– 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.

"They must have kept their affair hidden for a long time. I remember what that cunning man said, that my cousin, though good, was too poor for him. He was lying, that cunning man! – Anthony blew thoughtfully on the ink, and realising that he was in no condition to reread his letter to his cousin, he put the paper on the table, rose to his feet, and went to the window. – But then why had Vivian insisted all this time that she wished to be the Duke of Nightingale's consort? She was so assertive! Anthony, you fool, isn't it obvious? She was deceiving you into believing her! I think it was all old man Wington's fault, and the couple were afraid that if he found out about their affair, he would disinherit Jeremy… My friend couldn't do that, so he waited until his father died… Clever! And yet… Vivian was deceiving me. – He grinned bitterly. – And I believed her with all my heart. But did Charlotte know about her friend and Jeremy's affair? They're so close. No. I don't think so. Charlotte's too naive to keep such secrets," he pondered, looking out over the beautiful green Devry Park. – I need to get Vivian or Jeremy to tell me the truth. But not in a letter. In person. When I get back to London – the first thing I'll do will be to visit the newlyweds."

Having made up his mind, young Cranford returned to his desk, looked longingly at the fresh mail, and, without reading the address of the senders, hid the letters in his desk drawer.

"And what kind of a fool decides to tie his letter with yarn? – He thought grudgingly as he headed for Kitty's room to visit her and play one of the children's board games with her. – It must be Jeremy who decided to play a joke on me, as if his sudden marriage to my cousin wasn't enough!"

After spending time with Kitty until noon, Anthony insisted that she try to get at least a little sleep and, at Victoria's request, went with her to the children's studio to draw pictures. Victoria, the middle daughter of the Count of Cranford, a girl of ten, looked like her father: she was dark-haired and blue-eyed. She was of a calm, mild temperament, and she hardly ever gave her parents any trouble or hurt either by her actions or her speech. This girl knew that all the inheritance would go to her elder brother, for her mother reminded her of this every day, so Victoria worked hard to become a real lady. Cranford forced her daughter to spend hours playing the piano and harp, as well as learn Spanish, German and French languages, which were fluent in the parents themselves. In the future Victoria had to make a worthy match – so said her mother, and her father added that her future spouse will have to have a title not lower than viscount. Victoria tried with all her childish strength to meet the expectations of her beloved parents, but when Uncle Anthony and Grandmother Beatrice came to visit, the girl could distract herself from her daily activities and become a child again. In turn, the uncle and grandmother did everything so that this little lady could enjoy her childhood and fill her heart with warm memories.

– Uncle Anthony, when are you going to get married? – Victoria asked thoughtfully, diligently tracing a pencil on the expensive snow-white paper.

– What an interesting question, my little lady," Anthony smiled at her. He, too, was drawing, but, absorbed in thoughts of Vivian and Jeremy, was not watching his sharply sharpened pencil. – Are you curious to know? Alas, I have no answer to that question myself. But I hope I shall soon be taking a kind and nightingale-voiced girl to the wedding.

– The girl you drew? – The girl asked, and stretched out her neck to get a better view of her uncle's drawing.

Surprised by her niece's question, Anthony looked closely at his drawing and saw that the girl was right: a female figure was clearly drawn on the white paper. And it was not the figure of the fragile Vivian, whom Anthony was sure he was madly in love with. The girl in the drawing looked like Miss Charlotte Salton: high voluminous breasts, strong arms, a beautiful, somewhat puffy face, and broad dark eyebrows. On the girl's outstretched arm sat a small, graceful nightingale.

And then Anthony realised: he loved. But not Vivian, no. Not so long ago he had been ready to sacrifice his future for her, but suddenly he realised that now his heart belonged to Charlotte. The same "good fat girl", the same rich bride. The very girl whose singing made his heart sink sweetly, and whose soul was filled with sincere admiration and adoration for her talent.