defensive the minute any of us says a word about Luke. Besides, sheâs already mad at me.â
âSheâs flipped over him,â Bess said bluntly.
âAnd I donât like it.â Nancyâs eyes darkened. âBess, keep an eye on her, will you?â
Bess nodded as she chose a new outfit. âYou can count on it.â
Nancy and Bess met Ned outside. âI have to wait for Gunther,â Bess said. âHeâs going to give me my first downhill ski lesson.â
âOkay,â Nancy said with a smile. âHave fun! Ned and I are going to take the chair lift up to Big Birch.â
âRemember,â Ned added wickedly, âthat is your left ski. This is your right ski. This is a pole . . .â
âHow can you stand him?â Bess complained to Nancy.
Nancy laughed. âOh, I manageâbut just barely!â
Bess shook her head and went back inside to look for Gunther.
Ned looked at Nancy in mock anger. âYou just barely manage, huh?â
âWell, a little more than barely,â Nancy conceded, laughing. âCome on, letâs go.â She started toward the lift.
The chair-lift ride to Big Birch was so beautiful that Nancy almost felt sad. It would have been so much fun for her and Ned to be at Webb Cove without a mystery hanging over them!
The lift neared the top of the mountain, and traveled smoothly over one of Big Birchâs expert slopes.
âHey, look over there,â Ned cried, pointing. âLuke seems to be holding a private little advanced technique class down there. Very exclusive.â
Nancy glanced down at the slope. There were George and Luke, obviously as engrossed in each other as they were in skiing. âTerrific,â she muttered, squinting. âWeâll have to move fast to catch them. Think you can keep up with me, Ned? This is one of the toughest trails,â she teased.
âDonât get cute!â Ned retorted. âRemember, I beat you the last time we raced!â
âThe only time we raced,â Nancy answered.
âThen how about a rematch?â Ned said promptly. âSince youâre feeling so cocky. I think I can handle the trail.â
âIf thatâs a challenge, youâre on!â
The chair lift reached the top of the mountain,and Nancy and Ned got off. The slopes were growing crowded as the morning sun turned the hills a dazzling white.
Ned skied over to the side of the slope and adjusted his boot buckles. âHow do you like Lukeâs ski equipment?â Nancy asked. âItâs really top quality.â
âIt feels good to me. I just might end up buying it from him.â
âIsnât it a little unusual for a ski bum to have not one, but two pairs of first-rate professional skis?â Nancy asked.
Ned laughed. âClickety-click,â he said, tapping Nancyâs forehead with his index finger. âYour wheels are always turning.â
Nancy smiled, batting away Nedâs arm. âWell, donât you think so?â she persisted. âI mean, Lukeâs obviously a terrific skier, but Iâve watched him and his movements are kind of quirky. I think he favors his right leg a little.â
Ned nodded. âI noticed that, too. Could be from an old ski accident.â
âNed, think about this picture for a moment and see if it fits Luke. A guy loves skiing, but an injury keeps him from becoming a real pro. He doesnât want to admit it, though, so he keeps himself supplied with the best ski equipment available and acts like a big cheese.â
âMakes sense,â Ned admitted. âAnd George is falling for his delusions of grandeur. Youâd think she had more sense than that.â
âLove sure is blind sometimes,â Nancy murmured.
âNow what does that mean?â Ned demanded teasingly.
âOh . . . nothing! Hey, slowpoke, better ski fast if you want to catch me!â And with that,