Lord Day and Lady Night

14. Conscription

"Good morning. Welcome to Empire House, how may I hel—you! Avaunt, infidel!"

Amy stuck her parasol through the crack in the door and put on her most charming smile. "A very nice mornin' ta ye, too, Karim. May we come in?"

"No!"

"Let me rephrase. Do ye want me ta take me clothes off out 'ere on da porch?"

"No!"

"Now may we come in?"

"Mmg...nnrr...yes!"

"Thank ye."

Amy curtsied, by pure coincidence deeply enough to give Karim a good look at her cleavage. With a tortured groan, the bodyguard covered his eyes and stumbled back into the entrance hall, whereupon Amy promptly strode inside. The moment she entered, every single eye belonging to the multitudes of clerks in the hall turned towards her and widened as if they had never seen a woman before. Which, taking into account the work hours dictated by the bugger who owned this place, was probably the case.

"'ello, everyone." Waving, Amy gave the poor worker ants a coquettish smile. "Don't mind us. We've just got a little private business with dis gentleman 'ere."

"Err...we?" enquired one of the clerks at the front.

Amy frowned—then she glanced around, only to find that Patrick and Flo were still standing outside the open door, their mouths agape.

"What are ye waitin' for?"

"For you," Patrick said, his eyes travelling up the giant, austere façade, and back down to the bustling entrance hall of the massive office building, "to explain how you are able to get into this place. I am rather well-informed about London's upper echelons. And in case you did not know, this is Empire House!"

"Aye. And?"

"Empire House! The headquarters of Rikkard Ambrose. The Rikkard Ambrose."

"Oh, ye don't 'ave to worry. Da stingy bugger ain't 'ere right now. 'e's away on 'is 'oneymoon. Which means..." Striding forward, Amy grabbed Karim's arm. "...we can borrow dis one."

"I am a man," Karim stated darkly. "Not a book from a lending library."

"Oh, I know!" Amy assured him. "I'd never borrow a book." She glanced at Flo and Patrick again, who were still staring at her as if she had grown an extra head. "Well? What are ye waitin' for? Come in, come in!"

Cautiously, they did as she said. With quite a bit of secret satisfaction, she noticed that even Patrick, supreme sovereign of noble conceit, seemed to be somewhat cautious in this place. He glanced at the big bodyguard beside Amy.

Amy gestured between the two. "Karim, Patrick. Patrick, Karim. Say 'ello, get ta know each other, compare beard sizes or whatever ye men do. But be quick about it, we've got work ta do."

"Karim." Karim gave a curt bow. "Bodyguard to Ambrose Sahib. And you are...?"

"...unfortunate enough to currently be forced to accompany her." Patrick nodded towards Amy, who promptly sent a glare his way.

"Oy! Watch yer mouth!"

Karim inclined his head sombrely once again. "A pleasure to meet a fellow victim."

"Oy, ye two! I'm standin' right 'ere!"

"Is there no way to escape?" Karim enquired.

"I fear not." His Lordship shook his head. "This is a serious matter."