Death at Scarlet Leaf.

Chapter 6

"Miss Winter, I thought you were riding" Newham said from behind me. I finally had the courage to turn around.

"I changed my mind" I replied simply, looking down at him from the stairs. "I'd really love to talk, but…" I gestured to my finger.

Newham gave a little smile.

"Come here, I'll sort it" he sighed, and I returned to the bottom of the stairs.

"What did you do?" he asked. I bit my lip.

"I wasn't watching where I was sewing" I admitted, and he laughed a little as he tied up my finger with his handkerchief.

"My sister once sewed a quilt to her skirt when she wasn't watching where she was sewing" he commented, and I burst out laughing in a highly undignified manner, which made him sigh and smile. I still got the feeling he was distancing himself from me, just a little bit.

"Well, I suppose we've all done it some time or another!" I said between the giggles, and he looked at me quizzically.

"When did you do such a thing, Miss Winter?" he asked curiously, and I sighed.

"I was fourteen."

We were interrupted by Mrs. Ellis at the top of the stairs. She looked considerably worried.

"Oh, Lieutenant, Allie, I know this is a bit of an awkward question, but neither of you have seen a brown wig anywhere have you?" she asked.

"A wig?" I asked confusedly.

"Yes" Mrs. Ellis sighed.

"I haven't seen one anywhere, I'm sorry" Newham answered, and I nodded my agreement.

"Oh well" Mrs. Ellis smiled. "But if you see one…"

"We'll get it straight back to you" Newham assured her, and she hurried away.

"I never knew…" I muttered, trailing off into thought.

"That's the beauty of them" Newham smiled. "You never realize…"

I gave a vague sort of nod, but couldn't help feeling I had been a bit of a fool. Question Nine on my list now seemed blindingly obvious, and I wondered how I'd ever missed it before. I realized that Newham was still standing by me.

"Miss Winter, surely not! What on earth could that have…" he trailed off and looked sheepish. I smiled and shook my head.

"It only takes a second of thought, Lieutenant" I told him, and he held his hands up in a gesture of defeat.

"So what does it prove?" he asked.

"It doesn't, it just confirms my suspicions" I replied. "I'll be out in the pine clearing when it's time for dinner."