Rivals for Love by Barbara Cartland Page A

the pistol.
    â€œIt is so light,” she remarked, “and I can see it is beautifully made.”
    â€œThe little enamel box beside it holds the bullets. I think the Empress, if she ever owned it, would have kept it by her bedside so she could protect herself.”
    Elva was looking at the pistol intently.
    â€œPlease, Aunt Violet, let me take this pistol with me to Russia.”
    Lady Violet looked surprised.
    â€œI cannot believe that you will want to use it, my dear.”
    â€œOne never knows,” replied Elva. “I would feel so much safer if I took a pistol with me and the duelling pistol I have been using at home is so big I would have to hide it.”
    â€œCan you really shoot, Elva?”
    â€œI asked Papa to allow me to be trained to shoot, but he refused because I was not a boy. So whenever he was away I practised with his guns and with a duelling pistol, which you know are kept in the games room at home.”
    â€œAnd how good are you with a pistol?” enquired Lady Violet.
    â€œI can hit the bull’s eye three times out of four,” Elva told her proudly. “And I am very angry with myself if I miss.”
    Lady Violet hesitated for a moment.
    â€œIf you promise to be very careful and not shoot anyone by mistake, I will allow you to borrow my little pistol if it will make you feel safer. Which you will be anyway with Cousin Varin.”
    â€œHe might not always be around, and thank you, thank you, Aunt Violet, for being so kind. I will be very careful with your pistol.”
    â€œAnd very careful who you shoot with it!”
    â€œI promise that too.”
    She picked up the pistol and the little box with the bullets. She thought it was very kind of her dear aunt to lend it to her.
    She kissed Lady Violet on the cheek.
    â€œThank you, thank you, again! Now if Cousin Varin goes gallivanting off after some lovely lady, I shall feel safe even if I am left alone in a big Palace with no one near me.”
    â€œI hope he will do nothing of the sort,” said Lady Violet sharply. “And you must further promise me that you will not do anything dangerous yourself. Remember Russia is not like other countries. Edward would never let me be alone wherever we stayed in that country.”
    Then she gave an exclamation.
    â€œOh, I forgot you will have a chaperone with you! I only hope she remembers her duties.”
    Elva knew that this was dangerous ground.
    â€œI am sure she will,” she said briefly. “And thank you again, my dear Aunt Violet. I will now go and pack this beautiful pistol in my luggage.”
    She hurried back to her room, thinking that she too kept forgetting there was a mythical chaperone they were supposed to be picking up at Tilbury.
    Elva only hoped the Duke would not forget about her as well!
    Because she was leaving so early the next morning she retired to bed early, but found it difficult to go to sleep because she was so excited.
    She had dreamt so often that she was setting out on a voyage of discovery – only to awaken and find she was still in her familiar bed in a room she had slept in ever since she was a child.
    She had never even thought of going to Russia, but to far more distant places.
    Now she was actually setting off on a voyage in the strangest and most unpredictable way.
    She was travelling with her cousin of whom she was rather frightened.
    â€˜He is so clever, so distinguished and so positive about whatever he likes and dislikes,’ she thought. ‘I am bound to upset him sooner or later.’
    Then she told herself calmly that one thing he could not do, however tiresome she might be, was to get rid of her.
    â€˜At least I am useful until we leave St. Petersburg,’ she murmured.
    She wanted to dance with joy because it was all so exciting.
    *
    She was called at half past five the next morning and rose immediately. She had suggested that Aunt Violet should not to bother to come and say goodbye to