exactly as he always did, completely void of any emotion. There was generally so little expression on the man’s face that I was uncertain if he actually felt anything at all.
“All ready?” he asked without a greeting.
The major looked at Uncle Mick and Felix, the other two members of the operation. “Are you gentlemen ready to proceed?”
Uncle Mick smiled. “I’m always ready.”
“Ready and able,” Felix said.
The major glanced at his watch. “Go ahead, then. When it’s done, come directly back here.”
Kimble turned without a word and started out of the room. Uncle Mick followed, but I stopped him with a hand on his arm. “You’ll be careful, won’t you?”
“I’m always careful, Ellie girl,” Uncle Mick said with a wink. He patted my head. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head.” It was a little joke of ours, something he’d always said to rile me when I was arguing with him about whether or not I ought to be included in something the boys got to do.
Felix reached out to squeeze my hand on his way out the door, and I smiled at him, knowing he understood my silent good luck wishes.
Their footsteps receded, and then the front door opened and they were gone.
I turned back to look at the major.
“I couldn’t stay at home,” I said.
“No,” he replied. “I don’t suppose you could.”
We looked at each other for a moment.
“I’d ask you to sit and wait here,” he said, “but I’m afraid I have some business to tend to.”
“Oh. Of course.” I hadn’t particularly expected him to keep me company while we waited, but his manner stung a bit nonetheless. I made sure, however, not to let him see it.
Without another word, I turned and left the room, closing the door behind me.
I found Oscar at his desk, just ringing off a phone call, and waved him back into his seat before he could get up. “The major’s busy,” I said. “Do you mind if I sit out here with you?”
“Not at all,” he said. “I could do with a bit of company. Sit down, won’t you?”
He motioned to an arrangement of furniture in one corner of the room. There was a beautiful sofa, upholstered in yellow silk, and two blue chairs, left over from the days when Major Ramsey had entertained in this room, no doubt.
I took a seat on the sofa. It was much more comfortable than I had expected.
“Would you like some tea?” Oscar asked.
I shook my head. “Thank you, no.”
“It will come out all right,” he said.
I looked up at him.
“Whatever they’ve gone to do. It will come out all right.”
“Does he tell you? The things that go on, I mean?” I asked.
“Some of them. A lot of it’s need-to-know, of course. But I’m a good judge of character, and your uncle and the others know what they’re about.”
I nodded. “They’re all very capable. I think you’re right, that it’s all going to come out fine.”
He smiled. It was one of the first smiles I’d seen from him. I was surprised to see he had dimples. He was a good-looking young man when he wasn’t looking so glum.
“I’ve good instincts about these things,” he said. “I know I’m not much more than a secretary, but I … well, I’m capable in my own way.”
“Certainly, you are,” I said. “I’m sure the major wouldn’t have asked you to work for him if he didn’t have faith in your capabilities.”
His expression darkened ever so slightly. “It’s not how I wished to spend the war.”
“No?”
“No. I’d much rather have fought. But I’m blind in my left eye.”
“Oh,” I said. I had never noticed that anything was amiss. “I’m sorry.”
He shrugged. “I have been since an accident when I was a child. It never bothered me much until this war. People can’t tell, you see, that there’s anything wrong. And they think I don’t fight because I’m afraid.”
“It doesn’t matter what people think,” I said, but we both knew that, in some ways, it did. “Besides, Major Ramsey thinks highly of you.”
He gave a bitter laugh. “He dislikes me more than anyone.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t.”
“He resents me because when they called him back from North Africa to this job … I … well, I got my father to put in a word for me. Ramsey is my cousin, you see.”
It suddenly fell into place. “You’re the earl’s son!”
He flushed scarlet. “I … no, I … that is…”
“It’s all right,” I said quickly. “I won’t tell anyone.”
“We don’t like to mention