What would you call this ?

We were a first-time pick up partnership (intermediate) playing in a
tourney.  In third seat I opened the bidding 1 spade with ten points, my
hand satisfying the rule of 15.  My LHO bid two hearts and my partner
made (ostensibly) a negative double.  I refused to be forced to the
three level, so I passed.  It transpires that my partner HOPED that I
would do just that, for his hand was penalty oriented.

Before the play began, the 2 heart bidder enquired whether we played
negative doubles.  I felt that to answer this question would reveal the
strength, or rather the weakness, of my hand so I remained silent.

My question to the forum is this;  should my partner have told them that
we do play negative doubles, but that he was hoping I would pass when he
made the bid.  Sounds ridiculous to me.  But apparently he should alert
his bid because he was hoping that I wd take it as penalty oriented; a
negative double "intended" as a penalty double, so to speak.

..