more
suitable, as Oxford people never dressed? Yes; but she might meet other
sort of people at Chartcote! It was a difficult question.

She passed on to a thin black and white cloth that was very "smart" and
showed off her dark beauty. That and the white cloth hat would do! She
had worn it once before and the Warden had talked a great deal to her
when she had it on. She took out the dress and laid it on the bed, and
she laid the hat upon it. Mrs. Dashwood had not seen the dress! By the
by, Mrs. Dashwood and the Warden had scarcely talked at all at
breakfast! He had once made a remark to her, and she had looked up and
said "Yes," in a funny sort of way, just as if she agreed of course!
H'm, there was really no need to be afraid of that! Supposing and if
she, Gwen, were ever to be Mrs. Middleton, what sort of new clothes
would she buy? Oh, all sorts of things would be necessary! And yet--the
Warden seemed to be quietly drifting farther and farther away from her.
Was that talk in the library a dream? Then if not, why didn't he say
something? Did he say nothing, because in the library he had said, "If
you want a home, etc., etc.?" Did he mean by that, "If you come and tell
me that you want a home, etc., etc.?"

Gwen was not sure whether he meant "If you come and _say_ you want a
home, etc., etc.," or only, "If you want a home, etc., etc." How
tiresome! He knew she wanted a home! But perhaps he wasn't sure whether
she really wanted a home! Ought she to go and knock at the door and say
that she really did want a home? Was he waiting for her to come and
knock on the door and say, "I really do want a home, etc., etc.," and
then come near enough to be kissed?

But after what Mr. Boreham had said, even if she did go and knock at the
door and say that she really did want a home, etc., etc., and go and
stand quite near him, the Warden might pretend not to understand and
merely say, "I'm sorry," and go on writing.

How did girls make sure that a proposal was binding? Did they manage
somehow to have it in writing? But how could she have said to the
Warden, "Would you mind putting it all down in writing"? She really
couldn't have said such a thing!

Gwen could not quite make up her mind what to wear. She had put the
brown silk and one or two more dresses on the bed without being able to
come to any conclusion.

It would be necessary to ask advice. Having covered the bed with
"possible" dresses, Gwen went out to search for Lady