Page 29 of Storm of Bells
Mr Linton,
I have never possessed marbles to beginwith. I would never spend money on such frivolous toys.
Ah. That explained a few things.
Also, do not call a medical professional, unless youwish to foot the bill yourself. As to your question—the object onyour desk is a chirographer. I acquired it for your use.
Mr Rikkard Ambrose
P.S. I fail to see the reasoning behind thispractise. You have heard my statement on the matter. My romanticinclinations have not changed. Anything else is only superfluouschatter. Knowledge is power is time is money, Mr Linton.
Really? Then why did you just use four sentences toevade a question that could have been answered in one?
Bloodyson of a bachelor! And what the heck did he mean, he ‘acquired itfor my use’? Since when did Mr Rikkard Ambrose buy anything for me?Even if we were both about to die, he would probably refuse to buythe box.[10]And what the heck did hethink I needed a—what was it again?—chirothingy for?
I reached for the next scrap of paper.
My dearest and most marvellously beloved MrAmbrose,
I don’t need your mechanical doctor in abox. My bones are perfectly fine, thank you for asking.
Yours truly,
Lillian Linton
P.S. Be a little superfluously talkative nowand again, please. For me.
The reply arrived with the usual promptness.
Mr Linton,
You are confusing something. Achirographer, not chiropractor.
Mr Ambrose
There was really only one possible answer. Well,except for a poker up the derrière, that is.
Dearest most beloved Mr Ambrose,
Pity. A chiropractor could have shown me howto efficiently twist your arm. Perhaps you would be so kind as toexplain the difference between the two. What the bloody hell is achirographer?!
Yours lovingly forever,
(A still completely and utterly female) MissLillian Linton
P.S. Please. Just once.
The reply arrived so fast I was pretty sure he hadalready prepared it before I’d sent my question. If there was onething you could know about Mr Rikkard Ambrose, it was that he’dalways be prepared.
Mr Linton,
The difference between a chiropractor and achirographer is that the one costs money, whereas the other savestime. Learn how to use it. I shall expect you to be ready to takedictation in a quarter of an hour.
Mr Ambrose
P.S. I love you, too.
For a few seconds, I just stared at the last fourwords. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. He did. He reallydid. And no matter what else happened between us, that would neverchange. Not even if I won this little game and showed him once andfor all that my place was by his side.
