He had no idea what to do for the best. This was Kim’s murky, complicated world, where you never seemed to have good options or a clear right thing to do. Not like the good old days when people just ordered Will to kill other people and then gave him medals. His war had been savage, filthy, and inhuman, but it hadn’t been complicated.

There were faint noises from the kitchen. He eased himself out of bed, put on a gown, and went through.

“Morning, Mr. Peacock.”

“Good morning, Mr. Darling. Tea?”

“You’re a gentleman. How’s Mrs. Peacock?”

“As well as can be expected, thank you.”

“Were you talking to Quiller again last night?”

Peacock shook his head. “He was at work. A sad case, that. Quite institutionalised.” The rolling weight he put on the syllables made them sound like a life sentence to Broadmoor. “Talks of the Club as if his interests and the Symposium’s were one and the same. All too common after years of service.”

“And employers call it devotion, and sing your praises right up till you ask for a raise.”

“Were you in service yourself, Mr. Darling?”

“My ma scrubbed floors at the big house till she married.”

Peacock nodded. “It seems Quiller has yet to be disillusioned. Forty-nine years’ service to the Symposium Club and wants only to achieve his fiftieth anniversary. Call that a life.” He poured the tea. “May I ask the current situation?”

“Lord Chingford probably did it, and we’re all buggered unless his lordship pulls a rabbit out of the hat. Problem is, the rabbit’s got rabies.”

“Ah.”

“Yeah.”

“Mrs. Peacock has great faith in Lord Arthur’s ingenuity and benevolence,” Peacock said, straight-faced.

“Optimistic woman, is she?”

“Hope springs eternal, Mr. Darling.”

Will chinked a fingernail against the side of his mug. “There isn’t going to be a tidy way out of this, Mr. Peacock. It might get messier than anyone would like.”

Peacock met his eyes. “My sole concern is Mrs. Peacock. That’s the start and end of it. I regard whatever Lord Arthur chooses to do through that prism, as the expression is. If he keeps us safe, I say he’s doing right.”

Will wasn’t going to argue with that. The manservant’s morality was obviously pinned to the well-being of Mrs. Peacock, and Will rather admired his clarity of thought. He could have used a bit of that himself.

Kim hauled himself out of bed a while later, looking like he hadn’t slept too well. They ate breakfast, or at least Will did, while Kim chewed a single slice of toast with distaste.

“So,” Will said at last. “Today?”

“I’m going to try and see DS.”

“Mind made up, then. You realise this brings us into direct conflict with Zodiac?”