A Silent Storm

03. Secret Lover

Mr Ambrose

'Shall I bring the carriage around the front, sahib?' Karim asked as we began walking away from the crying, writhing mess that was Mr Finkelstein.

The man actually thought he could outsmart me! Ha!

'That won't be necessary.' My lips formed the words and were out before I could fully comprehend what I'd said.

'Er....why not, sahib? You're not going back in there, are you?'

I stopped in my tracks. I was indeed going in the direction of the ballroom when I should have been walking away from it.

I resumed walking. 'Indeed, I am.'

A half choke, half growl came from somewhere close behind me. 'B-but why?'

Why, indeed?

'Karim?'

'Yes, sahib?'

'Shut up and wait by the entrance of the ballroom until I return.' I ordered.

'Of course, sahib. As you say, sahib.'

'Adequate.'

My feet carried me to the back entrance of the ballroom and I walked in, it was the same one I'd left through.

Karim's words played themselves over and over in my head.

Why? Why was I here?

Was it because I wanted to see lill- no!

No, it wasn't!

I was here because I wanted to thank Lady Humphrey for inviting me to the ball. Yes, that was the only reason I was here. I was going to thank her and then leave as soon as I had done that because it would be very rude of me if I just left without thanking her or at least letting her know that I was leaving. Yes, very rude indeed.

Since when did you start caring about what was rude and what was not? A voice at the back of my head whispered, sounding a bit too smug.

I ignored that voice.

I then marched on, trying to locate Lady Humphrey in the sea of people surrounding me who seemed to enjoy huddling together in groups and talking about me as if I couldn't hear what they were saying.

My eyes scanned the room, zeroing in on her.

No! Not her! Its him! HIM! Mr Linton!

But he's wearing a dress...

A dress that does wonders for her backside...

No! Him! He! Its a HE! Mister Linton!

Before I knew what I was doing, my feet began carrying me in
his-her- it's direction.

It wasn't facing me so it hadn't yet noticed that I was walking towards it.