She gave up combing her hair, which the salt air had reduced to a kind of scrim of brown hessian, and, lying down, proceeded to keep her fingernails short in the way Kate admired least. Then she overslept.
In this excerpt, a woman decides to stop grooming her hair because the salty sea air has made it coarse and rough. She chooses to lie down instead of caring for her hair and maintains her short fingernails, which Kate finds unpleasant. This moment reflects her relaxed or perhaps indifferent attitude towards her appearance amidst her environment.
She ends up oversleeping, suggesting a lack of concern for punctuality or routine, possibly indicating a laid-back or carefree personality. The scene paints a picture of someone at ease with imperfection and weathered by her surroundings, showing a sense of acceptance or casualness in her lifestyle.
