Plainly he could not.

He stood as if rooted to the floor.

Colina had meant to offer him her hand, but suddenly changed her mind.
Instead, with reckless bravado considering her late state of mind, she went to the lamp and turned it up.

She felt his honest, stricken glance following her, and thrilled under it.
"You have not met my father ?" Ambrose "took a brace" as he would have said.

"No," he answered.
"I thought very likely you would see him this afternoon," she said with a touch of smiling malice.
His directness foiled it.
"I waited down the river," he said.