“You’re sure it’s nothing else?” she urged doubtfully. “You wouldn’t keep anything from me from a mistaken idea of kindness, would you, Uncle Fayre?” Fayre’s eyes met hers with the blandest innocence. He could not take her into his confidence yet. Time enough when his suspicions were verified.
“The moment I discover anything definite, either for or against Leslie, I shall bring it to you, my dear,” he said with complete sincerity. “You’ve got a right to know before any one else.”
“Thank you,” she answered simply. Then, with a return to her usual manner: “Sybil’s much better. Dr. Gregg was here this afternoon and he says she may see people, in reason, if they don’t stay too long. But she’s not to be excited, so don’t let her talk about Leslie’s affairs, Uncle Fayre.”
“I won’t, if I can possibly help it,” promised Fayre with all his heart. The last thing he wanted, at this juncture, was to share his knowledge with Sybil Kean. He could not forget that, at any moment, her life might be in Gregg’s hands and, so long as she was dependent on him, he resolved to do nothing to shake her confidence in him.
“She’s anxious to see you,” went on Cynthia. “But Eve and Bill have both been with her and they think she’s had enough people for to-day. She wants to see you first thing to-morrow, though, and I’m afraid she means to go on with what we were saying on the day she was taken ill.”
“She’s a wilful woman, too,” he said ruefully. “She’ll probably have her way. I’m no match for her.”
Cynthia laughed.
“You old fraud! Even I have seen you twiddle people round your finger before now. As for shutting up, you’re like a clam when you choose!”
After tea Fayre joined his host in the library.
“I feel I owe you both thanks and an apology,” he said slowly, as he filled his pipe. “You’ve been a brick over this business, Bill. You’ve let me have the car at all hours, and use your house like a hotel and you’ve never asked what I’m up to or even when I’m going! You must want to know that, I should think, by now!” Bill Staveley chucked a box of matches over to Fayre, who caught it neatly.