He asked her some more questions, finally seeing her to St Pancras and putting her into the Halford train.
‘By Jove,’ he soliloquised as he left the station, ‘here’s a mess! Whatever happens’—he swore great oaths under his breath—‘Lois must be kept out of it. As decent a girl as lives! That’s the way with these extra good women—they will throw themselves away on rotters of all kinds. Heavens, what an idea! To announce an engagement with a man arrested for murder! And now first of all to nip that madness in the bud—if possible.’ He hailed a taxi and was driven to Scotland Yard.
‘Is Inspector Tanner in?’ he asked. ‘Private business.’
Tanner, it appeared, was just going home, but had not yet left. He returned to his room.
‘My name,’ began Jimmy, ‘is Daunt—James Daunt, junior partner of Willington, Daunt & Daunt, Solicitors, of Lincoln’s Inn.’
Tanner bowed.
‘I know your firm, sir,’ he said quietly.
‘I called on behalf of my cousin, Miss Lois Drew, of Halford. You can no doubt guess my business?’
‘You are going to act for Mr Ponson?’
‘Not quite. At least I am not sure. It is my cousin I am really interested in. I want to ask your help, Mr Tanner. My cousin, who is a little—well, fond of her own way, has written you a letter, a compromising letter, one which should never have been written. You probably haven’t received it yet, but in it she asks you to inform Mr Ponson that she holds him to the engagement that they had just fixed up, and is going to announce it at once. Now, Mr Tanner, you will see that this is quixotic and absurd, and it musn’t be allowed. I have succeeded in getting her to promise to say nothing for the present, and what I want to ask you is to be so good as to respect her confidence, and keep her name out of it.’