The bad terms on which Lady Mary and Lady Hervey were is most clearly defined by Lady Louisa Stuart:  “At the time of Lady Mary Wortley’s return home [in 1762, after an absence abroad of more than twenty years], Lady Hervey was living in great intimacy with Lady Bute, for whom she professed, and it is believed really felt, the highest esteem and admiration.  On hearing of her mother’s arrival, she came to her, owning herself embarrassed by the fear of giving her pain or offence, but yet compelled to declare that formerly something had passed between her and Lady Mary which made any renewal of their acquaintance impossible; therefore, if she forbore visiting her, she threw herself upon Lady Bute’s friendship and candour for pardon.  No explanation followed.  Lady Bute, who must have early seen the necessity of taking care not to be entangled in her mother’s quarrels, which, to speak truth, were seldom few in number, only knew that there had been an old feud between her, Lady Hervey, and Lady Hervey’s friend, Mrs. (or Lady) Murray; the particulars of which, forgotten even then by everybody but themselves, may well be now beyond recall.”

During this period there were several domestic happenings in Lady Mary’s family.

On March 5, 1726, died her father, the Duke of Kingston.  After the accession of George I, the Marquess of Dorchester (as he then was) was high in favour at Court, and honours were showered upon him with a lavish hand.  He was in 1714 appointed Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, and in the same year Chief Justice in Eyre, north of Trent, which latter dignity he held for two years.  In August, 1715, he was created Duke of Kingston upon Hull, in the county of Yorkshire.  He held the high office of Lord Privy Seal from 1716 to 1719 in the Administrations of Townshend and Stanhope, in the latter year becoming Lord President of the Council.  When Walpole became First Lord of the Treasury, the Duke again became Lord Privy Seal, and held the post until his death.  He was given the Garter in 1719, and was four times named as one of the Lord Justices of the Realm during the King’s absences from England on visits to Hanover.  He had married, secondly, Isabella, fifth daughter of William Bentinck, first Earl of Portland, by his first wife, Anne, daughter of Sir Edward Villiers, who survived him two years.

The Duke had never really forgiven Lady Mary for eloping.  Her defiance of him hurt his pride inordinately.  Everyone else to some degree at least he could control; his young daughter not at all.  Only so far were they ever reconciled that he would occasionally visit the Montagus at their London house and play with the children.

In his later years the Duke’s health was unsatisfactory, but it was not thought that the end was so near.  “I have now to tell you of the surprising death of my father, and a great deal of surprising management of the people about him, which I leave informing you until another time, being now under some spirit of hurry myself,” Lady Mary wrote to Lady Mar in March, 1726.  “I am unfeignedly sorry that I cannot send you word of a considerable legacy for yourself.”  On April 15 she supplemented this account; but not to a degree to make it very intelligible: