meet Bellis Coldwine

Am rereading Mieville's The Scar (which I have been rereading on and off for about two years, but have only read once in its entirety), and I came across the following passage that I felt the need to share. This is Bellis Coldwine, folks:

Bellis felt a flicker of slight surprise at his sadness. She felt nothing. She was not even disappointed. They had sought and found something in each other, and they had business together (an absurdly understated formulation for their project), but that was all. She bore him no ill feelings. She even felt a residue of affection and gratitude to him, like a film of grease. But no more than that. She was surprised by his faltering tone, his regret and apologies and hint of deeper feelings.

Bellis discovered, with unfolding interest, that she was not quite convinced by him. She did not believe his insinuations. She could not tell whether he believed them himself, but she knew, suddenly, that she did not.

She found that calming. She sat still, after he was gone, with her hands folded, her pale face immobile and lapped by the wind.

Like a film of grease.

Crossposted from Dreamwidth. Comment here or there. ( DW replies)