Another pause, and then there came out from the police-station a group of people, among whom Gerard recognized two of the assistants from the stores, together with a man who looked like a manager, by his dress, his air of importance, and the deference paid him by the other two. There were also two women, one old and one young, whom he supposed to be two more assistants, and the bearded man whom Gerard had supposed to be a doctor.
One of the women was carrying the very toque and cloak which he had just seen Miss Davison wearing. This one was put by the rest into the cab which was waiting, and driven away, while the rest of the party broke up into twos, and walked in the opposite direction from where Gerard was standing.
There was another pause, and then a policeman came out from the station and whistled for a cab, and a four-wheeler drove up.
Gerard began to grow sick with anxiety, for he guessed that the next person he should see would be Miss Davison, and he wondered whether she would be alone again, or whether she would be in custody.
But he was disappointed, for the next person to come out was the well-dressed, broad-shouldered young man whose back he had seen twice already, but whose face he had never yet contrived to see.
This man, still turning his back to Gerard, opened the door of the cab, and looked towards the police-station, out of which, a moment later, Rachel herself came, dressed once more in her own hat, and wearing her pale blue dress without any cloak. She ran quickly out and got into the cab, and the young man shut the door and remained for some minutes in earnest conversation with her, as he stood on the pavement.
Even then Gerard was unable to see his face; for the horse’s head was turned towards Gerard, so that the young man had to turn in the opposite direction to talk to Miss Davison, who was sitting alone in the cab.
Gerard wondered what had happened. She had been made to give up the new hat and cloak which she had worn when she came to the police-station. Yet now she was allowed to go away, without escort, so that apparently she had not been made prisoner.
Suddenly and most illogically he was seized with frantic jealousy of the man beside the cab, whom he had at first taken for a detective, but whom he now began to think must be a friend who had interceded for her, and who had succeeded in getting her freedom.
Had he only become bail for her appearance? But in that case she would have been taken before a magistrate in the first place, he was aware; and he doubted whether there had been time for that, even if it had been possible to take her away by some back door, and bring her back to the police-station in the same way, which would surely not have been necessary if she had been allowed to go out on bail.