Page 106 of Storm of Bells
Happy.
He looked happy.
He looked at home.
Feeling a painful tug at my heart, Iglanced around the little room, for the first time realizingsomething. There was a reason he had bought this place. He couldhave used any old building in the country to store his artefacts. Abarn. A lighthouse. A castle ruin. Instead, he had bought one ofthe most beautiful manor houses I had ever seen in my life—and thenhe broughtmehere.
For all his talk of cheap storage space inthe country, what he really wanted, what he really needed, was ahome. And I was going to make bloody damn sure he got one!
***
‘What are you thinking about, MissLinton?’
‘Hm?’ I was abruptly torn from my memories.Blinking, I looked up at Mr Rikkard Ambrose—grown up, stern, hard,cold. Just like I loved him.
‘I asked,’ he repeated, cocking his head,‘what are you thinking about. I know that look. Are you planningsomething?’
‘Me?’ I batted my eyelashes up at him,innocently. ‘Whyever would you think that?’
SpecialPlaces
Under normalcircumstances, Mr Rikkard Ambrose was in charge. Of everything.Always. So when, that evening, I took hold of his hand and startedpulling him towards the parlour door, slipping another hand overhis eyes, he was not very pleased.
‘Miss Linton? What are you doing?’
‘It’s a surprise,’ I whispered into his ear,pressing a gentle kiss against his earlobe.
He stiffened.
‘Miss Linton, I have just wasted three hours,forty-two minutes and twenty-seven seconds in the company of avillage vicar and three old crones, being pelted with questions Idid not wish to answer and compliments on my non-existentgenerosity. After, I might add, you already brought me three dozensurprises, most of which are currently employed by me and aresweeping this house clean and cooking in the kitchens. Do youreally think that after all that, I would desire a surprise?’
I considered his question for a moment—thennodded. ‘Yes.’
‘You,’ Mr Ambrose said from behind my hand,still covering his face, ‘are delusional.’
‘And you love me just the way I am.’
A moment of silence. Then—
‘I have stated as much, yes.’
I grinned up at him. Even knowing he couldn’tsee it, I bet he could feel it. ‘So if I’m delusional, and you loveme anyway, what does that make you?’
Silence.
A very long, very non-committal silence.
‘Careful,’ I warned.
‘Why? Wh—aaah! Nnf!’
‘Because there are steps in front of you,’ Ihelpfully explained.
‘Thank you so much for the early warning,Miss Linton.’
‘You are most welcome, Sir.’
‘Will you remove your hand from my eyes?’
