Silence Breaking (Storm and Silence 4)

‘I…have feelings towards you.’

‘Clearly. I knew that from the first day from the way you shouted at me and pelted me with threats.’

‘Not those kinds of feelings!’

‘What kind, then?’

‘I feel…affection towards you.’

‘You’re nearly there,’ I encouraged him, my smile widening. ‘Just four little letters. The word starts with L. Go on. You can do it.’

‘You’re enjoying this, Miss Linton, aren’t you?’

‘Very much so.’

‘Oh, to hell with it!’ Dropping his hand from my face, he grabbed both my shoulders roughly and dragged me towards him. His mouth took mine in a fast, fierce, bruising kiss. It went on and on until I thought my lungs would

burst and my mind catch fire. Finally, he broke away, and with the remnants of his breath whispered: ‘I love you!’

Is your Pulse Working, my Love?

When Karim returned with an escort of armed riders a quarter of an hour later, Mr Ambrose and I were standing at the stone railing, a proper distance between us, studying the frozen river with an interest which rivalled that of two professional limnologists.[14] What we had been doing two minutes earlier…well, that was another matter. But nobody needed to know about that. Especially not Karim, who worked so hard to preserve the innocence of his eyes.

Smiling, I turned to greet the big man.

‘Greetings, oh Prince Fragrant Yellow Flower in the Happy Moonlight. Shall we return to your ancestral palace of Gobbledygook in the principality of Rubbish?’

‘Sahib,’ my favourite walking mountain enquired with unmoving features, ‘may I shoot her?’

‘No!’

Mr Ambrose’s order came perhaps a bit faster and more forceful than it would have done a day ago. But neither Karim nor anyone else seemed to notice. I noticed, though. I noticed a lot. And the warmth blossoming inside me wasn’t the least bit dampened when he added: ‘It would be a waste to exterminate her when we just spent so much money to reacquire her.’

Karim gave a reluctant grunt of agreement. With a hand signal, he called our guards from their positions. Mr Ambrose lifted me onto the stallion’s back and then swung himself up behind me.

‘Can I take the reins this time, Sir?’

‘No.’

‘I thought you loved m-’

A hand clapped over my mouth, cutting off all sound.

‘Don’t you dare!’ he hissed. ‘Don’t you dare say it aloud! Someone might hear!’

‘Mmnmmmh?’

‘If you say it out loud, I will make your life a living hell.’

Which is different from my usual work schedule as your secretary how exactly?

It’s too bad that you can’t use smart comebacks when someone is holding a hand over your mouth. So, instead, I nipped his finger.

‘Mr Linton!’

Dear me…we would really have to work on this gender issue. Otherwise, I might have to view his recent confession in an entirely new light.

Slowly, as if he were still afraid I might utter forbidden words in front of his men, he let his hand drop from my mouth.