As a young woman, became romantically involved with the “archaeologist” Caladin Tar-vaniell.
After a whirlwind romance, who's mysterious events were the subject of Greensgate gossip for years, they eloped together.
15 months later, she returned, baby Lucretia Del'Amore in arm. Though she was still obviously in love, Caladin was nowhere to be found.
Though pressed for information, Valerie refused to speak – of anything at all – for more than a year. During which time, it became obvious that Lucretia was a Half-Elf.
As a result of these events, Valerie's father Griswold Del'Amore declared her marriage annulled and her inheritance forfeit. Lucretia would have also been declared a bastard, if not for Esmerelda Del'Amore's intervention on her behalf.
The argument here was not so much a sentimental one as a practical one: Turning Lucretia into a bastard means that the circumstances of her birth will be relevant so long as she is alive. Instead, let it die with Valerie's disinheritance, and become only a historical footnote. An anecdote only brought up in gossip of exceedingly poor taste.
After her disinheritance, Valerie retired from the political scene, and focused on raising her daughter. Over the next several years, her disposition steadily improved. Caladin was seldom mentioned, though few missed the fact that young Lucretia had a brilliant mind and certain unusual proclivities.