Silence Breaking

25. Romance in the Air

It was cold outside. I told myself it was not because Mr Ambrose was staring at me. He wasn't even here. It was just the winter. Cold is perfectly normal in winter. Still...it felt as if two dark, sea-coloured eyes were burning into my neck with permanent frostbite.

Relax, Lilly. You are doing nothing wrong. You are an independent girl, and can go on romantic walks with whomever you choose. Even if it's not the one you'd actually like to be walking with.

Mr Ambrose had to learn a lesson. He had to understand that even if I didn't want anyone but him, I was, theoretically, perfectly within my rights to choose anyone else, whether it be the King of England, the shoeblack in the local tavern, or Captain James Carter. Only once I had managed to hammer this fundamental principle into his thick head would it be possible for us to have a future.

Really, Lilly? So you have to go on a romantic walk with one man to secure your future with another?

All right, maybe my logic was a little bit unconventional, but then again, so was Rikkard Ambrose.

And besides...

Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced up at Captain Carter. Poor man... The way he was gazing at me, with that gleam in his eyes...

He had the words 'love confession incoming' practically tattooed on his forehead. He was full to bursting with romance! If I didn't let him vent it soon, it would explode. What might he do then? Start painting the walls of Battlewood pink? Dance through the halls, writing valentines across all the ancient portraits? There was no way to tell.

We walked through the silent winter day, the noise of our footsteps muffled by the soft flakes underfoot. His hands nervously worked at his lapels, tugging and readjusting every other second. Every time he threw a nervous glance my way, I could have sworn he was going to say something. But he didn't. He waited until we reached a small grove of trees. Frost sparkled on the branches, and a bird or two hopped from twig to twig high above. They weren't songbirds singing a beautiful melody, but still...

My heart started to beat faster.

Captain Carter halted, opened his mouth, and–

–closed it again.

Bloody hell, what was taking him so long? One measly little love confession couldn't be that difficult, could it? I love you, do you love me, too? No, thanks. Oh well, too bad. That was pretty much it, right?

Taking a deep breath, the captain turned towards me, gazing deep into my eyes.

'Miss Linton, I...um...'

That was it.

Miss Linton I um?

That was his best effort? If that was all he could manage, he shouldn't be surprised when I told him no. What was the matter with him? His eyes were boring into me with an unnatural intensity, his cheeks were flushed, and the muscles in his jaw were working overtime. Was he having a seizure? None of my other suitors had looked like this when asking for my hand. But then...they probably hadn't been in love.

Did I look like this when I looked at Mr Rikkard Ambrose?

What a horrifying thought. I would have to take a mirror with me next time and check.

Captain Carter was still chewing on air. I decided to throw the poor man a bone and start the conversation.

'What happened with the man who attacked you?' I asked. 'Did you ever find out who it was?'

He snatched the harmless topic of kidnapping attempts as if it were a lifeline.

'No. No, I have no idea who is after me.' Gazing into the distance, he shook his head. 'I can't think of a single reason why anyone would want to harm me. Oh, sure, there are some officers I've disagreed with over the last few years, and the locals in Newcastle probably weren't too thrilled about my involvement in putting down the strike, but my fellow officers are gentlemen. If they wanted satisfaction from me, they would call me out. And the locals...there were hundreds of other soldiers there. Why single me out? It doesn't make sense. No, there's something there I don't see yet. Some dark plot is afoot.'