“Miss Meredith, I want to explain why I’ve butted in like this.”
“Oh—but—”
“I said that I happened to be passing—that wasn’t strictly true. I came here on purpose.”
“How did you know my address?” asked Anne slowly.
“I got it from Superintendent Battle.”
He saw her shrink slightly at the name.
He went on quickly:
“Battle’s on his way here now. I happened to see him at Paddington. I got my car out and came down here. I knew I could beat the train easily.”
“But why?”
Despard hesitated just a minute.
“I may have been presumptuous—but I had the impression that you were, perhaps, what is called ‘alone in the world.’”
“She’s got me,” said Rhoda.
Despard shot a quick glance at her, rather liking the gallant boyish figure that leant against the mantelpiece and was following his words so intensely. They were an attractive pair, these two.
“I’m sure she couldn’t have a more devoted friend than you, Miss Dawes,” he said courteously; “but it occurred to me that, in the peculiar circumstances, the advice of someone with a good dash of world wisdom might not be amiss. Frankly, the situation is this: Miss Meredith is under suspicion of having committed murder. The same thing applies to me and to the two other people who were in the room last night. Such a situation is not agreeable—and it has its own peculiar difficulties and dangers which someone as young and inexperienced as you are, Miss Meredith, might not recognize. In my opinion, you ought to put yourself in the hands of a thoroughly good solicitor. Perhaps you have already done so?”
Anne Meredith shook her head.
“I never thought of it.”
“Exactly as I suspected. Have you got a good man—a London man, for choice?”
Again Anne shook her head.
“I’ve hardly ever needed a solicitor.”
“There’s Mr. Bury,” said Rhoda. “But he’s about a hundred-and-two, and quite gaga.”
“If you’ll allow me to advise you, Miss Meredith, I recommend your going to Mr. Myherne, my own solicitor. Jacobs, Peel & Jacobs is the actual name of the firm. They’re first-class people, and they know all the ropes.”
Anne had got paler. She sat down.
“Is it really necessary?” she asked in a low voice.
“I should say emphatically so. There are all sorts of legal pitfalls.”
“Are these people very—expensive?”
“That doesn’t matter a bit,” said Rhoda. “That will be quite all right, Major Despard. I think everything you say is quite true. Anne ought to be protected.”
“Their charges will, I think, be quite reasonable,” said Despard. He added seriously: “I really do think it’s a wise course, Miss Meredith.”
“Very well,” said Anne slowly. “I’ll do it if you think so.”
“Good.”
Rhoda said warmly: