Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Millet

Derek Kettering ran into a woman in the hallway after running from the von Alden house.They bumped into each other, and the lady said "sorry" and smiled sweetly.A pair of beautiful big eyes left a deep impression on him. After he talked with his father-in-law, he was very quiet on the surface, but he was very conflicted in his heart.After lunch, he came to a luxurious house, the hostess was Miret, a dancer.A neatly dressed and playful French maid received him with a smile on her face. "Come in, sir! Ma'am is only resting for a while." The maid led him into a room with oriental furnishings, everything here was familiar to him.Miley was lying on the sofa surrounded by pillows stuffed with various shades of amber that matched her ochre-colored skin.

The dancer was very charming, and although the yellow mask made her face look a little slender, she had a charming allure. Kaitlyn kissed her and sat down in a chair. "You just woke up, baby?" A smile played on her orange lips. "No," replied the dancer, "I'm working." She stretched her long arms toward a piano on which scores of scores were piled haphazardly. "Ambrose has been here. He played the new opera."Kaitlyn nodded, not very interested. Glaud Ambroser and his ballet "Noble Jont" did not matter to him.And Mi Lei's interest in this is limited to her role as Anne, the protagonist of the play.

"It's a beautiful dance," she said to herself. "I'll put all my energy into this dance. If I do it well, I'll get a lot of gems. My friend! I saw it yesterday in Bend Street. A pearl, the color is black, it is really charming." She looked at him cutely and stopped talking. "My dear," said Caitlyn, "it's no use talking to me about black pearls. My coffers are empty." She sat up and looked at him with big black eyes. "What happened, Derek? What happened?" "My respected father-in-law is determined to cut off my source of life!"

"What are you talking about?" "In other words, my devoted wife is going to divorce me." "What a fool," said Miley. "Why is that?" Derek said sarcastically, "Mostly for you, my dear." Miley shrugged her shoulders. "She is so stupid!" "It's actually really stupid." Derek said in a low voice. "How are you going to deal with this?" "What can I say? My sweetheart? On the one hand, he, von Arden, with his fortune; "These Americans are really unreliable," Miley said. "If only this woman would listen to you."

"Looks like," said Derek, "we've got to do something after all. But what?" She looked at him suspiciously.He moved closer to her and grabbed her hands. "If those creditors came at me like a pack of wolves, wouldn't you leave me? I love you to death, wouldn't you leave me?" She withdrew her hand from his. "You know, Derek, how strongly I feel for you." You could tell from the sound of her voice that she was lying. "That's the way it is," Derek said slowly. "The rats are leaving the sinking ship." "How can you think that, Derek."

"Stop doing that!" he said angrily. "You're abandoning me, aren't you?" She shrugged. "I'm very interested in you, my friend . "Are you trying to say: You are a man's possession, their plaything. Right?" "My God! If you insist!" She leaned back on the pillow and threw her head back. "I swear, I love you." "Forget it!" He walked to the window and looked outside, with his back to the dancing girl.Mi Lei immediately stood up, looked at him, and cast a puzzled look. "What are you thinking? My friend."

He stared over her shoulder into the distance and made her feel uncomfortable with a grin. "Honestly. I'm thinking of another woman, honey." "Thinking of another woman! Are you thinking of another woman?" "Don't get excited, I have a picture of a woman with blue eyes in my head." Mi Lei asked sternly, "When did you meet her?" Derek Kettering smiled mockingly. "I confronted her on the stairs of the Savoy Hotel." "Why, did she say anything to you?" "From what I can remember, I said: 'I'm sorry' and she said: 'Nothing'. That's it."

"And then?" the dancing girl asked pressingly. "And then there was nothing, the conversation was over." "I'm baffled by everything you said." Mi Lei said. "Portrait of a woman with blue eyes," said Derek thoughtfully. "I hope I never see her again." "why?" "She brings me misfortune, and women always bring me misfortune." Mi Lei jumped up from the sofa and wrapped her long arms around his neck. "You're a donkey, Derek!" she murmured. "You're a big jackass. You're a handsome boy, and I love you very much. But I don't want to be empty-handed, really. Now you Listen to me, the matter is very simple, you should reconcile with your wife."

"Reconciliation, but in fact it doesn't work." Derek said helplessly. "why?" "Because you can't joke with von Alding, and once he's made up his mind, you can't stop him." "I've heard of him," said the dancer, nodding. "He's one of the richest men in America, isn't he? He bought one of the best gems in the world, the 'Heart of Fire' in Paris the other day." Kaitlyn didn't answer.The dancer continued: "A wonderful jewel, it should belong to someone like me, for whom I would risk my life. Who else can wear such a jewel except me!"

She sighed and spoke more practically. "You don't understand these things, Derek, you're a man. Von Alden probably gave this gem to his daughter. He's such a precious daughter." "Ok." "If von Arden died, she would be a very rich woman." "She's rich now. His dad gave her millions of dollars when they got married." "Millions? The amount is really considerable. If one day she dies suddenly, won't you be able to inherit this property?" "If the current situation continues, of course I will inherit it." Caitlin said slowly. "As far as I know, she has not made a will."

"My God!" said the dancer, "what a relief this is!" A silence fell between them, and Caitlyn laughed. "You are a more practical person. But I am afraid that your wish will not be realized. My wife is in good health, very healthy." "That's all right," said Miley, "but accidents happen to her all the time." He stared at her without saying a word.She continued: "You're right, people shouldn't be thinking such unrealistic things. But, my boy, you can't get a divorce. Your wife should give up thinking like that." "What if she doesn't give up?" The dancer's eyes widened. "She will. She's the sort of woman who's so afraid of making a big splash, and there's one or two things she's sure doesn't want her acquaintances to see in the papers." "What do you mean?" Caitlyn asked gravely.Mi Lei laughed loudly. "My dear! I mean the Comte de Roger. I know this man well. Please don't forget that I am a Parisian. He was her lover before she married." Kaitlyn grabbed her shoulders angrily. "You are a shameless fabrication! Don't forget, she is still my wife after all!" Miley was obviously taken aback. "You English are monsters," she complained. "Perhaps you are right. People say Americans are cold by nature, don't they? She fell in love with him before she married you, though. Then her father stepped in. The poor lady I don’t know how many tears she shed, but in the end I succumbed to my father’s will. Now, things have changed. They meet almost every day, and she and him have a date in Paris on the 14th of this month.” "Where did you know all this?" "Me? I have some friends in Paris, dear Derek, they know the Count. Everything is arranged. She pretends to go to the Riviera, but in fact she goes to Paris to see the Count, and then...God knows! Please Believe me, you can't go wrong at all!" Derek Kettering stood there dumbfounded. "Understood?" Mi Lei said affectionately, "If you are divorced, then you can make some small moves to make her very embarrassed." "How could you do that? Shut up!" Caitlyn yelled. "Shut your damn mouth!" Mi Lei laughed and sat down on the sofa.Kaitlyn picked up her hat and coat and slammed the door behind her.The dancing girl was still laughing to herself while sitting on the sofa.She is satisfied with her behavior.