Unlike her son, Violet refused to accept the change in Mary's inheritance, which caused her to form an alliance with her daughter-in-law, Cora Crawley. The new heir, Matthew Crawley, did not live up to her standards, as he was of the upper middle class rather than the aristocracy. Violet discusses the new heir with her daughter-in-law, Coramarry the heir of the Earldom. The deaths of James and Patrick Crawley changed everything for Violet as her granddaughter lost her chance to She pulled Violet out and sent her back to her own husband. They planned to leave on his yacht, but were intercepted by Kuragin's wife, who had discovered their romance. Violet later reveals to Isobel they fell madly in love and attempted to elope.

Violet visited Russia, where she met Prince Igor Kuragin, at the Winter Palace in St. The Countess was against Robert's engagement and marriage to the American heiress Cora Levinson, in 1889, but did reap the benefits of her fortune. Not following in their mother's footsteps, her children married into money rather than nobility. Violet gave birth to two children, a son and heir, Robert and a daughter, Rosamund. Īt some point as a young girl in the 1850s and 1860s Violet wore 'the bustle, the crinoline, and the leg of mutton sleeve.' After her wedding, she was 'pursued' by Lord Hepworth's father. When she married the Earl of Grantham sometime before 1860, she brought her upper class blood but little money into her marriage. While she was born into the aristocracy, her family was relatively impoverished and she brought almost no money with her upon marriage. Born in 1842, Violet was the daughter of a Baronet and had at least one sister, the mother of her niece and goddaughter, Susan MacClare, Marchioness of Flintshire, and one aunt.

Four Seasons of Patrick by Susan Hughes