I drew myself up. ‘Scheming? Scheming? You’re the one who’s been scheming, mister!’

He looked exasperated. ‘I didn’t want you here, that’s true,’ he admitted. ‘But when I saw you loitering around outside, I knew you’d end up with me so the entire venture to exclude you was pointless.’

I tried to banish the small knot of hurt in my chest and put my hands on my hips. ‘You found a way round the binding.’

‘Don’t get excited,’ he growled. ‘It’s only temporary.’

‘Why?’

‘So I could come here and investigate without any nasty side-effects.’

‘Is that what I am?’ I spat. ‘A nasty side-effect?’

His sapphire-blue eyes blinked in surprise. ‘I was referring to the binding’s side-effects, not you.’ Winter sighed. ‘I don’t believe that Oscar Marsh is the witch we’re looking for, despite the evidence to the contrary. If I’m right, the real culprit is not only clever but also very dangerous. You let a First Level witch beat you with a spell that wouldn’t have fooled a Neophyte earlier today. I didn’t want to risk you getting hurt, so it seemed prudent to make use of the temporary block on the binding.’ His expression grew rueful. ‘I should have known better than to think you’d be fooled. I suppose I hoped that you’d take advantage of the opportunity to loll around at home in peace and quiet.’

‘I threw that damn fight,’ I snapped. ‘That would have been obvious if you knew anything about me. I didn’t want to spend the next hundred days fighting off challengers.’

‘How was I supposed to know that? Why didn’t you tell me that you lost deliberately?’

I looked down. ‘I didn’t want you to think badly of me. I mean, I know you think I’m a lazy arse.’ I paused. ‘I am a lazy arse but I didn’t want you to think I was like that. Even if I am.’

Winter’s gaze softened. ‘You’re not as lazy as you think you are. You’re here, after all.’

‘You’re not as stuck-up and strait-laced as I thought you were,’ I said grudgingly.

‘I’m stuck-up and strait-laced enough not to set the library on fire just to gain a few extra hours.’

‘Oh, shut up. Maidmont has things under control.’ I grinned. ‘Besides, it’s just as well I’m here. You’re looking in the wrong place. Tarquin’s already been through these files with a fine tooth-comb.’

Winter’s eyebrows shot up. ‘And you believe him?’ he asked.

‘In this, I do. He wants to give off the appearance of being a good little boy witch. If Marsh’s file was discovered later down the back of one of these cabinets, Tarquin would feel the heat. He won’t want any more fingers pointing in his direction. He’s on shaky ground as it is, given what he did to Eve.’

Winter cocked his head. ‘What did he do to Eve?’

I’d forgotten that he didn’t know that little titbit. ‘Never mind,’ I said. ‘It’s not relevant to this.’