Having achieved his purpose, he did not now propose to convey the impression that he admired Catrina.
In a few moments the girl appeared, drawing on her fur gloves.

Before the door was opened the countess discreetly retired to the enervating warmth of her own apartments.
Catrina gathered up the reins and gave a little cry, at which the ponies leaped forward, and in a whirl of driven snow the sleigh glided off between the pines.
At first there was no opportunity of conversation, for the ponies were fresh and troublesome.

The road over which they were passing had not been beaten down by the passage of previous sleighs, so that the powdery snow rose up like dust, and filled the eyes and mouth.
"It will be better presently," gasped Catrina, wrestling with her fractious little Tartar thoroughbreds, "when we get out on to the high-road." De Chauxville sat quite still.

If he felt any misgiving as to her power of mastering her team he kept it to himself.

There was a subtle difference in his manner toward Catrina when they were alone together, a suggestion of camaraderie, of a common interest and a common desire, of which she was conscious without being able to put definite meaning to it.
It annoyed and alarmed her.