Vivian brushed away a few drops of sweat from her high, white forehead with her fingers. Like all redheads, her delicate skin turned red and sometimes blistered at the slightest contact with the sun's rays. But she should always remain dazzling, because the girl knew the bitter truth: if you are poor, beauty is your only wealth.
– Don't forget your hat, my dear cousin. In this heat, in the sun, without a hat, you may get sick. – Suddenly she heard the voice of her cousin Mr. Cranford behind her.
– Alas, my favourite hat is gone: it was blown away by the wind while I was admiring the sea," she replied, with a slight annoyance at her embarrassment. She did not turn round to Anthony: he was of little interest to her, both as a man and as a prospective bridegroom. There was no need for her to put her charms to work.
– It must be a great loss. You girls always take the loss of even easily replaceable things to heart," Anthony smiled. He had come up to his cousin and could now admire the profile of her face.
– You are right, dear cousin: we girls are so frivolous," said Vivian out of politeness, but not out of any desire to keep the conversation going, still without dignifying her cousin with a glance.
– What a beautiful bouquet. Did you make it? – Anthony asked: he was too shrewd not to notice his cousin's indifference to him. But he mistook it for fatigue: the beautiful guest had spent many hours in the carriage, and naturally it had taken its toll on her health.
– That's right, dear cousin, I'll do it myself," Vivian answered him, as she bent to pick a large red rosebud, but pricked her finger on the sharp thorns and gave an involuntary shriek.
– Allow me. – Anthony carefully plucked the bud she had chosen and held it out to her cousin. She accepted it readily.
Their fingers touched, and Vivian, without knowing why, blushed.
"How sweet and modest she is," went through Anthony's mind.
– Thank you, Mr. Cranford," Vivian said quietly, and added a rose to her bouquet.
– I don't think I would be wrong in assuming that you like flowers," her cousin suddenly smiled broadly.
"So what of it?" – the girl thought unhappily, but said aloud: – How can one not love flowers? Is there anyone who is completely indifferent to these beautiful creatures?