Ordeal by Innocence by Agatha Christie

about.”
    “Yes, I remember.”
    “Would you like me to make the reservations by air, or would you rather go by train?”
    As though coming back from a long way away, Leo looked at her and smiled faintly.
    “You seem very anxious to get rid of me, Gwenda,” he said. “Oh no, darling, oh no.”
    She came quickly across and knelt down by his side. “I never want you to leave me, never. But - but I think - oh, I think it would be better if you went away from here after - after...”
    “After last week?” said Leo. “After Dr. Calgary's visit?”
    “I wish he hadn't come here,” said Gwenda. “I wish things could have been left as they were.”
    “With Jacko unjustly condemned for something he didn't do?”
    “He might have done it,” said Gwenda. “He might have done it any time, and it's a pure accident, I think, that he didn't do it.”
    “It's odd,” said Leo, thoughtfully. “I never really could believe he did do it. I mean, of course, I had to give in to the evidence - but it seemed to me so unlikely.”
    “Why? He always had a terrible temper, didn't he?”
    “Yes. Oh, yes. He attacked other children. Usually children rather smaller than himself. I never really felt that he would have attacked Rachel.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because he was afraid of her,” said Leo. “She had great authority, you know. Jacko felt it just like everybody else.”
    “But don't you think,” said Gwenda, “that that was just why -1 mean -” She paused.
    Leo looked at her questioningly. Something in his glance made the colour come up into her cheeks. She turned away, went over to the fire and knelt down in front of it with her hands to the blaze. “Yes,” she thought to herself, “Rachel had authority all right. So pleased with herself, so sure of herself, so much the queen bee bossing us all. Isn't that enough to make one want to take a poker, to make one want to strike her down, to silence her once and for all? Rachel was always right, Rachel always knew best, Rachel always got her own way.”
    She got up abruptly.
    “Leo,” she said. “Couldn't we - couldn't we be married quite soon instead of waiting until March?”
    Leo looked at her. He was silent for a moment, and then he said: “No, Gwenda, no. I don't think it would be a good plan.”
    “Why not?”
    “I think,” said Leo, “it would be a pity to rush into anything.”
    “What do you mean?”
    She came across to him. She knelt down again beside him.
    “Leo, what do you mean? You must tell me.”
    He said: “My dear, I just think that we mustn't, as I said, rush into anything.”
    “But we will be married in March, as we planned?”
    “I hope so... Yes, I hope so.”
    “You don't speak as though you were sure Leo, don't you care any more?”
    “Oh, my dear,” his hands rested on her shoulders, “of course I care. You mean everything in the world to me.”
    “Well, then,” said Gwenda impatiently.
    “No.” He got up. “No. Not yet. We must wait. We must be sure.”
    “Sure of what?”
    He did not answer. She said: “You don't think - you can't think -” Leo said: “I -1 don't think anything.”
    The door opened and Kirsten Lindstrom came in with a tray which she put down on the desk.
    “Here is your tea, Mr. Argyle. Shall I bring another cup for you, Gwenda, or will you join the others downstairs?”
    Gwenda said: “I will come down to the dining-room. I'll take these letters. They ought to go off.”
    With slightly unsteady hands she picked up the letters Leo had just signed and went out of the room carrying them. Kirsten Lindstrom looked after her, then she looked back at Leo.
    “What have you said to her?” she demanded. “What have you done to upset her?”
    “Nothing,” said Leo. His voice was tired. “Nothing at all.”
    Kirsten Lindstrom shrugged her shoulders. Then, without another word, she went out of the room. Her unseen, unspoken criticism, however, could be felt. Leo sighed, leaning back in his chair. He felt very