– Does he think you're his toy? Or is it you who assures yourself of that? – Anthony smiled wryly.
– Please, don't start a scandal. I just expressed myself wrongly," the girl replied in a bored tone. She came up to her cousin and, taking him under her elbow, looked into his eyes and smiled softly: "But let's go for a walk in the garden. I'm sure you have many interesting questions for me, don't you?
– Exactly. And one of them is: "Why are your arms and neck full of bruises? Is Jeremy hurting you? Let me talk to him man to man," Anthony said in a softer tone.
My dear brave knight, I assure you that those unpleasant-looking blue marks on my skin are the marks of marital passion," Vivian whispered in her cousin's ear, and laughed when she saw how crimson his face had become.
– Well, in that case, I will not insist on my interference," he said quietly after a pause.
The cousins left the chambers and walked slowly down the long corridor.
– But tell me, why have you forgotten your best friend? – young Cranford asked, remembering Charlotte's letter.
– Did she write to you? – Mrs. Wington replied in a faint voice. – What exactly did she tell you?
– That you have not seen her for two months, that she misses you, but that without realising it, or perhaps even on purpose, you are pushing her away from you.
– No, no, she's wrong… I miss her too… Anthony, you have no idea how much I miss my funny, kind Charlotte," Vivian sighed, but, anticipating more questions from him, continued: – But the last few months have been unbearable, with migraines following me almost every day! And this unnecessary cold I don't need? And the heat? I could not leave the house except to go into the garden, let alone visit Charlotte.
– She was ready to come to you herself," Anthony said, completely unsatisfied with his cousin's story.
– But how would I have accepted her when the only thing that saved me was my bed and wet towels? – shrugged her shoulders. – What would poor Charlotte think if she saw what you saw? I'll tell you, she would have been mistaken in believing that I had married a tyrant.
– Are you so afraid that you cannot convince her otherwise that you hide from her like a hen in her henhouse? – grinned young Cranford.
– What a flattering comparison! – Vivian giggled playfully. – By the way, have you heard that Lady Marlborough's daughter Alexandra is now engaged to a German nobleman? All London is talking about it!