Rivals for Love Read online

  She thought as she spoke the darkness was being swept away from Lady Violet’s eyes. She looked brighter and less worried.

  It was then Elva realised that she was holding a trump card.

  It was really what her father would think which was primarily worrying her aunt.

  “Papa will surely not be back for at least two or three weeks,” she piped up. “So if I write to him and you write to him as well, he will not ask any questions until he actually returns. By that time I will be on my way home.”

  She looked at the Duke as she spoke.

  Almost as if she was compelling him to speak up he said,

  “It is of course a possibility – ”

  Lady Violet was about to submit in what she was beginning to feel was a hopeless battle.

  “Very well,” she conceded. “I will agree to this fantastic idea simply because I think it will help Varin and Varin, of course, must assist the Prime Minister of England if it is at all possible for him to do so. But it must be as short a visit as you can possibly manage, Varin, and you and your elderly friend must look after Elva and see that she does not get into mischief or in any way besmirch her reputation.”

  “She will not do so, Violet, and I do promise you I will protect her from any unpleasantness there might be, although I cannot imagine what it could possibly be.”

  Lady Violet gave a little sigh.

  “You do not know the Russians. The unexpected always happens there, but perhaps you two will be lucky.”

  “Very well,” the Duke became decisive. “I will go and make arrangements for my yacht to be moored in the Thames below the House of Commons and my friend will be waiting for us at Tilbury.”

  For a moment Elva could hardly believe that she had won.

  She gave a cry of delight.

  “I am going abroad! I am really going abroad! After all these years of reading and dreaming about it, longing to be a traveller, I am really going! Oh, thank you, thank you! I am the happiest girl in the world!”

  She clasped her hands together and looked very lovely as she did so.

  Lady Violet glanced at the Duke.

  She was half afraid she would see in his eyes that small look of admiration that was usually the beginning of something more serious.

  He was in fact looking at his watch!

  “As I have so much to achieve, I think the sooner we are on our way the better. We can leave the day after tomorrow.”

  “That is a very good idea,” replied Lady Violet. “Cousin Muriel will not be aware that Elva has returned to London and will think she is still in the country.”

  “Elva must be aboard my yacht at seven o’clock on Wednesday morning,” the Duke now stipulated. “The Sea Horse will be ready to sail as soon as we appear and no one – and this is important – but no one must have the slightest idea that we are leaving the country, much less that we are heading for Russia.”

  “We will make sure of it,” promised Lady Violet. “I am sorry, Varin, I have had to involve you in all these troubles and difficulties just when you expected something very different from me.”

  “I think perhaps, my dear Violet, you have saved me from serious problems,” smiled the Duke. “In fact I am most grateful to you.”

  He bent and kissed her cheek before walking to the door.

  “Goodbye Elva. Please do not forget that from the moment you step on board, you travel as my wife. And as a Duchess I expect you to behave with great propriety and dignity.”

  “I hope that Your Grace will not be disappointed,” replied Elva in a humble voice.

  The Duke left them closing the door quietly behind him.

  Elva threw her arms round her aunt’s neck.

  “Thank you, thank you so much, Aunt Violet,” she enthused. “Only you could be so sensible and realise how wonderful it is for me and very important as well – for His Grace, the Duke.”

  She spoke the last few words rather mockingly and Lady Violet scolded her,

  “Please, Elva, behave properly. It is essential that Varin should not be mixed up in anything that is at all frivolous or, in this particular case, deliberately deceive a foreign Royalty.”

  “I am really going to behave just beautifully, Aunt Violet, so that when I do return every Duke in the country will want to marry me because I have become their ideal perfect Duchess!”

  Lady Violet laughed loudly as if she could not help it.

  “I can only hope that you keep your word and your promise, Elva, and do not forget that you represent our country. If you blot your copybook, it will reflect not so much on you as on Varin.”

  “I am aware of that and I promise I will wave the Union Jack from the first thing in the morning to last thing at night!”

  Lady Violet chortled.

  At the same time she felt that she had somehow become involved in a situation which might turn out to be extremely dangerous.

  Not only to her two relations who were taking part in the masquerade.

  But in respect of the impression they might create in another country which for the moment was at peace with England.

  CHAPTER THREE

  The Duke was announced and entered the study.

  The Prime Minister rose immediately and held out his hand.

  “Good morning, Varin. Please do not tell me you have changed your mind.”

  “Very nearly, William,” replied the Duke, “but I think I have found a solution to a very difficult problem.”

  The Prime Minister looked surprised.

  “What has happened? When you left me yesterday I was certain that you were more than happy to travel to St. Petersburg.”

  “I went to visit my cousin, Lady Violet Grange, to seek her views,” answered the Duke.

  “Surely no one could advise you better. I have a deep respect not only for your dear lovely cousin, but also for her husband, Edward.”

  “I do know, William, but the first thing she said to me was that I could not go to St. Petersburg.”

  The Prime Minister looked astonished.

  “You could not go?” he repeated quietly. “Why ever not?”

  “Because I am tall, dark and handsome!”

  The Prime Minster looked bewildered as the Duke explained,

  “Apparently that is just what the Empress prefers and in fact insists upon.”

  The Prime Minister gave a gasp and then he said,

  “To be honest that thought had never occurred to me, but I do see what Lady Violet means.”

  “I should have thought that the Empress would be content with whoever she has ensnared at the moment, but it seems that anyone who looks at all like me attracts her attention and considering just who she is, it is almost impossible to say no to her.”

  The Prime Minister put his hand on his forehead.

  “I must be extremely stupid not to have thought of that.”

  “I was remembering in the night,” continued the Duke, “that when we were studying at Cambridge together we attended a lecturer who spoke to us about Russia. Do you remember?”

  “I think so,” the Prime Minister replied vaguely. “What particularly did he say?”

  “He was talking about how spiteful and vengeful Russians could be if they were offended in any way. He told us about the Empress Anna who was a very plain and unpleasant woman whom no one liked.”

  “I remember the lecture now. Do go on, Varin.”

  “Apparently,” the Duke continued, “Prince Michael Gallitzin had offended her by refusing to do something she demanded and he also infuriated her by marrying a Roman Catholic.”

  “Now I am just beginning to recall the story,” the Prime Minister murmured.

  “The Prince made a further mistake by becoming a Catholic himself. The Empress next commanded him to be her page, but that was only the beginning.”

  “I remember now,” interrupted the Prime Minister, “and she built an elaborate Ice Palace at a cost of seven thousand pounds!”

  “That’s right, William,
and when the Prince’s wife died, she ordered the unfortunate widower to marry again this time to a bride of her own choice.”

  “Who was hideous!”

  “Exactly,” agreed the Duke. “The Empress had commanded the Provincial Governors to each send the ugliest female representative they could find of the native race they were governing.”

  “I remember the lecturer telling us,” the Prime Minister was now warming to the conversation, “that the representatives all travelled to the wedding in barbarous equipages drawn by pigs, dogs and goats!”

  “That is indeed right and the wretched bridal pair were forced to travel to the Church in a cage on the back of an elephant!”

  “It is too ridiculous to even think about!” the Prime Minister exclaimed.

  “You may recall there was more to come,” added the Duke. “The couple were forced to sit on a dais and watch the merry-making at the reception. When the party was over they were ordered into the Ice Palace, stripped naked and made to spend the night in a bedroom in which all the furniture was made entirely of ice. Guards were placed at the doors to prevent them from escaping.”

  “I now recollect the story only too well,” the Prime Minister said laughing. “Do you really think something like that might happen to you, Varin?”

  “According to dear cousin Violet it might indeed,” the Duke answered, “and it is something I can assure you I am not going to risk under any circumstances.”

  The Prime Minister was silent for a moment.

  “You mean that you will not go to Russia for me, Varin?”

  “I will travel to Russia, but in a manner which demands complete secrecy between you, me and Violet.”

  The Prime Minister, who had been beginning to look depressed, brightened up a little.

  “What do you mean?” he demanded.

  “I mean I shall be travelling ostensibly with my ‘wife’, the Duchess of Sparkbrook.”

  The Prime Minister stared at him.

  “Your wife?” he queried.

  “I did say my wife, William. We shall be on our honeymoon and I cannot believe that a Russian Empress, extraordinary and insatiable though she may be, would try to separate a bridegroom from his bride the moment they are married.”

  “It is a brilliant idea of yours, Varin. But what woman could you ever trust not to tell the story when she returned home? It undoubtedly could cause a grave and serious diplomatic incident between us and Russia.”

  The Duke now smiled as if he was delighted to be perplexing his friend.

  “I know someone who will pretend to be my wife,” he said, “and who I assure you will never breathe a word of anything because it could ruin her reputation.”

  “Who can this paragon of virtue be?” enquired the Prime Minister.

  “Actually she is a cousin of mine, the daughter of the Earl of Chartham, who of course you know.”

  “He made such an excellent speech in the House of Lords a month or so ago, but I did not realise he had a daughter.”

  “That is not surprising as she is eighteen and has only just made her debut into Society.”

  “And you would actually trust her to play the part of your wife,” the Prime Minister asked in an incredulous tone, “knowing that if she broke her silence, it would hurt you badly? And if she did so the only reparation you could make would be to offer her marriage?”

  “I thought that was just what you were thinking, William, but actually Elva – that is her name – is having a row with her father because she has no intention of becoming married, as most debutantes are expected to do, by the end of the Season.”

  “Then she must be one in a million,” chuckled the Prime Minister. “I thought every debutante’s dream was to become a Duchess.”

  “Elva is an exception,” responded the Duke. “Like me, she wishes to remain single and as I have said to you before, ‘he who travels fastest travels alone’.”

  “It depends where you are travelling to,” the Prime Minister came back quickly. “In this case apparently you cannot travel at all to Russia alone.”

  The Duke laughed before settling himself more comfortably into his chair.

  “Well, that is my proposition, William. You will cover up my pretence of being a married man, and if I appear married in St. Petersburg it is very unlikely that anyone in England will become aware of it.”

  “That I grant you is true,” replied the Prime Minister hesitantly.

  “Otherwise, according to Violet it will be quite impossible for me to travel to Russia unless I wear a mask!”

  “I should think that would be most uncomfortable, Varin. Even a false moustache and spectacles would look strange!”

  “That is definitely something I will refuse to try,” smiled the Duke. “Although I grant you that we are taking a small risk, I can honestly see no reason why we should not get away with it.”

  “I would not agree with you unless I was desperate to find out what Prince Potemkin has in his mind,” said the Prime Minister. “If you can bring me back anything that would clear the air just a little I should be overwhelmingly grateful.”

  “Then I suppose as an old friend and a patriot I must do my best.”

  “I swear to you, Varin, that nothing you have told me here in this office will be repeated outside. What we will now have to do is notify the Ambassador that you are arriving in your yacht and leave it up to him to organise suitable accommodation for you.”

  “Which must be comfortable,” asserted the Duke.

  “I promise you that I will insist on it, Varin. When are you thinking of leaving?”

  “If possible the day after tomorrow as the less I hang around in London the better.”

  “I do understand, Varin, that you will find certain goodbyes of the ‘do not forget me after I have left’ variety somewhat uncomfortable.”

  “If you are referring to the lady whom you spoke about the other day, – the curtain has already fallen!”

  The Prime Minister threw up his hands.

  “I knew it would! Is it possible for you, Varin, not to be bored so very easily? I only hope the vessel which carries you to Russia will be swift!”

  “As it is my own yacht, I can indeed assure you that there is nothing swifter on the sea at the moment.”

  “Give me a chance so the sloop that I shall send to St. Petersburg ahead of you arrives first,” said the Prime Minister. “In fact I will send it off immediately with one of my most trustworthy officials aboard.”

  “I am beginning to suspect, William, that you are making sure I don’t change my mind!”

  The Prime Minister smiled.

  “It did pass through my mind, I must admit, and I can only hope that your pretend wife will not bore you to such an extent that you return home almost before you reach Russian soil!”

  “I will try to stay at least twenty-four hours,” the Duke replied sardonically.

  He was now teasing the Prime Minister, who threw up his hands in mock despair.

  “Nothing surprises me. But one thing I do know, Varin, is that you have never failed me yet. You have always found for me the information I require, and usually a great deal more than I ever anticipated.”

  “I do so hope that epitaph will be written on my tombstone,” chortled the Duke. “At the moment I have an anxiety to live and to see something of Russia as well!”

  “I can only hope that you will not be disappointed, my dear Varin, when the time comes.”

  The Duke rose to his feet.

  “Now for Heaven’s sake, William, do not allow anyone to gain the slightest suspicion of our plans. As I shall be travelling on my own yacht, I shall instruct the Captain, who will of course inform the crew, that my recent marriage must remain a secret because my bride is in mourning, and should be wearing black and taking part in no festivities for at least a year.”

  The Prime Minister nodded his head.

  “That is certainly a good point and sounds reasonable.”

  “My crew have all
been with me for a long time,” continued the Duke, “and I can trust them not to talk either in Russia or when they return to England.”

  “I wish I could say the same of all the functionaries who work for me,” the Prime Minister humbly admitted. “Somehow sooner or later there is always a leak and usually we don’t have the slightest idea where it has come from.”

  “That does indeed sound dismal, William, but as you well know, everyone is saying you are as good a Prime Minister as your father and no man could ask for more.”

  “Thank you so much for the compliment Varin. It is something I pray is true and all I can say is that I do my best.”

  “Which is very much better than anyone else’s.”

  The Duke held out his hand.

  “Wish me luck, William, and I will do everything I can to uncover everything you desire to know.”

  “I am more grateful than I can possibly put into words, my old friend. When you first told me of what you were warned might happen in St. Petersburg, I reckoned despairingly you would throw in your hand.”

  “I think I would have, if it had not been for my cousin Elva. I know most young women would consider this escapade an excellent means of forcing me up the aisle, but she has no intention of marrying anyone, so we have that sentiment, if nothing else, in common.”

  “One day you will really fall in love,” the Prime Minister told him, “and then I shall have much pleasure in dancing at your wedding!”

  “If you are not too decrepit by that time to stand on your feet!” retorted the Duke.

  The Prime Minister laughed heartily and together they walked towards the door.

  “God Bless you, Varin. Take very good care of yourself and thank you once again.”

  “Thank me when I return with the goods and until then let us hope there is not an Ice Palace waiting for me!”

  “Heaven forbid!”

  The Duke departed and the Prime Minister rang the bell on his table.

  When it was answered he gave quick and precise orders that the fastest sloop in the Royal Navy was to depart immediately for St. Petersburg to transport a letter which he was now writing to the British Ambassador.

  *

  The moment the Duke returned to his residence he gave orders for his yacht, of which he was inordinately proud, to be anchored late the next evening at the jetty just below the House of Lords.