Barbara was quite convinced by now that she did not want to be known as "the kind of person" who consulted Mrs. Savage, though in an hour's time she would have been on her way to Knightsbridge.
"I think I'd sooner be left out of it," she said.
"I'm afraid we can't afford to spare you."
"But you can't make me!"
There was a pause, followed by a warning cough, and Mr. Morton began to speak more slowly and emphatically.
"If the Home Office authorities are ill-advised enough to recommend a prosecution, it will be necessary for you to attend. We want to avoid that, of course; we want to satisfy the authorities—without any unpleasantness—that they are under a misapprehension. A statement from you——"
"But would it be published?"
"That we should have to decide later. Our client has also been wantonly attacked by certain papers, and it is our business to see that she is cleared of all suspicion."
"I shan't say anything, if it's going to be published in the papers," Barbara rejoined obstinately.
Mr. Morton hesitated again and became even more impressive.