Page 116 of The King's Man
‘Well, well, the Lovells. What a fine pair you make.’
‘Excuse me, Thurloe. I am in no mood for your jesting.’ Kit lowered himself painfully onto a chair and rubbed his right knee.
‘You have looked better, Lovell,’ Thurloe remarked. ‘Footpads, your wife tells me?’
‘That’s right,’ Kit said. ‘Ten of them.’
Thurloe raised an eyebrow.
‘Why do you want to see me?’ Kit continued.
‘I thought you might like to know that we got everyone, except Henshaw and you of course. Happily for you, Henshaw managed to get away in circumstances that might suggest to the casual observer that he could have been the agent.’
‘Is he one of yours?’ Kit enquired.
Thurloe shrugged. ‘I don’t care about Henshaw. However, I do care that we haven’t found the Frenchman.’
‘De Baas?’ Kit asked.
Thurloe’s lip curled. ‘That popinjay is already on his way back to France with a flea in his ear. No, the other Frenchman, the assassin.’
‘Debigné? He was not with De Baas?’
‘No,’ Thurloe replied sourly. ‘And De Baas swears he has no idea where he is. Says Debigné operates alone. Is there any chance you know where he could be?’
Kit shook his head. ‘No. I couldn’t find him. He changes lodgings every day or two and I doubt even Henshaw or Gerard would know where to find him. They used to leave messages in a location I wasn’t privy to if they wanted to meet him.’
Thurloe pressed his fingertips together. ‘Do you think he’ll carry out the plan even though the plot is discovered?’
Kit considered for a moment. ‘He’s a professional, Thurloe. He has been well paid to do a job. Yes, I think he would.’
‘So when will he strike?’
‘What day is it?’
‘Saturday.’
‘Tomorrow then, as Cromwell leaves the chapel. He’ll be there,’ Kit said with certainty.
Thurloe was silent. ‘You’re the only one who knows what he looks like.’
Kit raised his head. ‘Thurloe, look at me! I am in no condition to stop a determined old woman, let alone an assassin.’
‘I just need you to identify him, that’s all.’
‘Just stop Cromwell going to chapel tomorrow,’ Thamsine put in.
Thurloe looked at her. ‘If this man is a professional, do you think changing the Lord Protector’s routine will make a difference? None of us will be able to sleep at night until Debigné is caught.’
Kit looked at his master. ‘Are you scared, Thurloe?’
Thurloe returned the look. ‘I’m not a soldier, Lovell, and I’ve no wish to spend my life looking over my shoulder on the off-chance a murderous French assassin may be on the lookout for me. I know I was on the list.’
Kit ran his good hand over his eyes.
‘I don’t have a choice, do I, Thurloe?’
‘Lovell, you have my word that this will be the very last time I call on you.’
