We may need to get into the beach house.”
“What shall I do?” I asked.
“You’ll wait here,” he said.
I stared at him. “You’re not serious.”
“Miss McDonnell…”
“Don’t ‘Miss McDonnell’ me, Major Ramsey,” I said sharply. “I’ve been with you on this thing from the beginning. You can’t mean to leave me out now.”
I realized that the room had gone quiet as the major and I faced each other. Well, he might be the one with the military experience, but I was ready for battle. There was no way I was going to back down.
“There’s no reason for you to come along,” he said.
“With all due respect, Major,” Uncle Mick cut in. “If you need someone to get you into the beach house, Ellie will do a fine job of it. I’m afraid I’ve been wounded.”
He held up his hand. For the first time I noticed that it was wrapped in a thick white bandage. Blood was seeping through.
“Uncle Mick!” I cried, taking his hand in mine. “What happened? Are you all right?”
“It’s just a scratch,” he said easily. “I caught it on a fence when we were leaving Winthrop’s property. I’m afraid we were in a hurry.”
“Sliced nearly to the bone,” Kimble said unemotionally.
I gasped. “You need to see a doctor at once!”
“Nacy will fix me up, but I don’t think I’ll be much use in Torquay.” He looked at the major. “I need both hands for lock picking, or at least my good hand.”
“Then you’ll have to take me,” I added, glaring at Major Ramsey.
The major hesitated. He didn’t want to give in, but I was fair enough to realize it wasn’t just as a matter of principle. There was some part of him that thought a woman should be protected from this sort of thing. That ingrained chivalry nonsense was difficult to overcome.
He was going to refuse me; I could sense it.
“Please,” I said softly. I had never said that to him before. “This means something to me. I … I know, in the beginning, it was something that we didn’t have a choice in. But then we did, and we kept making that choice, kept choosing to believe that we could do something good for our country.”
“You have,” he said. “We couldn’t have done this without you. But you’ve done enough.”
I was so frustrated and angry that I felt tears spring to my eyes. I would not cry. Not in front of him. I would not.
He seemed to sense my distress, and, though I knew he was a man who was impatient with emotion, he seemed to soften ever so slightly. “I understand your position,” he said in a voice that was less stern than usual. “And I appreciate it. But you must understand that this is for your own safety.”
“There’s no such thing as safety,” I said. “Not with Nazis in England.”
He looked at me for a long moment. His eyes had gone silvery gray, the way I had noticed they did when he was conflicted over something.
“We’ll need someone to get us into the beach house,” Kimble said. “I’m no good with locks, unless it’s breaking them, and we can’t do that if we want to stay undetected.” I glanced at him, surprised but grateful he was taking my part.
Felix said nothing. He knew that an argument from him was not likely to carry weight with the major. I could sense him behind me, though, lending me his silent support.
Finally, the major let out an irritated breath. “Fine. But you will do exactly as I say at all times.”
I nodded. “All right.” I could take commands when it was necessary. I wasn’t a complete renegade.
He turned away from me. “Kimble, you and Lacey take the train. See if you can learn anything along the way. Miss McDonnell and I will go in the car. We’ll rendezvous at seventeen hundred hours. Get me a map so we can find a suitable place.”
Things happened quickly after that. The major began moving swiftly about the room, barking out orders to Kimble and Oscar, looking at maps, and jotting down telegrams to be sent and such.
Felix came over to me in the midst of all the chaos. “Are you sure about this?”
“Of course, I am.”
“You know I’ve always been on your side, urging the boys to let you join in. But this is different than climbing trees or playing British Bulldog.”
I started to speak, but he held up a hand. “I know you’re capable, love. It isn’t that. But I …