Behind The Cold Silence

He Does Care

Sitting down, I crouched to grab the bullet.

I took out a handkerchief and wiped off the blood.

"Hmm... I don't know much about guns. But I do know that hurt as hell." I say before throwing it out.

I felt something go down my cleavage and remembered I was still bleeding hence the pain on my chest.

I cursed. I slipped off the sleeves and tugged the dress down.

I wiped the blood on my cleavage and top breast before wiping my chest then covering the bullet wound.

I faced Mr Ambrose and saw him staring.

"What? Didn't realize I actually have a woman's body?" I asked him jokingly.

His left little finger twitched.

He grew closer and took out a handkerchief of his own.

"You missed a few spots."

He wiped my neck that had blood I didn't even notice. Some on my shoulders that I didn't even care about.

He tugged my dress lower showing my bra. He slipped my bra lower and wiped off the remaining blood on my cleavage.

Karim cleared his throat. Mr Ambrose corrected my bra and tugged the dress up with the sleeves. He took my hand away and replaced it with his much more cleaner handkerchief with his own hand.

"Thank you." I say with a thankful smile.

Mr Ambrose stayed silent and faced forward once again.

I looked out the window when I felt him place me on his lap making his arm settle comfortably on my shoulders as he continued to stop the blood from continuing to bleed.

I mumbled another thanks before closing my eyes with a sigh.

His other hand guided my head to the crook of his neck where I settled in and fell asleep from exhaustion.

<•{--•--:•:--•--}•>

"Sahib, I'll carry the ifrit to her room so you may rest."

"Go to your room Karim. I'll take care of this."

"Yes, Sahib."

I slightly yawned. Who the bloody hell interupted my beauty sleep?

Wait... Right. We had a car chase and I fell asleep on Mr Ambrose's lap.

So the stupid arses the woke me up is most likely to be Karim and Mr Ambrose.

Hearing Mr Ambrose open the door to my room, I opened my droopy eyes.

"Mr Ambrose..." I whispered in a wispy voice.

He settles me on the bed as he went to the bathroom.

He came back with bandages fron the first aid kit.

I closed my eyes from exhaustion and slight pain.

He lowered my dress yet again. He froze for a moment.

"Miss Linton, should I bandage you myself? Or should you do it instead?"

He always calls me Miss Linton when there aren't much people that I noticed.

Sudden pain hit my chest and I let out a whimper.

"It... hurts... sir..." I said in a pained voice.

He unclasped my bra before bandaging my chest.

The pain started to settle and I breathed out.

I lifte my eyelids just a crack to see Mr Ambrose staring at my breast.

He clasps my bra back on before standing up.

"Goodnight Lillian."

...

Did he just call me Lillian?

<•{--•--:•:--•--}•>

Opening my eyes, I noticed the light from the windows.

I glanced down at my chest and hastily removed my dress. I wore a much more comfortable dress not bothering to change the bandages underneath my bra.

I groaned and stretched on the bed when a knock came in.

Karim forcefully opened the door and gratifyingly didn't break it as he did so.

"Sahib is calling for you to take breakfast with him ifrit. He says he has important matters to discuss with you."

I nodded, "Can I just wear this instead of trousers? I can't exactly cover my breast with a corset with my bullet wound."

He stifly nods and made his way out the door.

I followed him wearily as gang members gaped at me.

Going to the terrace, I saw Mr Ambrose at a round table with food in front of him. Karim bowed at Mr Ambrose and left us.

"Miss Linton. Glad you could make it." Oh so it's back to Miss Linton again.

I nodded and sat at the only chair that was faced towards him.

"So... tell me why you helped us at the car chase even if you work with Dalgliesh."

"Do you even care?"

"Of course I do. You have been shot."

I looked at him. Why did I help? Then it flashed at me.

"I can't just let my new family die, sir." I said flashing a smile.

His left little finger twitched at my answer.

"I'll tell you everything sir... Right from the beginning. No secrets left out. I trust my family." I said the smile never leaving my face as I keep remembering his words.

"My mother was murdered, no one knew who did it and my father was devastated. After a month, my father disappeared leaving me and my siblings to my Aunt and Uncle Bufford. For years they've been trying to marry us off to someone rich. I was planning on running away when Victor found out and came with me. We've been joining gangs in hope to try and find the murderer of my mother, and so we have a place to live. After almost dying, we came across Captain Carter who helped us. He was aquainted to Lord Dalgliesh and hence how we met. He agreed to let Victor and I in his gang. In one mission, I wasn't paying attention. Victor took a bullet deep to the chest for me and nobody was around to try and help him. Lord Daugliesh thought about how men who tried to join your gang to backstab you were killed. So he tried a woman to do it. At the ball he was quite surprised to see me with you when he half expected me to be dead by now. And... I guess that's all..." I told them the story.

I did my best to hold back my tears, but in doing so I let my smile fall.

"Lillian..."

I looked at Mr Ambrose to see his fist clenching.

That can only mean one thing...

He does care.