Page 58 of The King's Man
‘What are you doing here?’ she enquired with a frosty edge to her voice.
‘Waiting for you.’
‘Why?’
‘Because … ’ Kit grimaced. ‘I have to. Now we can stand here getting cold or you can tell me if you have anything to report.’
She began to walk away from him. ‘You can stand here and freeze by all means, Captain Lovell. I am going home.’
Kit caught her by the arm. ‘Enough. Tell me what I need to know.’
She glared at him. ‘Bordeaux is displeased with De Baas. He accused him of communicating directly with Mazarin.’
‘And?’
‘De Baas didn’t deny it.’ She recounted the brief conversation she had been privy to that morning. ‘That’s all, except … ’ Shepaused, frowning. ‘De Baas has invited me for supper tonight in his apartment.’
Kit’s eyes widened. ‘Excellent.’
She stared at him. ‘Have you met the man? He says he is lonely, and I can only hazard a guess that it is not my musical talents he has in mind for company.’
Kit smiled. ‘I am sure you will find some excuse to avoid any unnecessary advances, and if nothing else it will provide an ideal opportunity to search his apartment.’
She looked at him with distaste. ‘You have no idea what you are asking me to do, Lovell … ’
‘I am not asking you to prostitute yourself, Thamsine.’ All humour had gone from Kit’s face. ‘Do what you think is necessary but extricate yourself before things become uncomfortable for you.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘And how do you suppose I do that? You’re a man … you have no idea … ’ She shrugged. ‘Do not concern yourself on my account, Captain Lovell. I shall advise you if I find anything useful. As that is all I have to tell you, I bid you good day.’
She began to walk again, and to her annoyance, he broke into stride beside her.
‘Thamsine, I’m not good at apologies … ’
She turned on him, her eyes blazing.
‘You betrayed me, Kit Lovell. Not only did you betray me to the authorities, but you also betrayed my trust in you. Now I am tied to you by a bargain made with the Devil. I hate it and I despise you!’
He took her gloved hand in his. ‘Thamsine, I am sorry, but I can’t afford to have regrets, not in this business. At least you’re under no illusions about me now. Please, let us call it a truce.’
She withdrew her hand from his, and without a word walked away from him.
***
A servant admitted Thamsine to the well-lit parlour of the Baron’s apartment. The gaudy red and gold-painted furniture and drapery provided a stark contrast to the familiar dark English oak of her world. She set her music portfolio down beside the elaborately painted virginals, which stood open on a small table, letting her fingers trail over the notes. The sweet tone tempted her to sit and play, but conscious of the real reason for her presence, she looked around the room.
She had never seen a room so stuffed with furniture – chairs and tables of all descriptions and in the corner a small writing desk covered in papers. An ornately carved table, set for two, dominated the centre of the room.
She crossed to the window, where the heavy red velvet curtains remained open, and looked down into the quiet street below. A light fog played around the lanterns hung by the front door, giving the streetscape a sinister appearance. She shivered and turned as the door opened with a quiet click. Baron de Baas, casually dressed in a long gown over breeches and unlaced shirt, stood in the doorway.
‘My dear Mademoiselle Granville,’ he said while advancing on her, ‘you look charming this evening.’
Thamsine had gone to little trouble with her appearance, so the blatant exaggeration struck her as amusing.
‘Baron.’ She extricated her fingers as they were pressed against his lips. ‘It is very kind of you to invite me. Do you wish to practice your music first?’
‘Non.I think we should eat and then practice. What is it your William Shakespeare says, ‘If music be the food of love … ’?’
De Baas rang a bell and the manservant appeared. Without bidding he filled two glasses of wine, presenting them to Thamsine and De Baas on a silver tray. Thamsine took a carefulsip. Tempting though it was to steel her resolve with wine, it would not help her wits to become the slightest bit inebriated.
