Page:Duty and Inclination. Volume 3.pdf/317

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DUTY AND INCLINATION.
315

Glasgow from whence, the autumn being fine, they extended their journey to the Lakes. In the following spring they revisited England, upon which event the joy prevailing at the villa of General De Brooke may be more easily conceived than described, extending to Mrs. Boville and Mrs. Melbourne.

The latter was then re-united to her husband, who, since his return from India, had, in consideration of his services, been promoted to the rank of Major-General, and was then, with much honour and credit to himself, occupying a staff appointment.

Mrs. Melbourne could scarcely be prevailed upon to relinquish her little god-daughter Rose, even to her father and his lady; nor did she do so, until she had made the stipulation of having her ultimately under her care, as her own adopted child.

Soon after the return of Lord and Lady Deloraine to their family mansion in Scotland, the birth of a son put them in possession of an heir; and, two years after, a daughter followed: so that this tender and attached couple were blessed with progeny, who early gave promise of inheriting the amiable qualities of their parents.

Harcourt, in having yielded Rosilia to a rival such as Lord Deloraine, did not find his disappointment so difficult to surmount as he had previously experienced in resigning her to Herbert, by whose mother he had been so falsely beguiled,—and was afterwards married to one calculated to bestow upon him the blessings of the connubial state.