Silence Breaking (Storm and Silence 4)

Outraged whispers rose all around as the lady began herding her guests out of the room. One gentleman’s voice rose over the others: ‘…outrageous! Is there no respect left in the world?’

‘I have plenty of respect, Mr Bingham!’ Mrs Gibbons retorted, sharply. ‘Particularly for my dead husband. Which is why I am going to find out who the hell is responsible for this, and I’m going to grind them into dust! Outside, now!’

Well, well…the two of us really were going to get along well.

In minutes, the salon was empty. For the first time, Mrs Gibbons noticed the rest of our little party: Mr. Baker, sweet little me, and the not-so-sweet-or-little Karim. For a moment, her eyes lingered apprehensively on the latter before returning to Mr Ambrose.

‘What now?’

‘Now we need something to eat and fresh horses. We’ve been on the road since early morning to get here, and the mounts we arrived on can’t go another step. Who has good horses here in the city?

‘There’s Albright’s stables, and there’s Bell’s, and Blenkinsopp’s. Blenkinsopp’s is closest, but-’

‘It’s Blenkinsopp’s, then.’

‘But his stable is to the south, quite near the river! If someone were to go there, he might come across those…those…’

She shuddered and glanced out of the window at the flames in the distance. The faraway echo of men chanting and shouting drifted into the room.

‘That won’t be a problem.’ Mr Ambrose snapped his fingers. ‘Karim?’

‘Yes, Sahib?’

‘Get us horses.’

‘Yes, Sahib.’

‘And, Karim?’

‘Yes?’

‘If anybody should happen to get in your way…’ Mr Ambrose gave the big Mohammedan a long, long look.

‘I understand, Sahib.’

So did I. Those poor little striking miners. There were only a few hundred of them. This was so unfair.

‘Mr Linton?’

At hearing my name - well, sort of, anyway - I snapped to attention. ‘Yes, Sir?’

‘Get Mrs Gibbons to show you the kitchen. You and Mr Baker can eat there before we leave.’

‘Yes, Sir. And you?’

His face was stark. Looking away, he said, ‘I don’t need anything.’

‘Sir, you should-’

‘I said I do not need anything, Mr Linton!’

‘Yes, Sir. Sorry, Sir.’

‘Let me know when Karim returns. I shall be in Mr Gibbons’s office, reviewing his records. Maybe I shall find a clue there as to what happened here.’

‘Yes, Si-’