Hunting for Silence (Storm and Silence 5)

When Aunt Brank heard that Uncle Bufford had changed his mind about Ella’s marriage, she immediately got it into her head that it was my fault. I thought this quite unfair. Of course it was my fault, totally and completely, but she couldn’t know that, could she? Where would we be if a suspected criminal could be thrown in jail even if his crime wasn’t proven, just because he happened to be guilty?

‘Just you wait!’ she hissed when she settled herself down next to me at dinner that evening. ‘I’m going to get you for this. You’re going to rue the day you were born.’

I didn’t dignify that with a response, but I decided I would have to look up what ‘rue’ means in a dictionary. I wasn’t really worried. I mean, what could she try to do to me that she hadn’t done before?

The next evening, I got my answer. We were preparing for the Duchess of Bedford’s ball. Edmund had arrived to escort a beaming Ella, and I was just about to go upstairs and fetch my one and only ball gown, when my aunt appeared behind me like the spectre of doom and held something out towards me.

‘Oh no, my dear,’ she simpered. ‘We wouldn’t want you to wear that ugly old thing now, would we? Take this.’

‘But that’s—’

‘Ella’s new gown, yes. I thought the matter over and came to the conclusion she won’t really need it anymore, now, will she?’ Her eyes flashed with venom. ‘After all, she’s soon to be engaged. So I had it altered to fit you. I’m sure with such a beautiful dress, you’ll attract plenty of attention from gentlemen looking for a bride.’

You had to give it to her—she was a master at being nasty. Genghis Khan couldn’t hold a candle to her. I put on the dress, and it fit me disturbingly well.

‘At this ball,’ she whispered to me when I left my room, dressed and prepared, ‘we are going to find a husband for you. I don’t care if it’s the bastard brat of the Duchess’s second gardener. In fact, that would be just what you deserve. I’m going to make sure you get what’s coming to you.’

It was very, very hard not to smile. Poor Aunt. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that all her malevolent schemes would be futile in the end. The time when I feared her was long past. And besides—in this case, I didn’t even have a reason to. I wouldn’t be around to be caught in her trap.

That evening, we all got in the coach that had been rented for the occasion and drove off towards the duchess’s town house. Nobody noticed that I had my largest purse with me, which appeared rather fuller than usual. They were all too busy staring at Ella and Edmund, who sat in a corner, gazing into each other’s eyes as if they could read a riveting novel there. Gertrude and Lisbeth seemed happy for them. Anne and Maria looked torn between derision (because Ella was going to marry a man without money or a title) and envy (because in spite of her misfortune, she had the audacity to be happy). And Aunt Brank…well, she looked like Aunt Brank, which was bad enough in itself.

We arrived at the ball just as a big, fancy coach deposited several gentlemen and drove away to find a parking spot. The sight seemed to fan the flames of my aunt’s rage. Gentlemen. Probably wealthy and respected gentlemen, whom Ella now would never get to marry. She threw me another look promising vengeance, and I returned a smile. She had no idea what was coming.

At the door, we were greeted by a swarm of scurrying servants who escorted us inside. There, at the door of the ballroom, the duchess awaited us, greeted us as if we were old friends, and very elegantly glossed over the fact that she didn’t know our names. I didn’t take it personally. To judge by the droves of people already milling around the ballroom, half of London had been invited.

‘Well, well…’ My aunt gave me a smile that, a year or two ago, would have sent a shiver of fear down my back. ‘Looks like there are plenty of eligible bachelors here, my dear Lillian. Why don’t you go and mingle? We would hate for you to miss this opportunity, now, wouldn’t we?’

‘Yes, quite so,’ I agreed merrily. ‘I’ll just go powder my nose before I venture into the thick of things, all right? I wish to look my best for the gentlemen. After all, I might find my man tonight.’

‘Do that, dear.’ Her eyes sparkled with suspicion. ‘I’ll wait here in front

of the door, so you don’t accidentally lose your way and leave. That would be too bad.’

Like an army sergeant, she took up her post in front of the door as I slipped inside. I had expected no less. No matter. Quickly, I walked past the room intended for gentlemen, farther down the corridor, and entered the powder room reserved for ladies.

There was only one other lady inside, and she seemed eager to get back to the dance floor. She didn’t seem to notice I took rather longer to powder my nose than usual and rushed out with pink cheeks and an excited shine in her eyes.

The instant she had left, I opened my purse and pulled out a nice, big, floppy hat. It was the work of a moment to slip out of my dress and reveal the tailcoat and trousers I wore underneath. Quickly, I put on the hat and pulled it as deep into my face as it would go. Stepping out of the powder room, I strode down the corridor.

For one moment, I hesitated in front of the gents’ room. Hm…in all my time as Mr Victor Linton, I had never set foot in one of these. Should I? It would make a nice story to share with Amy. And with Ella, if I ever wanted to make her faint on the spot.

Shaking my head, I strode on. Maybe another time. Tonight, I had more important things to do.

Pushing open the door, I stepped out into the ballroom and tipped my hat to Mrs Hester Mahulda Brank. She didn’t even glance at the stranger with the floppy hat. Trying my best not to burst out laughing, I marched past several ladies, taking care to bow politely every time. I was a gentleman, after all. And I was quite a success with the ladies. Several of them smiled at me and waved their fans.

Outside, no coaches were standing around at the moment. What was standing around, however, was a big, bearded mountain of a bodyguard with a turban on his head. Good God! Had he followed me all the way here on foot?

Of course he had. Ambrose Sahib had commanded it, after all.

Thanking my lucky stars that I’d been clever enough to buy a new tailcoat and hat for this little subterfuge, I headed towards Karim. Why oh why did he have to be just there, in my way? I couldn’t get down the street without going past him.

Please don’t let him recognise me! Please don’t let him recognise me! Please!

If Karim noticed it was me, the game would be up. He would never allow me to go against the order of our dear employer. For some reason, he laboured under the strange delusion that orders from employers had to be obeyed.

I was approaching the corner. Soon. Soon, I would be out of sight and out of danger. Only ten steps.

Five.