She hesitated, and Miss Carmichael took up the word.
“We wish to form our own judgment,” she said, “on the nature of the religious instruction you give your pupil.”
“I invited lady Arctura to be present when I taught him about God,” said Donal.
“Then are you not now going to do so?” said Arctura.
“As your ladyship made no answer to my proposal, and school hours were over, I concluded you were not coming.”
“And you would not give the lesson without her ladyship!” said Miss Carmichael. “Very right!”
“Excuse me,” returned Donal; “we were going to have it out of doors.”
“But you had agreed not to give him any so-called religious instruction but in the presence of lady Arctura!”
“By no means. I only offered to give it in her presence if she chose. There was no question of the lessons being given.”
Miss Carmichael looked at lady Arctura as much as to say—“Is he speaking the truth?” and if she replied, it was in the same fashion.