Twenty COUNCIL OF TWO
For a moment, the bold simplicity¹ of the question quite took their breathaway. Both Frankie and Bobby started to speak at once:
“That’s impossible—” began Bobby, just as Frankie said: “That wouldnever do.”
Then they both stopped dead as the possibilities of the idea sank in.
“You see,” said Moira eagerly, “I do see what you mean. It does seem asthough Roger must have taken that photograph, but I don’t believe for onemoment that he pushed Alan over. Why should he? He didn’t even knowhim. They’d only met once — at lunch down here. They’d never comeacross each other in any way. There’s no motive².”
“Then who did push him over?” asked Frankie bluntly.
A shadow crossed Moira’s face.
“I don’t know,” she said constrainedly³.
“Look here,” said Bobby. “Do you mind if I tell Frankie what you toldme. About what you’re afraid of.”
Moira turned her head away.
“If you like. But it sounds so melodramatic and hysterical⁴. I can’t believeit myself this minute.”
And indeed the bald statement, made unemotionally in the open air ofthe quiet English countryside, did seem curiously⁵ lacking in reality.
Moira got up abruptly⁶.
“I really feel I’ve been terribly silly,” she said, her lip trembling. “Pleasedon’t pay any attention to what I said, Mr. Jones. It was just—nerves. Any-way, I must be going now. Good-bye.”
She moved rapidly away. Bobby sprang up to follow her, but Frankiepushed him firmly back.
“Stay there, idiot, leave this to me.”
She went rapidly off after Moira. She returned a few minutes later.
“Well?” queried⁷ Bobby anxiously.
“That’s all right. I calmed her down. It was a bit hard on her having herprivate fears

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