A Will and a Way

many surprises for one day, Pandora decided, and rose unsteadily to her feet. She made the mistake of looking around and nearly sunk to the floor again.
    “Pandora—”
    “No, don’t worry.” She shook her head as he rose. “I’m not going to fall apart again.” Concentrating on breathing evenly, she took one long look at her workshop. “It looks like you were right about the locks. I suppose I should be grateful you haven’t said I told you so.”
    “Maybe I would if it applied.” Michael picked up the emeralds scattered on her table. “I’m no expert, cousin, but I’d say these are worth a few thousand.”
    “So?” She frowned as her train of thought began to march with his. “No thief would’ve left them behind.” Reaching down, she picked up a handful of stones. Among them were two top-grade diamonds. “Or these.”
    As was his habit, he began to put the steps together in a sortof mental scenario. Action and reaction, motive and result. “I’d wager once you’ve inventoried, you won’t be missing anything. Whoever did this didn’t want to risk more than breaking and entering and vandalism.”
    With a huff, she sat down on her table. “You think it was one of the family.”
    “‘They said it wouldn’t last,’” he quoted, and stuck his hands in his pockets. “You may’ve had something there, Pandora. Something neither of us considered when we were setting out the guidelines. None of them believed we’d be able to get through six months together. The fact is, we’ve gotten through the first two weeks without a hitch. It could make one of them nervous enough to want to throw in a complication. What was your first reaction when you saw all this?”
    She dragged her hand through her hair. “That you’d done it for spite. Exactly what our kith and kin would expect me to think. Dammit, I hate to be predictable.”
    “You outsmarted them once your mind cleared.”
    She sent him a quick look, not certain if she should thank him or apologize again. It was best to do neither. “Biff,” Pandora decided with relish. “This sort of low-minded trick would be just up his alley.”
    “I’d only vote for Biff if you find a few rocks missing.” Michael rocked back on his heels. “He’d never be able to resist picking up a few glitters that could be liquidated into nice clean cash.”
    “True enough.” Uncle Carlson—no, it seemed a bit crude for his style. Ginger would’ve been too fascinated with the sparklesto have done any more than fondle. Pulling a hand through her hair, she tried to picture one of her bland, civilized relations wielding a pair of nippers. “Well, I don’t suppose it matters a great deal which one of them did it. They’ve put me two weeks behind on my commission.” Again she picked up pieces of thin gold. “It’ll never be quite the same,” she murmured. “Nothing is when it’s done over.”
    “Sometimes it’s better.”
    With a shake of her head, she walked over to a heater. If he gave her any more sympathy now, she wouldn’t be able to trust herself. “One way or the other I’ve got to get started. Tell Sweeney I won’t make it in for lunch.”
    “I’ll help you clean this up.”
    “No.” She turned back when he started to frown. “No, really, Michael, I appreciate it. I need to be busy. And alone.”
    He didn’t like it, but understood. “All right. I’ll see you at dinner.”
    “Michael…” He paused at the doorway and looked back. Amid the confusion she looked strong and vivid. He nearly closed the door and went back to her. “Maybe Uncle Jolley was right.”
    “About what?”
    “You may have one or two redeeming qualities.”
    He smiled at her then, quick and dashing. “Uncle Jolley was always right, cousin. That’s why he’s still pulling the strings.”
    Pandora waited until the door shut again. Pulling the strings he was, she mused. “But you’re not playing matchmaker with my life,” she mumbled. “I’m staying free, single and unattached. Just get that through your head.”
    She wasn’t superstitious, but Pandora almost thought she heard her uncle’s high, cackling laugh. She rolled up her sleeves and got to work.

Chapter Four
    B ecause after a long, tedious inventory Pandora discovered nothing missing, she vetoed Michael’s notion of calling in the police. If something had been stolen, she’d have seen the call as a logical step. As it was, she decided the police would poke and prod around and lecture on