Storm and Silence (FANFIC)

6. The Secret Kept is a Secret Told, Right?

"What is that?" He asked in a quiet voice, still staring at it. All the emotions drained away from my face and was replaced with apprehension.

"What? This?" I pointed at the ring and he nodded. I moved my hand away from his face and waved it off. I tried copying his facial expressions. I wish I knew how to! "Ah it's nothing. Nothing important anywaaa - hey!" He had grabbed my hand and held up close to his face, turning it this way and that, as if trying to figure out what it was. I shifted a bit uncomfortably. Admittedly he wasn't looking at me, but either way. He was glowering at the ring with intensity I hadn't seen in a while.

"Clearly," He said in a clipped voice. "It is not 'nothing important.' This is on your ring finger of your left hand." I rolled my eyes.

"Well obviously it is my left hand! This is my right hand." I said waving it in front of him. He gave me a cool look.

"You know what I meant. But what I am trying to figure out is... You're getting married?" Just the sentence I had been dreading. Why hadn't I left the ring at home!? Better yet, why does he care so much? Could he possibly...? I banished the thought from my mind and answered his question.

"Yes. I am. And I don't know when, but I frankly don't care." I took my hand out of his grasp. "We're straying away from the topic at hand. I am perfectly capable with caring for myself."

"You are, yes. But, pray tell me, who it is you're tied to?"

"No one you know! It doesn't matter anyways!"

"And why not?"

"Well I'm no longer in your employ, and the last time a man was somehow involved between us, he was disposed of! Waste disposal!" Something flashed in his eyes, something between pain and triumph. It was gone in an instant so I wasn't even sure if I saw anything.

"Would you like to get back in my employ?" I opened my mouth to reply and then reconsidered. Would I want to? If I did then it would mean that I'd have continue dressing up as a man and also the risk of my life being in danger would increase tenfold. And he would still classify as my ticket to freedom. Could I do it again? I glanced at the ring. And he noticed.

"Ah, I assume your to-be husband would not approve of this decision?" I swallowed and nodded.

"But it'll hardly matter. I don't care about him. He doesn't deserve to be cared about." Definitely not.

"Indeed? Why, then, are you getting married to him?"

"My aunt." I whispered. What? Why am I whispering? There's no need to! Clearing my throat, I forced myself to talk louder. "She's the one who forced me into it." I looked away, a spark of anger bursting inside of me. A finger suddenly came in my line of sight and he pulled my face towards him and I almost jumped back in surprise at how close he was.

"Would it be wise to have just said no to her and him?" He asked in his maintained quiet voice. I shook my head.

"If you know my aunt, you would know that she does not ever take no for an answer. It is how she is." I shrugged then. "It was probably the same with my soon to-be husband. He's really quite stubborn."

Mr. Ambrose's eyes narrowed. "As are you. Why won't you tell me who you're getting married to?"

"I can't. I just can't. You don't know him either, so point destroyed." I said defiantly. He didn't answer but glowered at me silently. I glowered back at him. "Why do you care so much?" I finally asked.

"I don't. I am merely curious." He lied smoothly. I rolled my eyes in response. He gave me one last look before going back behind his desk, and I let out a breath I didn't know I held.