“I am protecting her,” Mason said, and then added significantly, “now.”
“Weren’t you before?”
“How could I? I was chasing will-o’-the-wisps. Why the devil did you say it was okay for me to represent Byrl Gailord?”
“Because it was. I know all about her. Tidings was trustee handling her funds — and a sweet mess he made of it, too. You’ll probably find that there’s an enormous shortage in her trust accounts.”
“How does it happen you know all about her?” Mason asked.
“Through Mrs. Tump, Mrs. Tump has been sort of a godmother to her, rescued her from Russia, and brought her over here, and saw that she had a chance… That is, she did her best. The child was spirited out of the welfare home where she was left for safekeeping and…”
“And you thought there wouldn’t be anything inconsistent in the representation of Byrl Gailord’s interests and of Mrs. Tidings’?”
“That’s right.”
“And you know Byrl Gailord personally?”
“No, I don’t. I only know of her through her godmother.”