She broke off (to suddenly stop talking) with a little shudder (tremble convulsively, typically as a result of fear or revulsion).

It was a relief to Framton when the aunt bustled (to move around quickly, looking very busy) into the room with a whirl of apologies for being late in making he appearance.

She rattled on (talk rapidly and at length, especially in an inane way) cheerfully about the shooting and the scarcity of birds, and the prospects for duck in the winter.

He was conscious that his hostess was giving him only a fragment of her attention, and her eyes were constantly straying (if your eyes stray, you begin to look at something else, usually without intending to) past him to the open window the lawn beyond.

“The doctor agree in ordering me complete rest, an absence of mental excitement, and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent physical exercise,” announced Framton, who laboured under the tolerably wide-spread delusion that total strangers and chance (fortuitous, accidental ) acquaintances are hungry for the least detail of one’s ailments and infirmities, their cause and cure.

Framton shivered (to shake slightly because you are cold or frightened) slightly and turned towards the niece with a look intended to convey sympathetic comprehension.

Framton grabbed wildly at his sick and hat; the door the gravel-drive, and the front gate were dimly-noted stages in his headlong retreat. (to move away from someone or something)

“Here we are, my dear, said the bearer of the white mackintosh, coming in through the window; “fairly muddy, but most of it’ s dry. Who was that who bolted (to suddenly run somewhere very quickly, especially in order to escape or because you are frightened) out as we came up?” (if someone comes up to you, they come close to you, especially in order to speak to you)

“A most extraordinary man, a Mr. Nuttel,” said Mrs. Sappleton; “could only talk about his illnesses, and dashed off (to leave somewhere very quickly) without a word of good-bye or apology when you arrived. One could think he had seen a ghost.”

Enough to make anyone lose their nerve. (courage and confidence in a dangerous, difficult, or frightening situation)