‘I see that you want to be rid of her, too, is that it?’

‘Not at all, Commissioner,’ said Marlene with composure. ‘I would go with her. You'd be rid of me, too, which would please you even more than being rid of her.’

‘What makes you think I want to get rid of you, too?’

Marlene fixed her gaze on him, somber, unblinking. ‘Now you do, Commissioner, since you now know that I have no trouble in interpreting your inner feelings.’

Suddenly, Pitt found himself desperately wanting to get rid of this monster. He said, ‘Let me think about this,’ and turned his head. He felt that he was being childish in looking away, but he did not want this horrible youngster to read his face like the open book it was.

It was, after all, the truth. He did now want to get rid of mother and daughter alike. Where the mother was concerned, he had indeed thought, on several occasions, of exiling her to Erythro. But since she would scarcely have wanted to go, there would have been a most unappetizing fuss and he had no stomach for that. Now, though, her daughter had given him a reason why she might indeed want to go to Erythro, and that, of course, changed things.

He said slowly, ‘If your mother really wants this-’

‘She really does, Commissioner. She hasn't mentioned it to me, and it may be she hasn't even thought of it yet, but she will want to go. I know that. Trust me.’

‘Do I have a choice? And do you want to go?’

‘Very much, Commissioner.’

‘Then I will arrange for it at once. Does that satisfy you?’

‘Yes, it does, Commissioner.’

‘Then shall we now consider the interview at an end?’

Marlene rose and ducked her head in a graceless bow, presumably one that was intended to be respectful. ‘Thank you, Commissioner.’

She turned and left, and it wasn't till she had been gone for several minutes that Pitt dared unclench the grip that had kept his face in place till it was aching,

He dared not have allowed her to deduce from anything he said or did or seemed, the final item that he, and only one other person, knew about Erythro.