She was at heart a courtier, would do menial service to a king, and refuse common civility to an inferior.

She knew how St.Christopher had felt at seeing his satanic captain tremble at the sign of the cross; and though, unlike the saint, she had no intention of setting out to discover the stronger lord, she knew that he might now any day appear.
From any one not an acknowledged superior that shut door was an insult to be avenged, and she sat and waited for the moment to arrive when she would most adequately avenge it.

There was still something terrifying in the idea of going out to do battle with Vincent.

Hitherto in their quarrels he had always been the aggressor, had always startled her out of an innocent calm by an accusation or complaint.

But this, as she said to herself, was not a quarrel, but a readjustment, of which probably he was still unaware.