Had Lady Dashwood been able to see within that room, she would have found Gwendolen moving about restlessly. She had thrown her hat and outdoor things on the bed and was vaguely preparing to dress for dinner. Mrs. Potten had not said one word about asking her to come on Monday—not one word; but it didn't matter—no, not one little bit! Nothing mattered now!
A letter lay on her dressing-table. From time to time Gwendolen came up to the dressing-table and glanced at the letter and then glanced at her own face in the mirror.
The letter was as follows:—
"My Darling Little Girl,
"What you tell me puts me in a huge whirl of surprise and excitement. I suppose I am a very vain mother when I say that I am not one little bit astonished that Dr. Middleton proposes to marry you. But you must not imagine for a moment that I think you were foolish in listening to his offer. For many reasons, a very young pretty girl is safer under the protection and care of a man a good deal older than herself. Dr. Middleton in his prominent position in Oxford would not promise to share his life and his home with you unless he really meant to make you very, very happy, darling. May your future life as mistress of the Lodgings be a veritable day-dream. Tell him how much I long to come; but I can't till Saturday as I have promised to help Bee with a concert on Friday; it is an engagement of honour, and you know one must play up trumps. I rush this off to the post. My love, darling,
"Your own
"Mother."
Gwen had found a slip of paper folded in the letter, on which was written in pencil, "Of course you are engaged. Dr. Middleton is pledged to you. Tear up this slip of paper as soon as you have read it, and give my letter to you to the Warden to read. This is all-important. Let me know when you have given it to him."
Gwen had read and had burned the slip of paper, and had even poked the ashes well into the red of the fire.
When that was done, she had walked about the room excitedly.
How was it possible to dress quietly when the world had suddenly become so dreadfully thrilling? So, after all her doubt and despair, after all her worry, she was engaged. It was all right! All she had to do was to give her mother's letter to the Warden and the matter was concluded. She was going to be Mrs. Middleton, and mistress of the Lodgings. How thrilling! How splendid it was of her mother to make it so plain and easy! And yet, how was she to put the letter into the Warden's hands? What was she to say when she handed the letter to him?