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‘Can someone tell me what is going on?’ I demanded. ‘I thought we were supposed to be investigating, not redecorating!’
Mr Ambrose threw me a look.
‘We’re waiting and preparing. We have to hold out until the reinforcements arrive.’
I blinked. ‘Reinforcements?’
‘Well, of course, Mr Linton. You did not think I was insane enough to go into this alone, do you? A squadron of hired men is approaching from the south to disarm the miners and put the fire out. We are merely the distraction.’
‘Oh.’
‘I knew that if I myself appeared at the miners’ flank, they would focus all of their anger and attention on me and leave the other flank unguarded. Now we only have to wait it out until my men arrive.’
‘Your men?’
‘Which I sent for from Mrs Gibbons’ house.’
‘Ah. Of course. I knew that.’
‘Indeed?’
‘Of course! I’m not stupid! I knew all along that you weren’t just barging into this and leading us all into deadly danger.’
‘Indeed.’
That was the moment when something huge and hard slammed against the door, making it shudder and creak.
‘Ambrose, you bloody swine!’ The voice of the scarred men was a roar in the night outside. ‘Ye lied to us! Ye aren’t alone!’
‘I never said I was.’ Mr Ambrose’s voice was icy calm. How did he do it? ‘Surrender. End this, and nothing will happen to you.’
‘Surrender? To ye? You bloody capitalist maggot, we ain’t surrendering to nobody! We want justice!’
‘And you’ll have it. My justice.’
‘Ye… I’m gonna kill ye! Yer goons might get me, but before they do, I’m gonna get to ye! I’m going to rip your liver out!’
There was another shuddering crash against the door.
I swallowed.
‘What was that I just said about being safe from deadly danger, Mr Ambrose?’
My dear employer threw me a cool look. That didn’t worry me half as much, however, as the voices outside the door yelling ‘Get that beam! Battering ram, against the door! Now!’
‘I think we had better procure more material for our barricade,’ Karim suggested.
‘Oh, you think, do you?’ Repressing my urge to give the man who had probably known about this in
ane plan from the start a good kick in the butt, I grabbed the closest shelf full of files and pulled.
It didn’t move an inch.
I pulled again. ‘Nnnnnng!’
Still nothing.
‘Nnn - aah!’
