Rivals for Love Read Free Page A

herself at the London Season.
    They now finished their tea, Elva having enjoyed a good number of the delicious treats provided by cook, the redoubtable Mrs. Medway, who had been at The Towers for over thirty years.
    â€œWill you be staying with us, Aunt Violet?” asked Elva.
    â€œI would love to do so if you will have me,” she answered, “but I do have to return back to London early tomorrow morning as your cousin, Varin, whom you may remember, has particularly asked to see me.”
    Elva looked puzzled for a moment.
    â€œOh, you mean the Duke of Sparkbrook. I saw he had just come into the title. What is he like?”
    â€œHe is an amusing and charming gentleman,” said Lady Violet, “and of course the family are very anxious now he is the head of the family that he should marry.”
    â€œIs there any hurry for him?” asked Elva. “How old is he?”
    â€œHe must be about thirty and I find him delightful. But like you he enjoys travelling abroad and up to now has not spent a great deal of time in England.”
    â€œI think he sounds very sensible,” remarked Elva. “When you are telling Papa that I have returned home and mean to stay at home, will you also make it absolutely clear to him that I have no intention of being pressed into marriage.”
    She accentuated the word ‘no’ and then added,
    â€œCousin Muriel, who has been chaperoning me, made it obvious that she expected me to acquire a large number of proposals and to accept one of them before the end of June!”
    Lady Violet’s lips tightened.
    She had always felt Cousin Muriel to be a rather tiresome woman. But she had not imagined she would be quite so foolish as to press the idea of marriage on Elva the moment she had left the schoolroom.
    As if she sensed what her aunt was thinking, Elva continued,
    â€œYou must not really blame Cousin Muriel. She is obsessed with the idea that everyone in the family must make a grand marriage of some sort.”
    She gave a little laugh as she carried on,
    â€œWhen I told her I had no intention of marrying anyone, she almost had a stroke!”
    â€œDid you really say that, Elva? But of course you did not mean it.”
    â€œI did mean it,” said Elva firmly. “I do not intend to marry anyone unless by a miracle I met someone, as you did, who wants to travel abroad and who, of course, loves me as much as I would love him.”
    â€œI was so very lucky,” admitted Lady Violet and I am sure, dearest, that you will find someone you love. But he is not likely to be sitting here in a cabbage field, nor will he drop down the chimney. You just have to be circulating in the Social world to meet such a man.”
    Elva laughed.
    â€œI do not believe you meet anyone intelligent in those stuffy ballrooms. The majority of men attend the balls simply to enjoy some good food and plenty of drink without having to pay for it.”
    Lady Violet looked shocked.
    â€œYou must not make those sorts of remarks, Elva. People would be horrified if they heard you.”
    â€œThey will not hear me if I remain here, but they will hear me if I am in London!”
    There was really no answer to this remark and after a quiet moment Lady Violet said,
    â€œThe parties which are given for debutantes are to enable them to meet many eligible and charming bachelors amongst whom, if they are lucky, will be someone they want to marry.”
    â€œThat is the way you describe it, Aunt Violet, but Cousin Muriel is very different. She said to me, ‘you are a very pretty girl and you have money of your own, which is a great advantage. You must now marry someone with an important title to give you a place in Society that all your friends will envy’.”
    Elva mimicked Cousin Muriel’s voice as she spoke and Lady Violet could not help but burst out laughing.
    Equally she considered it was a great mistake that such a comment had been made to Elva.
    She