Page:Lady Anne Granard 3.pdf/179

Rh my journey. I much desire to introduce my wife—my virtuous, excellent wife—to a worthy uncle, the brother of my mother, whom I know to be deeply interested in me, and who lives not more than thirty miles from our scene of action. In fact, you and Mary, to which I may now add Mrs. Penrhyn and the girls, have given me such a high sense of the value and sweetness of family affection and family intercourse, that it will not be my fault if we are ever long divided. As an only son, I have never till now known the comfort and pleasure of such alliances, which I really consider to be holy ones." Thus reassured on a point of infinite moment to her, Isabella again became a traveller; Lady Anne rejecting with anger any idea of increased ailment in herself being a sufficient cause for their detention, "As if," said she to Mrs. Palmer, "I could do so imprudent a thing as to die at this momentous period! Think what I have to do; insure Glentworth's election; witness his reception in the house, which must be flattering; get young Hales well, insure him a ship and at least knighthood, both being due to his father's son, let alone his own great merits; marry him to Georgiana; and ensure some parti of respectability to poor Helen. The great advantage of one marriage in a family is, that it pretty generally