" In the first decades of the twentieth century, London contained quite a number of distinguished, grey-haired bachelors who owed their celibacy to Mrs Varden Cocks. In her youth she had refused offers of marriage from most of them and they found themselves unale to choose again when she tardily but finally dashed their several ambitions by selecting Varden. Indeed they almost gloried in their shackles, for this lady had reached, at forty-seven, the very zenith of her attractions. She was excessively handsome in the liberal style of the First Empire, and endowed with a wit in keeping with her appearance. She talked a great deal, in a rich, temperamental contralto, and had fine eyes which spoke for her in her rare silences. Her photographs were seldom successful since few of her friends were aquainted with her face in repose."
*****
I fell in love with the humour in this opening paragraph which I read when I first bought the book and now I'm halfway through am happy to say it is living up to the promise of its opening.
What do you think? Would you keep reading?
Tuesday Intros is a meme hosted by Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea which bloggers can join in with by posting the first paragraph (or two) from a book of their choice.
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