for the first year they had known each other, she had been but dried, her face always expressionless and impossible to read

The sentence you provided appears to describe a person's demeanor during the first year of their acquaintance. It suggests that during that time, the person had a dry and expressionless face, making it difficult for others to discern their emotions or thoughts. This could indicate that the person was emotionally reserved or perhaps going through a challenging period in their life.