Violet Jacob > Irresolute Catherine

146 IRRESOLUTE CATHERINE
and it struck him, when he turned to take
his way up the hill and they stood within
sight of the waiting gig, that she made no
suggestion of his coming. It was the first
time in his recollection of her that she had
seen him without pressing him to come
soon.
They had reached a dip in the ground
which hid the wayside cottage where the
gig with Susannah’s friends was drawn up.
She had looked for the expression of greater
resentment from him, but he had cursed
neither fate nor Saunders. He spoke of
Catherine’s desertion of him almost as if it
had happened to some one else. There was
no excitement in his manner, even little
concern ; and, for a man who had so few
scruples about strong measures when they
suited him, he seemed to accept his defeat
with curious calmness. If he had flung
away from his father’s door with every sign
of uncalculating bitterness, he was different
now. She told herself with triumph that