Of Stormy Seas and Deafening Silences

Sick (French pt. 2)

The next day, I woke up after only an hour of sleep, and got out of bed. I had been tossing and turning all night due to my illness. I still had two hours before I should wake up, but I wasn't going to get a wink more of sleep. At least, if I got up now, Mr. Ambrose wouldn't be able to say I'm late. I got up, and felt my way to the window. There was no use in putting on my dress first, and I already had one in the shed for later, so I climbed down the ladder, entered the shed, and quickly got changed into my male outfit. And so, Mr. Linton left for Empire House at 5:30 AM.
When I arrived, I entered the building and walked up the stairs slowly. I revelled in the silence of the building, broken only by my sneezes and coughs, as there were no feet running around fetching files or other things. When I entered my office, I sat in my chair for a bit before hearing a little plink! Good god! Was he already here?
Mr Linton,
You are 2 hours early. Do not think that you will be getting any extra pay because of it.
Rikkard Ambrose
P.S. Why are you so early? Is something the matter?
I sat there in shock for a bit, staring at the end bit of the note. We had been close in the jungle, but I didn't expect him to continue after coming back to England! But you like it though, don't you? Shut up!
Pulling myself from my thoughts, I grabbed a piece of paper and drafted a note back.
Dear Mr. Ambrose,
I did not expect more money from you, you insufferable miser. *I simply came because I did not see the point in sitting in bed unable to slee-* (*-*=crossed out) I simply came because I could.
Sincerely yours,
Miss Lillian Linton
P.S. Careful sir, you don't want people to think you care about me, do you?
The reply came almost immediately.
Mr Linton,
Adequate. Bring me file 18XHG442.
Rikkard Ambrose.
P.S. I don't. It is simply unusual.
I put the note down, and went to get the file. A few seconds later, I had found it and was about to open the door to give it to Mr. Ambrose when I stopped. If I gave it to him in person, he would see my puffy eyes and red nose, and he would ask questions. Better slide it under the door so that he wouldn't see.
After sliding it under the door, I heard a few seconds of silence, then the scraping of a chair and curt, cold footsteps that I knew oh so well coming to the door, stopping, and then starting again in the other direction. Yes! He didn't say anything!
Plink!
And the work day started.
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The next two days were exactly the same. I would get barely any sleep, come in at 6AM and leave at 8PM, hoping that he wouldn't hear my coughs and sneezes, only to walk home in the rain. By Friday, I could barely function.
Plink!
Mr Linton,
Bring me file 22DTS488
Rikkard Ambrose.
I sluggishly got up from my chair and moved to get the file. By the time I had located it, taken it and slid it under the door, 42 seconds had passed, as Mr. Ambrose wasted no time in telling me.
Mr. Linton,
It took you 42 seconds to get the file. If you do not speed up, I will be forced to deduct the time taken from your wages.
Rikkard Ambrose.
I slowly took out a paper and uncapped my pen. Without thinking, I wrote down my answer.
Cher M. Ambrose,
Je suis désolé pour mon inefficacité. Cela ne ce reproduira pas.
Sincèrement,
Mlle. Lillian Linton.
(Dear Mr. Ambrose,
I am sorry for my inefficiency. It won't happen again.
Sincerely,
Miss Lillian Linton.)
There! That should appease him!
I pulled the lever, and got back to work.
The reply came back 15 seconds later.
M. Linton,
Pourquoi écris-tu comme ça?
(Mr. Linton,
Why are you writing like that?)
Huh? Writing like what? I wasn't writing strangely! If anything, his note was strange! I couldn't figure out why though. I wrote down my reply and sent it.
M. Ambrose,
Je ne vois pas ce que tu veux dire.
Sincèrement,
Mlle Lillian Linton.
(Mr Ambrose,
I don't see what you mean.
Sincerely,
Miss Lillian Linton)
His answer came quickly and efficiently, as always.
M. Linton,
Ne joue pas de jeux avec moi.
Rikkard Ambrose.
(Mr Linton,
Don't play games with me.
Rikkard Ambrose.)
I wasn't playing games with him! What on earth was he talking about!
M. Ambrose,
Vous êtes devenus fou! Je ne vois pas ce que vous voulez dire! Je n'écris pas bizarrement, j'écris toujours come ça!
(Mr. Ambrose,
You've gone mad! I don't see what you mean! I'm not writing weirdly, I always write like this!
I quickly sent the message and hoped that he would leave me alone. That's when I heard footsteps. He was coming over!
I quickly lowered my face as he opened the door, hoping he wouldn't see my tired, watery and puffy eyes, my bright red nose, or my pale face.
"Mr. Linton. Why on earth are you writing like that?" He asked.
"Je n'écris pas bizarrement. Si t'as un problème avec mon écriture, je m'en fous! Alors laisse moi tranquille!"
(I'm not writing weirdly. If you have a problem with my writing, I don't care!)
"Mr Linton, I demand that you stop this ridiculous charade and write like a normal English gentleman! And look at me when I'm talking to you!"
Why was he putting emphasis on the 'English'? I was writing like any normal English gentleman would!
"I am, blast you! I always speak like this!" I looked up at him, and saw his eyes widen a little as he stepped back a bit. Was he sick too? Wait... SICK! Last time I was this sick, nobody could understand me because I was speaking French! Oh god, had I been speaking to him in French this whole time? And I had just looked at him! He saw my face!  I hurriedly lowered it. Maybe he hadn't seen? He took a determined step forward. Uh oh...
With gentleness I didn't think he was capable of, he reached down and cupped my face, tilting it upwards.
"Mr Linton- Lillian, are you alright?" His voice was curt, but it seemed slightly warmer that usual.  That might just have been my sick and tired brain making things up though.
I gave a nervous laugh.  "Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?"
"Because, Ms Linton, you look frankly terrible. When was the lat time you slept properly?"
I considered lying, but in the end I told him the truth.
"Sunday night." I whispered.
"Pardon?" He leaned forward. "What did you say?" His breath tickled my nose.
  "Sunday night, sir." I repeated slightly louder.
He straightened again, his eyes slightly wider, and asked
  "And why are you sick?"
  "Because I've been walking home in the rain, sir. There were no cabs to take me, not that I have enough money on me for one everyday anyway."
  "You've been walking home in the rain, in Winter, for the past four nights?!" His voice had the barest hint of incredulity in it.
  "Yessir" I slurred, feeling drowsy and nauseous. I suddenly tipped forward and passed out.
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When I woke up, I was in the visitor's chair in Mr. Ambrose's office. He was working, and would look up at me every few seconds. When he realised I was awake, he spoke.
"Ah, Mr. Linton, you are awake. As being sick lowers your work ethic, you are permitted to have the rest of the day off. When you come back on Monday, I expect you to be fully recovered. There is a cab waiting downstairs to take you to your house. The cost of it shall be deducted from your wages."
Translation: Get well soon. I gave him a tired smile, before thanking him and turning to leave. Just before I left, I heard him ask:
"Why the French? I distinctly remember you not understanding it when we were recovering the file."
I turned around, and smiled at him before replying:
"Parce-que, M. Ambrose, mon père était à moitié français, et il m'a donc appris la langue française. Je le parle sans penser quand je suis malade, et, sur l'Isle Marbeau, je ne voulais pas que vous sachiez que je le parle. J'ai donc fais semblant de ne rien comprendre."
(Because, Mr Ambrose, my father was half French, and so taught me the French language. I speak it without thinking when I'm ill, and, on Isle Marbeau, I didn't want you to know that I spoke it. I then pretended not to understand anything.)
He glared at me and asked me one question: why? Why didn't I want him to know? I replied with a cheeky wink.
"Because I didn't want to have to do French dictations."
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That's it! Tell me what you thought of it, and please vote and comment! I hope that this one was a good length... Thank you for reading!
-Chloe