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Calm, Lilly! Calm!
‘Get the girl.’
‘Yes, My Lord!’
‘Carstairs?’
‘Aye, Your Lordship?’
‘Go and prepare the-’
But what exactly Carstairs was supposed to prepare we never found out. Because at that very moment, Jameson, who had entered the cabin, uttered a startled outcry. A moment later, he came dashing out again.
‘Your Lordship! The girl! The girl, she…’
‘She what? Speak, man!’
‘She’s gone!’
A deadly silence descended over the snow-covered fields. As a connoisseur of deadly silences, I could truly appreciate its fine qualities, particularly its soundless threat of murder and noise-free roar of rage.
‘What,’ His Lordship said very, very, calmly, ‘did you just say?’
‘The girl! She’s gone! And, um, Sergeant Brewer…’ The man cleared his throat. ‘He’s…well, you’d better see for yourself, Your Lordship.’
Hard steps marched past the soldier, into the cottage. I heard a fist slam so hard into a wall the whole building shuddered. Carefully, I peeked over the top of the log pile I was hiding behind - just in time to see Dalgliesh stride out again, red flecks of anger burning in his cheeks. The revolver in my hand suddenly felt very intriguing. Very heavy. Very significant.
For a moment I considered shooting him down where he stood. He was so close. Just one bullet, and Mr Ambrose and I would never have to worry again. One little shot…
…and his soldiers will gut you where you stand.
True. Blast!
Just then, the decision was taken out of my hands. Because in just that moment, Dalgliesh spotted the footsteps leading off, away from the cottage, towards the river. He whirled to face his men.
‘After her!’ he roared. ‘Follow the tracks! She can’t have gotten far! Find her, or I’ll have your hides!’
Never in my life had I witnessed a detachment of soldiers mounting their horses this fast - not even the Queen’s guards. In an instant, they were up on horseback and galloping across the snowy expanse, following my trail. The trail I had left while running towards the stream. The trail I had used to double back, walking backwards in my own footsteps.
I waited until they were a safe distance away, then rose with a smile from behind the log pile along one side of the cabin.
Checkmate, Dalgliesh!
I suppose I could have immediately set out in the opposite direction, but why hurry? Leaning against the wall, I stood there, smirking, waiting for them to disappear into the forest and thoroughly enjoying my victory. Outsmarting the enemy was fun under normal circumstances - but outsmarting the enemy when he was a pretentious, chauvinistic arse was simply sublime. I had to get myself kidnapped more often.
Just when I had arrived at that brilliant conclusion, I heard noise coming out of the woods. Frowning, I started to step out from behind the log pile to investigate - then stopped as I realised that the sounds were hoofbeats.
What? Was Dalgliesh already coming back? Had he seen through my ruse?
But no. The sounds were coming from a different direction. Besides…that sounded like a lot more riders than Lord Dalgliesh had had with him. Who in God’s name would be riding through this arctic wasteland with half a company of men?
Making sure my revolver was cocked, I hunkered down behind the woodpile again. Whoever it was, if they’d come to take me, they would have a tough fight on their hands.
From my hiding place I couldn’t see a thing of what was going on out there. With bated breath I waited as the thunder of hoofs approached. Horses whinnied. Tackle and weapons rattled. Then, finally, there came a voice:
‘No one in sight, Sir. Should we go in?’
‘Yes.’
