Wingless Bird

Vivian, in her soft blue cotton dress, even more beautiful than before, made an indelible impression on the South Balcony, where the Cranford family were already seated at the round, richly laid table. Anthony was dazzled by her, and his mother narrowed her eyes suspiciously, and watched anxiously as her son fell more and more under the insidious spell of her poor relative. At that moment Lady Cranford became even more convinced of her intention to marry off her neglectful niece to the first man who asked for her hand in marriage. Let it be a sickly and toothless ugly old man, if only to get Vivian out of her arms as soon as possible and protect from her the naive Anthony, blinded by her devilish beauty.

Young Cranford hastened to lead his cousin to the table and seated her in a beautifully upholstered chair.

– What a beautiful piece of jewellery," said Lady Cranford in a slightly trembling voice, glancing at her niece's neck.

– Thank you, aunt. I inherited it from my mother," Vivian smiled charmingly at her.

"Dear Lord, does she hurt me on purpose?" – Lady Cranford shuddered in her heart, but answered Vivian with a calm smile, so unsuited to her blue, cold eyes.

Chapter 5

Despite the silent tension that prevailed at lunch, and which all three of them unwittingly felt, the meal passed in a lovely discussion of today's heat, Lady Cranford's magnificent garden, and the latest rumours from the royal palace. However, the conversation then drifted smoothly into a discussion of politics and war, and Vivian, who came from a small remote town, could not keep up that part of the conversation, but caught every word her aunt and cousin said carefully. It was only after a while that Anthony noticed how silent his cousin had become and realised that she simply had nothing to say about the royal family, politics or the war with France. And how could a provincial girl have such knowledge? Feeling annoyed, Anthony tried to turn the conversation in another direction, but his mother stubbornly returned to the topics that interested her and ranted about this or that event.

– 'Mother, our talk of politics and war is tiring our guest,' Anthony finally said bluntly to his mother.

– Is that true, my dear? – Lady Cranford raised her eyebrows, though she could see the bored eyes of her niece, who was fiddling with the gold chain round her neck with her long white fingers.

– Alas, Auntie, I am not good at royal gossip, politics, or war," she answered frankly: she was terribly annoyed at Aunt Beatrice's way of making long monologues about things in which she, Vivian, had no interest. She had been looking forward to hearing the latest news about the season, high society, fashion and dancing, and was now leaning back in her chair, bored out of her mind (which her aunt thought was grossly rude). But on hearing Anthony's words, earnestly desiring to allow her to take part in the conversation again, Vivian levelled her back and smiled gratefully at her cousin, much to her mother's displeasure.

– But then what are you interested in? – Lady Cranford asked in a deliberately surprised tone, as if her niece were an ignorant fool.

– I am interested in more practical things, auntie," Vivian replied politely, but assertively.

– Like what, for instance? – turned to her cousin.

– First of all, I am interested in when and how you plan to introduce me to the world," said the girl, looking intently into Lady Cranford's eyes.

"How tenacious she is! Just arrived, and here she is, already demanding that I put all my affairs aside and devote myself entirely to her debut! – thought her aunt with a slight chuckle. – But it is for the best: the sooner this girl goes out into the world, the sooner she will marry, and her marriage will relieve me of the duty of looking after her.

– You're right, my dear. But let's discuss it later, over afternoon tea in the gazebo by the lake. Besides, I don't think discussing your debut would be an interesting conversation for Anthony: young men are not much interested in such things," Lady Cranford smiled playfully.

– You are right, mother: the last thing in the world I want to hear about your feminine things. Let your feminine secrets remain an unknown universe to me," Anthony laughed softly. – But if the meal is at an end, please forgive me: I have some plans.

– Of course, my dear. We won't detain you," his mother smiled, this time with a perfectly sincere smile. – You may be free too, Vivian: but at seven o'clock sharp I expect you in the gazebo by the lake.

– Thank you, auntie. I shall be in my room: I think I am really tired from the journey. – Vivian rose readily from her chair, made a curtsy, and went to her room.

– 'See you to-night, mother. – Anthony kissed his mother's hand and disappeared from the balcony, leaving Lady Cranford alone.

But she was not bored: her thoughts were somewhere far away, in the past. And her heart clenched with pain and her soul was full of pangs of longing.

Despite the fact that Vivian and Anthony left the South Balcony at the same time, they did not have a long conversation, but only wished each other a good day and went to their rooms. The girl was annoyed at her aunt's neglect of her, and the latter's order to come to the gazebo by the lake even angered her: she, Vivian, was not a servant, but a guest! Her aunt had no right to command her! Behind the beautiful face of the angel hid a fiery burning temperament.

When she reached her chambers, Vivian slammed the door quite loudly, and then threw her white gloves on the red carpet and exclaimed quietly:

– That woman! That wicked prim old woman! I hate her! How long will I have to endure her orders? I wish I could get married soon!

The girl went to the large window and looked out on the stone courtyard where the windows of her chambers actually faced.

"I must write to them. They need to know that I will do everything in my power to make our plan a reality. I won't let them down! – She thought, frowning her eyebrows and playing with her chain with her fingers. – So I must not let on that every word and deed of my heartless aunt hits me like a slap in the face. That woman is the Devil himself in a dress! I'll bear it all, and Lord knows I won't give her the pleasure of seeing me cry!"

Suddenly Miss Cowell's sharp green eyes caught sight of Anthony Cranford in the courtyard: he was striding towards a waiting, new-looking open carriage with a pair of snow-white horses. As if sensing someone's eyes on him, the young aristocrat stopped, turned round and looked up at the window at which his cousin was standing. Not expecting this act of his, Vivian did not immediately find what to do, but smiled and lightly waved at him. Anthony smiled in return, and touched his tall black hat with his fingers, and then deftly jumped into the carriage, which immediately drove him to the great iron gates leading from Greenhall to the centre of the town.

"My cousin is so gallant… And just how did my cruel aunt have such a marvellous son?" – Vivian thought as she looked at the carriage.

There was a knock at the door.

The girl took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure, and once again hid her true feelings behind a dazzling smile.

– Come in! – she said.

Jane entered the chambers.

– I apologise, Miss Vivian, for disturbing you. I only wanted to know if you needed anything.

– How good of you to be here! – Vivian said sincerely: in this big, dead house Jane's maid was almost the only flame of warmth that warmed her soul. – I wouldn't mind a hot bath. Oh, and bring me a couple of blank sheets of paper, ink and a quill: I must write home.