At last, after a silence which seemed to each of them age-long, he spoke in the agitated voice of one who has just received a great blow.
“Do you know what you are saying, Erica? Do you know what such a confession as you have made will involve? Do you mean that you accept the whole of Christ's teaching?
“Yes,” she replied, firmly, “I do.”
“You intend to turn Christian?”
“Yes, to try to.”
“How long have you and Mr. Osmond been concocting this?”
“I don't know what you mean,” said Erica, terribly wounded by his tone.
“Did he send you down here to tell me?”
“Mr. Osmond knows nothing about it,” said Erica. “How could I tell any one before you, father?”
Raeburn was touched by this. He took several turns up and down the room before speaking again, but the more he grasped the idea the deeper grew his grief and the hotter his anger. He was a man of iron will, however, and he kept both under. When at length he did speak, his voice was quiet and cold and repressed.