Now as the summer drew near, he did none of these things.

He was frankly impatient with her stories, never asked her advice about anything, and never played with her.

Was he growing very conceited?
Was it because he was going to school, and thought himself too old for his sisters?
No, he did not seem to be conceited--he had always been proud, but never conceited.

It was rather as though he had lately had thoughts of his own, almost against his will, and that these had shut him off from the people round him.
Then, when their mother was so ill and Barbara made her startling appearance Jeremy kept more to himself.

He never talked about his mother's illness, as did the others, and yet Mary knew that he had been more deeply concerned than any of them.