Demur [verb] :Raise objections or show reluctance.

• Source: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/demur

Taken from THE COTTAGETTE

• “One day he came around early and asked me to go up Hugh’s Peak with him.
  It was a lovely climb and took all day. I demurred a little, it was
  Monday, Mrs. Fowler thought it was cheaper to have a woman come and
  wash, and we did, but it certainly made more work.”

Ford asked Malda to go Hugh’s Peak and she objected to it because she did not want to create more work to do in the house.