Wingless Bird - стр. 27

"If I were a faun – I'd chase you everywhere, all eternity, my sweet cousin," ran through Anthony's mind, and he chuckled faintly at this embarrassing thought of his. – What does mythology say? What pleasures come when a faun captures a nymph in his embrace? If you only knew, red-haired lovely, how eager I am for your caresses, you would not tease me with images that make me burn with the flames of lust!"

But neither Vivian nor Lady Cranford noticed his sneer.

– And you, auntie? What would you dress up as? – The girl asked.

Lady Cranford smiled: now that she was sure that Anthony had no romantic feelings for her cousin, and that she had none for him, the shadow in her heart was gone, and her niece no longer seemed an ungrateful adventuress.

– What an interesting question! – replied the Countess readily. – I think I would order myself a costume of Artemis.

– Artemis? – Anthony interjected. – You wouldn't mind using a bow and arrow as well, would you?

– You may be surprised, my dear, but before I was married I was very fond of hunting, and often hunted in my father's grounds," his mother said, her blue eyes shining with a soft light. – I had my black Arabian horse, a gift from my father for my fifteenth birthday, saddled for me almost every day. Shadow was the name of my horse, and he was the fastest and quickest horse in all England.

– Why did you stop hunting? – The fact that his mother was a keen hunter was a revelation to young Cranford, for up to that moment he had been convinced that her heart was too soft to kill defenceless animals. He could not recall a single occasion when his mother wished to hunt, so he hunted at first with his elder brother, and when the latter married and left London, Anthony went out hunting alone or with friends.

– Your father forbade me. He thought hunting was unladylike," said Lady Cranford sullenly. The light in her eyes faded and her lips turned into a thin line.

– I didn't know father was so adamant," said Anthony thoughtfully. – I always thought there was peace and quiet and respect between you two.

– Marriage is not an easy thing, my son. When you are married to a pretty girl, you will realise that marriage and family are perpetual give-and-take. And even if you want something badly enough, you can't always get it. – Talking about the past was not to the Countess's liking, and she wished to interrupt the conversation on the subject. – But, Vivian, tell us about your impressions of London. I am anxious to hear how you found it.

– Oh, Auntie, London is wonderful! I am so glad and grateful to you for allowing me to come! I shall never forget your kindness," smiled the girl.

"I hope you won't forget it when we find you a suitable spouse" – thought her aunt, but said aloud:

– 'You are not to be thanked, my dear. You are my sister's daughter, and how could I refuse the help of my own blood?

– Mother, your kindness has no bounds," said Anthony earnestly.

– 'You flatter me, my son.

– Not at all. Do you agree with me, dear cousin?

– Your son is right, aunty: you have such a good heart! – Vivian replied, but the words were false, for in her heart she thought her aunt was a tyrant and a despot. But she could not tell the Cranfords, could she? Where it was necessary to lie for the sake of achieving a goal, Miss Cowell was prepared to lie and express feigned admiration.