Page 32 of The King’s Man (Guardians of the Crown #2)

A mbrose Morton returned to Turnham Green the next evening.

Thamsine heard his voice in the parlour and crept to the head of the stairs.

She could not make out the conversation, but Morton and Knott appeared to be arguing.

Occasionally Jane’s voice interceded, and after a little while, Jane came out of the parlour.

She stood at the bottom of the stairs looking upwards.

‘Thamsine? Ambrose is here. You must come.’

Thamsine stared down at her. ‘Jane, I can’t.’

Roger appeared behind his wife. ‘Thamsine, come down here at once.’

His voice compelled her to move. At every step, she felt nausea rising in her stomach. Roger took her by the shoulder and steered her into the parlour.

‘Curtsey,’ he hissed in her ear.

She complied, forcing her stiff, wooden legs to bend.

‘Thamsine.’ Ambrose smiled and took a step towards her. She recoiled.

‘I have nothing to say to you, Ambrose.’

‘Now, Thamsine, that is not what you told me,’ Roger wheedled.

Ambrose took her hand, enclosing it firmly within his own. ‘Thamsine, I wish for nothing more than we should be the friends we once were.’

She tried to withdraw her hand but he held it secure, his grip tightening.

‘You betrayed any vestige of friendship a long time ago, Ambrose. Let go of my hand.’

He looked pained, almost sorrowful, and the grip tightened, causing her to wince. ‘Thamsine, what happened between us was a terrible misunderstanding.’

‘There’s been no misunderstanding, Ambrose. You tried to force yourself on me. I have no illusions about you. You see only my fortune and you will stop at nothing to obtain it.’ The words tumbled out, impervious to her resolutions to play along as the meek, penitential bride.

His eyes flashed for a moment and then, with what appeared to be masterly control, he smiled. ‘Thamsine, how wrong you are. I have always loved you.’

‘Loved me?’ she spat. ‘The only true feeling you have ever entertained for me is one of greed – for my body and my estate.’

He raised her hand to his lips, his eyes glittering. ‘Please, Thamsine. I’ve changed. I want to settle with you by my side. We could be happy, you and I.’

She gave a strangled cry and wrested her hand from his grip, turning sharply on her heel to face her sister and brother-in-law.

‘Roger, Jane. You are my witnesses. Please do not allow this travesty to happen,’ she appealed helplessly.

Roger remained standing at the door and Jane, a helpless spectator, turned her eyes to her husband, willing him to act.

Ambrose’s eyes narrowed. ‘You have no choice. We will be married, and we can do it on terms of truce or we can do it as enemies. It is entirely in your hands.’

Thamsine leaned on the table as she sought to control her thoughts. For her own sake, she needed to make peace. It would be the only way she could survive. Perhaps once they were wed, the relationship could be renegotiated.

She swallowed. ‘Ambrose, I’m tired.’ She looked up at him. ‘I can’t go on fighting you. I don’t have the strength.’

Ambrose smiled. ‘Ah, Thamsine, I knew you would see reason. Roger is in agreement. We will be married as soon as it can be arranged.’

A wave of nausea engulfed her and she doubled over, fighting back the urge to vomit.

Ambrose moved behind her and took her by the shoulders, forcing her down onto a chair.

She felt his hands, hot and heavy through the cloth of her dress, the strong fingers tightening, grinding her bones. She gritted her teeth against the pain.

‘There is one more thing you owe me, Thamsine Granville,’ he hissed into her ear.

‘I owe you nothing!’

‘You tried to kill me. I want to hear you apologise.’

‘I should have killed you,’ she said.

His fingers tightened.

‘This is wrong!’ Jane stepped forward. ‘No court in the land will force her to marry against her will. Roger – ’ she turned to her husband ‘– stop this madness.’

‘If you have any wisdom, wife, you will not interfere,’ Knott replied

Ambrose released Thamsine and took a step toward Jane. Jane’s eyes widened as he loomed over her slight figure.

‘She is my sister,’ Jane said. ‘I can’t allow this travesty to occur.’

Ambrose struck without warning, a cracking open-handed blow to Jane’s face that sent the frail woman flying against the door. Roger uttered a cry and Thamsine rose to her feet. Ambrose pushed her down as Roger knelt beside his stunned wife, cradling her in his arms.

‘You see, Thamsine, it’s not just you,’ Ambrose said. ‘There are others involved. Your sister, those two pretty little nieces of yours … ’ He left the sentence unfinished but his meaning was clear. Thamsine shuddered.

‘And what of your sister?’ she said. ‘What has become of Annie? Did you punish her for handing me the pistol?’

‘Annie has nothing to do with this. You know I would never hurt her.’ The nerve in Ambrose’s temple began to twitch, and she knew what she had always suspected. Annie, with her bright, innocent eyes, was his Achilles’ heel.

‘But you think nothing of hurting other women. That maid I found you with, my sister, who knows how many others … ’

Ambrose turned away, waving his arm in a gesture of disgust. ‘Enough of this talk, Thamsine. We will be married within the next few days, whether you consent or not.’

‘And who will you find willing to marry us if I have to be dragged protesting to the altar?’

‘There will be someone,’ Ambrose said. ‘There is always someone whose conscience can be eased with a few coins. You will marry me, Thamsine, or someone close to you is going to be hurt.’ He looked meaningfully at Roger, who shrank away from his gaze, still holding Jane in his arms.

‘Morton, I must protest,’ Roger said, his voice lacking conviction. ‘If you wait just a little longer … ’

‘I’ve had enough of waiting, Knott. You have had your chance to make her see reason and she shows no sign of repenting her past stubbornness. Our arrangement is at an end. I am taking her with me and I assure you I have far more effective ways of breaking this stiff-necked pride.’

‘I will rot in Hell first!’ Thamsine spat as she leapt to her feet.

‘Indeed you will,’ Ambrose hissed in her ear. ‘Because Hell is precisely where you are going. You need some time to consider your future, Thamsine Granville, and after a few days I can guarantee you will be crawling to me on your knees.’

He made to grab at her but Thamsine ducked out of his reach. An absurd game of tag around the table ensued until Ambrose drew his sword. He pushed Roger aside and pulled Jane to her feet, holding the tip of the sword to her throat.

‘Enough. Come here, Thamsine,’ he said.

Thamsine gasped and Ambrose smiled as he drew the sword lightly across Jane’s throat, leaving a thin, bloody line. She did not doubt that he would kill Jane if she did not obey.

As soon as she was within arm’s reach, Ambrose thrust Jane at her husband and struck out at Thamsine, the same hard blow that had sent Jane to the ground.

Her head reeling, Thamsine fell back against the table and slid to the ground. Unable to move, the world fading from her consciousness, she heard Roger’s shaky voice.

‘Where are you taking her?’

‘I told you. I’m taking her to Hell.’

Ambrose lifted Thamsine, throwing her across his shoulder like a bag of chaff. His shoulder dug into her abdomen. Unable to breathe, she lost consciousness.