MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
PLEASE JOIN ME IN WELCOMING ELISABETH HOBBES BACK
TO THE BLOG WITH HER LATEST RELEASE, THE SAXON OUTLAW’S REVENGE….
At
the mercy of her enemy!
Abducted
by Saxon outlaws, Constance Arnaud comes face-to-face with Aelric, a Saxon boy
she once loved. He's now her enemy, but Constance must reach out to this rebel
and persuade him to save her life as she once saved his…
**GIVEAWAY BELOW** |
READ A LITTLE, BUY THE BOOK
Constance has been taken to Aelric (now
going under the alias Caddoc)’s camp.
Along with his comrade Gerrod he is trying to discover what treasure was
being taken to Hamestan along with her.
‘The
panniers contain my property,’ Constance said. ‘The box holds my dowry and
legacies from my father and husband.’
‘Your
husband? You are married?’ Caddoc asked. His stomach lurched. He had not
imagined Constance married, but it made sense. While he was running for his
life she had followed the path set out for rich and well-connected girl.
‘My
husband is dead,’ she answered curtly. She folded her arms and jutted out her
jaw, her eyes moving from one man to the other. ‘You can take everything. I
won’t need it. I intend to enter a convent as soon as I am able. Take what you
want, only give me my freedom in return.’
‘What
if we want you?’ Gerrod growled. ‘We already have your gold. What else do you
have to bargain with?’
Fear
crossed Constance’s face. Her hands moved to her cloak, pulling the edges
tighter over her breasts in a manner that told him she had given thought to
what else they might take.
‘Nothing,’
she admitted quietly.
Gerrod
caught Caddoc by the arm and drew him to the top of the stairs.
‘You
heard what she said, she’s no use to us.’
‘We
don’t know she’s telling the truth. Let’s wait at least until Osgood gets
here.’
‘She’s
turned your head,’ Gerrod sneered.
Caddoc
narrowed his eyes angrily.
‘I
just think there is sense in taking the treasure and not risking drawing
attention to ourselves.’
‘Don’t
think you can fool me. I saw how you held her. You were having a good feel
while you were stopping her getting to me.’ He grinned nastily. ‘I don’t say
I’d blame you, lad, she’s comely enough, but why should we show her any mercy?’
‘It’s
not mercy, but sense,’ Caddoc insisted. ‘If we kill her we’ve lost any chance
of bargaining with de Coudray. We’re not murderers.’
Gerrod
looked at him scathingly. ‘We’ll leave her be for now. When Osgood brings the
box we’ll find out if she’s telling the truth.’
He
stomped down the stairs out of sight, pulling the trapdoor closed behind him.
Caddoc turned back. Constance was still by the window where he had left her.
‘Why
didn’t you tell me the truth before—about your brother-in-law not caring?’
She
eyed him with disdain. ‘Why do you need to ask? I would have said—or
done—anything to remain alive.’
She
moved to him. He expected her to stop, but she continued until they were almost
touching, causing his throat to tighten. He wanted to hold her more than he had
expected. His body cried out for her, but allowing Constance to once again
command his affections seemed ludicrous and would end in nothing but misery.
‘Thank
you for what you did,’ she said shyly.
‘I
told you your life would not be at risk,’ he reminded her. ‘I keep my word when
I give it.’
She
raised her head until she was looking at him closely. Now his vision had
adjusted to the gloom he noticed faint lines at the corners of her eyes and a
solitary crease in the centre of her forehead from too much time frowning.
She
was regarding him with equal intensity.
‘What
is it?’ he asked, unnerved by her scrutiny.
‘I
didn’t mean defending me against your companions or keeping me alive,’ she
said. She lifted a hand, which she placed hesitantly on Caddoc’s chest. He
should have removed it or stepped beyond her reach, but he didn’t. Beneath his
tunic his skin fluttered, raising goosepimples as if reacting to an unnoticed
breeze.
‘I
meant how you held me when Gerrod told me of my sister’s death,’ Constance
murmured. ‘I wasn’t expecting your kindness. I’ve done nothing to warrant it.’
It
had surprised Caddoc, too, but he accepted her thanks with a slight smile.
‘I
know how it is to lose people I love. I wish you could have found out in a
kinder manner. You’ve lost your husband and now your sister.’
He
laid a tentative hand on her shoulder to console her and was surprised to feel
the tension she carried.
‘I’ve
known so many deaths I barely know how to grieve any more,’ she said.
She
raised her head. Her lips were slightly parted, smooth, and temptingly close to
his. Another step forward and he would be able to kiss her with the slightest
tilt of his head. His chest felt tight where her hand rested and he covered it
with his own in case she was about to withdraw.
He
took the step, parting his lips in anticipation.
Behind
him the trapdoor thumped open and Osgood’s voice hailed him.
‘I’ve
brought the strongbox. Let’s see what other prize we’ve won ourselves!’
Elisabeth
grew up in York where she spent most of her teenage years looking for a
handsome Roman or Viking to sweep her off her feet. Sadly this never happened
so instead she took a degree in History and Art History before training as a
teacher.
Her
writing career began when she entered her first novel, Falling for Her Captor,
into Harlequin's So You Think You can Write contest 2013 and finished third.
Elisabeth
is also a part time teacher and full time mum. She spends whatever spare time
she has reading and is a pro at cooking one-handed while holding a book.
Elisabeth's
other hobbies include horse riding, skiing, Arabic dance, fencing and exploring
dreadful tourist attractions, none of which has made it into a story yet.
She
loves ginger mojitos and has a fondness for dark haired, bearded heroes.
Jan: What do you love most about your latest release?
Elisabeth: I’m tempted to say the cover because the model is so brooding! It’s a very dark book with a hero and heroine who start the story very badly damaged because of what has happened to them in the years since they last met. Through the support they give each other they find the strength to heal.
Although it is out in December, isn’t a festive story (it takes place in early Spring). To me the theme of discovering the inner compassion and courage to reach out to someone who by rights should be your enemy is one that runs through a lot of Christmas tales though. Peace on Earth and goodwill to all is a message we could all do with remembering.
(Jan's tree:) |
Jan Schliesman: Are you ready for Christmas?
Elisabeth
Hobbes: I’m about
halfway there. I’ve made the cakes and decorated the house. I’m still teaching
half the week so I’m in the throes of class performances and end of term
activities.
Jan: Do you have any family traditions that
go along with this time of year?
Elisabeth: I buy the children a new decoration every year which I put in their stockings for them to find on Christmas morning. We add them to the tree and when they eventually leave home they’ll have a starter set for their own houses.
Elisabeth: I buy the children a new decoration every year which I put in their stockings for them to find on Christmas morning. We add them to the tree and when they eventually leave home they’ll have a starter set for their own houses.
Jan: Do you struggle to find fresh ideas or do
they come naturally?
Elisabeth: I’ve been very
lucky that each idea has come fairly easily, often springing up from something
that happens in the previous book. The idea for The Saxon Outlaw’s Revenge came about while I was on a walk in the countryside where I live on a damp
afternoon. The opening lines popped straight into my head. ‘They hanged the
rebels in the market square. Rain hung in the air. Heavy drizzle that
characterised this part of England: thicker than mist and turning the world
grey and damp. A cheerless day for a brutal act.’
Jan: What’s the best gift you’ve gotten from
Santa?
Elisabeth: We don’t buy
presents for the adults in the family but do a Secret Santa with a theme. One
year everyone picked a person to buy for and a colour. I’m a huge Doctor Who
fan and was given a ceramic TARDIS tea caddy. As I can’t get through the day
without at least six cups it was the perfect present.
Jan: I love snow in December, what about you?
Elisabeth: I have a cross
country commute so although I love waking up to see the hills covered in snow I’m
always relieved when we don’t get too much and I can still get to work. I go
skiing in the French Alps every year so I get my proper snow fix in February.
Jan: Favorite Christmas carol, hymn or song?
Elisabeth: I used to sing
in choirs at school and university so I’ve always had a soft spot for the old
traditional carols with the descant harmonies. My favourite modern song is Greg
Lake’s I Believe in Father Christmas. I can’t believe he’s another one we’ve
lost in 2016 and so close to Christmas too. For singing along to it has to be
Fairytale of New York. I’ve cheated there haven’t I by picking too many but I
find it so hard to narrow music down.
Jan: What’s your favorite holiday treat?
Elisabeth: I love going to the German market that
takes over Manchester and having a mug or two of mulled wine. This often goes
along with the aforementioned singing!
Jan’s
GOTTA ASK: Any resolutions for the New Year?
Elisabeth’s
GOTTA ANSWER:
The same one I make every year: do more exercise and get more early
nights. This year I’m going to manage it (of course).
Find ELISABETH HOBBES:
WHAT’S UP NEXT FOR ELISABETH? I’m busy writing the story of Roger Danby, Joanna’s original crush
in The Blacksmith’s Wife. I’m having great fun trying to redeem him.
THANKS SO MUCH,
ELISABETH, for sharing your latest release with us. Elisabeth is offering an
autographed copy of The Saxon Outlaw’s Revenge to a US or UK reader who answers
the following question:
In The Saxon Outlaw’s
Revenge Constance and Aelric have to work together to discover the contents of
a mysterious box but what would you like to find in your mystery parcel on
Christmas morning?
Merry Christmas and welcome back to the blog, Elisabeth!
ReplyDeletescarf
ReplyDeleteBooks
ReplyDeleteI would love to find reservations for a trip for two to Ireland, Scotland, and England.
ReplyDeleteFavorite nerd hero would be Sherlock Holmes, especially the PBS version with Benedict Cumberbatch.
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ReplyDeleteBooks are always great and a holiday would be good too. I'm impressed by the dumbbells, maybe I'll need those after Christmas!
ReplyDelete