"do see if it isn't upstairs. Tom is a
terrible hand at finding things."

So she searched in every nook and cranny of the house and at last found
the torn remains of the paper in the house maid's cupboard. The rest of
it had been used for lighting a fire.

Raeburn was a good deal annoyed.

"Surely, my dear, such things might be prevented," he said, not crossly
but in the sort of forbearing expostulatory tone which a woman
dislikes more than anything, specially if she happens to be a careful
housekeeper.

"I told you it was your servants!" said Tom triumphantly.

"They've orders again and again not to touch the newspapers," said
Erica.

"Well, come along Tom," said Raeburn, taking up his hat. "We are very
late."

They drove off, and Erica and Rose made the best of their way to
church, to find the service begun, and seats unattainable. Rose was very
good-natured, however, about the standing. She began faintly to perceive
that Erica did not lead the easiest of lives; also she saw, with a
sort of wonder, what an influence she was in the house and how,
notwithstanding their difference in creed, she was always ready to meet
the others on every point where it was possible to do so. Rose could
not help thinking of a certain friend of hers who, having become a
ritualist, never lost an opportunity of emphasizing the difference
between her own views and the views of her family; and of Kate Righton
at Greyshot who had adopted the most rigid evangelical views, and
treated her good old father and mother as "worldly" and "unconverted"
people.

In the afternoon Tom had it all his own way. Raeburn was in his study
preparing for his evening lecture; Mrs. Craigie had a Bible class at the
East End, in which she showed up the difficulties and contradictions of
the Old and New Testaments; Erica had a Bible class in Charles Osmond's
parish, in which she tried to explain the same difficulties. Rose was
therefore alone in the green room and quite ready to attract Tom and
keep him spellbound for the afternoon. It is possible, however, that no
great harm would have been done if the visit had come to a natural end
the following day; Rose would certainly have thought no more of Tom, and
Tom might very possibly have come to his senses when she was no longer
there to fascinate him. But on the Sunday evening when the toils of the
day were over, and they were all enjoying the restful home quiet which
did not come very often in their busy liv