But the final deciding factor--though he knew it not--was Roy. By reason of her own share in him, religion would probably mean more to him than to Nevil. For his sake--for the sake of Christine and Tara and the babies, fast sprouting into boys--she felt at last irresistibly constrained to accept, with certain mental reservations, the tenets of her husband's creed; and so qualify herself to share with them all its outward and visible forms, as already she shared its inward and spiritual grace.
The conviction sprang from no mere sentimental impulse. It was the unhurried work of years. So--when there arose the question of Roy's confirmation, and Tara's, at the same Easter-tide, conviction blossomed into decision, as simply and naturally as the bud of a flower opens to the sun. That is the supreme virtue of changes not imposed from without. When the given moment came--the inner resolve was there.
Quite simply she spoke of it to Nevil, one evening over the studio fire. And behold a surprise awaited her. She had rarely seen him more deeply moved. From the time of Roy's coming, he told her, he had cherished the hidden hope.
"Yet too seldom you have spoken of such things--why?" she asked, moved in her turn and amazed.
"Because from the first I made up my mind I would not have it, except in your own way and in your own time. I knew the essence of it was in you. For the rest--I preferred to wait till you were ready--Sita Devi."
"Nevil--lord of me!" She slipped to her knees beside him. "I _am_ ready. But oh, you wicked, how _could_ I know that all the time you were caring that much in your secret heart."
He gathered her close and said not a word.
So the great matter was settled, with no outward fuss or formalities. She would be baptized before Roy came home for the Easter holidays and his confirmation.
"But not here--not Mr Sale," she pleaded. "Let us go away quietly to London--we two. Let it be in that great Church, where first the thought was born in my heart that some day ... this might be."
He could refuse her nothing. Jeffrey might feel aggrieved when he knew. But after all--this was their own affair. Time enough afterwards to let in the world and its thronging notes of exclamation.