Early in the year, also, the Directors of the life insurance offices
submitted to circumstances, and paid the ten thousand pounds.
Immediately afterwards, the widow of the first Lord Montbarry
(otherwise, the dowager Lady Montbarry) left England, with Baron Rivar,
for the United States. The Baron's object was announced, in the scientific
columns of the newspapers, to be investigation into the present
state of experimental chemistry in the great American republic.
His sister informed inquiring friends that she accompanied him,
in the hope of finding consolation in change of scene after the bereavement
that had fallen on her. Hearing this news from Henry Westwick
(then paying a visit at his brother's house), Agnes was conscious
of a certain sense of relief. 'With the Atlantic between us,'
she said, 'surely I have done with that terrible woman now!'
Barely a week passed after those words had been spoken, before an
event happened which reminded Agnes of 'the terrible woman'
once more.
On that day, Henry's engagements had obliged him to return to London.
He had ventured, on the morning of his departure, to press his
suit once more on Agnes; and the children, as he had anticipated,
proved to be innocent obstacles in the way of his success.
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