Page 191 of Storm of Bells
His eyes narrowed infinitesimally. ‘Whatabout Captain Carter?’
‘Oh, um…I think he’s busy for now. Besides,it will be much cosier with just the two of us.’
Triumph glinted in his eyes. ‘Is thatso?’
Oh, you poor ignorant fool, live in bliss aslong as you can…
Before he could catch sight of what washappening behind us, I hurriedly pulled open the door of the coachand pushed him inside. When I was about to climb in after him,Karim took hold of my arm.
‘I thought you meant forall fourofyou to get back into the coach!’
I smiled up at him. ‘You thought wrong. Let’sgive them a little time, shall we?’
And, with a last wink at the bodyguard, Islipped into the carriage. Inside, I had settled down on the benchfor only a moment before an arm came down firmly around myshoulders and drew me against a familiar, hard chest. Unable tokeep my smile from widening, I looked up at Mr Rikkard Ambrose.
‘You seem to be pretty happy with how thingsworked out.’
He looked around the coach, empty but for thetwo of us, then his gaze drifted to the ring on my hand, and froze,as if anchored there.
‘Circumstances seem adequate.’
Leaning against his chest, I snuggled intohim as the coach started rolling again. ‘They do indeed, Sir, theydo indeed.’
He gave no answer, but instead simply pulledme tighter against him.
As we rolled up the road and the shadows oftrees grew longer, darkness slowly spread through the interior ofthe coach. The sun had sunk beyond the horizon long ago, and mydear fiancé was far too stingy to buy candles. The warmth of MrAmbrose’s arms spread through me, making me feel drowsy. It hadbeen such a long day…but now, in a few hours, we would be at home,and we would finally both be safe.
***
‘Rikkard Ambrose! You are the most miserableexcuse for a son in the world! Get out of that coach right thisinstant and come down here to your mother! I’ve got some things tosay to you!’
Blinking, I gazed up into the morningsunlight. What was that? Had I suddenly been transported to anancient battlefield, just as the general was starting to bellowinsults at the enemy troops? That’s what it sounded like,anyway.
‘Mother, cease this immediately! You arelabouring under a misapprehension. You—’
‘You close your mouth and listen, boy! Howdare you? How dare you do this to your mother? Running off likethat like a coward in the night?’
‘It was the middle of morni—’
‘And another thing! How could you hurt MissLinton like that? We’ve been working for weeks to prepare thewedding of her dreams, and now you drag her off up north and forceher to go through some sham of a wedding at a Scottish blacksmith’sshop? Shame on you! Shame on you! That girl is the best thing thatever happened to you, and you treat her like a piece of trash youcan just throw away—or worse, marry without inviting anyone!’
Grasping the bottom of the carriage’s window,I pulled myself up into a sitting position, any moment expecting apurse, parasol or similar feminine projectile to come soaring intothe coach, towards the traitorous son. However, no projectiles wereforthcoming. This by no means meant things were safe, however. Themother dragon herself was quickly advancing. A shiver went down myspine. Never before had I thought of sweet little Lady Samantha asa dragon, but now…
Luckily, I wasn’t the one at the receivingend of her wrath.
‘You! Get out here, now!’ Snatching thehandle, Her Ladyship tore open the door and reached inside.
‘Just wait a moment, mother! You can’tjust—’
Her hands fastened around his arm and tugged,hard.
‘Ng! Mother! Now really—’
‘Silence, boy!’
‘Nice suggestion.’ Unable to keep a grin frommy face, I winked at Mr Ambrose. ‘That’s a sentiment you shouldwholeheartedly approve of, isn’t it, Sir?’
Mr Ambrose threw me a look as dirty as anunwashed skunk. I watched, still grinning, as the tiny marchionessin her pink dress dragged away the granite statue of a man I lovedlike a puppy who had left a wet spot on the carpet. From inside thecarriage, I couldn’t hear everything she hurled at him, but the fewscraps I did catch didn’t sound very complimentary.
