Page 197 (1/1)
But though to every thing she could suggest, doubts and difficulties arose, she had no friend to consult, nor could devise any ht be terminated Her maid was her only companion, and Ralph, who had spent aluard and attendant To hire i in his own country, seemed the first step she had to take, and so essential, that no other appeared feasible till it was done But where to hear of such a man she could not tell, and to take one not well recoers innumerable
Yet so slow as Delvile travelled, froht herself almost certain, could she once reach the continent, of overtaking hi
The earnest inclination hich this scheo it It seemed the only harbour for her after the store she could properly seek while thus houseless and helpless Even were Delvile in England, he had no place at present to offer her, nor could any thing be proposed so unexceptionable as her living with Mrs Delvile at Nice, till he knew his father's pleasure, and, in a separate journey hoed his affairs either for her return, or her continuance abroad
With what regret did she now look back to the time when, in a distress such as this, she should have applied for, and received the advice of Mr Monckton as oracular! The loss of a counsellor so long, so implicitly relied upon, lost to her also, only by his own interested worthlessness, she felt almost daily, for almost daily some intricacy or elad, since she found hi, that she had escaped the snares he had spread for her, she grieved much that she knew no man of honest character and equal abilities, that would care for her sufficiently to supply his place in her confidence
As she was situated at present, she could think only of Mr Belfield to whom she could apply for any advice Nor even to him was the application unexceptionable, the calureeable to her even to see him But he was at once a man of the world and a man of honour; he was the friend of Mortireat, and his own behaviour had uniformly shewn a respect far removed fro led to theross mother She had, indeed, when she last quitted his house, determined never to re-enter it; but determinations hasty or violent, are rarely observed, because rarely practicable; she had proone, and reconcile her to the absence she still hoped to o to Portland-street without delay, and enquire openly and at once whether, and when, she ain by any forward insinuations, to rectify all e