didn't she?Victoria thought troubledly.Why, oh why didn't she cancel?Why did she insist on it again and again, like the protagonist in "Self-Whale", chasing the Duke crazily, catching him no matter what, until death. Jiaqi is not the kind of person who will obediently listen to training.My lord, I hope you understand that although I am grateful, I have reminded my mother that she does not need to dance with demons for me.I have the love and heart of a good man, and my happiness is guaranteed after the divorce. The Duke sighed exaggeratedly.Mrs Tremais, I know nothing of the other man's advantage, but why risk a divorce for nothing?It doesn't seem to me that you two are even tired of each other. The Duke successfully silenced Jiaqi and prevented Condon from laughing.Then he turned to Victoria and smiled again, this time for real.She nearly melted in her seat, leaving only a whalebone corset and layers of skirt. Ma'am, he raised his glass to toast and asked if it was my honor to taste such a fine wine, or the best Burgundy I have ever had, please accept my endless gratitude.