Page 12 of Oz
“You’re going to explain me?” he says slowly and I wonder if he’s had too much sun.
“Never mind,” I hiss. “He’s obviously a lazy rich old man who leaves his staff to deal with everything. But I do actually need this job as I don’t think I’ve got enough money to get a train back to London.” I’m struck by a horrible thought. “Oh, my God. I’ll be stuck roaming the back lanes with my suitcase until I die of tiredness or boredom. Whichever gets me first.” I pause. “Probably boredom. Then I’ll be a ghost they warn people about. Beware the London Ghost. He’s been wandering the roads for a hundred years and still doesn’t know his way because all the fucking lanes look the bloody same here.”
Incredibly he looks like he wants to laugh. He also doesn’t look like he’s moving any day soon and to my horror I hear footsteps approaching the room. I look around frantically and spying a half-open door, I drag him over to it. I open it and a cursory glance shows me a small cupboard being used to store stationery. I push him in.
“Stay in there,” I hiss as I hear the door handle turn.
He turns to me, his face contorted with what looks very much like laughter. “Can I just say–” he starts.
“No,” I snap, and slam the door. Just in time. The study door opens and I dart to the middle of the room, looking up as Milo pops his head round.
“Have you seen–” he starts to say and stops. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” I say brightly. I probably look like he’s caught me in the middle of stealing the family silver.
He stares at me for a long second and then shrugs. It’s the sort of shrug that people tend to give when they’ve known me for longer than an hour. I’m glad he’s getting with the programme. “Have you seen Lord Ashworth? We can’t find him.”
“No, I haven’t seen anyone,” I say quickly, hoping he doesn’t see my glance at the cupboard.
He shrugs. “No one’s seen him since lunch. He was in the first field helping with some sheep and–”
“What does he look like?” I break in, a horrible feeling settling in my stomach.
He looks startled but obliges. “Tall. Dark hair with a beard.”
“Shit!” I say. He jerks and I shake my head. “Nope. Haven’t seen him. I have never seen anyone who looks like that … with a beard,” I finish slowly, and I’m sure it’s not my imagination that I heard a soft snort coming from the stationery cupboard.
Milo looks at me strangely but then shrugs. “Okay, I’ll leave you to it. I’m sure he’ll be in soon.”
“Me too,” I say emphatically. I wait until the door closes behind him before walking over to the cupboard slowly and opening the door. “Lord Ashworth, I presume,” I say hoarsely.
He looks up from where he’s perched on a stool reading a book. His lip twitches. “Oz Gallagher?”
I shake my head. “How lovely to meet you, sir.”
He stands up and stretches and I gulp as the muscles move sinuously under all that lovely olive skin.
“Now, Oz, please don’t be formal, and call me Silas. I’m sure I’m far too lazy and ancient and rich to get really aggravated.”
“Shit!” I say with feeling, but to my astonishment he breaks into laughter. Loud and glorious laughter. The sort that comes from deep in your stomach and leaves you clutching onto furniture. I shake my head as he laughs like a drain until he’s breathless and rubbing tears from his eyes.
“That’s the best fucking time I’ve had in ages,” he gasps.
“You should get out more,” I say sourly, shaking my head as that causes more paroxysms of mirth. I make my way back into the room, settling onto the chair in front of the desk gratefully. I think we’re beyond manners and waiting to be asked before seating myself.
He follows me, occasionally snorting until he’s seated opposite me at his desk. He looks at me and gives another peal of laughter.
I hold up my hand. “Hilarious as this is and I’m sure we’ll laugh about it when we’re eighty, do you think I can get a lift back to the station?”
The laughter dies from his face immediately. “What? Why?”
I stare at him. “Well, I’m sort of presuming that you’ll want me to leave.”
“Why?” he asks, his face blank with astonishment.
I falter. “Well, because of what I said about you and then the inappropriate flirting and–”
He shakes his head, seriousness appearing. “I didn’t mind.”
