by Robert Thier
‘Says the man who did an experiment to see whether one can go without sleep altogether.’
I gave her a cool look. ‘It was a perfectly reasonable experiment.’
‘Then let’s just say I’m repeating it.’ She gave me that infernally impudent grin that should have infuriated me. Should have, but didn’t. ‘It’s always good to check the results of an experiment, right?’
My eyes narrowed infinitessimaly.
‘Are you familiar with the expression “working yourself into an early grave”, Miss Linton?’
‘Indeed I am, Sir. I feel its suitable use has been grossly exaggerated. Besides,’ she shrugged, looking entirely too vulnerable for a moment, ‘who’s there to help?’
I didn’t even think. I just soke.
‘Me.’
She stared at me, mouth open.
‘W-what?’
‘I am certain I spoke at a perfectly audible volume, Miss Linton.’
‘B-but…you can’t…the risk…’
Grabbing hold of her chin, I forced her to meet my gaze head-on. ‘Was I not clear enough earlier? Need I repeat my demonstration for it to be more convincing?’
‘Yes, please, right away for the next half hour.’
‘Miss Linton! Be serious!’
‘Who says I’m joking? I’m a sceptic by nature and need a lot of convincing.’
Well…who was I to reject an attractive offer? Tightening my grip, I pulled her towards me for a long, deep, and in my personal opinion, very convincing kiss.
‘I’m not a man who shies away from risk,’ I growled. ‘If I were, I wouldn’t be where I am today, with more power in my hands than most men can imagine! Some things are worth fighting for, and when the fight comes, you face it head-on.’
‘But…but she…is…you know.’
‘I’ve mucked out plenty a stable in my time. It won’t be that different.’
I stared implacably into her eyes until I saw the realization spread over her face. Yes. I really mean it.
With her, I always meant what I said—even without a signed contract.
‘Thank you!’ Suddenly, her arms were around me, and she was hugging me, hugging me fiercely and fiery. ‘Thank you.’
I felt a strange, warm fealing rising inside me nad, once again, I was 99% sure it was not fever. She held me for long, long moments that felt far too short—then let go and looked up into my eyes.
‘But I can’t accept.’ I opened my mouth to object, but before I could, she held up a finger to silence me. Silence me? My eyes flashed. ‘Not because of you. I want your help. God, how I want it. But Ella…’She gazed up at me, her gaze a plea for me to understand. ‘I can’t do that to her. Letting someone else see her like that, someone whom she hasn’t even met yet…I can’t hurt her like that. Please understand.’
Understand?
Understand?
She was in trouble! I could help! Why would I stand back and…!
I met her vulnerable, wide-open eyes again.
Damnation.
Swallowing, I gave a curt nod. ‘Understood.’
She was about to breathe a sigh of relief—when I I grabbed her chin once more, and speared her with my gaze. ‘As long as you understand that I won’t have you working yourself into an early grave. I have plans for you, Miss Linton. Plans that require you to be above ground.’ I leaned forward, just enough to let her see the glitter of danger in my eyes. ‘I will have Karim monitor the situation. If you do not take care of yourself, I will come in and take charge of things, a proper introduction to your family be damned! Do you understand?’
She nodded, unable to speak a word.
‘Adequate.’ One last time, I claimed her lips in a fierce kiss. No, not just a kiss—a brand, marking what was mine. ‘Then do not let me detain you.’
And with that, I whirled around and marched away, glaring into the shadows. I felt…felt so…what was this strange thing called? When you were foolish enough to have no power? So…helpless!
By mammon! Grim reaper, you had best stay away from her—or else!
THE MIDDLE
Dedication
I would like to dedicate this story to all the amazing fans and readers who are still sticking with this series after five volumes. Thank you for your fabulous support!
Another round of special thanks goes to my spiffing proofreaders who’ve been helping to edit this series for all this time: Iris Chacon and Svasti Sharma. Proofreading five volumes in a row, that’s what I call dedication!
Pun very much intended.
Thank you, everyone!
About the Author
Robert Thier is a German historian and writer of historical fiction. His particular mix of history, romance, and adventure, always with a good deal of humour thrown in, has gained him a diverse readership ranging from teenagers to retired grandmothers. For the way he manages to make history come alive, as if he himself lived as a medieval knight, his fans all over the world have given him the nickname ‘Sir Rob’.
For Robert, becoming a writer followed naturally from his interest in his-tory. ‘In Germany,’ he says, ‘we use the same word for story and history. And I’ve always loved the one as much as the other. Becoming a storyteller, a writer, is what I’ve always wanted.’
Besides writing and researching in dusty old archives, on the lookout for a mystery to put into his next story, Robert enjoys classical music and long walks in the country. The helmet you see in the picture he does not wear because he is a cycling enthusiast, but to protect his literary skull in which a bone has been missing from birth. Robert lives in the south of Germany in a small village between the three Emperor Mountains.
Other Books by Robert Thier
Storm and Silence
Freedom – that is what Lilly Linton wants most in life. Not marriage, not a brood of squalling brats, and certainly not love, thank you very much!
But freedom is a rare commodity in 19th-century London, where girls are expected to spend their lives sitting at home, fully occupied with looking pretty. Lilly is at her wits’ end – until a chance encounter with a dark, dangerous and powerful stranger changes her life forever…
The award-winning first volume of the Storm and Silence series! Winner of the People’s Choice Award and Story of the Year Award 2015.
ISBN-10: 3000513515
ISBN-13: 978-3000513510
In the Eye of the Storm
Egypt… land of romance, mystery, and exploding camels. Lilly Linton thought she’d be ready for anything after one month of working for her boss – cold, calculating businessman Rikkard Ambrose. But when they embark on a perilous hunt through the desert, she has to face dangers beyond anything she has encountered before: deadly storms, marauding bandits, and worst of all, a wedding ring!
Can the desert’s heat truly be enough to melt the cold heart of Britain’s richest financier?
The long-awaited second volume of the acclaimed Storm and Silence series.
ISBN-10: 3000513515
ISBN-13: 978-3000513510
Silence is Golden
Silent. Cold. Chiselled perfection. That is Rikkard Ambrose, the most powerful business mogul in Great Britain.
Free-spirited. Fiery. Definitely not attracted to the aforementioned business mogul. That is Lilly Linton, his personal secretary and secret weapon.
The two have been playing a cat and mouse game for months. So far, Lilly has been able to fight down and deny her attraction to Mr Ambrose. But what happens when suddenly, the dark secrets of his past begin to surface and they are forced to go on a perilous journey into the South-American jungle? A journey they can only survive if they band together?
Volume three in the award-winning Storm and Silence series.
ISBN-13: 978-3962600587
Silence Breaking
Family - the most important thing in the world, right? If it’s your own, maybe. But if it’s the family of the incredibly powerful, incredibly alluring businessman with whom you’ve been cond
ucting a secret office affair, and they don’t yet know about the affair, things are a little bit different.
Life is about to get real for Lilly Linton. All those stolen moments behind closed doors, those secret kisses and whispered words are about to catch up with her. As she and her boss, business-magnate Rikkard Ambrose, travel north to his parents’ palatial estate, she is about to discover whether she has the strength to step out of the shadows and change her fate forever.
Volume four of the award-winning Storm and Silence series.
ISBN-13: 978-3962600594
The Robber Knight
When you are fighting for the freedom of your people, falling in love with your enemy is not a great idea.
Sir Reuben, the dreaded robber knight, has long been Ayla’s deadliest enemy. She swore he would hang for his crimes. Now they are both trapped in her castle as the army of a far greater enemy approaches, and they have only one chance: stand together, or fall. Welcome to ‘The Robber Knight’—a tale full of action, adventure, and romance.
Special Edition with secret chapters revealed and insights into Sir Reuben’s mysterious past.
ISBN-10: 1499251645
ISBN-13: 978-1499251647
The Robber Knight’s Love
Ayla has uncovered a terrible secret: the man she loves is in fact her worst enemy. As a mighty army gathers to destroy her and her people, she must ask herself: will he join them to destroy her? Must she cut him out of her heart to survive?
Or is there another way—a way to forgiveness and…love?
Special Edition with secret chapters revealed and insights into Sir Reuben’s mysterious past.
ISBN-10: 3000536590
ISBN-13: 978-3000536595
WARNING! Fairy Tales
WARNING! Please be advised that this is not a bedtime story about sparkly fairies and pink unicorns. This book may contain graphic descriptions of poisoned apples and witches’ ovens. It is not appropriate for supernatural beings under the age of 377 (excluding vampires and werewolves).
DISCLAIMER: Wicked Witches Inc. and Evil Stepmother Enterprises are not responsible for any maiming, mass murder or permanent insanity resulting from the reading of this book.
The first volume of Robert Thier’s WARNING! Fairy Tales series.
ISBN-10: 3000547118
ISBN-13: 978-3000547119
WARNING! Fairy Tales 2
WARNING! Please be advised that big bad wolves, wicked witches, and harmless-looking little girls are roaming the pages of this book. It may contain graphic descriptions of wolf teeth and grandmothers with big ears. This book is not appropriate for supernatural beings under the age of 388 (excluding anyone wearing a red hood).
DISCLAIMER: Wicked Witches Inc. and Evil Stepmother Enterprises are not responsible for wolf bites, vampirism or witch curses incurred during the reading of this book.
The second volume of Robert Thier’s WARNING! Fairy Tales series.
ISBN-13: 978-3962600013
WARNING! Fairy Tales 3
HEALTH WARNING! Reading this book may cause sudden attacks of magical metamorphosis. It may cause a fast and furry transformation into a beast, a troll, a vegetable, or, in a worst-case scenario, a cute little blue bird. No curse-breaking via kiss of true love guaranteed.
DISCLAIMER: Beastly Beasties Inc. and the Royal Society of Enchanted Princes are not responsible for any acquaintances, personnel and/or random bystanders accidentally transformed into furniture. Furniture polish and feather dusters must be purchased separately.
The third volume of Robert Thier’s WARNING! Fairy Tales series.
ISBN-13: 978-3962600020
Internet & Social Media
Website: www.robthier.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/thesirrob
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6123144.Robert_Thier
Copyright © 2019 Robert Thier
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.
The cover of this book was created by the author using various licensed images.
Ebook formatting by ebooklaunch.com
Disclaimer:
This work is a work of fiction. All names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real names, businesses, places, events and incidents, or to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
This book is also available in print book format. More information on this and any other subject connected with Robert Thier’s books on: www.robthier.com
Endnotes
[1] There actually was a magazine called Punch in Great Britain during the Victorian period. It proved to be quite a long-lived publication, shutting down only in the 1990s. Punch was one of the earliest publications of its kind and helped to create the principle of political caricature.
[2] There actually was a channel ferry of this name. It was the first steam boat to ever make the crossing, and was later bought by the French postal service, renamed ‘Henri IV’ and put to use as a passenger ferry between England and France.
[3] You are a skewed boot tied to a zucchini.
[4] Drapery Miss – a Victorian expression, defined by the poet Lord Byron, as ‘a pretty, a high-born, a fashionable young female, furnished by her milliner with a wardrobe upon credit, to be repaid, when married, by her husband’.
[5] Pumpkins! Fresh Pumpkins!
[6] I hate you, you asshole!
[7] Do you know how much time your mother needs to take a shit? Nine months!
[8] Oh, you are an admirer of the opera?
[9] This is outrageous! I demand to see the manager-or I would, if the manager were here, but that ice cold block of stone called Ambrose had to send him on vacation because there was no need to pay him while he was here, was there? That man drives me insane! But why would I tell you this? You’re his loyal minion, and a man to boot! You would never dare to question your precious master’s orders, would you? Go to hell! Go to hell and take your ice block of a boss with you! Maybe he’ll melt and make the world a better place. And since we’re on the subject of hell…
[10] Why the hell did you call me in here? And why do you keep on jabbering in English? I don’t understand one word you’re saying. Honestly, I don’t really care, but I’ve got better things to do than sit around here listening to nonsense in a foreign language. Will that cheapskate Ambrose deduct this time from my paycheck?
[11] That man is a complete dickhead!
[12] For a man, you aren’t too bad. Especially an Englishman.
[13] Wow! Slow down, little guy, slow down!
[14] What did you say? I’m afraid I don’t understand a word you say. I don’t speak English. It’s such a complicated language, and I’m just a silly singer.
[15] Excuse me? What did you say?
[16] Rat-arsed: another one of those lovely British expressions for ‘drunk’.
[17] British English for cheap wine.
[18] Temperance activists were (often religiously motivated) people who wanted to reduce the general consumption of alcoholic beverages. In some countries and at some times, this included the outlawing of alcohol. Although temperance movements already started during the 19th century in response to the high alcoholism and domestic violence of the Victorian Age, it only gained true popularity with the general populace of some countries in later years. The prohibition in the USA from 1920 to 1933, for example, was the result of the efforts of the temperance movement.
[19] Another British English expression for being drunk. Britons have quite an amazing collection of these, it seems.
[20] Shit! You English people are completely crazy! No one should be allowed to walk around awake at this hour of the morning.
[21] You can take that gun of yours and shoot it up your own arse, you miserable, slimy little cockroach.
[23] A beautiful park that is a popular tourist attraction today. In spite of its name, it is not located in the country of Luxembourg, but in the city of Paris. Its name originates from the fact that it was originally owned by the Duke of Luxembourg.
[24] Just in case you are wondering whether it is historically accurate to be referencing the ice age in a book set in Victorian times—the first modern scientific theory of a widespread ice age was developed by the Danish-Norwegian geologist Jens Esmark in the early nineteenth century. So it is quite plausible for such a comparison to occur.
[25] For his Majesty, King Louis Philippe, to be delivered immediately.
[26] Yes, Sir! Right away, Sir!
[27] The title of the king in France at that time was indeed ‘King of the French’, and not ‘King of France’—the reason being that King Louis Philippe had just replaced the branch of the royal family who originally (and legitimately, as regards succession) held the throne. Therefore, he was trying to legitimize his kingship not through descent and legal ownership of land, but through assent by his people.
[28] Before ‘gay’ became the commonly accepted euphemism for ‘homosexual’, the word ‘queer’ (which originally meant ‘strange’) was used in such a way. Although not in common use today, it played quite a big role in the gay rights movement, as in the famous slogan ‘We’re here! We’re Queer! Get used to it!’.
[29] Rat’s hole.
[30] A British English expression for ‘prison’, originating from the Hindi term ‘caukī’.
[31] This is actually true, creating an interesting dichotomy between theatre and opera. While in theatre, for a long time in history female roles were played by boys dressed up as ladies, in opera, it was the other way around, with ladies playing the roles of younger male characters. The reason for this was that teenagers are at the age where they go through their change of voice. So teenage boys were (and still are) unable to play singing roles.