She glanced as she spoke at the door of the little room. It was ajar; a hand pulled it gently open and Gerard peeped out.
In another moment the young Angmerings were shut in the room with their cousin, and his wife, who kept watch near the door while the story was rapidly and succinctly unfolded to the astonished young men.
Whatever they might think, whether they believed in Audrey’s complete innocence and in Candover’s guilt or not, they both took the affair as a huge “lark,” and entered with zest into the part which they were required to play.
“In the first place,” explained Gerard, “we want advice. Now we don’t dare leave these premises together, or we should never be allowed to get in again; and we daren’t let one of us go without the other, as we don’t feel ourselves to be in particularly safe quarters.”
“What are you afraid of?” said Geoffrey.
“I’m afraid,” said Gerard, “that some further attempt will be made by Candover and his gang to get rid of us. The more so that I think it very possible Gossett knew that I recognised him. Now if we could once prove that the man who swore I gave him the cheque to cash is the same man that came here last night masquerading as a detective, and pretending to have a warrant for the arrest of my wife, we are in a fair way to lay some of these rascals by the heels. But from what we know of Candover, he won’t allow himself to be unmasked without a struggle. So we can’t be too careful, we can’t have too many to help us, and we can’t have too much pluck.”
“Right you are. Tell us what we’re to do,” said Geoffrey.
“Well, I want you, Edgar, to take my wife to my solicitor’s, and to wait there till he’s heard everything, and to take his advice as to what we are to do. Perhaps he’ll come here at once and see me. Or perhaps he’ll go to the police, and get Audrey to make a statement about last night’s affair. I don’t think Gossett knew I recognised him, but I can’t be sure. If he did, I’m afraid he may have got out of the way. At any rate, we mustn’t lose any time.”
“All right,” said Edgar, as Audrey seized her hat and fur stole and prepared to go with him.
“And what am I to do?” asked Geoffrey in a disappointed tone.