Storm of Bells

32. A Fighting Chance

I was not, in general, a musical person. The list of my favourite sounds was a rather short one. The screech of my aunt when she discovered a toad in her boot was on that list, along with the triumphal march Patsy had composed for our first suffragist rally. It was horrific enough to nearly split my eardrums, but on the other hand, it had the same effect on the policemen who had been sent to break up our rally. Never had I seen Bobbies run so fast.

Yet among all the different sounds I had heard in my life, there was one that reigned supreme, one that no other could equal: the sound of Mr Rikkard Ambrose's fist smashing into Lord Dalgliesh's jaw.

Stumbling back, Dalgliesh collided with the church wall.

'Jeffreys!' he barked. 'Holli—'

Abruptly, his voice cut off.

'What's wrong, Dalgliesh?' Slowly starting to circle his enemy, Mr Ambrose raised his fists, ready to strike. 'Forgot to bring your henchmen? Didn't think you'd need them for just one helpless woman?'

'Hey!' I protested. 'Who's helpless?'

They ignored me.

'You?' Steely sparks of hate surged from Dalgliesh's eyes. 'Impossible! How could you have known about—'

Wham!

Mr Ambrose's fist interrupted him mid-sentence. Dalgliesh tried to retaliate, but Mr Ambrose blocked his strike.

'You want to know how he knows about our little meeting?' As fists flew and muscle smashed against muscle, I circled the combatants until I stood behind His Lordship, almost close enough to whisper into his ear. 'Did you really think I'd be dumb enough to come alone?'

'But...but this is impossible! I blackmailed you! I....'

'You made a mistake, Dalgliesh. A big one. You assumed just because you are a distrustful, smarmy little viper, that goes for the rest of the world as well. But, no matter how rich or powerful you are, the two of us,' I nodded at Mr Ambrose, 'have something more precious than your entire fortune: trust.'

Dalgliesh lashed out again. His strike caught Mr Ambrose in the stomach, but instead of buckling over like any normal human, my favourite granite statue didn't even budge. Instead, he smashed his knee into Dalgliesh's side, slamming the peer of the realm against a sandstone buttress. Legs buckling, Dalgliesh sank down the stone wall. Mingled hate and disbelief blazed in his eyes as he stared up at me.

'You...you told him?'

'To paraphrase one of this world's greatest orators: Indeed.'

'You...you stupid little—'

But exactly what I was I never found out, because the next moment, Mr Ambrose's arm slammed against his jugular, cutting off his air.

'Rrg!'

'You were saying?' I enquired, sweetly.

'He won't be talking,' Mr Ambrose informed me, his eyes boring into those of his nemesis. 'He'll just be listening. Listening closely.' Ice-cold eyes focused on Lord Daniel Eugene Dalgliesh. 'Your attempt at blackmail has failed. Your little intrigues, your plots, your machinations—they stop here and now, or I will destroy you! Do you understand?'

'Yes,' Dalgliesh croaked. 'I understand.'

'Arms behind your head!'

His Lordship did as commanded—for about a second. When his hand appeared again, metal was wrapped around his clenched fingers.

'Watch out!'

My words didn't come in time.

Wham!