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He crossed his arms at his chest. “I suppose you think you can do better. You, the woman who has no experience in such things.”

“Perhaps, but we won’t know unless I try.”

“Fine. I invite you to do your best, and when that doesn’t get you the results you want, we’ll return to my way.”

“Why must you prove so annoying?” Not waiting for his response, Caroline returned to the gathering and sat on a low sofa where one of the girls perched.

“I apologize for the major. He is so ancient, he doesn’t remember what it was like being your age.

” As she spoke, she noticed a couple of blood drops on the hem of the girl’s ivory skirts.

“You must have been frightened when Mr. Blythe fell off that roof.”

“I was.” The blonde nodded. “It was terrible. One moment he was balancing on top, then the next, he was on the ground. We had to run around to the opposite side to find out what happened to him.”

That meant the group of them was probably behind him—the same direction that the shot had been fired from. Was that why there was blood on her skirt?

“I once fell out a second story window,” one of the young men offered as he leaned forward in his chair with large eyes and a hastily tied cravat. “It hurt like the devil, but then, I’d broken my arm too.”

“I can’t imagine what that felt like.” When she moved her gaze to the young lady sitting near his location, she immediately took in her mussed hair that had been tucked into pins in haste. “Miss…?”

“Cooper,” she helpfully supplied.

“Ah, of course. Miss Cooper, tell me the truth. You seem quite rumpled, as does Mr. Pitt. Were the two of you really with Mr. Blythe when he fell off the roof or had you used that opportunity to duck into the trees for a bout of quick kissing?” She held up a hand when the boy started to protest. “I am not here to judge. Emotions get the best of all of us. I merely wish to put together a story leading up to the time Mr. Blythe fell.”

As the major trailed closer, a blush went through Miss Cooper’s cheeks .

“How did you know that?” She sent a furtive glance to Mr. Pitt. “We just wanted a few moments alone and didn’t think anyone would miss us.”

He vigorously nodded. “Especially since Lockhart and Hansen got into a tussle. But when Miss Cinders screamed, we all came back together.”

Major Kourier cleared his throat. “So none of you, with the exception of Miss Cinders,” he looked at the quiet, red-haired young lady who sat across from Mr. Pitt, “was actually watching Mr. Blythe walk the roof?”

All of them nodded.

Caroline peered at that other young man, Mr. Hansen. One of his lapels was torn, a testament to the tussle. “Why were you fighting with Mr. Lockhart?”

“Over a girl.”

“And the presence of a groom? Why was he there?” the major asked.

A blush went through Miss Cinders’ cheeks. “He was supposed to meet with Mr. Blythe later, but when Mr. Lockhart showed up unannounced annoyed that Mr. Blythe had switched places with him, the groom was quite angry.”

Oh, dear. What a tangled web this is becoming.

Caroline exchanged a puzzled glance with the major, who shrugged. “Did the two of them often switch places?”

All five nodded, but it was Mr. Pitt who answered.

“They look so similar, many people thought them twins if they were together. Sometimes, they would switch places if one or the other of them didn’t wish to do something.”

“Interesting.” The major scribbled in his notebook. “Did any of you hear a gunshot while you were out with Mr. Blythe?”

Glances were exchanged and heads were shaken.

Miss Cooper frowned. “No, but there were cracking twigs in the woods nearby when I was out there…” She giggled as she cast a look at Mr. Pitt. “We thought it was a deer.” She focused on Caroline. “You won’t write to my parents and tell them about this, will you?”

“I have no plans to do so.” After all, why would she? There was no crime in kissing, and they certainly hadn’t broken any laws.

Major Kourier huffed. “Was there anyone else around the area while the dares were being conducted?”

“Not that I know of, since the other group was two outbuildings ahead of us.” Then he frowned. “Except there was that groom. He kept hanging about in the hopes to talk with Blythe.”

“Did Mr. Blythe acknowledge the groom’s presence?” Caroline wanted to know.

Mr. Hansen shrugged. “I couldn’t say, but they were both annoyed with Lockhart. ”

“I see.” The major scribbled another note. “What is the groom’s name?”

“I think I heard someone called him Tobert.”

There were so many threads to pursue, it made her head spin.

“Since it appears the group of you don’t have too many answers, you may go, but do not leave the property for the village until I have completely cleared you of the murder.”

“Murder?” Fear jumped into Miss Cooper’s eyes. “He simply fell off the roof.”

“No, Miss Cooper, he did not. In fact, Mr. Blythe was shot.” He then waved a hand in a shooing motion. “Go! I have no more use for you.”

As one entity, the young people scampered from the library.

The major looked at Caroline. “We’ll need to search through the woods for clues or perhaps footprints before it rains again.”

“As well as talk to the groom and locate Mr. Lockhart.”

“Yes, exactly.” He stuffed the notebook and his pencil nub into the interior pocket of his jacket.

She took a few steps toward him. “Next time, you need to relax your interviewing technique, otherwise, this will be more difficult than it needs to be.”

Annoyance flitted over his face. “Don’t think to lecture me on how I begin an investigation.” When he started to pace in front of the windows, Caroline frowned. “You sidetracked my line of questioning in front of potential suspects, thereby completely upending any authority I might have had.”

“Oh.” That was something she hadn’t thought about. “I’m sorry, but you were on the wrong track entirely, so it was a good thing I interrupted.”

“How the hell did you come to that conclusion?”

“Language, Major.” She followed his progress with her gaze. “You missed quite a few small things—blood droplets on a skirt, a torn lapel, mussed hair and a loosened cravat.”

“I didn’t miss them. Or at least half of them.” Yet an angry mottled flush rose slowly up his neck above his collar. “But that is beside the point. You could have warned me before I questioned them.”

“Or you could have allowed us to work together.” Coming toward him another few steps, she halted a couple of feet from him. “You look like a kettle ready to boil over. Have it out. If I’ve overstepped, tell me. We are partners.”

“Only because you demanded it.”

She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “We are on equal footing, Major. This is a joint effort, and murder isn’t something to lord over another.”

“While that might be so, you had no right to cut me out of the questioning.”

“Then don’t be so loud and grumpy, like a bull in a china shop.”

“I wouldn’t need to be if you weren’t so meek and mousy.”

Tension fairly crackled between them, and propelled Caroline another step toward him. “You are too large and imposing.”

“Well, you are too short to make an impression.” He took a step toward her and was so close that the heat of him seeped into her.

Oh, how this man frustrated her! “You are rude when you talk to people, regardless of the situation.”

“You are too lenient in the same. If you had some conviction in your voice, perhaps I could take you seriously as an investigative partner!”

“You are too gruff.”

“You are too soft.”

“You never smile.”

“You never follow orders.” Tiny flecks of gold floated in the deep brown depths of his eyes.

A wave of heat went over her while odd tingles of need twisted down her spine. The same ones she’d felt when she’d spied on him at the pond. “Your shoulders are too broad.”

He grunted and stepped forward until a few inches of space was between them. “Your lips are too full and pink.”

“Your voice makes me shiver.” How had a sliver of truth made its way into this far too heated conversation?

His eyes darkened. “Your curves are driving me mad.”

Oh, dear. Was he laboring under the same devilish connection that bound her to him? “I’ll wager you endlessly flirt with women and then walk away when they feel something for you… or you feel for them.”

Surprise glimmered in his expression. “Hardly, but you are a desperate spinster.”

“Not desperate, just curious, and quite disappointed you never moved out of the water last night while I was watching.”

He gasped, as did she.

“Arse.” Her chest heaved with the accusations and this unexpected desire she had for him.

“Vixen.”

She was never certain which of them moved first, but suddenly she was in his arms, and they were every bit as strong as she’d thought. Then he apparently lost his mind, for Major Kourier bent his head and fit his lips to hers.

For a moment, Caroline froze. Of course, she’d only been kissed a handful of times throughout her Seasons in London, but none of them started off with such an electric zip as this one had.

Well within her rights to deliver him a slap for him taking advantage, she didn’t.

Instead, for the space of a few quick heartbeats, she peered up at him, backlit by the sunlight in the windows, but then she uttered a soft sigh.

“Even in this, I’m curious,” she whispered, and lifting onto her toes, she pressed her lips to his as one of her hands slipped up his chest to curl her fingers about his nape.

I might be a spinster, but that doesn’t mean I can’t want to experience a kiss from a handsome stranger.

“That will see you into scandalbroth one of these days,” he whispered, seconds before he uttered a soft groan and he tucked her into his embrace more comfortably.

He kissed her quite thoroughly, moved over her mouth, perhaps as an unorthodox way of introducing himself without words, and she was immediately consumed by him through all her senses.

Hardly aware of what was happening or that they could be spied upon at any second, Caroline kissed him with a feeling of freedom, wonder, and flight. This was beyond anything she’d ever known, and she hoped it would last forever.

Perhaps he did as well, for several satisfying seconds passed as they drank from each other as if they’d both been longing for this kiss since the moment they’d met last night.

It wasn’t far from the truth, for she’d seen him stare at her lips earlier that day over the dead body.

Many women would have thought it odd or in poor taste, but she’d enjoyed being found interesting, enjoyed it even more to know that she’d managed to inflame him, at least this once.

When the major dared to slide his palms from her hips, over her ribcage, and upward to cup her breasts, she gasped and shoved at his chest.

Immediately, he released her. “I apologize, Miss Ives. That wasn’t well done of me.”

“To me, it was quite well done.” Her response was breathless. “You definitely have some skill in kissing. However, scandal isn’t uppermost in my mind just now, and we have a case to work.” Yet she couldn’t ignore that powerful something that had been exchanged between them.

“At least you are honest.” His lips tilted at the corners with the beginnings of a grin. “I suppose there were worse ways to pass the time and worse partners.”

Heat slapped at her cheeks. “Um, should I fetch our next suspect?” If her knees were wobbly as she walked to the door, she couldn’t help it. He’d left a powerful impression.

“First, let’s see what we can find out about the man in the paper. For that matter, where the devil is the elusive Mr. Lockhart?”

She tucked a strand of escaped hair behind her ear. “I’m not sure. I don’t know if I’ve seen him since before luncheon. ”

“Right.” The major nodded. “First, we locate him. We’ll question him then make a plan on how we’ll tackle the others. The key here is not to cause a panic amongst the guests.”

“Truly, you’ll want to stay on my mother’s good side. Uh, by the by, where is the body?”

“I asked the footmen to put him in the icehouse.”

“Good thinking. Should we examine the body for further clues? We only gave it a cursory glance at the scene.” The prospect of entering into the full scope of this investigation had excitement buzzing through her.

“We will, but the duke’s missing heir is the priority. Afterward, we’ll revisit Mr. Blythe’s body ahead of continuing our interviews. We did learn some valuable insights today.” He cleared his throat. “Thanks to your technique.”

The heat in her cheeks intensified. “Thank you. Do remember the welcome dinner and rout though. Papa will bluster if everyone doesn’t attend or if we interrupt that.”

“Right.” He shook his head. “God, I detest society events.”

In this, they agreed. “So do I but this is our world.” She moved into the corridor. “Shall we crack on with our afternoon while we can?”

This was going to be so much fun… as long as she could ignore what had transpired between her and the major during that kiss.

After all, she was not looking for the complication of a man.