Page 118 of New Storm Rising
And he didn’t tell me!
“My darling husband,” I let my dulcet tones drift over towards Mr Rikkard Ambrose’s ear. “Would you mind untying me?”
He glanced over at me, scrutinizing me—in particular the expression on my face.
Then he turned back around again.
“Yes.”
“You…! What do you mean,yes? I’ve got a noose around my neck!”
“And it looks very fetching on you. How do you manage it that, no matter what you wear, you always look so beautiful?”
“You…you won’t get out of this with compliments!”
He glanced at my bonds again as I started to struggle against the ropes. “Neither will you, fortunately.”
“You…just wait till I get my hands on you!”
“Denied.”
“Untie me so I can rip your bloody head off!”
“I’m afraid I will have to refrain. I cannot waste time at the moment. I have important business to take care of. Bringing vile criminals to justice and things like that.”
“Stop right there, Rikkard Ambrose! Stop there before I—”
But before I could explain to him exactly what I was going to do to him and all of his intestines, he disappeared down the stairs. In a blink, he was in the middle of the square, commanding his men, ordering them to go this way and that, disarming and restraining all the thugs. It wasn’t long before all of them were divested of their guns and tied up tightly.
Which didn’t exactly make me feel better about still being a member of the bondage club! Growling under my breath, I tried to twist out of the rope that held my hands together—all in vain. It didn’t budge an inch.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a familiar figure. Well, well…Karim, who had mysteriously been absent when his employer had been “captured” and brought to the gallows, had suddenly reappeared. I wanted to bang my head against the nearest wall. How could I not have spotted this earlier? Karim would not leave his employer’s side for anything, be it a war, an apocalypse, or even a visit to my best friends. How come he had suddenly disappeared for a little thing like a Wild West lynching?
There was only one possible answer: he had been ordered to! Again,without me knowing!
Oh, Mr Ambrose, as soon as I get out of this rope, the two of us will have a really long talk in private…!
Banishing all traces of killing intent from my eyes, I sent Karim a charming smile.
“Hey there!” I called out. “Would you mind?”
I tried to gesture to my bonds—but stuff like that tends to be difficult with your hands tied behind your back.
Karim considered for a moment, gazing at my charming smile—then nodded. “Yes, I would.”
My smile froze. “Pardon?”
“Yes, I would mind. I’m afraid,Sahiba, that I am honour-bound to protect AmbroseSahibfrom all deadly dangers.”
“Why you little…! Just wait till I get my hands on you!”
“No, thank you.” He took a cautious step back, putting one hand on his sabre. “In regard to that, I’m afraid I shall have to emulate theSahib’s policies.”
“You…desodorante del escarabajo de estiércol![25]Vous êtes con comme une valise sans poignée![26]”
Continuing to hurl insults at him in various languages, I tried to murder him with my gaze. When that proved ineffective, I ceased my torrent of invectives and took a deep breath.
“Could you at least get my neck out of the noose?”
