Silence No More

18. Challenge Accepted!

"What, pray, were the two of you about to do?"

Not a question I wanted to face just after being interrupted canoodling with my husband in my male disguise. Especially not coming from this man.

"I, um...I..."

"We were just discussing some business matters," Mr Ambrose cut in, his icy gaze drilling into the vicomte. "As you can imagine, with the birth of my child, I have been somewhat distracted of late."

"Ah yes, your child." The Frenchman gifted us with a charming smile. "When will I be able to meet the little monsieur?"

"He is sleeping." Mr Ambrose's face didn't even twitch.

"Ah. Later then, peut être?"

"He will be sleeping for a long time. A very long time."

"What a shame. But that is not why I am here, Monsieur Ambrose. I heard another guest recently arrived at Battlewood. A Monsieur Victor Linton?" His eyes sparkled darkly. "I would like to have a few words with him."

Mr Ambrose's expression didn't change an iota. But Karim? He couldn't quite keep his eyes from twitching over to me.

"Oh? So it's you?" Turning to me, His Excellency the Vicomte showed even more teeth than before. A shark would have been proud. "You are Monsieur Linton?"

The way he said that...it was as if, as an echo of his words, I could hear my death knell.

"I would say it is a pleasure to meet you," the French nobleman continued, his voice turning steely, "but I don't take pleasure in meeting my enemies, Monsieur. Only in beating them."

I, for my part, was currently sweating bullets. Why, you may ask? Because a dangerous, powerful man was stalking towards me? Because my secret had nearly been revealed?

Why, no.

In fact, it was because...

Crap, crap, crap! How the hell does one play a jealous macho man? How the heck am I supposed to take part in a pissing contest if the equipment is missing? My uncle's socks sure as hell won't do the job!

All right, no need to panic, Lilly. You've seen how Mr Ambrose acts when other men get close to you. This is the same, right? You'll just have to emulate him. You're fighting for your woman, Lilly! Channel your inner Dick!

All trace of emotion slid off my face. My spine straightened, my eyes frosted over and my gaze pierced the approaching nobleman.

"You! You are the fool who wants to steal my woman!"

"Your woman?" The vicomte's eyes narrowed. "Last time I checked, Monsieur, I was here first."

I answered this in the best way possible: a dismissive wave of the hand. No words wasted, and no need to think of an actual answer that would make sense.

Heck, now I knew why Mr Ambrose did this all the time!

And speaking of Mr Rikkard Ambrose...

The man in question appeared right next to me, his face impassive, yet his eyes as arctic as the North Pole. He leaned towards me, and, out of the corner of his mouth, hissed, "What in Midas' name do you think you are doing?"

"My best impression of an overprotective man. Duh."

"And your inspiration was...."

My answering smile was reply enough.

As was the icy stare he sent me in return. "Practise. A lot."

That son of a bachelor! He just didn't appreciate my supreme acting talent. Well, I would simply have to show him. Resuming my best imitation of a marble bust, I turned back to the vicomte and sent him an arctic glare. Or at least a slightly chilly one. Dang, this macho man thing was hard!