His first wife, here in his hands. The wife he'd lost.
-- George (Chapter 3 paragraph 22)

Importance: George has just found the letters Sabine wrote to Eric Williams during the years of Williams' political career. He reads them and discovers that Sabine has written her deepest thoughts, fears, and ideas that she might once have shared with George. His “first wife” refers to the relationship he had with Sabine when they were young newlyweds as compared to the stale relationship of their old age.

George vowed on the letters he'd found to be good. A better man.
-- George (Chapter 5 paragraph 5)

Importance: George and Sabine are waiting to meet Sebastian at the airport and George has only recently read the letters Sabine wrote to Eric Williams. Those letters mean a great deal to him and he sees Sabine's writings as something of a betrayal.

You will have the press and the law on your side. There is still legal redress in...
-- George (Chapter 6 paragraph 29)