Page:Lady Anne Granard 1.pdf/79

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74
LADY ANNE GRANARD.

side, or rather she secretly disliked and feared him. Though some years younger than Mr. Granard, their friendship was strong and sincere: and to Mr. Glentworth's remonstrances both to herself and to her husband may be ascribed Lady Anne's distaste; she had also a natural dislike to all who were poor, and this had long been the case with Mr. Glentworth. He had been brought up as the heir to a large fortune, but when his father died his affairs were found greatly embarrassed. Frank's own share was protected by the entail which ended in himself. He did not hesitate a moment, but sold the estate and paid every shilling; though by so doing he left himself only a narrow income, and offended an uncle from whom he had great expectations, the said uncle not liking to see the estate go out of the family, and yet refusing to make any advance towards clearing it. In the very prime of life, Mr. Glentworth found every prospect gone; he had only a meagre pittance, compared to his former expenditure; but he had neither the habits nor the opportunity of increasing it. It was too late to think of a profession, and he had lived too many years in indolence and luxury to begin now with business and exertion: cut off from his former sources of pleasure, he fell back upon himself; most people forgot him; the few who remembered said "he was grown so odd!"

In the mean time, he lived strictly within his income; did many kind, even generous things; and,