Hunting for Silence (Storm and Silence 5)

‘I’m not sure it is.’

I stiffened. ‘What? What do you mean?’

‘Remember how Dalgliesh warned us away?’

‘It would be hard to forget.’

‘Why would he do that? If his plans had all failed and his business in Paris was finished, why would he want us out of the way?’

His words sent a shiver down my back. They made far too much sense for my liking. I would have to think about them.

But not tonight. Tonight was for reserved for other matters. I had decided it was past time I had a little chat with Mr Rikkard Ambrose. There were things we needed to talk about.

Pushing open the door, he stepped into the room, me at his side. The moonlight fell in through the big windows and illuminated the little cot that had been my nocturnal nest ever since my arrival in Paris. In silent agreement we approached and sank onto the mattress. For a long time we just sat like that, leaning into each other and gazing out across the moonlit city of Paris. Finally, our eyes met.

My mouth felt dry. How on earth was I going to say what I had to say? How?

I cleared my throat. ‘We make a pretty good team, don’t we?’

‘Indeed we do, Miss Linton.’

Cautiously my hand reached out to touch his, and I licked my lips.

‘And with that in mind…’

‘Yes?’

‘I’ve thought some more about what you said. You know, about finding a compromise?’

His left little finger twitched.

Ah. So he has thought about it, too. Onward, Lilly! Do it! Tell him!

Taking a deep breath, I turned towards fully, raised my chin and said:

‘I’ll marry you.’

His mouth dropped open.

‘Y-you will?’

It was the first time I had ever heard Rikkard Ambrose stutter. The first and probably the last. He reached out towards me—but then his hands stopped in mid-air, and his eyes narrowed infinitesimally. ‘Wait a moment. This is what you consider a “compromise”? Not that I object, mind you, but what about your misgivings in regard to certain parts of the marriage vow? If we marry, you will have to swear to obey me in front of a priest and an entire church full of witnesses. There is no way around that.’

‘Oh, I know.’ I beamed. ‘I’ve found a solution.’

‘You have?’

I nodded proudly. ‘I’ll swear to always obey your orders,’ I promised, ‘if you swear to never to give me any.’

He stared at me for a long, hard moment of utter silence. It was impossible to read the emotion in his dark eyes.

‘You’re serious, aren’t you?’

‘Of course. Why not?’

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Another moment of silence.