I would say grief because the first thing that comes to mind when I think about its tone would be mournful.
I think the answer is B. Alliteration
In looking at the answer choices, a few can be dismissed immediately. From the passage it doesn't seem that the dismissal of the narrator's questions affects her too much. Therefore we can eliminate answers that show a drastic change in the narrator's emotions (the narrator feeling inadequate, lacking control, and fearing she may be doomed). The only answer left is that the narrator is dismissed. In gothic literature women are often seen as helpless, innocent victims.
The character’s actions are steady and reliable
