travelling 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 recommended, would be exposing herself to frauds and dangers
innumerable.

Yet so slow as Delvile travelled, from whom her last letter was still
dated Ostend, she thought herself almost certain, could she once reach
the continent, of overtaking him in his route within a day or two of
her landing.

The earnest inclination with which this scheme was seconded, made her
every moment less willing to forego it. It seemed the only harbour for
her after the storm she had weathered, and the only refuge 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 home,
had arranged 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 embarrassment made her miss his assistance: and though glad, since
she found him so undeserving, 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