But her thin fingers were rolling a corner of her apron hem painstakingly, as if she meant to hem it again.
Her eyes were fixed absently upon the futile task.

Casey watched her as long as he dared and cleared his throat twice in the hope that she would notice him.

But the old woman rocked back and forth and rolled her apron hem; unrolled it and carefully rolled it again.
"Good morning, ma'am," said Casey, clearing his throat for the third time and coming a step into the room with his candle dripping wax on the floor.
For just an instant the uneasy fingers paused in their rolling of the apron hem.

For just so long the rockers hesitated in their motion.
But the old woman did not reply nor turn her face toward him; and Casey pushed the door shut behind him and took two more steps toward her.
"I come to see if yuh needed anything, ma'am; a friend, mebbe." Casey grinned amiably, wanting to reassure her if it were possible to make her aware of his presence.

"They had yuh locked in, ma'am.