Mary was relieved to notice the Drawing Room was empty. She simply wasn't prepared to listen to another lecture about what she had done. She made her way over to the window, only to see Aunt Rosamund sitting quietly in the corner, reading. Mary wondered for a moment if Rosamund simply hadn't notice her, but after standing there for a moment, she realised that Aunt Rosamund had simply chosen to acknowledge her presence. Mary waited uncomfortably in the pointed silence. She did not like the feeling of being ignored.

"Where is Mama and Papa?"

Rosamund did not respond. After a few seconds, she turned a page.

Mary tried again.

"How long until lunch?" she asked.

This time Aunt Rosamund didn't even turn a page.

"I'm thinking of taking George for a walk later,"

Silence still.

Finally, Mary snapped.

"Look. If this is about Edith-"

"Of course it is about Edith!" Rosamund's head whipped up.

Mary resisted the urge to recoil, disconcerted by the look in her Aunt's eye. It was a fury so unlike the one she had seen in Tom's eyes. Her eyes were completely cold. There was no passion. There was no disappointment. No sign that she even saw Mary as a human being, let alone her niece. She looked at Mary as though she were a bug in need of squashing. A stain to be cleaned. A pesky obstacle to a happy ending that Rosamund was all too willing to push aside.

"Well, can someone please listen to me and understand that I had no idea-"

"Are you really trying to excuse yourself Mary?" Rosamund asked softly.

Rosamund stood. Mary felt her knees grow weak and had to sit down.

"Do you really think there is anything you can say to me," Rosamund continued in a cold calm voice, "that would make me think of you with anything but contempt"

Mary pursed her lips, "What makes you believe that I care about what you think ?" she snapped.

"You're right," Rosamund continued on a polite, calm voice, "why should you care how I think? But if Matthew and Sybil saw you now," Rosamund said carefully, "how do you think they would feel?"

Mary had nothing to say.