And what of Gwendoline?
She had fulfilled her vow, and awakened the love which had hitherto been slumbering in that lonely heart.
The girls said inwardly it was a splendid piece of acting; anyone watching Gwendoline would have said the love was as much on her side as Linnæa’s. Her attitude towards Linnæa was such that, if the girls had not known it to be assumed, some of them would have been intensely jealous. Gwendoline Rivers, with her beauty and independence of character, had taken the school by storm, and a few would have given a good deal to have got half of the attention lavished upon Linnæa. Great were the talks which took place with reference to it, when they thought themselves fairly out of the hearing of both girls.
One evening six or seven were together in the small schoolroom after preparation hours were over, and their conversation turned upon this ever-interesting topic.
“I never saw anything like it in my life. Linnæa March simply worships her.”
“It is most amusing to see Gwendoline single her out whenever she comes into the room; you would really think, to watch her, it must be real and not put on.”
“Well, for my part, I think it is a very mean proceeding to pretend to be so fond of the girl, all to show what she can do; and very probably when she has led her far enough she will cast her off!”
“Oh, she may never find out that it isn’t genuine! Do you think she would mind very much if she did? We all thought she had no feelings of that kind. I wonder if we have been mistaken?”
“I am beginning to think——”
At this moment the schoolroom door opened and Linnæa March entered. But was it Linnæa? She had never looked like this before. She was transformed from the dull, uninteresting girl, who had lived amongst them for seven years—unknowing and unknown—to a trembling, excited, and passionate being, almost terrible in her rage and indignation.