Infuriating Attractions (on hold)

Confrontation

"What the hell is going on?" Thomas demanded his blissful mood quickly dissipating.

"Please you have to do something he's going to kill her!" Annabelle shrieked from where she kneeled on the ground. She and all of the men were huddled around the fire pit where Phillip stood, a knife to the annoying maid's throat. 

"Grey, put the knife and the girl down" Thomas sighed wearily pushing his way to the front of the crowd and pulling Annabelle to her feet. 

"What did she do? knock over your sword?" 

"She knows my name" he growled pulling Elizabeth tighter to him as though any one could snatch her away at any moment. The men didn't seem to be at all shocked by this sudden display of murderous behaviour, none of them attempted to intervene but merely surveyed the scene with mild curiosity. Thomas could admit it was the most exciting thing to have happened to them in weeks. 

"And? We all know your name Phillip Grey and what a pretty name it is indeed-"

"You plan to return them to court do you not?" Phillip demanded "This wench will breathe life into the rumours of my escape and Henry will hunt me down like a dog" 

"I'm sure she won't-"

"I will!" Elizabeth cried defiantly "I will shout your name from every rooftop until your head ends up on a pike where it truly belongs you traitor!" 

"Shut up!" Annabelle cried as she saw Phillip's eyes harden "He'll kill you, you prideful fool!" 

"Alright, alright" Thomas interrupted before the situation could get too dramatic. Annabelle was beginning to become hysterical, a state he was neither prepared nor willing to deal with. 

"Nobody shall be killing anybody until I say so. Now Phillip, be reasonable I know it is difficult yet try. The whole purpose of this exercise is to negotiate a substantial ransom in exchange for the safe return of this young lady. Her father will hardly trust me to bring her back to him if you go around killing her maid and exposing our somewhat murderous habits." 

"My father-”

“My dear if I hear one more word about your father I’ll be tempted to kill both you and your maid” Thomas interjected politely. Annabelle blanched and decided it would be best if she were silent for the time being.

In truth she was terrified, as soon as Elizabeth had seen Grey she had begun shrieking like a banshee and Annabelle was sure he would have killed her on the spot should Thomas not have arrived. It was just like her maid to give herself over completely to single-mindedness without a thought for the consequences.

“She cannot leave here” Phillip stated, his eyes narrowing onto Thomas’ as if daring him to contradict. The latter merely shrugged in response.

“What do you expect me to do Grey? Now they both know your name and this one’s quite valuable. Let me negotiate a deal with her father, get her the hell out of here and you do whatever you wish with the maid when I have the coin in hand. It seems as though that one actually knows something about you as opposed to this young girl who knows only rumours. Should she go sprouting tales of mysterious usurpers rising from the grave would most likely be diagnosed with the vapours and sent to bed”

“Fine. I accept your terms” Phillip released Elizabeth and she walked over to where Annabelle stood. She looked as though her brush with death had not affected her at all, yet Annabelle noticed the way her chin shook slightly and the way she tightly gripped her hand. She gave a squeeze of reassurance in response.

She was determined to save her maid’s life; she would ensure it was a part of the hostage arrangement. Elizabeth was the closest thing she had ever had to a friend and there was no way she would allow her to be thrown to the dogs while Annabelle escaped unscathed.

“Always so formal” Thomas sighed rolling his eyes. “Now I’m starving, maid? I am assuming you know how to cook and in exchange for saving your life you can help young Michael over there create something mildly edible”

Anger blazed in Elizabeth’s eyes but for once she stayed silent and stalked over to where a young blonde man seemed to be struggling over a stew. Phillip’s eyes followed her every move, ready to spring should she try to run.

“You are not really going to allow him to kill her are you?” Annabelle hissed once she was out of earshot.

“Why do you care princess?” Thomas replied with an arched brow “You can always just buy another one. Now if you’ll accompany me to my tent I wish to draft a ransom note to your father and could use your discerning eye”

Before she could object he had already gripped her upper arm and was steering her through the flap of his tent. He deposited her on a chair at table and sat beside her, observing her with a kind of wry smile that made her feel like prey. Annabelle could not help but glance over to where his bed stood and dominated the space. Her heart rate increased and breathing seemed to be more difficult than it should. She tried to focus her mind, by now Annabelle realised that any discomfort on her part seemed to only amuse him. Perhaps he was insane.

Either way, she did not want to be alone with him.

“My father-” she began stopping when he glared at her “I mean the Duke, shall expect both my maid Elizabeth and I to be returned intact if you expect to receive anything at all from him”

“You are doing a brilliant job of being brave my Lady, yet I must call your bluff. I doubt that being forced to choose between his beautiful daughter and her maid he would sacrifice you. In fact, I doubt he would even bat an eye lash before ordering me to kill her in exchange for you”

“He would never!” Annabelle cried indignantly “My father is an honourable man-”

“Yes, yes” he silenced her with a wave of his hand “I have known first hand the extent of the nobility’s perceived honour but I do not really care either way, your maid is no concern of mine. Now may I ask what you meant by being returned intact?”

His eyes darkened and he leaned in closer to her. She felt like the air thicken with a tension she could not name. Annabelle knew her face must resemble a tomato by this point in time. He would not drop her gaze.

“You know what I mean” she glowered crossing her arms over her chest to create some kind of barrier between them “With my virtue intact”

Saying those words aloud almost made her throat spasm with embarrassment. She could not believe she was discussing these matters with a man, let alone such a rogue.

“And if I took your virtue from you…” Thomas’ tone was conversational yet his eyes lost none of their intensity

“Would your father still want you then?”