Sentence:  But where daft Nell <WSD>simpers</WSD> at him and tries to muss his slicked hair and pull it forward over his broad, Christian brow, my little Dot is looking nowhere but at the ground, still praying, praying even while she stands, and Rick has actually to touch her forearm with his finger in order to alert her to his Godlike nearness. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To smile in a foolish, frivolous, self-conscious, coy, or smug manner.