human
Was your news of last night true, then?
gpt
That Goodwood had spoken definitively to her? Perfectly. He proposed to her yesterday at the Frangipane concert--not _at_ the concert, of course, but afterwards, when they were alone for a moment in the conservatories. The Duchess interrupted them--did it on purpose--and he had only time to whisper hurriedly he should come this morning to hear his fate. I dare say he felt tolerably secure of it. Last night I naturally spoke to Flora about it. Oddly enough, she seemed positively to think at first of rejecting him--_rejecting_ him!--only fancy the madness! Between ourselves, I don't think she cares anything about him, but with such an alliance as that, of course I felt it my bounden duty to counsel her as strongly as I could to accept the unequalled position it proffered her. Indeed, it could have been only a girl's waywardness, a child's caprice to pretend to hesitate, for she _is_ very ambitious and very clever, and I would never believe that any woman--and she less than any--would be proof against such dazzling prospects. It would be absurd, you know, Philip. Whether it was hypocrisy or a real reluctance, because she doesn't feel for him the idealic love she dreams of, I don't know, but I put it before her in a way that plainly showed her all the brilliance of the proffered position, and before she bade me good night, I had vanquished all her scruples, if she had any, and I am able to say----
human
Good God, what have you done?
gpt
Done? re-echoed Lady Marabout, vaguely terrified.
human
Certainly I persuaded her to accept him. She _has_ accepted him probably; he is here now! I should have been a strange person indeed to let any young girl in my charge rashly refuse such an offer.
gpt
You induced her to accept him! God forgive you!
human
Philip! You do not mean----
gpt
Great Heavens! have you never seen, mother----?
human
Philip, Philip! what have I done? How could I tell? she murmured, distractedly, tears welling into her eyes.
gpt
If I had only known! But how could I dream that child had any fascination for you? How could I fancy----
human
Hush! No, you are in no way to blame. You could not know it. _I_ barely knew it till last night,
gpt
Philip loves her, and _I_ have made her marry Goodwood!