The locked cabinet

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

The cabinet stood open when Henry entered the study. His uncle had always kept it locked, even when the room was empty. Henry touched the dustless rectangle where the miniature portrait had rested. He could hear his uncle speaking to a visitor downstairs; the words were indistinct, but the visitor laughed. Henry withdrew his hand. The open cabinet seemed to accuse him of an offence he had not committed. He shut the door softly and remained in the passage.

Identify the phrase which suggests that Henry feels unfairly blamed.