In conversing with him she at times displayed a singular timidity, a nervousness, a self-subdual surprisingly unlike anything that could be expected from her.

It was true that at other moments her lover caught a gleam in her eyes, a movement of her lips, expressive of anything rather than diffidence, and tending to confirm his view of her as a cunning as well as fierce animal, but the look and tone of subjugation came often enough to make their impression predominant.

One would have said that she suffered from jealous fears which for some reason she did not venture to utter.
Now and then he surprised her gazing at him as if in troubled apprehension, the effect of which upon Mr.Snowdon was perhaps more flattering than any other look.
'What's up, Clem ?' he inquired, on one of these occasions.

'Are you wondering whether I shall cut and leave you when we've had time to get tired of each other ?' Her face was transformed; she looked at him for an instant with fierce suspicion, then laughed disagreeably.
'We'll see about that,' was her answer, with a movement of the head and shoulders strongly reminding one of a lithe beast about to spring.
The necessary delay passed without accident.

As the morning of the marriage approached there was, however, a perceptible increase of nervous restlessness in Clem.