The rattling coach

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

The coach jolted, and a purse struck the floor. Mrs Lane reached beneath the seat, but another hand was already there. The gentleman opposite returned it with a bow. She thanked him and counted the coins inside. Nobody commented. Rain beat against the windows, keeping the passengers shut within their little travelling room.

At the next stop, the gentleman searched for his own purse. He emptied one pocket, then another. Mrs Lane held her bag closer. The boy beside the door pointed to a purse caught beneath the cushion. The gentleman retrieved it and laughed too loudly. Conversation began again, but every passenger now seemed to know exactly where their belongings were.

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to show the passengers’ growing suspicion of one another. Support your answer with references to the passage.