“Because I’m not a complete fool. I’ve realised from the beginning that, from the point of view of motive, I’m the ideal murderer. If I once admitted that I had been in her compartment just before she was murdered, I’d do for myself once and for all.”

“I see.”

Did she see? She could not have told herself. She was feeling the magnetic attraction of Derek’s personality, but there was something in her that resisted, that held back⁠ ⁠…

“Katherine⁠—”

“I⁠—”

“You know that I care for you. Do⁠—do you care for me?”

“I⁠—I don’t know.”

Weakness there. Either she knew or she did not know. If⁠—if only⁠—