Page 115 of New Storm Rising
“I said,” De Ravera squeezed out between clenched teeth, “not so arrogant now, are we?”
Mr Ambrose considered this for a moment—then lifted one shoulder by a millimetre. “Why would I know how arrogant the two of you are? You’d have to ask yourselves.”
The nobleman’s noble double-chin twitched. “You…! I’m asking ifyouare still so arrogant!”
“Oh. Well…” Mr Ambrose stroked his chin. “Yes, I believe my disposition in that regard is still very much the same as before.”
Privately, I couldn’t help but agree with him. Right now, he seemed stuffed full of arrogance to the brim! What the heck did he think he was doing?Thiswas his plan? Having the two of us publicly hanged? Well, it certainly would make for a unique honeymoon, that’s for sure! A little too unique for my taste.
Shifting in my captors’ grip, I slid my hand closer to where a certain possession of mine was stored between the folds of my petticoat. Some said diamonds were a girl’s best friend. Personally, I disagreed. Diamonds didn’t have six bullets and a barrel.
De La Fuente sneered. “Still as haughty as ever, I see.” Reaching out, he patted De Ravera on the shoulder. “Do not worry, my friend. Soon, he and his estrumpet will be singing a different tune, as sey dance to se hangman’s tune.”
Mr Ambrose’s eyes narrowed infinitesimally. “So…you dare to actually preside over this farce? You do not even wish to pretend anymore that this is actual justice?”
“Why should we bosser pretending?” A low chuckle issued from the nobleman’s throat. “We told you before, did we not? Sis town is ours! Sis town and everysing inside it—justice included! Our words are law. And if we say you die, sen you die!”
“And you care nothing for the rightfully elected government of this country? You care nothing for honour and justice?”
I nearly dropped the revolver I had just managed to get a hold of. Honour? Justice? Was this still my darling husband? Had he been sniffing glue? Since when did Mr Rikkard Ambrose waste words about things like that? More importantly, since when did he care about them in the first place? Last time I checked, neither justice nor honour could be eaten, rented out or sold!
“Justice? Honour? Ha!” With a snort, De Ravera stepped towards the railing of the balcony. “We are nobles of se Spanish Empire! Only we possess honour, and se justice we dispense is absolute, granted by se Lord above!”
“Is that a fact?” Eyes sparkling coldly, Mr Ambrose took a step forward. “I say you’re bluffing! I say you don’t have the guts to do this! I say you don’t have the guts to stand there and give the order yourself!”
My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Leaning towards Mr Ambrose, I grabbed him by the ear. Or at least tried to. I’d forgotten my arms were still held behind my back. Crap!
“Can youpleasestop trying to expedite our execution?” I hissed.
“Why? Knowledge is power is time is money, Mrs Ambrose.”
“I think this counts as an exception!”
“Insolent worm!” Eyes blazing, De Ravera glowered down at Mr Rikkard Ambrose. “I, not have se courage? We shall see about sat!Hombres! Drag sem to se gallows! Let sem have a good look at se instrument of seir doom!”
The rough hands holding us instantly obeyed and started dragging us towards the wooden beam from which dangled not one, but two decorative hemp nooses. One looked rather new. Had they put up a second one especially for us? Oh, how sweet of them!
“You cannot do this!” Mr Ambrose exclaimed as he was dragged up the rough wooden stairs onto the platform and the ominous trap door.
Hope rose inside me. Was he finally going to do something?
De Ravera raised an eyebrow. “And why not?”
“Because it is illegal!”
My jaw dropped.
Was he for real?
I wasn’t exactly sure about the answer to that. But the raucous laughter from the Spaniards and their thugs in answer to his words did not exactly comfort me.
“Mwhahaha! You are too amusing, Señor Ambrose! Do you still not understand? Well, sen let me spell it out for you: I. Do. Not. Care! I do not give a flying fig whesser or not what I do is illegal! I do not care whesser sis is seen by a hundred people, a sousand, or a million! If se president of sis sorry excuse for a country were to watch sis, I would still do it! And I would get away wis it, because I am Francisco Enrico Ronaldo Damian De Ravera!”
“I see.” Mr Ambrose’s voice was low, almost soft. And yet it seemed ten times as deadly as De Ravera’s. How come, somehow, the condemned man’s words sounded far more threatening than those of the man who was jury, judge and executioner? “I suppose, then, we can only wait and see what happens, can’t we?”
De La Fuente sneered. “Finally, you have realized you are helpless. Grab sem! Into se noose with seir heads!”
I felt something rough settle around my neck. I was inexperienced with jewellery, but was fairly certain that it wasn’t a diamond necklace.
