Page 20 of The King's Man
Cotes opened the door to the parlour a crack. He turned back to face the room, the colour draining from his face. ‘Soldiers. Dutton, you fool, get that map onto the fire.’
Even as Dutton hurled the paper onto the flames, the door crashed open and an officer stepped into the room, to be met with the hiss and rattle of swords being eased from scabbards.
The man put his hands on his hips and surveyed the pathetic band of conspirators.
The officer smiled. ‘Gentlemen, good evening. What do we have here? A pretty bunch of conspirators, so I hear tell. Put those weapons down. I have men in the taproom and behind that window.’
Whitely stood up. ‘I must protest. We are old comrades doing no more than enjoying a quiet ale and a pipe.’
The officer strolled over to the fireplace and retrieved the singed map. He blew out the glowing embers, scrutinised the remains of the parchment, and then looked around at the faces in the room. ‘You can tell that to the Council of State. In the meantime, the Lieutenant of the Tower has some pleasant accommodation planned for you.’
He looked around the room and his gaze looked on Thamsine. A slow smile spread across his face.
‘Well, well, ’tis my lucky night,’ he said.
His hand closed over Thamsine’s arm and he drew her towards him. He took her chin in his fingers and turned her head to the light.
‘A red-headed woman with a black eye,’ he said. ‘I hear tell you tried to kill our Lord Protector.’
‘Tweren’t me, sir,’ Thamsine said. ‘I must be getting back to my work.’
The man pulled her closer.
‘What’s your name, girl?’
Thamsine said nothing. Her eyes, in her thin face, had become huge with fear. Kit’s fingers clenched and unclenched in impotent fury.
‘I asked your name.’ The officer’s voice had become low and menacing.
‘Thamsine Granville,’ she stuttered.
‘There must be some mistake,’ Kit said.
‘Oh, there’s no mistake. Seen here and identified, she was.’
‘I knew I’d seen her before!’ Dutton almost screamed. ‘I can confirm, Captain, that this is indeed the woman that threw the rock at the Lord Protector’s coach. Saw her with my own eyes.’
The officer turned to look at Dutton.
‘Are you sure?’
‘I never forget a face. Now, Captain, I have confirmed you have a dangerous assassin in your custody. Perhaps you will let me go.’
The officer laughed. ‘I think not. You’ve enough troubles of your own without minding others. It’s not up to me to say if she did or she didn’t do what was alleged. She can come with us.’ He released Thamsine with such force she staggered and would have fallen if Kit hadn’t caught her. ‘Now let’s get this lot out of here.’
He gave a nod and two of his soldiers grabbed Thamsine’s arms. Thamsine cast Kit a brief, despairing look as the manacles were fastened around her slender wrists.
As the captives were pushed into the taproom, a murmur of outrage began to grow.
‘What you got our girl for? You leave her be, yer girt thug!’ One of the customers rose to his feet to be joined by the others. The level of anger rose, and chunks of bread and pint pots began to fly at the heads of the soldiers.
The soldiers ducked. Shielding Thamsine with their bulk, they dragged her out onto the street and flung her against the tray of one of two carts that stood waiting.
‘Kit!’
Kit heard her despairing cry and shook off his captor’s hand. ‘Let me go with her.’
‘Friend of yours, is she?’ The officer pushed Kit towards her. ‘Well, you both keep bad company.’
