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‘Miss Linton will take a little trip away from this place.’
‘I will?’ My eyebrows rose.
‘No. Not you. You are Mr Linton. It is Miss Linton who will be going.’
It took me a moment to understand.
‘Ooh…’
‘Yes.’ Grabbing a suitcase from a corner, Mr Ambrose also pushed it into Karim’s arms. ‘Let me know when you have packed all of Miss Linton’s things. I shall arrange for a coach to take her away.’
A coach driven by his own men no doubt. A coach that would only take me a few miles before depositing me in the snow as my male alter ego, ready to double back to the house.
‘Mr Ambrose, Sir?’
‘Yes, Mr Linton?’
‘Have I ever told you that I love that devious mind of yours?’
‘Restrain yourself, Mr Linton. Such strong feelings between gentlemen are inappropriate.’
Grinning, I snatched up another suitcase and started to help them pack. Only the underwear did I leave to Karim.
*~*~**~*~*
Everything went smoothly. I drove off in a coach only half an hour later - under the eyes of plenty of servants and a few surprised guests, who had stepped outside to see what was going on - only to return to the back of the house half an hour later as Mr Victor Linton, riding atop a speckled mount that didn’t resemble either of the carriage horses.
‘How long can we keep up this ruse?’ I asked as I slid from the saddle.
A muscle in Mr Ambrose’s jaw twitched in infinitesimal irritation. ‘Only a day or two, I’m afraid. Christmas is approaching. My mother would be…displeased if you were not present for the festivities. For some inexplicable reason, she has taken quite a liking to you.’
I grinned, looking past him towards a fast approaching figure he could not yet see. ‘You don’t say…’
‘Rikkard Ambrose!’ He turned, just in time to see a pastel-coloured harbinger of doom descend upon him. ‘What is the meaning of this? What is this I hear about Miss Linton leaving?’
Lady Samantha was not pleased, it appeared.
‘Miss Linton has received urgent news.’ Mr Ambrose met his mother’
s gaze head-on. ‘She’s had to leave on a family matter.’
‘A family matter? Then why is Mr Linton still here?’
‘The fact that his relative has had the impudence to fall sick at an inconvenient time is no reason for me to relieve my secretary of his duties. Miss Linton will have to fend for herself on her journey.’
‘Rikkard Ambrose! You churl! You blaggard! You cannot send that sweet girl off on her own, out there where anything might happen! I can’t believe…I can’t…’
‘I share your astonishment, Lady Samantha,’ came a familiar voice from beyond the marchioness. Looking up, I felt a shiver travel down my back as I saw the new arrival: Lord Daniel Eugene Dalgliesh, flanked by his two ‘footmen’, Thomas and Harold. For footmen, both looked extraordinarily tall, extraordinarily strong, and extraordinarily deadly.
‘I, too, am somewhat concerned for Miss Linton.’ Lord Dalgliesh smiled. ‘I’ll send Thomas after her. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to her, now, would we?’
Lady Samantha looked hesitant. But there was hardly a way she could politely refuse. ‘Really, Lord Dalgliesh, I don’t think…’
‘I insist.’ His Lordship took a step forward. ‘After all, what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t offer a lonely lady my…protection.’
Lady Samantha was just about to open her mouth again, when I merrily interrupted. ‘I agree.’
She blinked. ‘You do?’
