‘I do not understand. Why would they do that?’
Thurloe shrugged. ‘Because no one knows what happened to him after he collected his gold, and Hewson was afraid he might emerge to betray us again. Perhaps he was warning me to be alert for him. I imagine Clarke, like you, had discovered the phrase, but had not unravelled its meaning.’
‘What do you think happened to Swanson?’ asked Chaloner, not sure whether he really wanted to know. As Spymaster, Thurloe would have been adept at making people disappear.
‘I assume he was afraid the King would be angry with him because he took the seven bars of gold but did not keep his side of the bargain. He ran away and has not been seen since.’
‘But he did keep his side of the bargain. He wrote his letter, but you made sure it did not arrive. Which is not the same thing at all.’
‘True, but he could have sent a second missive, and he never did. He probably felt he had risked himself enough the first time and, since he already had his gold, there was no need to do it again. But Swanson is no longer the problem. There is another man trying to expose us.’
‘Who?’ asked Chaloner.
‘I am not sure, but I think he was responsible for blowing up Livesay’s ship, and I think he knows about Dalton, Ingoldsby and me. Perhaps he stabbed Clarke, too. I sense he is moving in for the final kill, which is why Dalton is so desperate to take defensive action. He does not understand that the best way to weather a storm is to rise with the waves.’
‘Is it Kelyng?’
Thurloe raised his hands, palms upwards. ‘Possibly. Or Downing, who has spent rather more time with me of late than is warranted. But I do not want you involved any further. You will leave the city today, and if I am still alive when you return, I shall try to find you a post worthy of your talents. Here is gold. Take Metje with you.’
Chaloner stood. ‘I do not want your money.’
There was a sudden smashing sound as something hurtled through the window. Flames immediately started to lick across the floor. Thurloe snatched up a rug to smother them, but Chaloner had seen other shadows moving in the garden below.
‘No!’ he shouted, wrestling Thurloe to the floor. At exactly the same time, there was a deafening roar and something struck the panelling where Thurloe had been standing just an instant before.
Chapter 11
Even after he was sure the flames had been doused in Thurloe’s room, Chaloner was reluctant to leave the shaken ex-Spymaster to the care of the porters who came racing to his aid. There were more of them than usual; some lingered to put his chamber to rights, while others began a search of the grounds, although Chaloner knew they were too late to catch anyone. Bennet had fled long ago.
‘There are more outside,’ said Thurloe, shivering next to the fire. The broken window meant cold air was flooding into the room, although Chaloner imagined shock was more responsible for Thurloe’s pallor and unsteady hands than the chill. He poured wine, and watched him sip it.
‘More what? Armed porters?’
Thurloe nodded. ‘Clarendon recommended I employ extra when I confronted him over the deaths of my five spies. I misjudged Kelyng: I thought he would prefer to see me arraigned in a court of law, but it seems he has finally realised I have too many powerful friends – or too many nervous enemies – so has decided assassination is the only way forward. This is the second attempt since yesterday.’
‘What happened the first time?’
‘A gift of dried fruits that reek of poison. They are on the table, if you do not believe me.’
‘It was Bennet who fired the musket at you,’ said Chaloner, going to inspect the offering. There was a dish filled with dried plums, and the stench of the toxin added to them was enough to make his eyes water. ‘I recognised the bandages from his encounter with Sonya. Kelyng has pushed him too far, and he has decided to usurp his master’s power in order to ingratiate himself with Robinson – and claim Fanny.’
‘He will not do it by taking shots at me. Robinson is one of those who would rather I was alive.’
‘Bennet’s ambitions have taken him beyond reason. He is running amok.’
There was a commotion in the corridor outside, and Sarah burst in, Leybourn at her heels. She ran to her brother’s side and put her hands on his shoulders, peering anxiously into his face, while Leybourn inspected the damage to the room.
‘Bennet threw a fireball through the window, knowing my natural instinct would be to quench the flames,’ explained Thurloe. ‘Then, when I was nicely framed against the light, a musket was fired. Had Tom’s wits been as slow as mine, I would be dead.’
Sarah hugged Thurloe, while Leybourn went to the window and scanned the grounds below. ‘The porters said Bennet brought ten men with him, and they made no attempt to disguise themselves as they ran away.’
‘When I left you earlier today, Snow was hiding opposite your front gate, John,’ said Sarah in a small voice. ‘I did not see him until it was too late, but he recognised me instantly. I galloped my horse away, but I think he knows who I am now.’
Chaloner recalled Kelyng’s promise to protect her. It was worth nothing now Bennet had broken with him.
‘You must stay here, then,’ said Thurloe. ‘My chambers are surrounded by armed guards – who will doubtless be a good deal more vigilant now they appreciate the threat is real.’
‘I will fetch some clothes and be back in an hour. Will you come with me, William?’ Sarah did not wait for Leybourn to reply before turning to Chaloner. ‘Will you return my wig when you have a moment? I lost my spare when I escaped from Snow, and now I have none. I left yours at the Golden Lion, and was rather surprised when you did not do the same with mine. Where is it?’
‘Behind my bed,’ Chaloner admitted sheepishly.
She regarded him askance. ‘If you put it there to hide it from your woman, I advise you to move it at once. She will never believe the truth if she finds another lady’s apparel stuffed in such a suspicious place.’
Chaloner changed the subject, wondering how she had arrived so quickly after the attack on Thurloe. ‘Did the porters send you word about what happened this morning?’
She shook her head. ‘They sent a message to William, and I happened to be in his shop.’
‘Does he usually open his doors to customers so soon after dawn on Christmas Sunday, then?’
‘My business hours are none of your affair,’ said Leybourn coolly. ‘But she came to me because her husband is beginning to frighten her. She was lucky to catch me in: I had only just returned from an unpleasant dawn assignation.’ His expression gave nothing away.
Thurloe regarded Sarah anxiously. ‘Why did you not mention this when you were here earlier?’
She winced. ‘Claim my husband is losing his wits when he is standing right beside me? You saw how he is – strangling old women and ordering you to murder Thomas. He says he saw Livesay again this morning. I thought Livesay was dead.’
‘Dead or deep in hiding,’ said Thurloe. ‘Your husband is imagining things.’
‘Actually, I think I saw him, too,’ said Leybourn. He held up his hands when Thurloe eyed him a little accusingly. ‘I did not tell you, because I was not sure. I thought I saw him standing outside Dalton’s house once, but decided I must have been mistaken. Perhaps I was not.’
‘I think you were,’ replied Thurloe firmly. ‘Dalton would be the last man Livesay would approach. They often quarrelled and each detested the other. He would come to me first.’