"Isee,"hesaid."Isee."Hemovedaway."Well,I"dbetterclearoutand-notinterruptyou."
Mollycried,"Don"tgo!"justashishandwasonthedoorhandle.
Heturnedround,lookingatherquestioningly.Thenhecameslowlyback.
"Doyoureallymeanthat?"
"Meanwhat?"
"Youdefinitelydon"twantmeto-go?"
"No,Itellyou.Idon"twanttobealone.I"mafraidtobealone."
Christophersatdownbythetable.Mollybenttotheoven,liftedthepietoahighershelf,shuttheovendoor,andcameandjoinedhim.
"That"sveryinteresting,"saidChristopherinalevelvoice.
"Whatis?"
"Thatyou"renotafraidtobe-alonewithme.You"renot,areyou?"
Sheshookherhead."No,I"mnot."
"Whyaren"tyouafraid,Molly?"
"Idon"tknow-I"mnot."
"AndyetI"mtheonlypersonwho-fitsthebill.Onemurdererasperschedule."
"No,"saidMolly."Thereare-otherpossibilities,I"vebeentalkingtoSergeantTrotteraboutthem."
"Didheagreewithyou?"
"Hedidn"tdisagree,"saidMollyslowly.
Certainwordssoundedoverandoveragaininherhead.Especiallythatlastphrase:"Iknowexactlywhat"sinyourmind,MrsDavis."Butdidhe?Couldhepossiblyknow?Hehadsaid,too,"thatthemurdererwasenjoyinghimself."Wasthattrue?
ShesaidtoChristopher,"You"renotexactlyenjoyingyourself,areyou?Inspiteofwhatyousaidjustnow."
"GoodG.o.d,no,"saidChristopher,staring."Whataveryoddthingtosay."
"Oh,Ididn"tsayit.SergeantTrotterdid.Ihatethatman!He-heputsthingsintoyourhead-thingsthataren"ttrue-thatcan"tpossiblybetrue."
Sheputherhandstoherhead,coveringhereyeswiththem.VerygentlyChristophertookthosehandsaway.
"Lookhere,Molly,"hesaid,"whatisallthis?"
Shelethimforcehergentlyintoachairbythekitchentable.Hismannerwasnolongerhystericalorchildish.
"What"sthematter,Molly?"hesaid.
Mollylookedathim-alongappraisingglance.Sheaskedirrelevantly,"HowlonghaveIknownyou,Christopher?Twodays?"
"Justabout.You"rethinking,aren"tyou,thatthoughit"ssuchashorttime,weseemtoknoweachotherratherwell."
"Yes-it"sodd,isn"t.i.t?"
"Oh,Idon"tknow.There"sakindofsympathybetweenus.Possiblybecausewe"veboth-beenupagainst.i.t."
Itwasnotaquestion.Itwasastatement.Mollylet.i.tpa.s.s.Shesaidveryquietly,andagainitwasastatementratherthanaquestion,"Yournameisn"treallyChristopherWren,isit."
"No."
"Whydidyou-"
"Choosethat?Oh,itseemedratherapleasantwhimsy.TheyusedtojeeratmeandcallmeChristopherRobinatschool.Robin-Wren-a.s.sociationofideas,Isuppose."
"What"syourrealname?"
Christophersaidquietly,"Idon"tthinkwe"llgointothat.Itwouldn"tmeananythingtoyou.I"mnotanarchitect.Actually,I"madeserterfromthearmy."
JustforamomentswiftalarmleapedintoMolly"seyes.
Christophersawit."Yes,"hesaid."Justlikeourunknownmurderer.ItoldyouIwastheonlyonethespecificationfitted."
"Don"tbestupid,"saidMolly."ItoldyouIdidn"tbelieveyouwerethemurderer.Goon-tellmeaboutyourself.Whatmadeyoudesert-nerves?"
"Beingafraid,youmean?No,curiouslyenough,Iwasn"tafraid-notmorethananyoneelse,thatistosay.ActuallyIgotareputationforbeingrathercoolunderfire.No,itwa.s.somethingquitedifferent.i.twas-mymother."
"Yourmother?"
"Yes-yousee,shewaskilled-inanairraid.Buried.They-theyhadtodigherout.Idon"tknowwhathappenedtomewhenIheardabout.i.t-IsupposeIwentalittlemad.Ithought,yousee,ithappenedtome.IfeltIhadtogethomequicklyand-anddigmyselfout-Ican"texplain-itwasallconfused."Heloweredhisheadtohishandsandspokeinam.u.f.fledvoice."Iwanderedaboutalongtime,lookingforher-orformyself-Idon"tknowwhich.Andthen,whenmymindclearedup,Iwasafraidtogoback-ortoreport-IknewIcouldneverexplain.Sincethen,I"vejustbeen-nothing."
Hestaredather,hisyoungfacehollowwithdespair.
"Youmustn"tfeellikethat,"saidMollygently."Youcanstartagain."
"Canoneeverdothat?"
"Ofcourse-you"requiteyoung."
"Yes,butyousee-I"vecometotheend."
"No,"saidMolly."Youhaven"tcometotheend,youonlythinkyouhave.Ibelieveeveryonehasthatfeelingonce,atleast,intheirlives-that.i.t"stheend,thattheycan"tgoon."
"You"vehadit,haven"tyou,Molly?Youmusthave-tobeabletospeaklikethat."
"Yes."
"Whatwasyours?"
"Minewasjustwhathappenedtoalotofpeople.Iwasengagedtoayoungfighterpilot-andhewaskilled."
"Wasn"ttheremoretoitthanthat?"
"Isupposetherewas.I"dhadanastyshockwhenIwasyounger.Icameupagainstsomethingthatwasrathercruelandbeastly.Itpredisposedmetothinkthatlifewasalways-horrible.WhenJackwaskilleditjustconfirmedmybeliefthatthewholeoflifewascruelandtreacherous."
"Iknow.Andthen,Isuppose,"saidChristopher,watchingher,"Gilescamealong."
"Yes."
Hesawthesmile,tender,almostshy,thattrembledonhermouth."Gilescame-everythingfeltrightandsafeandhappy-Giles!"
Thesmilefledfromherlips.Herfacewa.s.suddenlystricken.Sheshiveredasthoughwithcold.
"What"sthematter,Molly?What"sfrighteningyou?Youarefrightened,aren"tyou?"
Shenodded.
"Andit"ssomethingtodowithGiles?Somethinghe"ssaidordone?"
"It"snotGiles,really.It"sthathorribleman!"
"Whathorribleman?"Christopherwa.s.surprised."Paravicini?"
"No,no.SergeantTrotter."
"SergeantTrotter?"
"Suggestingthings-hintingthings-puttinghorriblethoughtsintomymindaboutGiles-thoughtsthatIdidn"tknowwerethere.Oh,Ihatehim-Ihatehim."
Christopher"seyebrowsroseinslowsurprise.
"Giles?Giles!Yes,ofcourse,heandIaremuchofanage.HeseemstomemucholderthanIam-butIsupposeheisn"t,really.Yes,Gilesmightfitthebillequallywell.Butlookhere,Molly,that"sallnonsense.GileswasdownherewithyouthedaythatwomanwaskilledinLondon."
Mollydidnotanswer.
Christopherlookedathersharply."Wasn"thehere?"
Mollyspokebreathlessly,thewordscomingoutinanincoherentjumble."Hewasoutallday-inthecar-hewentovertotheothersideofthecountyaboutsomewirenettinginasalethere-atleastthat"swhathesaid-that"swhat.i.thought-until-until-"
"Untilwhat?"
SlowlyMolly"shandreachedoutandtracedthedateoftheEveningStandardthatcoveredaportionofthekitchentable.
Christopherlookedat.i.tandsaid,"Londonedition,twodaysago."
"ItwasinGiles"spocketwhenhecameback.He-hemusthavebeeninLondon."
Christopherstared.HestaredatthepaperandhestaredatMolly.Hepurseduphislipsandbegantowhistle,thencheckedhimselfabruptly.Itwouldn"tdotowhistlethattunejustnow.
Choosinghiswordsverycarefully,andavoidinghereye,hesaid,"Howmuchdoyouactually-knowaboutGiles?"
"Don"t,"criedMolly."Don"t!That"sjustwhatthatbeastTrottersaid-orhinted.Thatwomenoftendidn"tknowanythingaboutthementhattheymarried-especiallyinwartime.They-theyjusttooktheman"sownaccountofhimself."
"That"strueenough,Isuppose."
"Don"tyousayit,too!Ican"tbearit.It"sjustbecausewe"reallinsuchastate,soworkedup.We"d-we"dbelieveanyfantasticsuggestion-It"snottrue!I-"
Shestopped.Thekitchendoorhadopened.
Gilescamein.Therewasratheragrimlookonhisface."AmIinterruptinganything?"heasked.
Christopherslippedfromthetable."I"mjusttakingafewcookerylessons,"hesaid.
"Indeed?Well,lookhere,Wren,tete-a-tetesaren"tveryhealthythingsatthepresenttime.Youkeepoutofthekitchen,doyouhear?"
"Oh,butsurely-"
"Youkeepawayfrommywife,Wren.She"snotgoingtobethenextvictim."
"That,"saidChristopher,"isjustwhatI"mworryingabout."
Iftherewa.s.significanceinthewords,Gilesdidnotapparentlynoticethem.Hemerelyturnedaratherdarkershadeofbrick-red."I"lldotheworrying,"hesaid."Icanlookaftermyownwife.Gettheh.e.l.loutofhere."
Mollysaidinaclearvoice,"Pleasego,Christopher.Yes-really."
Christophermovedslowlytowardthedoor."Ishan"tgoveryfar,"hesaid,andthewordswereaddressedtoMollyandheldaverydefinitemeaning.
"w.i.l.l.yougetoutofhere?"
Christophergaveahighchildishgiggle."Aye,aye,Commander,"hesaid.
Thedoorshutbehindhim.GilesturnedonMolly.
"ForG.o.d"ssake,Molly,haven"tyougotanysense?Shutinherealonewithadangeroushomicidalmaniac!"
"Heisn"tthe-"shechangedherphrasequickly-"heisn"tdangerous.Anyway,I"monmyguard.Ican-lookaftermyself."
Gileslaughedunpleasantly."SocouldMrsBoyle."
"Oh,Giles,don"t."
"Sorry,mydear.ButI"mhetup.Thatwretchedboy.WhatyouseeinhimIcan"timagine."
Mollysaidslowly,"I"msorryforhim."
"Sorryforahomicidallunatic?"