Storm and Silence (Storm and Silence 1)
Page 104
It is exactly eight o'clock, the time I usually arrive at your palatial office, which, by the way, doesn’t even have clocks in its rooms
Yours ever
Miss Lilly Linton
The reply wasn’t long in coming.
Mr Linton,
Yes, it is eight o'clock. You may remember our discussion from the day before? The discussion during which you gained the concession from me to be treated like a full employee? You are facing the consequences of that concession. Yesterday, I gave you the afternoon off to recuperate. When I give my employees time off, I expect them to put in longer hours at some later date. I was expecting you at five a.m. this morning.
Rikkard Ambrose
Was he kidding?
A brief image of his stony face flashed in front of my inner eye. No. Of course he wasn’t. My answer was short and to the point.
Dearest Mr Ambrose,
How the bloody hell was I supposed to know?
Yours Sincerely
Miss Lilly Linton
There! That would show him!
I had already shoved the message into the tube when I remembered that now I had a key to his room. I could just have stood up, gone to him and told him to his stony face!
Or could I? If I were face to face with the tyrant, I might very well use the phrase ‘sincerely up yours’ instead of ‘yours sincerely’. Probably not good for my career prospects. Also I had to admit… this way of communicating was kind of fun.
I shoved the message into the tube. His answer popped onto my desk only a minute later.
Mr Linton,
Mind your language. I will let your tardiness pass once, since you were not familiar with my office policy. Do not let it happen again.
Rikkard Ambrose
I had an idea - a rather delicious one, and I caught myself grinning as I wrote the reply.
Dear Mr Ambrose,
So… were you up in your office at five a.m. this morning, waiting for me?
Yours truly
Miss Lilly Linton
The reply was as quick as it was short.
Mr Linton,
Yes, I was. Bring me file S37VI288. The key to the safe is under the door.
Rikkard Ambrose.
He had been waiting for me! For three hours!