Silence Breaking (Storm and Silence 4)

‘I have noticed that such security measures tend to get in the way of private conversations, or privacy in general.’

‘Do they?’

‘Oh yes.’

‘Well, you needn’t concern yourself, Miss Linton. Karim is confidentiality itself.’

‘He is?’

‘Oh yes. No matter what he hears, he takes me into his confidence.’

Gripping my fork, I stabbed at a piece of scrambled egg, imagining it to be Mr Ambrose’s head. ‘That’s what I thought. Thank you again, Mr Ambrose. Words simply cannot express how grateful I am.’

‘And thank you from me, too, Sir.’ I glanced up to see who had spoken. It was Captain Carter. He was looking at Mr Ambrose with an earnest expression of thanks on his face, the poor deluded man. ‘It means a great deal to me to know that Miss Linton will be safe at all times. I truly appreciate what you have done.’

Oh boy…let’s wait and see if you still feel that way after the first time you try coming within ten yards of me.

Behind me, Karim shifted and rattled his sabre.

*~*~**~*~*

Oh, Lord, please let this torture end! Please give me back Mrs. Ponsemby!

A few years ago, a distant relation had invited Gertrude, Lisbeth, Ella and me on a seaside holiday to Bath. Though ‘holiday’ had probably not been the right expression for it. Mrs Ponsemby had been our hired chaperone for the occasion - a fat old bird who was allergic to sun, sea water, music, sweets, all other kinds of fun and, to judge by the looks she gave us, adolescent girls as well. She could read children’s minds and blister a conscience at fifty paces. The most treasured memory I had of Mrs Ponsemby was the scream she uttered when she found the frog I had put into her shoe. Under normal circumstances, it would have taken huge bribes or horrifying torture to even make me think of Mrs Ponsemby. But now…

Now I wished her back with all my heart.

If only I had her back.

If only I had her back.

If only I had her, instead of-

‘Ow!’ Whirling, I grabbed the spot on my delicate derriere that had just been poked by a sabre sheath. ‘Will you watch where you stick that thing? Don’t walk so closely behind me!’

‘The Sahib instructed me to remain close to you at all times.’

‘Then put that bloody pigsticker away!’

‘I cannot discard my weapons. The Sahib instructed me that your safety is of the utmost-’

‘Oh, stop gabbling gobbledygook, you big, bearded block of basalt! You know as well as I do this has nothing to do with my safety.’

‘The Sahib assigned me to protect you. The Sahib instructed me that your safety is of the utmost importance. I shall protect you with my life.’

Just then, a voice called out from behind us. ‘Miss Linton? Miss Linton, wait.’

I turned to see who it was. Then, seeing only massive amounts of beard, I stepped to the side and peeked around a big shoulder to see who it was.

Captain James Carter was hurrying down the corridor. He mustn’t have had much more appetite than I if he had ended his breakfast this early.

‘Oh, hello Captain,’ I began. ‘I was just-’

That was about as far as I got before Karim kicked open a door right beside us, shoved me into the room, stepped in behind me, slammed shut the door and jammed it with a chair. All this happened so fas

t I didn’t even have time to blink. When I finally did have time again, I was already three rooms farther away, being pulled along without a hope of resistance by the mountainous bodyguard.

Bodyguard?