In the Eye of the Storm (Storm and Silence 2)

Almost unconsciously, I took my left hand with my right, and examined it in the shaft of sunlight falling in through the window. The gold sparkled in the early morning glow. I felt an odd tugging sensation somewhere inside me.

Harrumphing, I let the hand drop. Probably indigestion!

Can you have indigestion in the heart?

Yes, you bloody well could! Determinedly not looking at the sparkling ring around my finger, I buttoned up my dress and yanked on my hair, in the hope to make it a little more presentable. Although, once we were in the desert, that would hardly matter.

Finished, I opened the door and stepped out. I hadn’t been mistaken last night. It really smelled rather strongly of fish in this place. I had my suspicions about the contents of the barrels stacked up around us.

‘I must commend you on your choice of accommodation,’ I said with a smile and gracious curtsy to Mr Ambrose. ‘You could not have found a more romantic location for our wedding night.’

I waited for him to snap at me, to insist on my calling him ‘Sir’ again - but it didn’t happen. Instead he took a step closer and leaned forward, gently stroked one finger over my cheek and down the side of my neck, making me shiver.

‘You’re welcome, my love.’

While we are here, you’re mine. Do you understand? Mine!

I swallowed.

‘What next?’

‘Well, it appears our ruse has been discovered. We have no hope of acquiring any further information here in Alexandria - at least not without having to dodge bullets left and right.’ His eyes became hard - or perhaps I should say harder. ‘I know Dalgliesh. He’s not going to shrink from spilling blood - especially if he has the chance of spilling mine.’

‘Why don’t we simply go to the authorities?’ I voiced a question that had been bothering me for quite some time. ‘Surely, there’s such a thing as police here in Egypt? If we tell them…’

‘Tell them what? That Lord Daniel Eugene Dalgliesh, Peer of the Realm of Great Britain and Ireland, Member of the Most Noble Order of the Garter and one of the major foreign investors in the Egyptian economy is hiring assassins to eliminate business rivals? Tell me, what do you think they would say?’

‘Well…’ I tugged on my lower lip. ‘They might be just a tiny bit sceptical.’

‘Indeed. Do you know what the motto of the Order of the Garter is?’

‘No.’

‘It is Honi soit qui mal y pense - in English, that means Shame upon him who thinks evil of it. It could be Lord Dalgliesh’s personal motto, in a twisted way. He might be evil as the devil, but his reputation is spotless, and his power immense.’

‘But yours must be, too! You’re nearly as rich as he!’

Mr Ambrose’s eyes sparkled, coldly. ‘Richer! I am the richest man of the British Empire, not he!’

‘Yes, I’m sure you-’

‘I surpassed him long ago! His wealth cannot compare with mine, do you understand? I am the first! I am the best! I am the stronger and the richer!’

‘Um… yes, of course you are.’

Ouch! Apparently, I had struck a sore spot, there. Taking that into consideration, my next words probably weren’t very smart.

‘Um… how much richer, exactly?’

This time, his eyes flashed with lightning. ‘Currently,’ he said in a voice clinking with ice-cubes, ‘I believe the difference between our fortunes stands at three pounds, twelve shillings and four pence.’

Wisely, this time I held my tongue.

‘Unfortunately,’ he continued, ‘power isn’t always measured in superior wealth. Lord Dalgliesh has political influence, built up over years of court intrigues, which I couldn’t hope to gain in the short time since I’ve returned from the Colonies. And besides, there’s the little fact of his private army to consider. Such things tend to impress foreign nations.’

That I could understand. I remembered all too well the men in scarlet uniforms at Lord Dalgliesh’s command. As the main shareholder of the East India Company, he essentially had control over the army that company used to enforce its rule over the sub-continent. And he utilized this control freely, whenever and wherever it suited him.

‘Well,’ I repeated my question from earlier. ‘If we can’t go to the authorities, what then?’