answered tartly. I told him about the order from the Commissioner of Police.
Uncle Mick nodded. “I’ve been thinking about that, about the information we got about the safe. It was planted. Why else would a safe full of valuables be sitting in a big empty house, ripe for the taking? They were trying to catch us all along.”
I was certain he was correct. We had been fed information about that house to test our capabilities and so that we might be caught and pressed into service if we succeeded. Contrary to Uncle Mick’s assessment of the situation, I didn’t think it made the major seem clever and capable. I thought it made him seem devious and despicable.
“Did he tell you what he wants us to do?” I asked.
“Only that there are some papers that need to be retrieved. It sounds simple enough.” Amusement flashed in his eyes. “Which makes me believe it won’t be simple at all.”
At last, we agreed on something.
“I’m not afraid of danger,” I said. “It’s that man I don’t like.”
Uncle Mick studied me closely. “Did he behave improperly toward you?”
I flushed. “No. Certainly not. But he acted so … superior.”
“They don’t get to be majors without developing a bit of an authoritative manner.”
I sighed. “You think we should do it, then.”
“I don’t see that there’s much choice,” Uncle Mick said. “He’s got us dead to rights. It’s in with them or to prison we go.”
“Yes, but…”
“Think of Colm and Toby,” he said gently. “They’ll need someone to come home to.”
He was right. Prison had taken enough from our family.
“Besides, Ellie.” Now he placed his hand over mine. “It’ll do us good to do our part. We’ll all have to if we want to win this war. We’ve our own outlook on the matter of law and order, but this is something different altogether.”
I nodded, knowing it was true. In all honesty, I had been feeling rather helpless where the war was concerned. There are only so many gardens a woman can plant and socks she can knit for soldiers before she begins to feel useless as she watches the men march off to battle. This was my turn to do something that could matter, that would make a significant difference.
I drew in a deep breath. “All right. Then we’ll do it.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Uncle Mick went back to the door and knocked. It was opened by the man who had let him in, and my uncle told him we were ready to speak to the major.
A few minutes later, Major Ramsey came back with two of his large henchmen.
“Escort Mr. McDonnell back to his room,” he instructed them.
“No,” I said. “There are matters we wish to discuss…”
“You and I will discuss them,” he said, motioning for the men to continue taking Uncle Mick away.
I stood quickly from my chair, the legs scraping against the bare wooden floor. “No,” I protested.
“It’s all right, Ellie,” Uncle Mick said softly. “I know you’ll work things out just fine.”
I opened my mouth to object, but my uncle shook his head ever so slightly. In that easy way we’d always had of understanding each other, I knew that he wanted me to cooperate, to arrange things as best I could to our advantage. And so I closed my mouth and watched as he followed the men from the room.
Then I looked back up—scowled, really—at Major Ramsey, who gestured for me to take my seat. Reluctantly, I sat, and he settled back into the chair across from me.
“Well?” he asked.
“It doesn’t seem as though you’ve left us much choice,” I replied darkly.
“I hoped you would see it that way.”
I was tempted to make a sharp reply, but I wanted to leave this place and I wanted Uncle Mick to get out with me. So I bit my tongue.
“It’s late,” the major said, seemingly oblivious to my masterly display of self-control. “We’ll discuss the details tomorrow.”
“Then you’ll let us go now?” His words had given me hope. I ought to have known better.
“You may go, yes. Your uncle will remain here until the mission is accomplished.”
I felt my blood rise, and my voice rose along with it. “That is out of the question.”
“I’m afraid this is not a negotiation.” The way he said it made it sound as though his mind was quite made up, and I despised him and his calm, authoritative tone.
“You can’t keep him here,” I said, unable to stop my voice from shaking with some mixture of fury and fear. I