Page 155 of Storm of Bells
‘I wasn’t thinking of Karim. How’s your shinfeeling, Sir?’ I fluttered my eyelashes. ‘Still aching?’
‘You…!’
Mr Ambrose started towards me—when Tom’svoice drifted over the edge of the roof. ‘Are you coming, MyLady?’
‘That boy,’ Mr Ambrose ground out betweenclenched teeth, ‘is enervating!’
‘Don’t like children, do you, Sir?’ Onecorner of my mouth curled up as I reached up to touch his face. ‘Iwonder…does that apply just to this particular rugrat, or allchildren in general? Because that would be…unfortunate.’
I had the distinct privilege of witnessing arare phenomenon right then and there: Mr Rikkard Ambrose,slack-jawed and lost for words. Rising on my tiptoes, I pressed akiss to the corner of his mouth and felt him tremble beneath mytouch.
‘I’ll be waiting down in the meadow. Don’tkeep me waiting for too long.’
And, slipping past him, I sidled to theladder and started downwards.
A few minutes later, I was sitting on achequered blanket, food and drink of all kinds spread out allaround me, surrounded by happy, smiling, faces. Well, except forone.
‘Smile!’ I told Mr Ambrose out of the cornerof my mouth.
‘I see no reason for exciting my facialmusculature, Miss Linton. Dalgliesh—’
‘Forget Dalgliesh!’
He opened his mouth to protest, and I tookthe opportunity to stick a piece of cake into it. Benson had beenvery helpful in supplementing the villagers’ supplies, and they’dwhipped up quite a feast.
‘Nnng!’ Mr Ambrose said. ‘Mmm mm gmm!’
‘That’s right! You know, I think that’s thefirst time I completely agree with something you’ve said.’
Swallowing hard, Mr Ambrose reached out andtook hold of my face, drawing me close. He did not look amused.
‘Do you think this is a joke, Miss Linton?After the encounters with Dalgliesh we’ve had in the last fewyears, I thought you’d know better!’
Out of the corner of my eyes, I glancedaround. People were beginning to stare our way. We didn’t exactlybehave like the proper, well-behaved, engaged English couple.Gazing up into Mr Ambrose’s deep, dark eyes, I let every hint ofmirth drain from my face, showing him what was deep inside. Love.Determination. And just a tiny little bit of fear.
‘I do know better, trust me. But right now,is there anything we can actually do? We don’t know what he’s up toor where he is. But we know where he’ll be. After all, I have ameeting with him scheduled, don’t I?’
He studied my face closely, and something inhis eyes flashed. ‘You…you already have a plan.’
‘Certainly.’ My fingers reached up to clenchinto his lapels and pull him down towards me. ‘If you think I’dkowtow to that tyrant, Sir, or underestimate him, you are gravelymistaken. I won’t let anything or anyone get in the way of thiswedding. Right now, our biggest advantage is that Dalgliesh doesn’tknow there are no secrets between us. So, for now, let’s pretendeverything is fine, and have some fun.’ I smiled. ‘Or just pretendeverything is adequate, in your case.’
His fingers touched my cheek. ‘Some things inmy life are more than adequate.’
Warmth flooded my insides.He said I wasmore than adequate! More than adequate! Can any girl imagine agreater compliment?
Well…probably yes, but that wasn’t thepoint.
‘So…’ Selecting a cherry from its basket, MrAmbrose lifted it to my lips. I took a tentative bite and lickedthe juice from my lips. ‘What’s on your agenda, Miss Linton?’
‘For now, we’ll just sit and wait. Let’spretend everything is going according to Dalgliesh’s plan. As forwhat happens next…’ Smiling, I took his hand. ‘Let’s just say Iwon’t be content to sit on my derrière for long.’
My eyes swept from Mr Ambrose, over Ella,Adaira, Amy, all my other old friends and my new ones, too—Benson,Tom, Mrs Delaney… People were laughing, sharing food and drink,and…they looked happy. They looked at home. My home.
I had a home. A real home, with the man Iloved.
‘Neither,’ Mr Ambrose told me, taking hold ofmy other hand, ‘am I.’
My eyes held his for a moment—then flicked tothe spires of the church where I had last seen His Lordship.
