– But, mother, why do you dislike Miss Cowell so much? – Richard asked with a smile.

– What makes you think so? – Lady Cranford shrugged her shoulders and took a sip of her tea.

– It is obvious: you are so delighted that she has become the wife of a man of bad character that dislike and contempt for her slip into every word you say," Richard smirked.

– You exaggerate, my dear: I have no ill feelings for her… More tea! – The Countess said imperiously, and the maid, dressed in a clean, neat uniform, immediately filled her beautifully patterned porcelain mug with fragrant black tea.

– Would you like some milk, ma'am? – The maid asked.

– No, not this time," Lady Cranford replied, and the maid silently took her place close to the master's table. – No, Richard, I never wished Vivian any harm, but I confess that her character and her means of achieving her ends are not to my liking. I suppose Anthony didn't tell you that he was in love with her and that he had proposed to her?

– What news! No, mother, this is the first I have heard of it! – Richard sprang to life and laughed merrily. – Oh, Anthony! Hiding such a thing from his elder brother! So, he is in love with her, and she must be in love with him! But then why did Miss Cowell marry another man? Admit it, Mother: are these your deeds?

– My deeds? My boy, what do you take me for? – Lady Cranford wrinkled her nose. – Vivian is beautiful, even too beautiful… Though her red hair and green eyes make her look like a medieval witch…

– Green eyes and red hair! Interesting! – hummed her interlocutor. – But I can't remember any witches or sorcerers in our family.

– It was her father who spoilt our noble breed," the Countess said, her lips curling into a contemptuous grin. – My sister was never very clever and ran away with the first man who whispered pretty phrases and promises to her. And that plunged her into poverty. As she was dying, Catherine asked me to take in her daughter and help her with her debut, which I did. I have such a kind, soft heart…" She sighed heavily. – And do you know how my poor niece has repaid me for welcoming her into my home with open arms? Anthony denies it, but I am sure she flirted with him and made him give her his heart.

– She did! She wished to marry him? – Richard wondered: the conversation about his mysterious cousin was becoming more and more entertaining.

– And he fell into her trap and proposed to her," the Countess told her son in an affirmative tone. – Anthony was ready to sacrifice his rich future that another rich girl could give him… But Vivian trampled him. She was only playing with our poor boy. And now I realise who made her give up her original purpose! Anthony's friend! That girl decided that this drunkard could give her so much more, that she was no longer interested in our Anthony. And he suffers so much because of this unworthy woman… My heart weeps at the thought that my good-heartedness is to be blamed.

– And what happened after she had refused Anthony? – He was angry at the shameless woman who had dared to play with his younger brother's feelings, and now he understood his mother's dislike of her own niece. That girl had brought his family so much grief!

– Fortunately, she has gone to live with a friend of hers," Lady Cranford said in an even tone, and took another sip of her tea, deliberately omitting to mention that the reason for Vivian's move was none other than she herself, the mistress of Greenhall. – When you meet her… If you meet her… You may think her a sweet and kind girl, but always remember what she did to your brother. I will never forgive her for that. And neither should you, Richard. Remember that.

– I don't think that unpleasant person can make me feel anything other than contempt for her," Richard said with a cruel smile.

– Vivian is a beautiful girl. Very pretty," she said quietly, looking intently into her son's eyes. – And if she wishes to charm a man, he cannot resist her charms.

– I am a married man and the father of three children," Richard said in an indifferent tone, rising from the table. – Her charms will not work on me. But if you will excuse me, I intend to go to Kitty's and then fulfil my promise to my son. Albert is crazy about his pony. Sometimes I wish I'd never bought him. – He headed for the exit.

'Anthony used to say the same thing,' Lady Cranford thought with some mockery of her son's self-assured look. – 'But Richard's right: he's a mature man and can read people's souls… And after all, Vivian is married now. It's wonderful. It couldn't be better… But this Wington is young and handsome, and Vivian is now many times richer than I am… Damn her!" – suddenly flashed through her mind, and her soul was filled with discontent: Vivian did not deserve such a high position. But the girl's aunt was sure, that naive and foolish Jeremy could not resist her devilish beauty.

After drinking her tea, Lady Cranford made her way to her sick granddaughter.

– Mr. Cranford! There's mail for you! – Anthony's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a muffled female voice outside the door of his chambers.

– Come in! – Anthony said loudly, and having finished the last lines of the letter, leaned back in his chair and reread it.

– Your mail, sir! – The maid put the two letters on the table and hurried away.

Anthony glimpsed the letters brought to him and decided to read them later in the evening, for at that moment his thoughts were occupied with the unexpected news of Vivian's marriage to his best friend.