He had to be joking. Even if this was Mr Ambrose, he simply had to be joking!
Slowly, I rose from my chair and wandered towards his office door. I was already raising my hand to knock when the realization settled in:
He isn’t joking. Bloody hell, he isn’t joking!
My hand dropped and, instead of knocking, grabbed the doorknob. One twist, and I threw the door open with all the force I could muster. I crashed against the stone wall of the office with an unhealthy-sounding crack!
I held up the message.
‘What is the meaning of this?’
Slowly, very slowly, Mr Ambrose raised his gaze from the file on which it had been concentrated. His dark eyes pierced me.
‘I was about to ask the same of you, Mr Linton. Perhaps you are not aware of the subtleties of office etiquette, but you are supposed to knock your fingers against the door before you enter, not knock the door against the wall.’
‘I feel more like knocking your head against the wall! What is this-’ I brandished his message in the air, ‘-supposed to mean? Tell me!’
Leaning back, he regarded me coolly over long, steepled fingers.
‘I should have thought the meaning was quite clear. We leave for Africa tomorrow. I have some business matters to attend to in Egypt and wish for you to accompany me.’
‘Egypt? What the bloody hell do you want to go to Egypt for?’
His gaze cooled another dozen degrees. ‘That is none of your concern.’
‘None of my concern? I-’
‘You took the money!’ Suddenly he was on his feet and around the desk. It happened so fast I didn’t even see him move. He was in front of me before I could blink, and I took an involuntary step backwards. ‘You took the money, knowing full well what it entailed, remember?’
And I did remember.
You’ll have to do whatever I say, go wherever I command. Do you understand?
Blast him!
‘But… but I can’t go to Egypt!’ I protested. ‘I got into terrible trouble for disappearing for just a few days! How on earth am I going to explain to my aunt that I’m going to be away for several weeks?’
‘Months, probably,’ he corrected, with a careless flick of his fingers.
‘Months? She would go through the roof! That is absolutely impossible!’
‘I see. Well, if you feel unable to fulfil the requirements of your position, I shall of course understand. Mr Stone will take care of the necessary paperwork. That will be all.’
My breath caught. I understood well enough - but I didn’t want to.
‘Necessary paperwork?’ I managed. ‘What paperwork, Sir?’
‘Why, for your resignation, of course.’
‘I have no intention of resigning!’
His dark eyes flashed. Taking two strides forward, he was in front of me in a moment, towering above me.
‘Curious… You refuse to do your work, and still, you expect me to pay you? That, Mr Linton, is not something I tolerate in my employees.’ Lowering to a murmur, his voice grew menacing. ‘Either you do your duty and accompany me to Egypt, or your employment shall be terminated forthwith. It is your choice.’
Slowly, it dawned on me: this had been his plan all along. Burying me under a mountain of files for the day had just been a preliminary, a first stage to exhaust me and bring down my resistance. Now that I was weary from long day’s work, he was launching his real attack.
Egypt! Bloody hell, I can’t go to Egypt!