The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Independence of Claire, by
Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey

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Title: The Independence of Claire

Author: Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey

Release Date: April 16, 2007 [EBook #21098]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE INDEPENDENCE OF CLAIRE ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

The Independence of Claire

By Mrs George de Horne Vaizey
________________________________________________________________________
This is a rather typical Horne Vaizey book, about the life led by young
well-brought-up women in Edwardian times. Worries about money, about
who to marry, whether to go or not to parties to be given by elderly
hostesses, about clothes, about hair-styles, and even, as so often in
this author's books, with a bit of illness thrown in as well.

There's a time when Claire seems on the way to making a big mistake, but
it all gets sorted out in the end. Make an audiobook of this book -
that is probably the best way to enjoy it.
________________________________________________________________________
THE INDEPENDENCE OF CLAIRE

BY MRS. GEORGE DE HORNE VAIZEY

CHAPTER ONE.

"I'LL HAVE TO DO IT."

Claire Gifford stood in the salon of the Brussels pension which had been
her home for the last three years, and bent her brows in consideration
of an all-absorbing problem. "Can I marry him?" she asked herself once
and again, with the baffling result that every single time her brain
answered instantly, "_You must_!" the while her heart rose up in
rebellion, and cried, "I won't!" Many girls have found themselves in
the same predicament before and since, but few have had stronger reasons
for sacrificing personal inclination on the altar of filial duty than
Claire knew at this minute.

To begin with, the relationship between herself and her mother was more
intimate than is usually the case, for Claire was an only child, and
Mrs Gifford a widow only eighteen years older than herself. Briefly
stated, the family history was as follows--Eleanor Guyther had been the
only child of stern, old-world parents, and at seventeen had run away
from the house which h