Lost Treasure

Chapter 9 - Lost Love

POV = Lilly

As I began my transformation from Victor to Lilly Linton in the garden shed, I started thinking about the task ahead. How was I going to get Aunt Brank or one of the twins to tell me the information I needed? It was going to be harder than persuading Mr Ambrose to part with a shilling and give it to a beggar on the street!

Mr Ambrose ... what a day I'd had with him! A broad smile spread across my face as I thought about him, the chocolates, his arms around me ... his eyes devouring me ... his lips ... oh, those lips ... NO! I had no time to think about that now. But later ... I'd think about it a lot!

I wasn't concentrating on what I was doing and lost my balance taking my trousers off. As I fell, I knocked over a stack of flowerpots which promptly scattered across the shed floor with an almighty crash. I froze, expecting either my aunt or Karim to come bursting through the door. I waited, holding my breath ... and waited. Then I heard a voice from the back of the shed.

"Ifrit! Are you okay? Is someone in there with you?"

I let out my breath and relaxed. I moved to the back corner where I had heard the voice come from.

"Karim - I'm fine. I just lost my balance." I would bet all of the chocolate in London that he was rolling his eyes at me at that moment.

"Well get a move on. I will wait here behind the shed until you are changed and leave."

"Fine. Let me get on with it then!"

I didn't receive a response so I carried on changing. As I was struggling into my dress, I started to wonder: how easy or hard would it be to get Aunt Brank to think that I wanted to go to the ball tomorrow? Hmm... hard ... very hard. She'd be suspicious. She didn't trust me at the best of times. No, this would require subtlety ... and cunning. Lots of ifrit cunning. Hmm... yes ... a plan was starting to form in my head.

I put my shoes on and stashed away my work clothes. Before I left the shed, I picked up all the flowerpots that I'd knocked over. I decided to let Karim know that I was leaving.

"Karim? I'm done and am going into the house. I'll see you in an hour."

"Get on with it Ifrit ... and ... er ... good luck."

With those words ringing in my ears, I left the garden shed and headed for the house, ready to tackle the challenge of my aunt and twin sisters.

* * * *

"Lillian Linton! Where have you been all day? You missed your embroidery session earlier."

Aah... my lovely aunt. No 'hello', no 'how are you?' ... just nagging and scorn. I had to remember my mission though ... time to play my role.

"Hmmm ... sorry Aunt, did you say something?"

"Pay attention girl! I asked where you have been all day? You were supposed to have an embroidery lesson this afternoon!"

"Oh ... sorry Aunt Brank. I ... er ... lost track of time in the park." I sighed at her, deliberately trying to look like a lovesick, pathetic girl. I had decided to try and plant the idea in my aunt's mind - and Anne and Maria's - that some gentleman had caught my eye. I had no idea if it would work, but I had to give it my best shot.

"What do you do in the park all day ..." I flashed a wicked grin across my face and then turned it into a guilty look, casting my eyes down as if I'd been caught out - and she didn't miss it! "...what ... what have you been up to?" She narrowed her eyes and tried to glare at me - but she was no match for the arctic glares that I tolerated on a regular basis.