Page:Lady Anne Granard 3.pdf/177

Rh made her shrink from strangers; when a drive to the Campo Santo, and a melancholy walk within its walls alone varied the scene, save as it was soothed, or enlivened, by the child whose father was far away and might return no more. Come what would, however, the election was certainly the uppermost thing, and she consented even to leave her child under Louisa's care, in order to accompany her husband. The very first of Lady Anne's letters had been addressed to the present owner of Granard Park, who had not lost an hour in answering it, lamenting that his interest was not great on that side of the country where the borough in question lay, but assuring her he would use his utmost exertions on behalf of Mr. Glentworth, with whom he considered himself acquainted through Count Riccardini, and he offered his house especially to the ladies of the party, his fair cousins. The offer freely given was freely accepted, this gentleman already standing high in their opinion from his conduct to the Count; nor could they doubt that Lady Anne had lost herself many years of pleasant, and probably profitable intercourse with him, from her own acrimony of temper and overweening pride of manners; but her severest judge (because he had known her the longest) could see no fault in her now. Every one of her letters