Dangerous Silence

Chapter 11

Dedicated to JaneMontague

A blinding light was shining in my eyes as I blinked repeatedly, trying to clear my vision. There was a continuous pounding in my head and my limbs had half turned numb and the other half were engaged in a competition with my head to see which could throb more painfully.

When the throbbing finally receded, I opened one eye to make sure that the light was not so blinding anymore, and decided it was enough for me to open my eyes.

Lifting my hand to rub my eyes, I was surprised when I felt coarse rope restraining it. Wha-

Oh crap! Crap! Crap! Spiffing! Absolutely superb work!

I had been apparently kidnapped, and there was only one man, or woman, but actually I know it is a man, who held that level of respect for me that he knew he would have to kidnap me in order to get anything, let alone any information from me! Dalgliesh!

Although I was thoroughly flattered at the apparent respect he held for me, I would rather be working off my generous behind in the Empire House, because that would mean that I would have already got my paycheck upto now! And also because I wasn't fond of getting kidnapped, by anyone, in general.

Well, now that we were talking about now, I didn't actually know where and when did now come, which required me to take a look at my surroundings, instead of glaring icily at the rope binding me and hoping it would uncoil itself from around me.

Squinting against the source of light, which was a cheap bulb hanging around a metre above my head, I admired the grand interior designing of my temporary accomodation. There were heaps of barrels, beautifully designed with some kind of stains and the growth of fungii and the ceiling had been decorated with intricate spiderwebs, confirming my spectaculations that the place had not been cleaned since, well, since its construction.

It gave a sweet smell of one or two dead rats, and the overwhelming, familiar smell of alcohol. This only enhanced the pleasant and stinking, did I say stinking? Sorry, soothing ambience of the room. Also adding to it, there were many tiles which had cracked, or even literally broken and had been covered by artistic layers of soot and dirt and grime. Some old, discarded furniture and junk was spread all over the room. Used bottles, old glasses and other stuff lay on a dangerously teethering wooden stool which looked like it would collapse with a slight breeze. The barrels were even kind enough to hide most of the walls, except for a single, battered door on my right.

To conclude the description, I had just got to hand it to Dalgliesh. What a location he had chosen! Perhaps, even though he was the second richest man of the British empire by two pounds and thirty one shillings, he must be, like his rival, a pure miser at heart.

Talking of misers, I would love to strangle their king. That useless, annoying, closed mouth fool! I bet this was about his file! Or files! Or whatever information about something Dalgliesh thought I knew! That piece of scum-

The door opened as I was cussing at my sworn enemy, and yes, I had figured out that he was my enemy since he did consider me as his enemy's accomplice and kidnapped me, and lo and behold! In stepped the Peer of the British realm, the second richest person in Britain and the impersonification of the cunning devil, Lord Daniel Eugene Dalgliesh, followed by two of his men in the uniform of the army of the East India Company.

How nice! Name the devil and he shall appear!

Looking at me, he gave me a victorious smile, and my glare only intensified. "I had told your sister last night, we shall meet soon. Perhaps I forgot to mention exactly how. My apologies." Yet, he did not look apologetic at all to me. On the contrary, his victorious smile remained on his face, which aggravated me even more.