He neither looked at her
nor spoke to her, and the only sign of his emotion was that he avoided
meeting her eyes. He had plenty of talk for the others, however, and
he appeared to eat his luncheon with discrimination and appetite. Miss
Molyneux, who had a smooth, nun-like forehead and wore a large
silver cross suspended from her neck, was evidently preoccupied with
Henrietta Stackpole, upon whom her eyes constantly rested in a
manner suggesting a conflict between deep alienation and yearning
wonder. Of the two ladies from Lockleigh she was the one Isabel had
liked best; there was such a world of hereditary quiet in her.
Isabel was sure moreover that her mild forehead and silver cross
referred to some weird Anglican mystery- some delightful reinstitution
perhaps of the quaint office of the canoness. She wondered what Miss
Molyneux would think of her if she knew Miss Archer had refused her
brother; and then she felt sure that Miss Molyneux would never know-
that Lord Warburton never told her such things. He was fond of her and
kind to her, but on the whole he told her little. Such, at least,
was Isabel's theory; when, at table, she was not occupied in
conversation she was usually occupied in forming theories about her
neighbours.
Pages:
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225