'What's the matter? You're not letting her get to you, are you?' 

Heather made no answer. 'Have you ever read Tess of the d'Urbervilles?'

'I saw the film. I'm not much of a reader. Nor are you, though. Why do you ask?'

'Oh, I don't know.' She did know, he thought, but didn't want to say. 'I had to read it when I was at school. Not for O levels, it was before that. I was nearly fourteen.'

Puzzled, Edmond said, 'Did you enjoy it?'

'When you don't read much, things you do read stick in your mind. But it doesn't matter. I'm going to bed. Are you coming?'

For the first time since he had met her he sensed in her an absence of trust. It seemed to him that perfect confidence had existed between them but did so no longer. She hadn't lied but she had hidden the truth and for a little while - only a very little while, he hoped, only this evening - she had separated herself from him.' ~ p. 165