Storm and Silence (FANFIC)

19. Gone.

How did they ever manage to steal it!? was the very first thought that crossed my mind. I knew I was no expert in thievery, but I was an expert on Mr. Ambrose.

Well, kind of.

But how was I going to return the watch back? I wasn't a thief. And these people, these supposed natives, were nice enough to take me in for the while, so I wouldn't starve to death out in the wilderness. More or less.

Ugh, blast it all! Why did he have to lose his watch? Why did I happen to get lost? Why did that fat son of a bachelor stop me when he should know what Mr. Ambrose is like?

I stared at the still dying embers of the fire. Everyone else was asleep now. Maybe... Maybe I could steal the watch and then run away from this village! But... Everyone was so nice to me. Me stealing something that they originally stole would not be a good sign for us English. Then what can you do?! A little voice in my head shrieked.

I didn't know. First, I would have to find my way back to the ship, sea and canal. Then, I would worry about the watch. It wasn't as important currently. I had to find the blasted man first, hope that he'd not left me, before doing anything else.

* * *

It was morning and for a split second I didn't know where I was. And then I saw the animal skins on the straw walls and remembered. I sighed before sitting up. There was no one in the hut. I wondered if there were people outside. I strained my ears to listen for something - anything. But silence met my ears instead. I sighed once more before getting up and stretching. I looked around the hut and found things I hadn't seen before.

Using the sunlight streaming through the doorless doorway, I looked ever more carefully at the hut. There was a wooden table that seemed utterly familiar for some peculiar reason and the table seemed to have drawers. I walked quietly to the table and opened the first drawer. Inside were many trinkets. I recognised some things, but others were tarnished and dirty. I closed the first drawer then opened the second one. Even more trinkets and baubles. These ones were dirtier than the last and I couldn't entirely make them out. I closed it and then opened the last one. There it was. His pocket watch. I bent down and picked it up, examining it again. I shut the drawer with my foot and continued studying the watch. I didn't understand this. These people... They seemed innocent. And polite, polite enough to give me shelter for a little while. And they... A sudden thought occurred to me.

Could these people possibly be workers of Lord Dalgliesh?

No. It can't be possible. There's simply no way! He'd've never been able to decipher that file. Never in a million years. So it would not make sense for him to be in Africa and have control over the natives.

But then why..? My thoughts were cut off as someone entered the hut. Fast as lightning, I stuffed the watch into the pocket of my trousers. Thankfully, the person who entered took no notice of I and my actions.

"Hello." I said with a shy-like smile and a little wave. The dark skinned woman blinked at me slowly before waving back, just as slowly. She then turned away from me and started to walk to the back of the hut - probably to get something she needed. I took this as my cue to leave the hut.

I got out and look around, stretching in the process. There were a couple of little kids roaming around, carrying things. One was carrying a bunch of sticks and another was holding onto leaves. Two more kids were fighting over something I could not figure out. Their shouting increased little by little until a man appeared out of nowhere, yelling at them to be quiet probably. The man pointed at me and then at the kids, who hung their heads. And then he gave them a little shove and they trotted away.