Hunting for Silence by Robert Thier

A Warning to the Grim Reaper

Chapter 33‘Cold, Hard Commitment’ from Mr Ambrose’s Point of View

I stood there, in the garden, gazing up at the window pane at the back of the hotel. The window pane that blocked my way to her.

I knew it was a waste of money to pay for this much glass. I should just have left the windows empty instead, customer complaints be damned!

Well, no matter. This problem was easily resolved.

Bending down, I picked up some gravel from the path that ran behind the building and hurled it against the window.

Plink.

I waited.

And waited.

And waited another long, long moment.

By Mammon! Three entire moments of waiting? This whole ‘love’ thing was really getting out of hand!

Or at least that’s what I thought until she opened the window and I saw her face.

For one long second, we gazed at each other in silence, I ordered.

‘Come,’ I ordered.

Her face twisted in a way that made me want to tear the wall down, as well as any other obstacles that stood between us. ‘I can’t. I…I might have caught the disease. I can’t come near you until—’

My eyes narrowed. ‘Miss Linton?’

‘Yes?’

‘Get your derrière down here right now.’

‘I thought you had promised not to give me any more orders.’

‘That wasn’t an order,’ I told her, and held out one hand. ‘Please.’

She stared at me for long, long moment—then, in a blink, swung her legs over the window sill and slid down, dashing towards me. She only came to a stop a few yards away from me.

Still too far. Much too far.

I gazed at her, unable to take my eyes away. Every second counted.

This isn’t time wasted,I realized. This is the best way to spend time there ever was.

I took a step forward.

And she abruptly jerked back.

‘Stop!’ Quickly, she raised a hands to block my path. ‘I’ve got to tell you something! The doctor was here again. He said… he said that Ella…’

‘I know,’ I cut her off. As if, after paying his bills, I’d let that quack off without squeezing every little bit of information out of him.

‘Then you know you can’t come any closer. If you do—’

As if I care!

I took a determined step forward.

‘No!’ She leapt back, her eyes wide with fear. Fear for me. ‘Aren’t you listening? I might be infected, too! Nobody knows how the sickness is transmitted! It could be through contact, and you’d be—’

With you. Wherever you go.

I could have said it aloud, I suppose. Instead, I chose a much more expedient method. Grabbing her face tightly in my hands, I pulled her towards me and claimed her lips with mine.

You are mine! My lips spoke without speaking. You are mine and I am yours!

She stiffened for just a moment—then softened. Her arms came up around me, pulling me tightly against her with a force I hadn’t thought her capable of. In return, my arms enfolded her, determined never to let go.

‘You crazy, crazy man!’ I felt her whisper against my lips. ‘How could you do something so stupid?’

I cocked my head, challenging her. ‘I prefer the word “determined”, Miss Linton.’

‘Sure you do—mmm!’

I kissed her once again. Kissed her with all the ferocity and determination I could muster. So what if I died? I could have died in the gold rush. I could have died tracking through the dessert. I could have died on the seas a thousand times. And still, I had done it! Profit vs Risk. That’s all there was to it. Profit vs risk. If the former outweighed the latter, you stride ahead and destroy anything in your path!

I gazed into her eyes for a long, long moment.

And in this case, the profit most definitely outweighs the risk.

Cholera be damned!

I released her after how long I neither knew nor cared. She took a slightly wobbly step backwards, her eyes still closed in bliss, and when she finally opened them, they were the colour of warm chocolate.

‘Why?’ she whispered.

I could read the rest of the question in those chocolate eyes of hers.

Why risk this? Why kiss me?

I cocked my head. ‘I believe the vows we intend to speak say “till death do us part”, do they not? You ought to know by now, Miss Linton—I don’t speak words I do not mean.’

In those warms eyes of hers, suddenly, a fire was lit. Reaching out, she grabbed hold of me and held me close. I did not object.

‘Neither do I.’

Adequate.

My arms slid around her and I stroked her hair, gently pulling her face against my chest. She cuddled into me, and I felt a tug deep in my chest.

At this point, I was 99% sure it was not heartburn. Not that I would ever waste the money on a doctor’s appointment to make sure.

If this is heartburn, I can live with it. I want to.

I kissed her again. And again. Apparently, I had managed to make her loose her reticence. When we broke apart again, I took her face in both hands and turned her so I could look straight into her eyes.

And what I saw in there made me want to punch something.

Pain.

Deep, terrible pain.

Under normal circumstances, I would simply eliminate the one who’d put it there. But in this case, that would probably be…inadvisable.

I felt a muscle in my cheek twitch.

‘How is she?’

The pain flared, and I knew that I’d guessed right.

‘Bad. Very bad. I’m not sure…I’m not sure she—’

I pressed a finger on her lips, cutting her off. ‘Sh. She will.’

‘How do you know?’

Because I’ll buy the underworld and evict her if she doesn’t!

However, a little voice at the back of my mind, a voice that sounded suspiciously like my little siter, told me that might not be the entirely correct thing to say.

‘Because you won’t give up until she’s well again,’ I told her instead. ‘And neither will I.’ With a single finger, I gently stroked her cheek. ‘You look exhausted. How long is it since you’ve last slept?’

‘Says the man who did an experiment to see whether one can go without sleep altogether.’

I gave her a cool look. ‘It was a perfectly reasonable experiment.’

‘Then let’s just say I’m repeating it.’ She gave me that infernally impudent grin that should have infuriated me. Should have, but didn’t. ‘It’s always good to check the results of an experiment, right?’

My eyes narrowed infinitessimaly.

‘Are you familiar with the expression “working yourself into an early grave”, Miss Linton?’

‘Indeed I am, Sir. I feel its suitable use has been grossly exaggerated. Besides,’ she shrugged, looking entirely too vulnerable for a moment, ‘who’s there to help?’

I didn’t even think. I just soke.

‘Me.’

She stared at me, mouth open.

‘W-what?’

‘I am certain I spoke at a perfectly audible volume, Miss Linton.’

‘B-but…you can’t…the risk…’

Grabbing hold of her chin, I forced her to meet my gaze head-on. ‘Was I not clear enough earlier? Need I repeat my demonstration for it to be more convincing?’

‘Yes, please, right away for the next half hour.’

‘Miss Linton! Be serious!’

‘Who says I’m joking? I’m a sceptic by nature and need a lot of convincing.’

Well…who was I to reject an attractive offer? Tightening my grip, I pulled her towards me for a long, deep, and in my personal opinion, very convincing kiss.

‘I’m not a man who shies away from risk,’ I growled. ‘If I were, I wouldn’t be where I am today, with more power in my hands than most men can imagine! Some things are worth fighting for, and when the fight comes, you face it head-on.’

‘But…but she…is…you know.’

‘I’ve mucked out plenty a stable in my time. It won’t be that different.’

I stared implacably into her eyes until I saw the realization spread over her face. Yes. I really mean it.

With her, I always meant what I said—even without a signed contract.

‘Thank you!’ Suddenly, her arms were around me, and she was hugging me, hugging me fiercely and fiery. ‘Thank you.’

I felt a strange, warm fealing rising inside me nad, once again, I was 99% sure it was not fever. She held me for long, long moments that felt far too short—then let go and looked up into my eyes.

‘But I can’t accept.’ I opened my mouth to object, but before I could, she held up a finger to silence me. Silence me? My eyes flashed. ‘Not because of you. I want your help. God, how I want it. But Ella…’She gazed up at me, her gaze a plea for me to understand. ‘I can’t do that to her. Letting someone else see her like that, someone whom she hasn’t even met yet…I can’t hurt her like that. Please understand.’

Understand?

Understand?

She was in trouble! I could help! Why would I stand back and…!

I met her vulnerable, wide-open eyes again.

Damnation.

Swallowing, I gave a curt nod. ‘Understood.’

She was about to breathe a sigh of relief—when I I grabbed her chin once more, and speared her with my gaze. ‘As long as you understand that I won’t have you working yourself into an early grave. I have plans for you, Miss Linton. Plans that require you to be above ground.’ I leaned forward, just enough to let her see the glitter of danger in my eyes. ‘I will have Karim monitor the situation. If you do not take care of yourself, I will come in and take charge of things, a proper introduction to your family be damned! Do you understand?’

She nodded, unable to speak a word.

‘Adequate.’ One last time, I claimed her lips in a fierce kiss. No, not just a kiss—a brand, marking what was mine. ‘Then do not let me detain you.’

And with that, I whirled around and marched away, glaring into the shadows. I felt…felt so…what was this strange thing called? When you were foolish enough to have no power? So…helpless!

By mammon! Grim reaper, you had best stay away from her—or else!

THE MIDDLE