‘Then I will find a way to let Her Majesty’s Treasury know about some of your more creative bookkeeping methods.’
He made a not-very-polite noise in the back of his throat. I smiled up at him broadly. ‘Either you let me go with you, or you’re not going at all. It’s your choice.
Another indistinct noise. Then…
‘All right, Miss Linton. Let’s go. Karim?’
‘The men are ready, Sahib. Nothing will happen.’
‘That had better be true.’
We stepped outside onto the porch just in time to see a magnificent coach drawn by four beautiful white horses rolling down the driveway. It was accompanied by a small cavalcade of horsemen, dressed in luxurious livery. The whole scene screamed ‘fairytale prince’ - until the coach rolled to a halt, the door opened, and Lord Daniel Eugene Dalgliesh stepped out. The servants dismounted. Under their tailcoats, I saw the brief glint of sabres and pistols.
Karim gave a discreet hand signal. Without any of the guests or Lady Samantha noticing, Mr Ambrose’s guards moved closer, placing themselves halfway between us and His Lordship.
With long, leisurely strides, Lord Dalgliesh crossed the snow-covered ground between us. He was smiling and didn’t even seem to notice the tension in the air - unless you took a good look deep into his eyes. They coldly assessed the situation, sweeping over Mr Ambrose and his mother, me and Karim as if we were just pawns on a chessboard. His gaze lingered for a second on me, and I could feel Mr Ambrose stiffen at my side - then it continued on, to take in the many men in badly fitting livery that were scattered all around us, watching the scene with emotionless professionalism.
‘My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen.’ Lord Dalgliesh bowed, his eyes never dipping a millimetre, staying focused on Mr Ambrose and his men. ‘I am delighted to see you all again. My sincerest apologies, Marchioness, for my delay in returning to your lovely home.’
‘Your apology is accepted.’ Lady Samantha nodded graciously. ‘However, may I ask why you left in the first place? Your departure was rather sudden and unexpected.’
‘I’m truly sorry.’ His eyes flicked to me for just an instant. ‘I had some business to take care of.’
‘I see. Well, I am…” Lady Samantha searched for the right word - but she didn’t find one, so she went with a wrong one. “…glad that you could rejoin us for Christmas. The great ball is this evening, and some of us were beginning to fear you would miss it.’
Again, Dalgliesh’s steel-blue eyes flickered to me, boring into me like diamond drills - then they swept to my left and right, where there stood at least a dozen men, their hands casually hidden under their jackets, no doubt holding deadly weapons. They didn’t take their eyes off His Lordship for one moment.
‘I am afraid I must disappoint you in that regard, Your Ladyship.’
‘You must?’ Lady Samantha had never sounded so happy to be disappointed.
‘Yes. The business I was speaking of…’ Once more, he speared me with his gaze. I ignored him. ‘It did not go entirely as expected. There are unforeseen difficulties. I will have to return to London, to develop a new strategy.’ He smiled, and it was deadly smile, meant solely for me and Mr Ambrose. ‘What is it they say? Patience is a virtue.’
To me, it didn’t sound like a virtue just then. It sounded very much like a threat.
‘Well…’ Lady Samantha cleared her throat. ‘I wish you the best of luck with your business, Your Lordship.’
Thanks so much. I appreciate you wanting me to get kidnapped by a psychopath, Your Ladyship.
‘Thank you.’ Lord Dalgliesh made a deep bow, a smile twisting one corner of his mouth. ‘You don’t know how much that means to me. I so very much look forward to being a guest in your beautiful home again at some point in the future. I will do everything in my power to ensure that day comes soon.’
With those words hanging darkly and ominously in the air, he turned around and strode back to his coach. One of his henchmen opened the door for him. He climbed in. The coachman cracked his whip. Just as I was about to relax, Lord Dalgliesh leaned out of the window, catching my eye. Almost imperceptibly, he lowered his head in a mocking little bow. The gesture needed no translation.
Till next time.
As he withdrew and the coach rolled away down the driveway, I couldn’t suppress an involuntary shudder.
*~*~**~*~*
Sighing, I closed the door of my room behind me and leaned against it. He was gone! Finally, he was out of sight and out of mind!
All right, it wasn’t over yet, not by a long shot. Dalgliesh would be planning his next grand move at some time in the future, now that he knew I was Mr Ambrose’s weak spot. I would have to be prepared. Still, for now at least, I would have a little peace.
Not that Mr Rikkard Ambrose took so cheerful a v
iew of things.
‘The guards are staying,’ he’d told me in an undertone while we were watching His Lordship’s carriage drive away. ‘This might be a ploy to lull us into a false sense of security.’