Page 26 of Storm of Bells
‘Ellis?’
‘Yes, Sir?’
‘Leave.’
‘Yes, Sir! Immediately, Sir! Do you wish tobe kept updated on the sales of Cocaine Cough Drops? I couldassemble a few suggestions in regard to how to boost sales if—’
‘Out! Out with you, now!’
‘Yessirrightawaysir!’
He rushed towards the door, pulled itopen—then suddenly hesitated.
‘Um…I hate to bother you, Sir, but there’sone more thing that—’
‘What?’
‘It, err, is Mr Pearson, Sir. He appears tobe…dancing.’
‘What do I care how that man wastes his sparetime?’
‘Ehem…you don’t understand, Sir. Heisdancing. Right now.’
‘He…’
‘Yes, Sir. On his desk.’
I did my best to keep my expression composedand innocent. To judge by the way Mr Ambrose’s gaze bored into me,however, I don’t think I was particularly successful.
‘Ellis…how long has this been going on?’
‘A few minutes, Sir. I was told he startedacting, um…eccentrically shortly after Mr Linton arrived. When Ipassed him on my way upstairs, he was just greeting the vicepresident of the Bank of England with an impromptu tangoperformance.’
‘Was it a good performance?’
‘He was quite, um…energetic, Sir.’
‘I see. Then charge the vice president anadmittance fee and tell him to wait for me in conference roomthree. I shall be there directly. As for Pearson…let Karim know. Heshall take care of the situation.’
‘Yes, Sir! As you wish, Sir!’
The door closed behind the poor clerk with athud, and I listened to the hurried noise of his retreatingfootsteps. Ah, the sweet sound of victory…
Not quite as sweet as the sight of victory,however. Treasuring each and every moment, I turned my gaze on MrRikkard Ambrose. He was sitting in his arm chair, icy eyes fixed onthe pile of documents in front of him. The documents that proved mysuccess. The documents which meant that now he and I would bestarting the last round of the game we had been playing ever sinceI first stepped into this office. Either way, by the day we spokeour vows, it would all be decided.
‘Well?’ Raising my chin, I stared at him,daring him to try and pretend he didn’t know what I was talkingabout. Daring him to pretend he had forgotten his promise.
‘Hm…’ Slowly, very slowly, he raised his headuntil dark, unfathomably deep sea-coloured eyes met mine. ‘It seemsyou have gotten your wish, Mr Linton. Very well. You have until thewedding to prove yourself. Game on!’
The Attack of the MetalMonster
The very next morning Igot a taste of what Mr Ambrose meant by ‘game on’. The first hint Ireceived that things might not be going as usual was when I enteredmy office and nearly ran face-first into a giant wooden crateblocking the entryway.
‘Gah! What in God’s name is that thing doingin my office?’
‘Guv?’ A bristly, bearded man in grey-brownwork clothes popped his head around the corner of the massivecrate. ‘We was told to put this ‘ere.’
‘I see. So if I tell you to put it somewhereelse—’
