He vowed he never thought of her, except when she was there to make a fool of him--or plague him about those beastly letters.

Whereas Daphne--Daphne was always in his mind, and this eclipse into which their daily life had passed.

He seemed to be always tripping and stumbling, like a lame man among loose stones; doing or saying what he did not mean to do or say, and tongue-tied when he should have spoken.

Daphne's jealousy made him ridiculous; he resented it hotly; yet he knew he was not altogether blameless.
If only something could be done to make Daphne like Heston and the neighbours! But he saw plainly enough that in spite of all the effort and money she was pouring out upon the house, it gave her very little pleasure in return.

Her heart was not in it.