Page 33 of A Rogue at Stonecliffe

“Then you should realize that I’m not going to give up about this, either.”

“Anna...”

“Don’t tell me I can’t help find that document,” she said fiercely. “I am tired of everyone thinking I’m weak and I must be protected. I am perfectly capable.”

“I’ve never thought you were weak. I know how strong you are.” Sloane took a step closer to her. “But I cannot help but want you to be safe. This is too dangerous.”

Annabeth was suddenly aware of the hush in the room. She glanced around and saw that all eyes were on her and Sloane. Nathan had an odd look on his face, and Verity turned to look at him, raising her brows in a significant way. Annabeth’s cheeks flooded with color. She took a quick step back—when had she and Sloane moved closer to each other?—and lifted her chin a little.

She said in a cool voice, “You have no authority over me. I shall look if I want to.”

Any trace of warmth was gone from Sloane’s face now. “Leave it alone. I don’t need your help. You would only get in my way.”

“Very well.” Annabeth shrugged her shoulders. “If you prefer to work in ignorance, that’s quite all right with me. But obviously I will have to search for it myself now, since I am the one who knows where Papa might have hidden it.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

SLOANE WENT STILL. “What? What do you mean?”

Annabeth tilted her head and said smugly, “I thought you didn’t want my help.”

Sloane scowled at her. “Blast it, Anna, this isn’t a game.”

“I’m well aware of that. That’s why I wish to help you find it. You are the one who refuses to let me.”

“Very well,” he ground out, clenching his jaw. “You may help us look for it. Now...how do you know where it is? Did he tell you?”

“No, of course not. And I don’t know exactly where it is, but I do know where to look. I think it’s quite likely it’s in one of his little boxes.”

“His boxes?”

“Don’t you remember? He was always out in his workroom when we were in the country?”

“Yes, I know he sometimes went off to play with those puzzles and his inventions.”

“I remember quite well,” Nathan said, shooting a pointed look at Sloane. “He made clever boxes.”

“You don’t mean those silly things one couldn’t open, do you?” Lady Lockwood asked.

“But you could open them, Grandmother. You just had to figure out how. Some were only puzzle boxes and didn’t open at all unless you knew the trick. Others were actual boxes, like the one you use for jewelry, but they usually had a secret compartment as well.”

“Good Lord,” Sloane said softly, his eyes bright with interest.

“How many are there?” Verity’s face, too, was lit up. Obviously she was a lover of puzzles as well. Both she and Nathan had drawn closer at the news.

“I’ve no idea. He made many of them. His joy was in the making of them, not collecting them, so he gave them as gifts.”

“How many people might have one?” Verity asked.

“I’ve no idea.” Annabeth shook her head.

“What does it matter?” Nathan frowned. “You can hardly go around asking all of Mr. Winfield’s friends and relatives to let you see some box he gave them.”

“I wasn’t thinking of asking them,” Verity replied.

“Why would you, when breaking in is so much more convenient?” Nathan said caustically.

“Sometimes you aren’t as dim as you look.” Verity smiled at him sweetly.