secrecy

“That’s a relief. For a minute there I really thought I was seeing things! But why the secrecy?”

“He said he’s sworn to secrecy. The only person he’ll talk to about it is Admiral Ashton himself. That’s who made him swear.”

Penelope wondered if it was a desire for secrecy that had prompted Miss Mortimer’s choice of restaurant, and not just an appreciation for ferns—but she did not have to wonder for long.

Of course, all that sauce secrecy is also good marketing.

Some describe a pattern of power being concentrated at the top, with secrecy becoming routine and transparency rare.