Page 52 of The King’s Man (Guardians of the Crown #2)

I gnoring Kit’s complaints and curses, over the next few days Thamsine diligently followed her sister’s instructions.

As she opened the door to his bedchamber with his supper tray, she reflected that Jane had failed to warn her that convalescing males were not a pleasant species.

However, for all his complaining, miraculously the hand had not worsened.

Over the week Jane’s poultices and unguents seemed to have had some effect.

The swelling had begun to go down and the bones seemed to be knitting.

Kit slammed his book shut and looked up at the ceiling as Thamsine set down the tray.

‘I’m so bored,’ he grumbled. ‘This is worse than jail. At least there I can play cards or talk to someone. Here, I’m stuck in the company of three over-solicitous women, and if that –’ he pointed at a flask on the tray’ – is any more of your sister’s damned nostrums, forget it!’

‘I thought you enjoyed the company of women?’

He glared at her and unexpectedly his face softened and his lips curved in a smile. ‘Come here and sit down.’

He pushed the chair back from the table and patted his lap. Thamsine smiled and complied, perching herself primly on his knee. He picked up her hand in his good one and turned it over as if inspecting it. He laid it on the table and traced the lines on the palm.

‘Do you see this, Tham?’

‘See what? Since when have you been a palm reader?’

‘A woman I knew a long time ago taught me a few things. This line is your lifeline. It tells me that you’re going to live a long life.’

‘That’s reassuring.’

‘Now this line is your love line.’

‘And what does that tell you?’

‘That you are going to meet an impossibly handsome, yet penniless rogue, who is not going to let you out of his sight for the rest of your life.’

‘Oh dear,’ Thamsine said. ‘That sounds rather grim. I hope his name is not Ambrose Morton.’

‘Ouch! I can’t laugh.’ Kit winced. ‘Penniless aristocratic rogue, then!’

Thamsine smiled. ‘Palm reading is a rather inexact science,’ she said. ‘What will happen to this penniless, aristocratic rogue?’

‘He will fall in love with a beautiful, talented woman.’

Kit slipped his hand behind her neck, drawing her face towards his.

‘Ah, but does the rogue truly love me?’ Thamsine whispered.

‘Oh yes, he truly does. The question is, do you love him enough to want to spend the rest of your life with him?’

Thamsine paused and frowned as if deep in thought. ‘The rest of my life? You did say it would be a long life … ’

‘I did.’

‘Well, I suppose I could.’

‘Good.’ Their lips touched and the spark of desire leapt into flames.

‘You must be feeling better,’ Thamsine whispered.

His lips drifted to her ear. ‘Much better,’ he replied. ‘Perhaps, if you promise to be gentle with me … ’

A knock on the door caused them both to start. Thamsine barely had time to jump to her feet before the door opened.

‘Oh dear, am I interrupting?’ Thurloe stood in the doorway, carefully removing his gloves.

Thamsine straightened her skirts. She gave Thurloe the benefit of a shaky curtsey.

He inclined his head. ‘Mistress Lovell. Good evening.’

‘Why are you here?’

‘I’ve come to see your husband.’ Thurloe looked Kit up and down. ‘I trust you are on the road to recovery, Lovell?’

‘I’m mending,’ Kit replied.

Thurloe walked over to the window and stood looking out over the street, his hands behind his back.

‘I have a problem,’ he said. ‘Or rather, you have a problem. I’m afraid your friends have been most forthcoming about your involvement in the plot.

You’ve been named several times as one of the main conspirators, and I have troops scouring London with a warrant for your arrest. You’ll be flattered to know that there’s quite a reward for information leading to your detention.

’ He turned to face them. ‘London is not a particularly healthy place for you to be right now, Lovell.’

‘What are you going to do?’ Kit inquired, lightly drumming the fingers of his left hand on the table.

‘If they find you, there will be nothing I can do about it, but … ’ Thurloe reached into his jacket and produced a paper, which he flung down on the table, ‘ … I’m mindful of our agreement.’

Kit picked it up and turned it over.

‘It’s an order to the Governor of Barbados to release one Daniel Lovell, with a full pardon for his youthful indiscretions,’ Thurloe said.

Kit looked up at Thurloe.

‘I have made enquiries after your brother and when last I heard, admittedly some months ago, your brother had been well treated and was in good health. He has the advantage of youth and education to set him apart from his fellow captives.’ Thurloe answered the unspoken question.

Kit looked at the paper in his hand. ‘I hope that’s true, Thurloe.’

Thurloe shrugged. ‘You can see for yourself. There’s a boat sailing from Gravesend to Barbados tomorrow evening.

Be on it, Lovell, or I can’t help you anymore.

You are looking rather pale. The sea voyage will do your health good.

’ He turned to Thamsine with a smile. ‘And of course, your lovely wife will be accompanying you.’ The smile faded.

‘In short, I want the pair of you out of England. The sooner I am rid of the both of you, the sounder I will sleep in my bed.’

Kit looked up sharply. ‘For how long?’

Thurloe shrugged. ‘Until this business is over.’

‘It will never be over, Thurloe. There will be other plots, and then there is the Sealed Knot … ’ Kit shook his head. ‘What will become of the others, Thurloe?’

Thurloe’s lips tightened. ‘Without prejudicing an otherwise fair trial, I think I can confidently predict that there will be deaths. There has to be. An example must be set if we are to deter any more of these foolish idealists.’

‘Who?’ Thamsine asked.

‘Lord Gerard, for one. Vowells. Maybe one or two others.’

Kit grimaced and looked away. ‘Gerard was a friend of my father’s,’ he murmured.

Thurloe regarded him for a moment. ‘Don’t blame yourself, Lovell.

If it hadn’t been you, it would have been someone else.

Lord Gerard was playing a fool’s game. You will see in time that it was the right decision.

’ Thurloe shook his head. ‘I get no pleasure from sending good men to the noose, Lovell. But to answer your question, I will not stop you from returning to England when the time is right. But … ’ His voice dropped and his eyes narrowed.

‘ … it will be on the clear understanding that you renounce all ties with Charles Stuart, am I clear?’

Kit nodded. ‘Quite clear. Before you go, Thurloe, what of Ambrose Morton?’

‘Ah yes, Colonel Morton. I’m sorry, but there will be no action taken against Colonel Morton.’

Thamsine and Kit stared at him.

‘Insofar as the charges you have levelled against him for the kidnap and assault on Mistress Granville, – my pardon,’ Thurloe inclined his head in Thamsine’s direction ‘ – Mistress Lovell, while I’ve no doubt there is truth to the story and Morton should be punished, it has been decided the scandal attaching to a trial, particularly as the chief witness will be out of the country,’ – he gave Thamsine a meaningful look – ’would outweigh the benefit of our work of the last few months.

As for the other allegation … ’ He shrugged his shoulders.

‘The girl is a known doxy, and the charge will never stick.’

‘So, Morton is free to roam the country at will?’ Kit said.

‘It would seem so, although I do hear that he has been rather unwell. Must be something contagious. Captain Lovell.’ Thurloe picked up his hat and gloves. ‘I am pleased we’ve had this talk. I wish you both a good voyage and a long and happy life together.’

The door closed behind him. For what seemed a long moment, Kit and Thamsine stared at each other.

‘I’m sorry, Tham,’ Kit said.

She shrugged. ‘I expected it. He’s not going to risk the scandal of a trial that involves you and me. It’s in our interests to keep our anonymity, but it’s May I feel for. How dare he call her a doxy!’

‘That’s what Morton called her too.’ Kit shrugged unhappily. ‘There’s no justice for the poor.’

He picked up the paper Thurloe had left and turned it over, tracing the seal on the back of it.

‘Barbados,’ Thamsine said. ‘It’s the other side of the world. I thought France … ’

‘France can wait, Thamsine. This is more important.’

She nodded, her fingers closing over his. ‘Barbados, and then, maybe, Virginia?’ she ventured. ‘A new beginning?’

Kit nodded. ‘A new beginning. Maybe we should try our hands at farming coffee? Come here, Mistress Lovell.’

She crossed to him and sat down beside him. He slid a hand around the back of her neck and their lips met, as they allowed time and their worries to slip away for a few short hours.