Page 62 of The King's Man
Thamsine felt something tighten inside her. He had fought for the King and he had been hurt. Not once, but several times, it would seem. No one could doubt his loyalty. Whatever had driven him to Thurloe’s service must have been compelling.
‘You play well,’ he said.
‘It has been well-tuned,’ she commented. ‘I thought Mistress Talbot didn’t play?’
He shrugged his shirt back into place and walked into the room. ‘I had it out the other night.’
‘Well then, you have a good ear.’
‘Just don’t ask me to sing,’ he said, taking the lute from her, testing the notes. ‘Thurloe is pleased with your work,’ he said in a lowered voice.
‘Pleased enough to let me go?’ she ventured.
Kit shook his head. ‘No. He’ll release you when he is ready, not before. While he thinks you can still be of use he’ll hold the reins in tight.’
She heard the bitterness in his voice. ‘Is that how he controls you?’ she demanded.
‘Yes,’ he answered, abruptly thrusting the lute back at her. ‘You should probably know. I am leaving London tonight.’
‘Where are you going?’
‘Paris.’
‘Why?’
He sighed and she answered for him. ‘This is to do with De Baas?’
‘Partly,’ he conceded.
She looked away, her lips tightening. ‘You’re playing with death here, Captain Lovell.’
He lowered his head. ‘I know. I don’t need you to tell me.’
‘Do you have to go?’
‘Yes.’ It was a bald word, spoken flatly and intended to convey that it was something he had no say in at all.
‘Well, I wish you a good voyage.’
He gave a wry smile. ‘I will tell you something about myself, Thamsine. I suffer seasickness in a wherry on the river. I detest boats of any description.’
‘So you are not perfect after all?’ She allowed herself the flicker of a smile. She would probably never forgive him, but in his company, she found it easy to forget.
He sighed. ‘Far from it.’
‘When will you be back?’
‘As soon as I can, but I could be kicking my heels in Paris for weeks.’ He ran a hand through his hair, making the dark, uncombed locks stand up on end like a coxcomb.
‘So, what do you tell Lucy?’
‘Lucy thinks I am going to visit my Aunt Margaret in Norfolk,’ he said.
‘You have an Aunt Margaret in Norfolk?’
The corner of his lip twitched. ‘Maybe.’
‘Who do I contact if I have anything to report?’
