He found himself a family, basically. Once in America and the Pender Troupe having gone back to the U.K., Cary was again without family. He had many friends, but no family. This type of friendship is possible between two people of the same sex without it being a homosexual relationship. They were buddies.
Buddies hang out together and help each other out in good times and bad.
It appalls me that something as simplistic as being very good, close friends with someone of the same sex is twisted into something sordid. In fact, their relationship wasn't called into question until a series of publicity photographs was taken and released. The two remained friends for years. I do believe that the rumors that haunted them both all of their lives, and exists even after their deaths, eventually took its toll on their friendship. I do not believe that Cary was homosexual.