28. It's a Secret

I kept my act up. It was tough, acting as if I'd never met Mr. Ambrose, Karim and everyone else before. But I felt that it would work!

Whilst I had been out in the water during the storm, my mind had been working on how to solve my upcoming problems. Of course, I was panicking that I wouldn't be able to get to London, which wasn't exactly okay with me.

I subconsciously came up with a plan that'd work. And it'd have to work against everyone. That meant Mr. Ambrose, Karim, Ella, Aunt Brank, Lord Dalgliesh, Patsy, Eve, Flora, and my sisters. I would probably tell one or two of them soon. But for now, I would have to pretend as if I knew absolutely nothing.

Easy, right?

Nope. Not in the slightest.

Mr. Ambrose kept pestering me about himself, about the file, about everything in the past. I kept denying my knowledge about it all.

"Surely you must remember the scandal that happened two years ago?"

"What scandal?" I looked at him, pretending to be interested.

"That scandal." He took out a magazine and gave it to me, none too lightly.

"What's this?"

"Read it." I opened it and began reading everything.

"Wow, this stuff's pretty nifty."

"Give me that." He snatched the magazine away from my hands. It took everything in me to not snap at him. He finally handed back the magazine, opened on the page of the scandal of two years ago. He was still brooding about that? Or did he think that it'd make me remember?

I pretended to read the article and then looked at the crude drawing. "Who's that supposed to be? And why are you showing me this?" I asked, looking up.

"So you don't remember anything, at all."

"Obviously not. I don't even know who you are! You might as well be a kidnapper, kidnapping little ladies like me and forcing them into men's clothes!" I gestured to my trousers and glared at him.

"I have never.. Why on earth would I?"

"Don't ask me! I don't have any answers to that!" I folded my arms across my chest. He turned away from me and walked to his desk.

"This is unfortunate. We're on our way back to London but yet here I have you with no memory whatsoever about anything." He looked at me then, sea green eyes burning. "Do you even remember that you have an aunt?"

I unfolded my arms, looking surprised. "I have an aunt? Really?"

"Yes."

"Do I really? That seems kind of hard to believe.." I said, looking away. I pretended to think very hard about it. "Nope. I don't remember any aunts. Or other siblings." I looked at him then. "You're sure that I-?"

"Yes! I am absolutely sure that you- Wait." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm waiting." I said after a minute. He walked towards me and stopped about three inches away. My eyes widened a little.

"Do you remember anyone by the name of Lord Daniel Eugene Dalgliesh?"

"Who?" I looked at him, confused.

"Your.. To-be husband."

"My what? Him? That's the ugliest name I've ever actually heard!" I began giggling, wondering why I never realised so before.

"You think that's funny do you Mr. Linton?"

"Kind of, yes. And why do you keep calling me that? I'm not a man!" My smile slid off of my face.

"Well you certainly look like one." He retorted, walking away.

"You're dead from the neck up, did you know?"

"I'm sorry?" he didn't even bother looking up. Doesn't matter.

I walked right up to him and snatched the pen out of his hand. "You're stupid, you ol' git. Now get me home before I break this pen."

"You can't break that pen. It costs ten pence and I refuse to buy anymore!"

"Get me home and I won't break it. If you say that I supposedly do have an aunt, uncle and sisters, then I'd like to see them. Now."

"Well you cannot. Pen?"

"No. And why not?"

"We're going to remain out at sea for another.." he stopped to pull out his watch and I rolled my eyes quickly. "Five days, thirteen hours, seventeen minutes and thirty eight seconds."

"Hey what's that?"

"This is a watch Mr. Linton. A pocket watch that cost me-"

"I don't care about that! I already figured you were a miser, the minute you talked about this damned pen. I meant what's that." I pointed to the now visible crest on the watch. Quickly though, he snapped it shut and shoved the watch away, grabbed the pen out of my hand, and bent over his work.

"That is nothing. Nothing at all, just a fancy design."

"Ooh, are you keeping a secret from me?"

"No." I giggled. Well, as long as I didn't act like myself, I'd be good!

"Yes you are! C'mon, tell me! Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!"

"No."

"Pleeeeaaaaaaseee?" I made a little pouty face when he looked up.

No response. Just an icy, cold stare that made me step away from him once.

"I won't tell a soul. I promise." I said softly, and gave him a sweet smile.

"I said no. Now get to your room." He looked back down again.

"Room?" I pretended to be bewildered. "What room? This thing has a room?"

"Yes."

"And I have my own personal room?"

"Yes." I let that process for a little bit before responding.

"Sweet! Where's it? Does it have my name embroidered on it? What colour's the room? How big is it?" Is it..." I rambled on and on and on about my room as he stood up and led me to my room, the very same one. When I entered it, I stood in the doorway for less than a minute and then hit my hard, yelping in pain.

"Mr. Linton! Are you all right?" Mr. Ambrose caught me as I nearly fell backwards.

"Y-yeah. Couldn't've been better." His arms were around me from the back and. I couldn't stop a shiver running through me. I felt his breathing quicken a little as did my heartbeat. It was all pretend of course, the yelping in pain, clutching my he's and all that. But this.. This wasn't pretend, and I knew that. Right, so you might as well get off him and get off him quickly! Go on! Move! A voice in my head said and then I did as told.

I broke away from him and took off my hat in the process. Bad idea. Water poured from inside the hat, drenching me. Well. That was unexpected. And now I wouldn't be able to sleep.

"Would you happen to have a ..towel? Or two?" I asked in a detached voice.

He didn't answer. I looked up to find him unavailable in the vicinity. Maybe he went to go get a towel? Probably not. 

I sighed and opened the window. I didn't know how long I was going to keep this forgetting thing up. A oceanic, salty breeze hit me and I shivered. I rolled my eyes. Lesson of the day: Don't open windows when you're drenched in seawater. 

There was a knock on my door and I went to open it. I was greeted by a bunch of fluffy white cloths.

"Towels for the sir?" An unfamiliar voice said behind it. 

"Um yes. Here I'll take them." I grabbed the towels from the boy and as he left, I kicked the door shut. I wasn't going to be able to sleep for hours. I sighed again and began drying myself off. How was I supposed to dry my clothes? I couldn't just leave them out and sleep! Or pretend to sleep. 

Just then there was another knock at my door. I opened it to find Mr Ambrose there. "Yes?" 

"You really want to know what this is?" He pulled out the watch. 

"Yes I do. Tell me?" I gave him an innocent look. He bent towards my ear, grabbing my hand in the process.

"It's a secret. Just like how you're pretending to have amnesia is a secret to you." 

"How did you-?"

"It was easy. I just had to search your eyes for it." My what? But I didn't get to ask. He left without another word. 

What on earth just happened?

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Hello! Sorry for the late update! I was really busy yesterday, working for a practice PSAT and then my mum and dad forced to get out of the house and watch a movie and then eat dinner. I didn't regret that decision because my spring break sucked and I hardly left the house. 

Anybells, I hope that this chapter.. er... Cleared things up! Sorta...

Sorry about the ending, I was really running out of ideas for it.

Only two more chapters left! Yeah, I've decided to get this all over with, time skips, craziness and all.

It's not really working out for me anymore. My apologies.

WHO LOVED THE NEW CHAPTER!? 

i need chapter eighteeeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn because seventeen was just no

but chapter fourteen tho ;DDDD

I have also decided, that for my one shots, I'll make a separate book for it! This one already has 52 parts (including this one and the notes) and I really don't want to confuse any more people (...?)

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU WENT ON A HANNAH MONTANA MARATHON ON THE 24TH!? -raises both hands-

that was the only day that i did literally nothing except watch HM

I finished season 1! 3 more seasons to gooooooooooooooooooo

ANYbells, please leave comments!!!

Thanks for reading!

I'll...

See you later!