It was, however, only for a short time that she remained with Dr. Graham, as Mr. Charles Greville, the second son of the Earl of Warwick, to whom all her past history was unknown, and who fondly imagined that she was, as she represented herself to be, a paragon of virtue, fell deeply in love with her, and after a while gained her affection in return.
Greville was a man of the most cultivated taste, and he set about the education of the fair Emma with great zeal, training her in music, in dancing, in the love of the fine arts, and in the duties and accomplishments that befitted her new position.
He found out, after a short time, that she loved to be admired, and was ready to do anything that would obtain for her that gratification; but so successful was she in retaining her conquest of the man who appears to have honestly loved her, that for many years they lived together with considerable apparent affection on both sides.
When with Greville she sent for her mother, who from that moment and for some twenty years remained with her, assuming first the name of Cadogan, and then later on that of Hart, and she conducted herself with so much propriety that when Greville died he left her an annuity of £100 per annum.
Emma was now known as Mistress Hart, and it was under that name that Greville first introduced her to Romney in 1782, when he was himself sitting to the artist for his portrait.
During all the time when she first sat to Romney she was living with Greville and was attached to him, and there is absolutely no evidence whatever that the relationship between her and the artist was any other than that of a beautiful and accomplished woman sitting to a clever artist in numerous delightful scenes and characters.
Few works in which she is represented are more beautiful than the Circe, in which her fair girlish form is seen advancing toward the spectator full of the knowledge of that power of fascination that she had in so supreme a degree.
In 1784 another set of circumstances came into play. Greville had been extravagant in his method of living, and his affairs were somewhat embarrassed. He had seen a lady of quality with ample means whom he had thoughts of marrying; and at this moment his uncle, Sir William Hamilton, who was Ambassador to the King of Naples, arrived in London upon a long leave of absence.
Sir William was fascinated by the mistress of his nephew, and a curious agreement seems to have been entered into between the two men. Greville gave up his mistress to his uncle on the understanding that he took her to Naples, provided securities for the payments of Greville's debts, and made such arrangements as to his property as constituted Greville his heir.
Sir William was, on his part, to provide properly for Emma, who, with her mother, was to follow him to Naples under the excuse that she might there complete her training in music and singing under his care, and return to Greville when his means allowed him to provide for her.