felt ingratitude
keenly, as men do at eight-and-twenty, even when they have made up
their minds that gratitude is a delusion; and still more keenly, with
deep resentment and indignation, he felt the horrible doubt which had
diffused itself around him, and seemed to be looking at him out of
everybody's eyes. In such a state of mind one bethinks one's self of
one's relations--those friends not always congenial, but whom one
looks to instinctively, when one is young, in the crisis of life. He
knocked at his aunts' door almost without knowing it, as he went down
Grange Lane, after leaving Mrs Morgan, with vague sentences of his
sermon floating in his mind through all the imbroglio of other
thoughts. Even aunt Dora's foolish affection might have been a little
comfort at the moment, and he could not but be a little curious to
know whether they had heard Elsworthy's story, and what the
patronesses of Skelmersdale thought of the matter. Somehow, just then,
in the midst of his distresses, a vision of Skelmersdale burst upon
the Perpetual Curate like a glimpse of a better world. If he could but
escape there out of all this sickening misconception and ingratitude--if
he could but take Lucy into his protecting arms, and carry her away far
from the clouds that were gathering over her path as well as his own.
The thought found vent in an impatient long-drawn sigh, and was then
expelled contemptuously from the young man's bosom. If a hundred
Skelmersdales were in his power, here, where his honour had been
attacked, it was necessary to remain, in the face of all obstacles, till
it was cleared.

The Miss Wentworths had just come up to the drawing-room after dinner
when their nephew entered. As for Miss Dora, she had seated herself by
the window, which was open, and, with her light little curls
fluttering upon her cheek, was watching a tiny puff of smoke by the
side of the great laurel, which indicated the spot occupied at this
moment by Jack and his cigar. "Dear fellow, he does enjoy the quiet,"
she said, with a suppressed little sniff of emotion. "To think we
should be in such a misery about poor dear Frank, and have Jack, about
whom we have all been so unbelieving, sent to us for a consolation. My
poor brother will be so happy," said Miss Dora, almost crying at the
thought. She was under the influence of this sentiment when the Curate
entered. It was perhaps impossible for Mr Wentworth to present himself
before his three aunts at th