Moreover, even if Vivian was ordinary, for their Aunt Julie's sake they would still praise her.

Of course, Vivian couldn't tell them the truth about the adoption--that Maria was adopted as Vivian's replacement to marry a cripple.

She said slowly, “Maria was an orphan from the small town my father comes from. My father adopted her because he felt pity for her. It's probably because my sister is a Little old that she found it difficult to cultivate a relationship with my parents. Although she has been adopted for a while now, she has never been close to us."

Rosalind was puzzled.

“If a family lives under the same roof, is it still difficult to cultivate a relationship?"