Lost Treasure

Chapter 6 - A Working Relationship

POV = Lilly

"Do you remember the day we first met Mr Linton?"

I was once again sat opposite Mr Ambrose at his desk, with my brain racing at lightning speed, trying to process everything that had happened so far this morning. Chocolates, apology, hugs ... kisses ... hmm yeah. How good it had been to feel his lips on mine again ...

"Mr Linton? Lillian! Are you paying attention to me?"

"What? Sorry Sir! I was just trying to get my head around everything that's happened this morning."

"I know it's been an unusual start to a Monday, but I need you to concentrate on work now, do you understand?"

His tone was quite calm considering the short temper he'd displayed so often during the last three weeks. I nodded at him to indicate that I understood.

"Adequate. Now then, I asked if you remembered the first day that we met?"

"Well Sir - it's not a day I'm likely to forget. It's not everyday I get offered a job whilst trying to vote using my uncle's passport and wearing his clothes."

"Or get arrested?" Mr Ambrose's mouth moved slightly, almost in a smile. Was he smiling at the memory or the prospect of me being locked up in jail?

"Oh yes, how could I forget that Sir? Quite a memorable day all round. Even y..." I stopped myself from continuing with that thought.

"Even what, Mr Linton?"

"Erm ... nothing Sir." I chewed on my bottom lip nervously.

"Lillian," he looked at me with an expression that could get me to confess to stealing the crown jewels, "... tell me. Please?"

I tore my eyes away from his gaze and looked at my hands in my lap, before completing my thought.

"Er ... well Sir, I was going to say ... even you made quite an impression on me that day."

"Ditto. I'm not in the habit of offering jobs to just any Tom, Dick or Harry."

"Just Victors eh, Sir?" I smiled and looked back at Mr Ambrose, who just raised an eyebrow at me. A whole eyebrow - wow!"

"Do you remember the gentle ... er ... male person that I was talking to that day, before you gatecrashed into my life?"

It was my turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Is this some kind of memory test Sir?"

Then my employer put a hand over his mouth and I swear he was trying to suppress a laugh. I know, it sounds impossible, but it had been a very strange day so far.

"Are you okay Sir? Are you ... laughing?"

He removed his hand, but he was now biting on his bottom lip, and there it was - the unmistakable trace of a grin. What the hell was going on today?!"

"I'm sorry Lillian. Maybe it's the lack of sleep. It's just that I had a similar conversation with Karim recently and the answers were also very similar, except the roles were reversed. It just seemed to amuse me for a moment."

I looked at him suspiciously.

"Now I know that it's officially a strange day Sir: 1) You are never 'amused' - what's going on? 2) I'm still curious about this whole not sleeping business and 3) Why were you and Karim talking about the day we first met?"

"How could I forget how curious and tenacious you can be? Karim was merely reminding me of a project that we were working on at the time - one that I'm trying to explain to you now, if you'll just humour me for a moment!"