 How did Matilda's mother feel about Matilda?
The best that could be said for Matilda Penshaws was that she was something of a paradox. The fact that in all probability such a man did not exist disturbed Matilda not in the least. She would read them carefully and then read them again, looking for the masculine names which, through a system known only to Matilda, had an affinity to her own. The first thing the widow Penshaws did was to take Matilda's left hand in her own and examine the next-to-the-last finger. Matilda admired her mother's use of the word osmosis, but she found nothing which was not objectionable about being unaware of the impact of love. Matilda switched her bed lamp on and dabbed some citronella on each ear lobe and a little droplet on her chin (how she hated insects!). Matilda got out of bed at seven, tiptoed into the bathroom, showered with a merest wary trickle of water, tiptoed back into her bedroom, dressed in her very best cotton over the finest of uplifting and figure-moulding underthings, made sure her stocking seams were perfectly straight, brushed her suede shoes, admired herself in the mirror, read the ad again, wished for a moment she were a bit younger, and tiptoed downstairs. Then the widow Penshaws told Matilda that she could never hope to sneak about the house without her mother knowing about it, and that even if she were going out in response to one of those foolish ads in the magazines, she would still need a good breakfast to start with like only mother could cook.
 she loves her daughter but wishes she'd settle with a man
 she wanted Matilda to get married and finally move out  she loves her daughter but wishes she'd settle with a man  she was jealous of how her daughter handled the men she met  she thinks Matilda is very wise in the decisions she makes