Kindred Spirits: Regal Retribution
by Jennifer C. Wilson

A visit to London’s West End sends an already angry ghost into a fury, vowing revenge on those he believes have wronged him in life (and in death).

Soon, the attacks begin – across the city and beyond – revealing that rarest of beings: haunted ghosts!

When a pattern starts to emerge, a council is established to formulate a plan, but can they work out who is behind the hauntings? As the severity escalates, can the combined force stop the avenging spirit, before the worst happens?

Bringing together the ghostly communities of the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and other places, discover friendships and feuding in the race to retaliation…

Purchase Links

US – https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B3238S5Y/

UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B3238S5Y/

---

EXCERPT

Here, we’re making our first visit to Westminster Abbey of the book, and poor Anne of Cleves is not having a good evening… When I was writing Kindred Spirits: Westminster Abbey, I found I really enjoyed writing Anne of Cleves. I loved the juxtaposition of her; cast aside by Henry, and yet of all his wives, she was the one who ended up being buried at the heart of the capital, in the Abbey itself, something none of the others managed.

In this scene, she is with another of my favourite ghosts, Kit Marlowe, and is about to become a victim of a haunting. Turns out they’re no fun, even when you’re already a ghost…

Chapter Four

Westminster Abbey

It was as the last tourists of the day were filing out, and the Evensong attendees starting to gather, that it happened. At the end of a relatively ‘nothing’ day too. No hauntings, not even the gentle page-turning of Daniel Pulteney’s book, no family feuding, not even a gentle complaint that little Blackie the kitten had tripped anyone up. The sort of day the residents of Westminster Abbey had come to cherish.

Then came the scream.

Audible only to ghosts, but still enough to jolt anyone from their thoughts.

Having just bid Anne of Cleves a good evening, after a discussion of the day’s news, Sir Isaac Newton and Kit Marlowe were shocked into silence. A quick nod, though, and they were rushing towards the source of the cry.

“Anne!” They called in unison as they turned the corner, skidding to a halt in front of the former queen’s tomb.

Anne of Cleves was on her knees, clutching at her chest, her eyes wild. If ghosts had needed to breathe, she would have been gasping for air.

“What the hell?” Kit dropped to his knees in front of her, reaching for Anne’s hands. As she tried to fight him off, still in a panicked state, he gave up, choosing instead to simply pull her into a tight embrace to try and calm her down. He looked to Sir Isaac, eyebrows raised in question.

By now they weren’t the only spirits gathered. The commotion had drawn others, equally concerned about the cause of the scream.

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Anne was repeating, as much to herself as those around her. She had stopped fighting now and was leaning into Kit, but she was still clearly agitated. And it obviously wasn’t fine.

“Come on, there’s nothing to see here. Whatever has distressed Her Grace is obviously not here now.” Sir Isaac gestured to the gathered ghosts, the majority of which left, drifting back to their tombs, or wherever else they spent their evenings. Only a few of Anne’s inner circle remained – Henry VII, Elizabeth of York, and Charles Darwin, all looking at her with concern in their eyes. Anne of Cleves was not one to make a fuss over nothing, and would never draw such attention to herself without good reason.

As though realising this herself now, Anne’s panic and fear had been replaced by embarrassment, as she flapped her hand at Kit. Releasing her from his arms, he stood, and helped her to her feet.

“I’m so sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” she said, brushing at her gown, avoiding the eyes of the ghosts who still surrounded her.

“What did come over you?” Sir Isaac asked, guiding her gently to a nearby stone wall, encouraging her to sit down.

Anne shook her head. “I… I don’t know. I felt something… no, it must have been someone, pass through me. But it was so, so determined – I think they were trying to frighten me.” She looked down at her lap. “They succeeded.”

Her friends exchanged swift, nervous glances. Other than the petty feuds they all knew about, such an act did not fit into ‘life’ at the Abbey.

Sir Isaac nodded towards Kit, who had remained at Anne’s side, now with one arm resting around her shoulders. Slowly, he squeezed her in reassurance, and let go.

Anne, readjusting to once again being on her own, smiled at him, and returned to brushing non-existent creases from her gown. “Thank you, all of you, for your concern.”

“But if you’re being haunted—” began Elizabeth of York.

“I am not being haunted. It’s just a mistake, I’m sure. There’s nobody here who would have any reason to haunt me.”

Again, glances were exchanged. It was clear that none of them wanted to argue with her, but there was surely something wrong.

“As long as you’re all right now,” said Kit, risking a gentle pat on the queen’s shoulder.

“I’m fine, I promise you,” Anne replied. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have planned to meet with Anne Neville this evening; we are going for a stroll along the riverbank. I’ll bid you goodnight.”

Nobody cared to remind the queen that Anne Neville was visiting her husband at the Tower that night.

---

Author Bio –

Jennifer has been stalking dead monarchs since she was a child. It started with Mary, Queen of Scots, then moved onto Richard III. At least now it results in a story!

She won North Tyneside Libraries’ Story Tyne short story competition in 2014 (no dead monarchs, but still not a cheerful read), and has been filling notebooks and hard-drives ever since. Her Kindred Spirits series, following the ‘lives’ of some very interesting ghostly communities, is published by Darkstroke, and her historical romances by Ocelot Press.

Jennifer is currently exploring some new ideas for historical romance, and hoping to visit Kindred Spirit friends old and new, north of the border…

Social Media Links –

Twitter: https://twitter.com/inkjunkie1984

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifercwilsonwriter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifercwilsonwriter/

Blog: https://jennifercwilsonwriter.wordpress.com/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jennifer-C-Wilson/e/B018UBP1ZO/