his presentation, if you care to come to the ballroom. We’ve chairs set up there.”
“Yes, we’ll be there in a moment,” Major Ramsey said.
“Don’t muck it up, old boy,” Sir Nigel said, patting the major’s shoulder as he walked away. “Women like Miss Donaldson don’t come along every day.”
He left us alone and the major turned to face me again. Whatever Sir Nigel’s intentions had been, he’d defused the situation effectively enough. The intensity of a moment before had fizzled out, and, though I was still irritated with the major, I no longer felt as though steam was coming out of my ears.
It was then Major Ramsey surprised me. “I apologize if I’ve offended you,” he said. “I’m merely concerned for your safety.”
I hadn’t expected an apology, and it caught me off guard.
“I appreciate that,” I said. “But if we’re to work together, I’d appreciate a bit of trust in my abilities.”
“I don’t doubt your abilities,” he said. “If I did, you wouldn’t be here.”
Was he trying to throw me off by complimenting me? I wouldn’t put it past him. Whatever the case, I still had a few grievances to be aired.
“Yet you’ve been keeping secrets from me,” I said in a low voice. If I had hoped this would startle him into some sort of admission, I was hoping in vain. He didn’t so much as blink at the accusation.
“I keep secrets from everybody,” he replied, his gaze moving around the room.
“You didn’t tell me you’re the nephew of an earl.”
He turned back to me and let out an irritated breath. “Because it doesn’t signify.”
“I’m meant to be your…” I paused and settled on the least offensive word I could think of. “Sweetheart. We’re supposed to give the impression that we’ve been seeing each other, and keeping such things secret makes it look as though I know very little about you.”
“It’s our fourth date. You’re not likely to know much about me.”
“Is that also why you didn’t mention your history with Jocelyn Abbot?” I asked.
This got his attention. He turned his pale eyes to me. Winter twilight, I realized. That was the shade of his eyes. The color of an evening sky descending over a snowy field.
For pity’s sake, Ellie, I thought. Now’s not the time to make poetry about him. I was getting as bad as Matthew Winthrop.
“Who told you that?” he asked.
“The two of you aren’t exactly subtle.”
I think this, more than anything I had said that evening, annoyed him.
“We saw each other socially for a time. It was over long before any of this started, and it has no bearing on anything.” As usual, he was understating things; it had clearly been much more than a social acquaintance. I supposed, however, that now was not the time to discuss it.
Still, I couldn’t resist adding, “If I’d had a relationship with any of the suspects, I think you’d have been quite put out that I didn’t make it known.”
“Now is not the time to discuss it,” he said. Though I had just had the same thought, it irritated me to hear him say it.
“I know it’s none of my business. Or wouldn’t be, under normal circumstances, but I think I have the right to know what I was getting into.”
He seemed as though he was about to make some sort of retort but thought better of it. He paused for just a moment and then looked me in the eye. “You’re right. I’ll make an effort to do a better job of keeping you informed in the future.”
I eyed him suspiciously.
“Shall we be friends again?” he asked, holding out his hand.
My brows went up. “Were we ever friends?” I questioned.
He gave me a look.
I sighed. “Fine. Friends.”
I placed my hand in his. I thought he would shake it briefly and release it, but he held on for a moment. His grip was firm and warm.
“And, in return, you’ll stay away from the suspects,” he said. It wasn’t a question.
I tried to pull my hand away, but he was holding it too tightly. He’d tricked me into a handshake.
“I’ll make an effort,” I said, throwing his words back at him.
“Good.” He released my hand.
“But, if you hadn’t been in a strop,” I went on, “I would have had time to tell you that I had a very good reason for talking to Matthew Winthrop.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. I was watching him from across the room, and I saw one of the waiters pass him a note. He read it surreptitiously and