▁deeply ▁inde bt ed , ▁however , ▁and ▁the ▁legal ▁negoti ations ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁families ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁post pon ement ▁of ▁the ▁marriage . ▁By ▁October ▁ 1 7 7 8 , ▁rum ours ▁began ▁circul ating ▁that ▁the ▁match ▁would ▁never ▁actually ▁take ▁place . ▁Lord ▁Peters ham ▁became ▁Earl ▁of ▁Harr ington ▁on ▁his ▁father ' s ▁death ▁the ▁following ▁April , ▁and ▁the ▁marriage ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁at ▁St ▁Mary le bone ▁in ▁London ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁May . ▁ ▁Mar riage ▁▁ ▁The ▁new ▁Count ess ▁of ▁Harr ington ▁was ▁soon ▁pra ised ▁for ▁gener os ity , ▁as ▁she ▁immediately ▁settled ▁the ▁deb ts ▁her ▁husband ▁had ▁inherited ▁from ▁her ▁father - in - law ▁and ▁fund ed ▁the ▁re - p urchase ▁of ▁St able ▁Y ard ▁House ▁in ▁St ▁James ' s . ▁The ▁money ▁she ▁brought ▁into ▁the ▁marriage ▁also ▁enabled ▁Lord ▁Harr ington ▁to ▁raise ▁an ▁inf antry ▁regiment , ▁with ▁which ▁the ▁couple ▁depart ed ▁for ▁J ama ica ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 0 . ▁When ▁they ▁returned ▁the ▁next ▁year , ▁Lady ▁Harr ington ▁became ▁noted ▁for ▁her ▁fashion ▁sense ▁and ▁physical ▁attract iveness ; ▁she ▁and ▁Georg iana ▁Cav end ish , ▁Duch ess ▁of ▁Dev ons hire , ▁were ▁sing led ▁out ▁as ▁" the ▁best ▁dressed ▁ladies " ▁at ▁an ▁all - night ▁party ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Duch ess ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 7 8 2 . ▁ ▁Although ▁she ▁became ▁a ▁g amb ler