Traitor's Field (88 page)

Thurloe was still looking at the corpse. ‘Neither did I.’ He looked round to Shay, and his voice came vehement. ‘I am full sick of these games, old man.’ Then, softer: ‘I think – I think that I want truth; and this was a man become made wholly of lies.’

‘Lad, I don’t seek your motives; but I’ll take the result.’ Less briskly: ‘He’d have killed you too. Inconvenient, especially now you knew his identity.’

‘I could have killed you. You gave me the loaded pistol.’ An uncomfortable grunt. ‘You knew I’d be less danger with it.’

‘Let’s say that I would rather trust my fate – and this country’s fate – to you than to Miles Teach. But. . . I no longer care either way. I am done.’

Thurloe nodded back towards the body. ‘You seemed committed enough.’

‘That? Revenge. Brute revenge. For a beautiful boy, and his beautiful mother, and all that they represented.’ He let out a great breath, of sadness, of release. ‘I’ve done my duty, Thurloe. I’ve saved what I could. The last things that I needed to protect went safely off in that boat tonight. The field is yours.’

‘Mine? I’m a hunted man.’ 

‘Who says so? It’s been a confused day. Everyone who knew that you helped Rachel to escape is dead; my gift to you. A Royalist spy escaped to sea, but you chased as hard as you could. She had an accomplice, yes.’ He pointed at Teach. ‘Your prize.’

‘Thomas Scot will suspect me – does suspect me.’

‘I have made one or two preparations that are yet to come to fruition. You’ll find that Master Thomas Scot has some disappointments coming to him. Some embarrassing failures.’

‘You said. . . you don’t care? You – the man who has single-handedly brought carnage across the country for three whole years? I don’t believe it.’

‘What I cared about is with God; or with the Dutch, at least, which is close enough for now. I have nothing left. No cause to hide behind, no cause to justify my passions. Teach was a rogue, but I cannot blame him. When the King of England invades England with Scottish soldiers, and invades again, and thousands die, where is England’s stability? I. . . I clung to a fugitive idea of it – and in the end I lost my way.’

A soft laugh, hoarse and deep in Shay’s throat, and somehow ominous. ‘And now it’s your time. With the end of the battles, the passions will ease a little, and the law-makers will become more important than the soldiers. Your time to make of this place what you can.’

The great chest heaved in a breath, and let it go. Thurloe’s melancholy eyes watched him.

‘I have no more duty in this life, and no more interest. But I’ve marked you, John Thurloe – Rachel marked you – for a man of heart as well as duty. I hope that you’ll oblige me with one courtesy. For an old soldier – one who never feared to look life or death in the face, and give his full measure.’

The Passing

The

WESTMINSTER GAZETTE

being an accurate record of all e
ſ
ſ
ential tran
ſ
actions of the State

PRINTED BY AUTHORITY

he pretender Charles
Stuart
is reported to have arrived in Paris, joining the re
ſ
idue of his family in their exile. Limerick in Ireland has
ſ
urrendered to General
Ireton
. In the I
ſ
le of Jer
ſ
ey, Engli
ſ
h forces have
ſ
ecured a victory again
ſ
t the rebels there.

On the 28. of the month, Parliament declared the gathering of
England
and
Scotland
into one
Commonwealth
, for more dutiful government, better care of Chri
ſ
tian con
ſ
cience, and pre
ſ
ervation of peace, for all men in both places.

In Lincoln
ſ
hire, at an unnamed place on the
ſ
ea-coa
ſ
t, wa
ſ
executed by mu
ſ
keteers the notorious rebel Sir Mortimer
Shay.
The tender mercy of his judges gave him a
ſ
oldier’s death, recollecting the many exploits of his youth, yet he had been al
ſ
o active in the late rebellions and unre
ſ
ts, which have
ſ
o threatened the good order of the Commonwealth, and was known for a man of infamous habits and unre
ſ
trained pa
ſ
ſ
ions, bloody, licentious, and wild. For his many di
ſ
creet and worthy
ſ
ervices, Ma
ſ
ter John
Thurloe
is appointed to the office of Comptroller-General for Scrutiny and Survey.