matters on
hand. He had not seen the Wodehouses since the Good Friday evening
service, which was an interval of about twenty hours, and had just
paused, before eating his bachelor's dinner, to ponder whether it
would be correct on that most sacred of vigils to steal away for half
an hour, just to ask Lucy if she thought it necessary that he should
see the sick woman at No. 10 Prickett's Lane before the morning.
It was while he was pondering this matter in his mind that Mr
Wentworth's heart jumped to his throat upon receipt, quite suddenly,
without preparation, of the following note:--

"MY DEAREST BOY,--Your aunts Cecilia, Leonora, and I have just arrived
at this excellent inn, the Blue Boar. Old Mr Shirley at Skelmersdale
is in a very bad way, poor man, and I thought the _very best_ thing I
could do in my dearest Frank's _best_ interests, was to persuade them
to make you _quite_ an _unexpected visit_, and see everything for
themselves. I am in a terrible fright now lest I should have done
wrong; but my dear, dear boy knows it is always his interest that I
have at heart; and Leonora is so intent on having a _real gospel
minister_ at Skelmersdale, that she _never_ would have been content
with anything less than hearing you with her own ears. I hope and
trust in Providence that you don't intone like poor Gerald. And oh,
Frank, my dear boy, come directly and dine with us, and don't fly in
your aunt Leonora's face, and tell me I haven't been imprudent. I
thought it would be best to take you unawares when you had everything
prepared, and when we should see you just as you always are; for I am
convinced Leonora and you only want to see more of each other to
understand each other perfectly. Come, my dearest boy, and give a
little comfort to your loving and anxious

"AUNT DORA."

Mr Wentworth sat gazing blankly upon this horrible missive for some
minutes after he had read it, quite unaware of the humble presence of
the maid who stood asking, Please was she to bring up dinner? When he
came to himself, the awful "No!" with which he answered that alarmed
handmaiden almost drove her into hysterics as she escaped down-stairs.
However, Mr Wentworth immediately put his head out at the door and
called after her, "I can't wait for dinner, Sarah; I am suddenly called
out, and shall dine where I am going. Tell Cook," said the young parson,
suddenly recollecting Lucy's client, "to send what she has prepared for