Women were, like Life itself, creatures to be watched, carefully used, and kept duly subservient.

The only allusion therefore that he made to Miltoun's trouble was very sudden.
"Old man, I hope you're going to cut your losses." The words were followed by undisturbed silence: But passing Mrs.Noel's cottage Miltoun said: "Take my horse on; I want to go in here."....
She was sitting at her piano with her hands idle, looking at a line of music....

She had been sitting thus for many minutes, but had not yet taken in the notes.
When Miltoun's shadow blotted the light by which she was seeing so little, she gave a slight start, and got up.

But she neither went towards him, nor spoke.

And he, without a word, came in and stood by the hearth, looking down at the empty grate.