The Second Mrs
Thistlewood by Dionne Haynes
Regency
England. A land of oppression and social discontent.
Arthur
Thistlewood is fighting for a revolution. Susan Thistlewood is
fighting for freedom. From Arthur.
Battered
and bruised by her violent husband, Susan finds comfort in food and
books. As Arthur’s legal property, leaving the marriage seems an
impossible dream — until a chance encounter with a charismatic Bow
Street Runner. In the sanctuary of an inconspicuous London bookshop,
the Runner’s easy manner and unexpected generosity compel Susan to
pursue a life without her husband.
But
will the Bow Street officer provide a key to Susan’s freedom? Or
will he place her in the greatest danger of all?
Inspired
by true events from the Cato Street Conspiracy of 1820, this is a
tale of courage, determination, and love.
An
extract from Chapter 3 of The Second Mrs Thistlewood.
Background:
Regency
England is a land of discontent. While the rich grow richer, the poor
grow poorer with machines of the industrial revolution putting many
out of work. The Corn Laws threaten to increase the price of bread
and many other staples, resulting in many families going hungry.
Meanwhile soldiers are returning from fighting in France to face
unemployment and begging on the streets.
Arthur
Thistlewood wants to bring about change in the British government to
improve conditions for the working classes, but as his ideas grow
more militant, so does the treatment of his wife and son. Susan is
intent on finding a way out of the marriage. This is an example of
why.
The aroma
of warm gingerbread draws a gurgle from my stomach. I inhale deeply
and admire the little cakes fresh from the oven. I’m always a
competent baker, but this is my finest batch to date.
A commotion
at the front door announces Arthur’s arrival. My limbs tense. He
was not due home until later this afternoon.
‘Susan?’
His loud voice is laced with agitation.
‘Here,
Arthur.’ I rush into the hallway to help him remove his overcoat. I
shake out the wrinkles and hang the coat on the battered stand by the
door.
His face is
taut with concern, his eyes muddied by angst. He sniffs the air and
his grimace slackens into a boyish smile. ‘Gingerbread?’
Arthur
always chides me for having cakes or pastries in the house, for it’s
insulting to indulge in such niceties while others dare not dream of
them. But today is a special occasion. It’s the start of a new
year.
Arthur
holds my hand and raises my fingers to his lips. ‘This will be the
year we overthrow the tyrants in government and give the common man
the fair treatment he deserves.’
He smiles
and pulls me closer.
‘Do you
have a plan?’
‘A few
ideas.’ He grins and bends forward as if to kiss me when the front
door flies open. He pulls away and stands erect as Julian, my
stepson, stumbles into the house.
Arthur’s
smile fades. ‘You’re unsteady on your feet, Julian.’
The
twelve-year-old grins. ‘Tripped on the top step.’
Arthur
grabs a fistful of Julian’s wool coat and pushes him against the
wall. ‘Have you been drinking?’
I dislike
the ominous tone.
‘No,
sir.’ Julian pales. ‘Just running about with my friends, that’s
all.’
Arthur
clenches Julian’s jaw and forces his mouth open, sniffing his
breath. I avert my eyes and stare at the stained tiles on the floor.
I know what’s coming.
‘What
have you had?’
Arthur is
too strong for the boy and Julian’s feet hover an inch or two above
the floor. No matter how often this happens, I cannot get used to it.
‘I’m
sorry, sir. Truly. It won’t happen again.’ The tremor in his
voice tells me he’s crying, but I dare not intervene.
‘Well?’
‘Gin,
sir.’ A sob. ‘I had to. Everyone else was. John Martin found a
bottle and shared it. I tried refusing, but they started on me and I
had to take a few swigs to shut them up.’
‘So you
were weak-willed. You’ll not grow into a fine gentleman if you’re
easily swayed by friends. I’m disappointed, Julian.’
I suppress
a comment about Arthur’s own gullibility. His migration towards
radical politics coincided with the discovery of new friends at card
tables. No doubt his poor investment choices were similarly
misguided.
Arthur
releases his grip and takes a step back. I clench my fingers and
close my eyes, tight. A loud whack echoes around the hallway after
Arthur’s palm connects with Julian’s face, then a dull thud as
Julian’s head strikes the wall. I look up. Julian’s cheeks are
shiny with tears and a livid red handprint lingers on his cheek.
Blood seeps from his left nostril.
Arthur
turns to face me and my legs quiver.
He beams at
me. ‘Time to eat that delicious-smelling gingerbread.’
Julian
and I exchange fleeting glances. I want to embrace the boy, reassure
him that all will be well, but I daren’t. Instead, we troop towards
the kitchen and settle at the table, pretending to enjoy the
gingerbread that sticks in our throats.
Dionne
is a retired doctor, living in Plymouth with her husband. She has a
passion for history, the great outdoors, good food and life in
general. With her medical career now well behind her, she is enjoying
a second career as an author.
In
2015, Dionne finished writing her first novel The Provenance of
Lilly, but after careful reflection and consideration of some
harsh criticism, she decided not to put it into print. Instead, she
worked hard at honing her writing skills, and published her debut
novel, Running With The Wind, in 2019. She is currently
working on a sequel which will form Book One of The Trelawney
Wives series.
Dionne
graduated from St George’s Hospital Medical School in 1992, and
started her medical career in the Royal Air Force. In 1998, she left
the military to have her son, and worked in General Practice and
Occupational Medicine. The opportunity to retire came in 2014 and
Dionne did not hesitate to take it, relishing the opportunity to
delve into history books and begin her writing career. Although no
longer practising medicine, her medical background has some influence
in the plotting of her stories.
While
keen to maintain historical accuracy in her writing, Dionne creates
stories from real events with sparse recorded details, allowing her
imagination to take over and tell a tale of what may have occurred.
Amazon Author
Page: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dionne-Haynes/e/B0813VDWN9
Facebook:
https://facebook.com/DionneHaynesUK
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/DionneHaynes_UK
