Page 81 of Storm of Bells
We jumped onto the paternoster and, momentslater stood in front of the office door of Mr Rikkard Ambrose.Raising her parasol, she knocked on the door with the grip.
‘Yes!’ The voice that came from inside waslike a whip of ice. ‘Get in here, Mr Linton! Are the trousersfolded? The pies baked?’
Pushing open the door, Adaira stuck her headinside. ‘I couldn’t say, brother dear. But I think your goose ispretty much cooked.’
There was a moment of silence. Then…
‘What areyoudoing here?’
She smiled. ‘It’s time.’
‘No!’ The door burst open, and there hestood, fists clenched, eyes burning with cold fire. ‘I’ve got tohave more time! I have to…I…I…’
‘Have lost?’ I suggested sweetly.
In a flash, he was on me. His eyes weresearing into mine, his rock-hard arms encircled me.
‘What,’ he breathed against my skin, ‘did youjust say?’
‘All right,’ Adaira exclaimed, one arm firmlyplastered over her eyes. ‘My cue to leave. I’ll wait in the nextroom. Or downstairs. Or three universes away, where I’ll never everhave to see my brother doing…that.’
She fled. Or at least I thought she did. Iwasn’t entirely sure and didn’t really care. Most of my attentionwas caught up by the way Mr Rikkard Ambrose was staring into myeyes, with an almost painful mixture of determination anddesperation.
I raised my chin.
‘I said you’ve lost.’
‘No,’ he told me, his eyes fixed on me as ifI were the most valuable treasure in the world to him. Or at leastthe second-most, after that unknown Da Vinci painting in his vault.‘I’ve won. I’ve won our bet. I’ve wonyou.’
Before the truth of those words could take mybreath away, he did it by claiming my mouth with his. He kissed meharshly, fiercely, with iron determination.
‘Damn you!’ he whispered against my lips.‘Why won’t you let me keep you safe?’
‘Because I really,reallydon’t likedoing laundry?’ I suggested.
A growl erupted from his throat and, pressingme back against the wall, he clasped my face between his hands.
‘And I,’ he whispered, ‘really, really loveyou.’
Gazing up at him, my heart melted. Mr RikkardAmbrose had used a superfluous intensifier? A useless additionalword, just for me?
He really does love me.
Rising on my tiptoes, I pressed a light kisson his lips.
‘Then let’s get married,’ I whispered.
Just then, the door opened, revealing abroadly smiling Lady Samantha.
Making an indistinct noise in the back of histhroat, I jumped back.
‘Oh, don’t!’ Lady Samantha directed herdelighted smile at me. ‘I think it’s so sweet, giving acongratulatory hug! Men usually have such difficulties expressingtheir emotions, Mr Linton. My son could learn a lot about being areal man from you.’
A gaze cold as ice burned the back of myneck. Clearing my throat, I took a step away from him, just forprecautionary purposes. ‘I, err, doubt that, Your Ladyship.’
‘So modest, like always. Come, you two! Let’sgo and fetch Miss Linton. It’s time!’
I cleared my throat again. ‘By “it’s time”,you mean…’
