Peltham raised his eyes to Mason. “Understand this, Mr. Mason,” he said. “No one must ever know the identity of this woman.”
“Why?”
“It’s dynamite.”
“What do you mean?”
“Simply that if it was known this woman had any connection with me, it would raise the very devil all around. It would bring about the very situation I’m trying to avoid.”
“What,” Mason asked, “is she to you?”
Peltham said steadily, “She’s everything to me.”
“Do I understand you want me to represent some woman, but I’m not to know who she is?”
“Exactly.”
Mason laughed. “Good Lord, man! You seem entirely sober and in possession of your senses.”