Minding Amy

She regarded him with such scrutiny Sebastian had to turn away and direct the rest of his speech to Richard, in case he looked guilty and she picked up on it. "The sort of work I've done for Richard before has been assisting with investigations, yes, but this was something entirely different."

Richard Norton smiled. "You see, darling, there's absolutely no reason for you to think badly of Mr. Armitage, or myself."

Amy harrumphed loudly and Sebastian looked back at her. She'd crossed her arms over her chest defensively. The cat was now standing on its back legs, its front paws testing the cushion beside Amy, while it eyed up her lap.

"The fact the two of you never told me the true nature of your job gives this whole thing a rather underhand tone, don't you think?" She directed her question at Sebastian.

"That really wasn't intentional, I assure you." Sebastian frowned. He had the urge to come completely clean. Now the ball was out and rolling he wanted to get the rest off his chest because he realized he shouldn't have done any investigation without informing her. Now he was in the awkward position of wondering whether to confess the whole thing—which meant taking on board the personal risks it entailed—or whether he should keep schtum about his own investigations and therefore be every bit as underhand as she was inferring he was.

"I can see why you feel the way you do, Amy, and perhaps I should have informed you about my own experience in the field, but I was doing exactly what I was hired to do and trying to be professional about it. I felt that if I'd spoken to you about my own background you may have felt awkward about it, and I wouldn't have wanted to do that."

Her mouth pursed and her cheeks were getting more flushed with each passing second. He could tell this was not going well.

"Oh, so you decided to keep me in the dark instead. You realize that in itself has totally undermined me?" The cat had found its way onto her lap and she ruffled its fur instinctively, whilst glaring at Sebastian. The cat ignored her mood and settled down for a snooze.

"Amy, the sooner you get over this the sooner you can get on with the job," her father interjected and gestured at Sebastian. "You have to admit it's big of Mr. Armitage to even

bother tracking you down here to explain himself, when he is under no obligation to do so as part of his job."

Sebastian looked at her beseechingly, lifting his eyebrows. She surely knew he hadn't come just because of the job and their working relationship, but because of their more personal relationship.

She glanced at him and her eyelids dropped immediately. She was biting her lower lip. Yes, at least she understood that much, which was a small mercy.

"If I were you," her father mused. "I would try to look favorably on Mr. Armitage's skills and take advantage of his presence for the rest of your time together."

The rest of their time together. The remark made Sebastian's mind wander away to images of Amy back in his arms again and he had to haul it back on track.

Amy's head shot up, her mouth opening. "You can't expect me to continue working with him, now that I know?"

She was annoyed, but her remark injured Sebastian's feelings far more than he cared to admit. Was she just upset, or did she really not want to be around him any more? "Of course we can carry on…as before, nothing has really changed."

She didn't look convinced, but he could see her mind was racing. Perhaps she too was thinking over the more intimate side of their time together. Would that sway her? He certainly hoped it would.

Richard Norton shifted in his chair, and the expression on his face assured everyone he was adamant. "You're not continuing to work on a suspicious, possibly criminal investigation, without Mr. Armitage at your side."

Before she had time to reply—which was probably just as well—the door sprang open and her mother walked in with a tray of coffee cups and a plate heaped with scones. "Refreshments," she declared, with a big smile, before she realized the mood in the room was not entirely conducive to friendly banter over a cuppa and a bun. "Oh, we're not still fighting are we?" she asked, as she set the tray down on a coffee table.

"No, we're not," Richard Norton replied, taking the opportunity to clarify. "If Amy wants to continue with this case she has to continue working with Mr. Armitage at her side and that is the bottom line. Now, I understand from Fiona that you are going walkabout with this again tomorrow, is that correct?"

Amy nodded.

"Well, now everything is out in the open, I see no reason why you shouldn't get on with the job—the job you wanted so very much, may I remind you."

Even Sebastian knew her well enough to realize that was not going to bring about the right response from Amy. She was fiercely independent, proud and ambitious. Even when she did need help she fought against it every step of the way to try to make it on her own.

She stood up, snatching the cat into her arms as she did. "If those continue to be the terms of the job I have no choice, but I haven't forgiven or forgotten the two of you for duping me and for treating me as if I couldn't cope on my own. I'll show you what I can do and you will realize how wrong you were to underestimate me."

She clutched the cat against her chest where it hung limply, trustingly, in her arms, waiting to see what she was going to do next. The only sign of its annoyance over the change in arrangements was an occasional flick of its thick black tail.

She turned round and deposited the cat on her seat. "Sorry Mum, I've got to go." She stepped over and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek then promptly left the room.

Sebastian stood up. "I'd better go after her."

"Do come back for your coffee." Mrs. Norton gave him an encouraging smile.

The woman was clearly confused about the whole shenanigans, and who could blame her. The undercurrents Sebastian had been feeling from Amy were more about the fact the two of them had been bedfellows and, despite that, he hadn't shared that personal information about himself. He realized now how wrong of him that had been.

He caught her up outside the garden gate. "Amy."