Page 134 of Storm of Bells
‘Don’t bother.’ His arctic eyes flashed. ‘Iknow everything.’
Crap! He really does know! How? Is heomniscient?
Not that I didn’t intend to tell him. Ofcourse I was going to tell him! He was the man of my dreams. Theman I loved more than anything else in this world. I wanted toshare everything with him.
Eventually.
Once he didn’t look like he wanted to eat mealive and spit me out again. And once I’d had a chance to perform afull-body-search for that key of his. Ah, the joys of beingblackmailed…
Coming to a stop in front of me, Mr RikkardAmbrose raised his hand, and jabbed one finger at me.
‘I. Know. Everything.’
Crap, crap, crap, cra—
‘You’ve been out with your “friends”, pickingout wedding dresses. Dresses paid for bymymoney. Just youwait until I get my hands on you…!’
Oh.
Thank you so much, Dear Lord I don’t believein!
‘Yes, exactly!’ Beaming, I nodded so hard myhead nearly fell off. ‘I’ve been really, really bad. I spent moremoney in one afternoon than in the last two years combined, and nota penny of it is mine. Would you like to inflict some horriblepunishment on me?’
His eyes narrowed infinitesimally. ‘Well…yes,but…’
‘Excellent, excellent! Let’s go upstairs,shall we? And let’s close the front door, all right? I’m sure therecouldn’t possibly be anything interesting outside, and, anyway, I’msure you’d like to concentrate on punitive measures. What would youlike to do? Cut my wages in half? Cut me in half? Let’s go do that,shall we?’
Grabbing him by the arm, I started tomanoeuvre him towards the stairs, and—
Thud!
Slowly, mine and Mr Ambrose’s gazes droppedto the ground. Wire, with admirably horrendous timing, shoved myskirt aside with his wet nose, revealing the revolver lying on thefloor. Mr Ambrose raised his gaze to mine, his ice-cold eyes boringinto me.
I shrugged. ‘Have you ever tried shopping onthe weekend? It’s crazy, I tell you! It’s best to takeprecautions.’
‘Indeed?’
‘Oh yes, indeed.’ Bending down to grab myrevolver, I kicked the front door shut and grabbed his arm. ‘Nowlet’s get upstairs so you can remonstrate with me, shall we?’
And I started dragging him towards thestairs.
‘Not that I don’t agree you deserve it, MissLinton, but…you seem strangely eager.’
‘Eager? Me? Good God, no. I’m terrified ofyour righteous anger, can’t you tell?’ I batted my eyelashes up athim. ‘Let’s go upstairs, shall we?’
He leaned closer, inspecting me as if I werea heifer available for purchase, and found lacking. ‘Somethingsmells rather fishy here, Miss Linton. What secrets have you beenhiding from me?’
A shrill girlish giggle came from far above,followed by the clatter of feet running along the manor corridorsfar too fast to be ladylike. A corner of my mouth curled up.
‘You mean apart from inviting those threelovely ladies?’
Please don’t ask about the gun. Please don’task me where I came from. Prostitutes are so much more interestingsubjects for a soon-to-be married couple.
With admirable timing, Amy stuck her head outof a door on the upstairs landing.
‘’ey,Lilly! Da bachelors around ‘ere are dissapearin’ faster danmayflies![28]I know your fellow isoff-limits, and now that Cora, the silly goose, is moonin’ over aman, I’ll ‘ave to keep my fingers off dat one, too—’
‘I ain’t moonin’!’ Came Cora’s protest fromsomewhere in the background. ‘I’m most definitely not—‘
