Barron remembered that Bonnie's cousin, Viscountess Chris, had said that she knew a lot of editors and could introduce them to him.
He asked curiously:
"Bonnie, doesn't Mrs. Chris know many editors of fiction columns? Why didn't you ask her to introduce you to one before?"
"Because I hadn't written a novel for a long time at that time, and I once took a novel I wrote and said it was from a friend of mine and gave it to two of the editors. They were... not very optimistic about it. So if that was the case, I didn't want to get it published because of my relationship. That would only make readers complain about me. After all, I believe in the professional vision of those editors."
Bonnie's answer did not surprise Barron. From the time he had been in contact with her, he could tell that she was a relatively competitive girl. Just like when she was writing this novel, she set high standards for herself.
"Actually, I have an appointment with Mrs. Chris and plan to meet the editors. Maybe I should not tell them who the author of this novel is yet..."
"I'm sure they'll go crazy because it's such a great story."
But even though Bonnie said so, to be honest, Barron himself was not very sure - although in his previous life, "Downton Abbey" was a phenomenal TV series and movie, the novel was only released after these hits.
Now that "Downton Abbey" has been first published in the form of a novel, and in 2002, will it still be successful and popular with everyone? Barron knows rationally that this kind of subject matter will not be too restricted by the times, but when it is really released, he can't help but feel a little nervous.
"Oh, I almost forgot, Bonnie, this is for you."
"Really?"
Bonnie was very busy at work, and today she only took time out to meet Barron. When she was about to leave, Barron took out a bouquet of flowers and handed it to her.
Bonnie was very surprised to receive the big bouquet of roses. She sniffed the fragrance of the flowers deeply:
"Very beautiful, thank you, Barron, I like it very much."
…
Just as Barron said to Bonnie, after seeing the manuscript she had already written, he made an appointment to meet with Bonnie's cousin, Viscountess Chris, to discuss the publication of the novel.
Interestingly, when Barron mentioned this on the phone, Chris said that she had planned to get her hair done the next day, around the afternoon, and if Barron was available, they could meet in person.
Uh, hair?
After all, the other party was a married woman, and Barron didn't want people to misunderstand him, so he agreed...
"Ma'am, your new hairstyle is very beautiful. You look like a little girl..."
"Oh? Your Highness, do you mean that I was very old before?"
"Of course not. You always look very young. You don't even look like a married person."
After all, they needed to avoid suspicion, so Barron did not meet Chris in a public place outside, but made an appointment at his home...well, just to avoid suspicion.
"Coffee or tea, ma'am?"
"A cup of black tea would be nice, thank you."
Today, the Viscountess wore a black and white contrasting long dress. The close-fitting cut made her exaggerated curves even more obvious.
Especially when she sat in front of Barron, through the hollow lace tulle under the neckline, you can clearly see the deep trench inside...
"This is...?"
Seeing the manuscript on the table, Chris asked,
"Has that novel been completed?"
"Not yet, but Miss Bonnie is very efficient and has already written a large part of the first part of the novel."
Chris reached out to the manuscript, paused for a moment, looked at Barron and asked:
"Can I take a look? I have always been curious about this novel."
"Of course, I would like to ask Madam to judge it."
Chris gently picked up the pile of manuscripts and flipped through them with interest...
At the beginning, Chris's expression was a little nonchalant, but after she read two pages, she became focused unconsciously. The speed of reading the manuscript gradually slowed down, and her body changed from leaning back to slightly leaning forward.
She didn't even notice when Barron's valet Ramos came in and put tea for them on the table.
The room was unusually quiet, and from Barron's perspective, Chris's posture was a feast for the eyes.
When the Viscountess turned to the last page and saw the end, she realized that the manuscript ended there, and she couldn't help but sigh, with reluctance on her face.
"Is that all?"
Chris blurted out, and when she looked up, she was startled. It turned out that Barron had stood behind her without her knowing when. The two were very close to each other. When she looked up just now, she even felt that she was leaning on his shoulder.
"You are really focused, ma'am."
Barron said in Chris's ear.
She could even feel the other person's breath blowing on her earlobe, and she couldn't help but feel like an electric current passing through her, causing her heartbeat to speed up.
"This novel is amazing, both in terms of plot and writing style. I haven't read such a fascinating novel in a long time."
Chris placed the manuscript on the coffee table, noticed the tea in front of her, picked it up and took a sip, trying to hide her recent gaffe, but the faint blush on her face was difficult to dissipate for a while.
"I feel relieved to hear your comments. I heard from Miss Bonnie that your wife is an outstanding student at the Royal Holloway College for Girls."
Barron paced nonchalantly, returned to sit in front of the Viscountess, and said to her,
"Of course, it is also Miss Bonnie's literary talent."
"I've read her previous novels, and their strengths lie in their delicate and beautiful descriptions, but they still lack storytelling. What's impressive about this novel is the fascinating plot of the aristocratic era. The description of that time is very detailed, and these dukes have made great contributions."
Talking about this novel, Chris's words were full of praise:
"It's a pity that the novel has not been finished yet. I can't wait to go to my cousin's place to read what she has written later... The name of the novel is "Downton Abbey", right? Is it based on the Chatsworth Manor of His Royal Highness the Duke's family?"
"Yes, ma'am, the manor scene in the novel was based on our manor."
"Now I really have the urge to go there for a visit."
"It would be my pleasure, ma'am. You are always welcome to stay at our estate. Chatsworth welcomes you."
The Viscountess responded to Barron's invitation with an elegant smile, and then said:
"I now believe that if this novel can appear in the world, it will be popular throughout England. It has been many years since there has been a novel that describes the life of the aristocracy so realistically, and it is still that fascinating era..."
"Any suggestions for this ma'am?"
Chris hesitated for a moment and said:
"As for national newspapers, I have met the editors of both The Daily Telegraph and The Independent, but I suggest meeting the editor of The Daily Telegraph first."
"why?"
"As far as I know, The Independent has not been doing very well in recent years, and its sales have been declining. Although it is still holding up, there have always been some speculations about it..."