He asked the question in an altered tone, as if it had just occurred to him that she might not want to stay with him.

A beat passed before he replied, in a slightly altered tone.

Jones says that this altered tone is part of the draw for him.

The other was silent for a short time; then he spoke in an altered tone.

There was a long pause and then she said in a slightly altered tone, "No.

"Stay here," she said to him, in suddenly altered tones.

Bert felt the shock of the altered tone, though he could not understand a word that was said.

He raised an eyebrow and waited, alert to my altered tone.

She checked what she was saying and then went on in an altered tone.

But when Fife spoke again it was in an altered tone.