Page 94 of The King's Man
He let her cry, soothing her in his inept, masculine way. It did not take long for Thamsine’s slight body to become a dead weight, and he knew that shock had claimed her – that she had fallen asleep or slipped into the self-preservation of unconsciousness.
The coach drew up at The Ship Inn. Kit lifted Thamsine out and carried her through the back entrance to the inn.
Roused from their beds, and still in their nightclothes, the girls came clattering down the stairs. May gave a sharp cry. ‘You found her! Oh Cap’n Lovell, what’s happened to her? What’d he do to her?’
Kit marched past her and continued up the stairs to Thamsine’s chamber.
‘She’ll be all right. She just needs cleaning up and rest,’ he said as he laid her on the bed.
May busied herself lighting a fire and he sat down on the bed beside Thamsine, chafing at her icy hand, trying to bring some life back to her.
‘Talk to me, Thamsine,’ he said.
Her eyes flickered open and she smiled.
‘Kit,’ she whispered, ‘I’m so tired.’ Her eyes closed again.
Nan brought a foul-smelling tallow candle closer. She shoved Kit aside with her hip. ‘Get lost. I’ll see to her.’
Kit crossed to the fire and stood staring into it, while behind him Nan and May stripped Thamsine of the damp shift.
‘Where’s she bin, to get into this state? She’s cold as death,’ Nan said.
‘Bedlam.’
Both girls stared at him.
‘Bedlam? Who put her there?’ Nan expostulated.
‘It’s a long story,’ Kit replied wearily.
‘It was him, weren’t it?’ May scowled. ‘The one that wanted to marry her.’
‘Yes.’
‘Who is this cove?’ Nan’s eyes narrowed malevolently.
‘A man called Ambrose Morton. You may have seen him. Tall, dark-haired, handsome … ’
‘Describing yourself, are we?’ May said.
Kit gave an ironic laugh and turned to look at the girls. ‘I’m only quoting someone else. He’s taller than I am and if he does come here, he’s not to find her. Is that understood?’
Nan shrugged. ‘If you say so. There’s plenty of hidey holes in this old place. We’ll keep her safe.’
‘Not much we can do about her hair except cut it!’ May held up the filthy, matted mess. ‘Pity. It’s such lovely hair.’
The girls found a plain nightdress, and when they had cleaned Thamsine up to the best of their ability, they dressed her unresisting body in it and with Kit’s help settled her into the bed.
‘So why’d you bring her here and not to yer fancy mistress?’ Nan asked.
‘My “fancy mistress” is a duplicitous bitch,’ Kit said savagely. ‘She is responsible for handing Thamsine over to Morton.’
Both girls both looked around at him. ‘So you’ve left her, ’ave you? Not before time. I always said she was no good,’ Nan said.
‘You never met her,’ Kit said, bemused.
‘I saw her with you and I formed me own opinions. You should’ve left her long afore this. This one,’ May jerked her head at the bed ’now she’s more than right for you. Well, I’m going back to me own bed. We’ll leave her to you, my lovely.’
