Billy sighed, picked up her book, and flounced back into her chair.

But she did not read.
Disconsolately she sat staring straight ahead--until a quick step on the sidewalk outside stirred her into instant action.

Assuming a look of absorbed interest she twitched the book open and held it before her face....

But the step passed by the door: and Billy saw then that her book was upside down.
Five, ten, fifteen more minutes passed.

Billy still sat, apparently reading, though she had not turned a page.