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"Findo Gask, Private Investigator," she said, with a smile that disappeared as soon as it had arrived, "I did wonder how long it would take you to work out the reality of my existence." "I've had my suspicions for a long time. But it needed a certain amount of deep research before I could be sure." "And now you can be sure," she said, sitting up primly and looking at me from demurely downcast eyes. "I take it that Tillyfor doesn't understand the whole truth?" I asked. "She's a simple soul," she said, "She really needs me to look after her, to prevent her from getting into, well, difficult situations." "Like avoiding dating Dalgrin Balloch?" I asked. "Like avoiding Balloch," she confirmed. "So why did you stop?" I demanded, "Why did you suddenly leave her to her own devices?" Tillykerie sighed. "Tillyfor likes men," she said sadly, "I had been working hard to keep her in check." "And you don't like men?" "Not in the same way," she answered, in a tiny little-girl voice. "But one special man, though?" "Yes. I like Garvock Dunning very much. From the first moment I met him." "And then Tillyfor did something you couldn't prevent?" "Yes, My normal controls somehow failed completely," she said sadly, "I couldn't prevent Tillyfor from seducing my lover, my darling Garvock." "But did he realise what was going on?" "I don't think so. He just seemed surprised at my - her - willingness, after I had been so careful before. Then, his head stopped doing the thinking for him." I nodded in understanding. "So you 'ran away'?" I asked, adding the quote marks with my fingers. "I told Tillyfor I would do it. Then I just kept quiet - didn't talk to her, didn't attempt to control her." "And she really believes you have a separate physical existence?" "Oh, yes. It's her way of rationalising things. We talk - we used to talk - to each other all the time, just keeping each other company." I could imagine it. Here, in this little apartment, two different-but-similar voices both coming from the same mouth. I would look like an act, perhaps, but at least one of the parties sincerely believed there were two people in the room. And perhaps there were.
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Part 102