Perhaps she was going for a walk and would take him along?
Ma was annoyed and suspicious.

She liked Gray, but--she was as wary as a trout and she refused to be baited.

She would allow him to walk with her--but lead him to the retreat?
Well, hardly.
The man was piqued, for suspicion irked him.

It was a tribute to his patience and to his knack of inspiring confidence that Ma finally told him about Allie's criticism and her resentment thereat.
"I got my own way of enjoyin' myself, an' I don't care what people think," she declared, with some heat.
"Quite right.

It's none of their darned business, Ma." "She thinks I'm kind of crazy an'-- I guess I am.