Page 130 of Storm of Bells
‘I wouldn’t, if I were you, boys,’ I toldthem, holding up a warning finger. They hesitated, their gazestravelling from my revolver’s muzzle to their employer andback.
Lord Dalgliesh’s jaw moved for a moment—thenhe jerked his head sideways. ‘I told you to keep your hands offyour guns, fools! That’s not the way to deal with her.’
‘So…’ I cocked my head. ‘You’ve learned alesson since we last met.’
‘You could say that.’ Sharp, steel-blue eyesbored into me. ‘I’ve learned how to deal with you. The two of you?’He gestured at his henchmen. ‘Leave! Mr Linton and I have someprivate business to discuss.’
‘Mister?’ One of the goons was stupid enoughto glance around in confusion. ‘But I don’t see any Mist—’
‘Leave!’
Lord Dalgliesh’s command cut through the airlike a whip. Paling, the two henchmen scuttled away into theshadows. I was left next to the house of God, alone with a man whothought he was one. For the first time, a slight shiver of fearwent down my spine.
‘So.’ Pushing away my trepidation, I met hisgaze head-on. ‘You know.’
‘I do.’ He smiled in a way that gave thewords additional meaning. A meaning that I didn’t likewhatsoever.
My eyes narrowed. ‘Why are you here?’
‘I’m soglad you asked, Mr. Linton.’ His smile broadening, he started tocircle me. Quickly, I moved into the corner between the wall andone of the buttresses.[27]That, unfortunately, onlyprovided him with an opportunity to corner me in. His eyessparkled. ‘I have a proposition for you,MisterLinton.’
‘No.’
He lifted an eyebrow. ‘You haven’t even heardwhat I want to propose.’
‘Exactly. It’s the you proposing it part thatstinks. I don’t want to listen to a word you have to say.’
‘Hm.’ The corner of his mouth quirked. It wasa cruel curve, like the tip of a scimitar, ready to strike. ‘Do youreally think I care?’
Good point.
He stepped towards me, and his hand slammedagainst the stone wall, right next to my head. I couldn’t suppressthe tiniest of flinches.
‘Now listen here,MisterLinton, andlisten closely. I have to admit, it took me a while to figure outthe game you’re playing, and when I did, well…’ He laughed. ‘Icould hardly believe it at first. I mean, who could ever think thathe’d be so easy to hoodwink?’
Huh?
What was he babbling about?
‘For a mere girl to fool the mighty RikkardAmbrose…’ He shook his head, almost admiringly. ‘For her to dupehim into marriage, while the entire time dressing up as a man andgetting the job of his private secretary…’
Oh.
Oh my.
Did he think…?
I just barely managed to keep a grin of myface. He did! He actually did!
‘As I said, I don’t know what your endgameis,MisterLinton. And, to be honest for a change, I don’treally care. Do you want to steal from him? Do you get off on thethrill? Or were you just plotting to get him to the altar like anyother breathing woman in England? I am not the slightest bitinterested in what your goals are.’ He leaned closer until his facewas only inches away from mine. I could feel his breath on my faceand was almost disappointed it wasn’t a foul stench. ‘I don’t care,because your goals don’t matter anymore. From now on, your goalsare my goals.’
Oh, they are, are they?
I quirked an eyebrow. ‘What exactly does thatmean?’
I already had a pretty good idea. But if thistruly was what I thought it was…
Once again, I had to suppress the insane urgeto giggle.
