Miss Allen, who had waited at the entrance to the Town Hall, begged for a lift to Greycross, thereby earning the gratitude of the two men, who were in dread of collapse now that the strain was over. But Cynthia had not the smallest intention of breaking down; her whole mind was centred on Leslie and the necessity for instant action. What form this was to take she had no idea, but inactivity had always irked her and now, in the face of Leslie’s danger, she found it almost unbearable. She sat huddled in a corner of the car, her mind working feverishly, barely hearing the low-voiced conversation of the two men and Miss Allen. With the wisdom of true sympathy they left her alone with her thoughts, knowing that even a chance word might undermine her control.
They dropped Miss Allen at Greycross. As the car started again, Fayre glanced at Cynthia.
“All right?” he asked kindly.
She nodded.
“Quite. Only thinking. There must be something we can do, Uncle Fayre!”
Kean roused himself from his abstraction.
“Want to get moving, eh?” he said in his incisive way. “I know how you feel, but it’s no good trying to rush things. You did more for Leslie than you realized at the inquest to-day. I’ve seldom heard a more satisfactory witness. I congratulate you.” Cynthia’s eyes shone with pleasure. As he had intended, his praise supplied just the tonic she needed.
“I’ll tell you exactly what I propose to do,” he went on. “Then you won’t feel that we are being idle. Directly I get back to town to-morrow I will see the man I have in mind for Leslie. He is a young solicitor I’ve had my eye on for some time. As keen as mustard and with his name to make. He’ll do better for Leslie than one of the older fellows who’ve settled into their grooves long ago. He’ll probably come down here at once and see Leslie. Then, later, he’ll brief me and if we don’t get your young man off between us, I shall be surprised. Your job is to stand by and keep a brave face on things. Let Leslie know that you believe in him and see that other people realize it too. You’ve got Miss Allen on your side and, from the look of it, a good portion of the people who were present to-day. That sort of thing helps more than you may realize. See any reporters who may approach you and talk to them. You’ve got nothing to hide, remember. You won’t like it, of course, but keep in mind that the more confidence you manage to inspire, the better, and you can do that best by publicly advertising your own belief in Leslie. Make a point of the fact that he had no motive for the crime. In short, carry on on the lines you took at the inquest. The press can be an abominable nuisance, but, fortunately, it can be used too. I leave that part of the business in your hands. You’ve no idea how important it is.”
Later, after they had handed the girl over to Lady Staveley and were sitting over the fire with Sybil Kean in the deserted billiard-room, Fayre went back to the subject.
“That was clever of you, Edward,” he said. “And merciful. The inaction was driving the child frantic. Now you have given her something to do and made her feel that she has actually helped already.”