She clenched her hands on the windowsill in front of her.
Her brother went on in a cool matter-of-fact tone, with just a slight tremor denoting his deep underlying excitement:
"You see why it's got to be one of us, don't you?
With Lennox, there's Nadine to consider.
And we couldn't bring Jinny into it."
Carol shivered.
"Poor Jinny...
I'm so afraid..."
"I know.
It's getting pretty bad, isn't it?
That's why something's got to be done quickly - before she goes right over the edge."
Carol stood up suddenly, pushing back the tumbled chestnut hair from her forehead.
"Ray," she said. "You don't think it's really wrong, do you?"
He answered in that same would-be dispassionate tone: "No.
I think it's just like killing a mad dog - something that's doing harm in the world and must be stopped.
This is the only way of stopping it."
Carol murmured: "But they'd - they'd send us to the chair just the same... I mean we couldn't explain what she's like... It would sound fantastic... In a way, you know, it's all in our own minds!"
Raymond said: "Nobody will ever know. I've got a plan.
I've thought it all out.
We shall be quite safe."
Carol turned suddenly round on him.
"Ray - somehow or other - you're different.
Something's happened to you...
What's put all this into your head?"
"Why should you think anything's 'happened' to me?"
He turned his head away, staring out into the night.
"Because it has... Ray, was it that girl on the train?"
"No, of course not - why should it be?
Oh, Carol, don't talk nonsense.
Let's get back again to - to - "
"To your plan?
Are you sure it's a good plan?"
"Yes. I think so...
We must wait for the right opportunity, of course.
And then - if it goes all right - we shall be free - all of us."
"Free?" Carol gave a little sigh. She looked up at the stars.
Then suddenly she shook from head to foot in a sudden storm of weeping.
"Carol, what's the matter?"
She sobbed out brokenly:
"It's so lovely - the night and the blueness and the stars. If only we could be part of it all... If only we could be like other people instead of being as we are - all queer and warped and wrong."
"But we shall be all right when she's dead!"
"Are you sure?
Isn't it too late?
Shan't we always be queer and different?"
"No, no, no."
"I wonder - "
"Carol, if you'd rather not - "
She pushed his comforting arm aside.
"No, I'm with you - definitely I'm with you!
Because of the others - especially Jinny.