Dangerous Silence

Chapter 9

Dedicated to Manang15

"You!" He turned me around so I was fitting snugly into his arms, but his hands lingered on my waist. I poked my finger on his hard chest, keeping my eyes stern under his intense gaze. Even in the dim light of the moon and a few stars, his chiselled face was visible to me clearly, and looking into his sea green eyes, I nearly forgot exactly why was I angry with my employer. Was it something he had said..?

The file, Lilly! Ask him about it!

Right. Thanks.

"You!" I repeated, poking him accusingly with my finger again, and gave him an angry glare.

"What were you both talking about?"

I swallowed the lump that had suddenly decided to appear and settle itself in my throat. How did he know?! Had he heard the Captain's...um...proposal? He was looking...cough...displeased...cough... enough...

But how did he know? Was he spying on me? That...chauvinist piece of ice! Why did he think that I should tell him whatever happened in my life?

"Whatever I and the Captain talked about is none of your business." I gave him my best glare, while he stiffened and returned an artic cold glare freshly imported from Antartica, cold enough for me to get a frostbite. His grip on my waist tightened as he spoke, emphasising on each syllable.

"What exactly was the business between you and the Captain, would you care to explain, Mister Linton?

Crap, crap, crap! Stupid me! He didn't know about the proposal! And I had told him on his face!

Dammit Lilly! How could you be so foolish?! Now only one thing to do: pray that the Captain's soul rests in heaven!

No, no. There must be some way out which did not end in the Captain resting six feet under the ground! Think, Lilly, think!

Wait. If he was not asking about me and Captain Carter, then he must be talking about me and...Dalgliesh!

"Oh, we both were only talking about silly suffragist stuff, you know, boring things like that..." I waved my hand dismissively, lying through my teeth. "Anways, you were asking about Dalgliesh, right? He-"

His finger on my lips cut me off and I had to work hard to disguise the shiver that travelled down my spine at his touch. His eyes narrowed by 0.00743 inches, and I gulped.

"I don't believe you." His little finger tapped twice on my waist, agreeing to my spectaculations of the mention of a certain Captain making him...emotional, to say the least.

"You do know what would I do if I found that you were lying to me." The stupid lump was refusing to dislodge itself from my throat, no matter how hard I swallowed.

With my vocal cords unable to function, I gave a imperceptible nod, and my inner feminist protested how easily I was concurring with the greatest chauvinist south of the north pole.

It is much better than a dip in the Thames, I chided her.

"Tell me what you and Lord Dalgliesh were talking about, then." He looked into my eyes with his usual aura of cold indifference, hiding the storm brewing behind them.

Good, now that the Captain is out of mortal danger, you can ask him.

What? My eyes lingered on his lips, and for a wild moment, I wanted to kiss them until I ran out of breath and then some more.

What the bloody hell are you thinking?! Kissing a man? Where is the spirit of feminism gone?

My cheeks turned red, and I was grateful for the dim lighting. I silently thanked my feminist for saving me there and opened my mouth, but no words came out.