A Queen's Mercenary by Sam Burnell

Author:Sam Burnell [Burnell, Sam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-08-08T04:00:00+00:00

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Her arms carrying a woven basket stacked high with laundry, Lizbet could barely see where she was going, and was aware only of the obstacle when she banged into it. She cursed, clutching at the white linen about to topple from the basket.

“Stand still, lass. I’ve got it.” The man she had walked into was Andrew and he had hold of the top layer that had rolled from the pile.

“Don’t let it drop, for God’s sake!” Lizbet exclaimed, trying to wrap her arm around her falling stack of linen.

“Where are you taking it? I’ve got a good hold. I’ll not let it fall. My mother was a laundress and I know the tasks well enough to know you’d not want to do it all over again.” Andrew smiled at her over the top of the folded shirts.

Lizbet didn’t return his smile. “Thank you, sir. Just put it on the top for me. I would be grateful.” Her tone was not quite at one with her words.

Adjusting his hold on the linen, he smiled. “I will carry it in for you, lass. Just don’t tell the lads I’ve been helping you or I will never hear the last of it!” He grinned conspiratorially.

Lizbet forced a smile in return.

“So you came from England with the Master then, from London at a guess?” Andrew said as they walked side by side.

“Not London-born, my family. The miserable lot of them are in Kent,” Lizbet said, punctuating the end of the sentence by spitting on the ground.

“Oh, not another one with family quarrels!” laughed Andrew.

“I’ve no quarrel with them. I’ll as like never see them again and even that would be too soon,” Lizbet replied.

“Have you been with the Master long then?” Andrew asked casually.

Lizbet’s eyes narrowed. “A while,” was the only answer she gave.

“I like London. Well, it’s been a long time since I was there myself. Whereabouts in the city were you?” Andrew continued.

“Not too far from Smithfield,” Lizbet answered carefully.

“I know it well. Were you lodging with the Master then?” he continued.

“I’ll take that from you now, sir.” They had arrived at the door at the back of the inn they were stopping at, and Lizbet nodded for him to deposit the linen he carried back on top of the folded stack she carried. Andrew hesitated for a moment before complying. As soon as he had loosened his hands from the damp white cloth, she turned and made a quick and neat escape.

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