For he loved her; in spite of the fears, doubts, certainties even, which tormented him concerning her, he was ready to believe impossibilities, to trust her honesty and truth in spite of everything, to say to himself that there was no trace of the criminal in her; and that, if indeed these larcenies could be brought home to her, as he prayed that they could not be, then that they were the result of some overpowering impulse of which she was ashamed, and which the doctor who was called in by the people at the stores, had been able to explain and account for.
After a silence which appeared long to both, Miss Davison raised her head to reply to his questions. But as she began to speak, her eyes were evidently attracted by some object behind him, and he perceived, as she uttered some commonplace words, instead of saying what he was anxious to hear that she was intent upon something else and was no longer giving him her attention.
He saw, indeed, a slight raising of her eyebrows, which he took to be a sign to some person behind him. Turning quickly, Gerard was just in time to see a well-dressed man behind him, in the place to which her eyes had been directed.
The man’s back was turned. Gerard watched him in the hope that he would turn round and show his face; but instead of doing so, the man went straight out of the shop and disappeared in the crowd outside.
When Gerard turned around again, Miss Davison was on her feet.
“I don’t know what poor Lady Jennings will say,” she cried, “at my being late for dinner, as I can’t help being. I must make all the haste I can.”
“I’ll get you a cab,” said Gerard rather coldly.
He was, in spite of himself, roused to fresh suspicion by this apparent collusion between Rachel and the man who had gone out of the shop. He went out with her, put her into a passing cab, and, by her direction, gave the driver Lady Jennings’ address. There was some reassurance in this, that she was going back home, and he tried to find comfort in the fact, saying to himself that if she had been in any fear of being followed or arrested, she would not have done this.
When she had driven away, he was about to continue his own journey back to his rooms, when a girl ran out of the tea-shop with a cloak which he recognized as the handsome one he had admired on Rachel’s arm.
“The lady left this, sir,” said the girl.