"Something very important to tell you." This was done on a tell-tale impulse; it showed in what direction his thoughts and mind most readily turned just now.

Thinking it over in the hours that followed he doubted whether, after all, he would tell Polly exactly what had happened; she could be useful to him in the way he intended without knowing more than she had discovered for herself.
Doubt as to the identity of Lord Polperro with Mrs.Clover's husband he had none whatever--face, voice, trick of lips, and eyebrows made mistake an impossibility; but he must bring the man into a position where there would be no choice but to reveal himself, and, so far as Gammon knew, no one but Polly could help to that end.

With Mrs.Clover he would communicate when the facts of the strange story were made plain; not yet a while.

And as for Greenacre, why, it was splendid to have got beforehand with that keen-scented fellow.

The promise to keep silence held good only whilst their search might be hindered by someone's indiscretion.