Her intimacy with Selby was open gossip, and there were winks and thrustings of the tongue in any group of men when she passed by.
It was clear enough that Harry's delusion must be broken up, and that no such feeble obstacle as his passion could interpose would turn Laura from her fate.

Philip determined to see her, and put himself in possession of the truth, as he suspected it, in order to show Harry his folly.
Laura, after her last conversation with Harry, had a new sense of her position.

She had noticed before the signs of a change in manner towards her, a little less respect perhaps from men, and an avoidance by women.
She had attributed this latter partly to jealousy of her, for no one is willing to acknowledge a fault in himself when a more agreeable motive can be found for the estrangement of his acquaintances.

But now, if society had turned on her, she would defy it.

It was not in her nature to shrink.