Page:Lady Anne Granard, or Keeping up Appearances Volume 2.pdf/47

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LADY ANNE GRANARD.
45

and Mrs. Glentworth sincerely wished she were at home again, that she might obviate their inconvenience, or in any way contribute to their comfort. Neither could she doubt that her residence near them was as likely to contribute to their eventual advantage as their temporary pleasure; and being, in fact, more calculated to live on the heart than the mind, she began to wish exceedingly for reunion with her family, and observed to Mary:—

"You are a great deal better, and so am I. Had we not better go home immediately, dear sister? I should like just to see Rome, which could be easily done since we are so near it; but, as to Florence and its grand galleries, Genoa and its palaces, Naples and its burning mountains, even Venice and all its wonders fade in my eyes, when I think of the delight I should enjoy in having mamma and all my sisters around me, and dear Mr. and Mrs. Palmer seated at our table."

"I hope you will have that pleasure next spring; but, since we are here, and Mr. Glentworth intends to take us to all these places, we must not offend him by underrating them."

"But it is principally on his account that I would return home, Mary, for he has never been happy, I am confident, since we entered Italy; he has been nervous and ill at ease since the hour we landed at Civita Vecchia, I am certain."

"He was extremely anxious about you."

"So I thought; and I did my very best, on that ac-