Adele quietly unclasped them and placed them palm to palm.

And at once Celia became uneasy.

It was not merely the action, significant though it was of Adele's alertness to thwart her, which troubled Celia.

But she was extraordinarily receptive of impressions, extraordinarily quick to feel, from a touch, some dim sensation of the thought of the one who touched her.

So now the touch of Adele's swift, strong, nervous hands caused her a queer, vague shock of discomfort.