Then suddenly Catherine's eyes met his and he felt an involuntary start.

A veil had fallen over them; her sweet moved sympathy was gone; she seemed to have shrunk into herself.
She turned to Mrs.Leyburn.

'Mother, do you know, I have all sorts of messages from Aunt Ellen'-- and in an under-voice she began to give Mrs.
Leyburn the news of her afternoon expedition.
Rose and Agnes soon plunged young Elsmere into another stream of talk.
But he kept his feeling of perplexity.

His experience of other women seemed to give him nothing to go upon with regard to Miss Leyburn.
Presently Catherine got up and drew her plain little black cape round her again.
'My dear!' remonstrated Mrs.Leyburn.

'Where are you off to now ?' 'To the Backhouses, mother,' she said, in a low voice; 'I have not been there for two days.