The Bird has got wings - стр. 25
Vivian played the part of an indifferent stone. She was not, alas, a rock, but a beautiful rose in a greenhouse that was too hot for her. And though this rose had thorns, the owner of the greenhouse had managed to blunt them and scorch the bright delicate petals of his precious flower. But Vivian was too proud to complain about the mental and physical suffering, and to question her own choices.
"I will open his eyes to the fact that his love brings me only suffering," thought the girl every time, when, having quenched his passion, Jeremy turned away from her and fell asleep, and she lay on her back and cried silently. – Perhaps he doesn't realise that there is nothing in common between me and the whores he partied with before we were married. Tomorrow, when he wakes up, I'll tell him that. I'll be sure to tell him that."
The days flew by, and Vivian never found the strength to carry out her plan, but instead kept getting up early in the morning to close herself in the library and go into deep, unfulfilling thoughts.
Fortunately, since the unfortunate hunt on which Jeremy had ordered his wife to bring him a dead fox, he no longer insisted that Vivian accompany him when he wished to spend the day hunting. And these hours were manna from heaven to the girl, which, alas, passed and plunged her again into the horror of the marital bed and the strong, painful fingers clutching her neck and wrists and the demanding hard lips.
– Not beatings, but bruises on your body, my dear cousin," Anthony said coldly. His good humour was gone.
– Come on," Vivian said. – He's just a naughty boy who sometimes plays too much with his favourite toy.
– 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.