T's Stuff: Traitor's Knot by Cryssa Bazos Book Tour

Traitor's Knot
by Cryssa Bazos

Publication Date: May 9, 2017

Endeavor Press

eBook; 394 Pages

Genre: Fiction/Historical/Romance

England 1650: Civil War has given way to an uneasy peace in the year since Parliament executed King Charles I.

Royalist officer James Hart refuses to accept the tyranny of the new government, and to raise funds for the restoration of the king’s son, he takes to the road as a highwayman.

Elizabeth Seton has long been shunned for being a traitor’s daughter. In the midst of the new order, she risks her life by sheltering fugitives from Parliament in a garrison town. But her attempts to rebuild her life are threatened, first by her own sense of injustice, then by falling in love with the dashing Hart.

The lovers’ loyalty is tested through war, defeat and separation. James must fight his way back to the woman he loves, while Elizabeth will do anything to save him, even if it means sacrificing herself.

Traitor’s Knot is a sweeping tale of love and conflicted loyalties set against the turmoil of the English Civil War.

“A hugely satisfying read that will appeal to historical fiction fans who demand authenticity, and who enjoy a combination of suspense, action, and a very believable love story.” - Elizabeth St. John, author of The Lady of the Tower

“A thrilling historical adventure expertly told.” - Carol McGrath, author of The Handfasted Wife

Traitor's Knot is available in eBook & Paperback at Amazon

Traitor’s Knot – excerpt

People clogged the market, moving as slow as a herd of sheep and with as much purpose. Shrill cries of, “Wool, thirty-six shillings to the pound!” cut through the crowd. James scanned the square, looking for a dark-haired woman in a blue skirt. It was as though he searched for a chaff of barley in a stack of wheat.

James manoeuvred against the tide of people. Soot-faced urchins ran between the channels that opened in the crowd, jostling as they darted past. In an effort to avoid further collision, he nearly bumped into a matron, her basket loaded with packages.

She beamed a bright smile. “God save you, Master Hart.” Her free hand fluttered over her lace collar like a butterfly.

“And you, Mistress Boddington.” James tipped his hat to her. “I trust the family has fared the winter well.” The moment she lowered her eyes, James tried to steal a glance over her shoulder. At of the edge of his vision, he caught a flash of blue.

The woman bobbed her head. “With God’s grace. My daughter, Sibyl, has been a blessing. She has become such an adept housekeeper.”

James ignored the expectation in her tone. Sibyl Boddington was too timid for his taste. “Please give my compliments to your daughter. If you’ll excuse me.”

The matron opened her mouth to continue the conversation, but James managed to extricate himself into the safety of the crowd.

He quickened his pace. Where could she have gone? Taller than most, James commanded a better view of the market, but still he could not find her. How difficult could this be? He rolled his eyes at the irony. He, James Hart, once the best scoutmaster of the King’s army and famed for his ability to track a field mouse, could not find a slip of a maid in a Warwick market.

James made his way down Jury Street through the livestock market and pens of bleating lambs. Someone had forgotten to latch a crate properly, and a pair of fluttering chickens escaped from their coop. The butcher tossed a scrap of offal over his shoulder, and stray dogs darted in before they were beaten away.

Turning on Market Square, James paused to survey the haberdashers. Surely he would find her here, amongst the stalls of linens, laces and ribbons. Hats and coifs intermingled, and for a moment all he could see was a blur of white and grey. About to turn away, his eyes at last fell upon the one he sought.

Elizabeth Seton browsed the household stalls, strolling at her leisure. James walked towards her, his eyes fixed firmly on the prize. She hovered over a collection of linens, and her fingers brushed over the cloths, but she did not linger beyond a curious moment. James kept a discreet distance, ever narrowing the gap. One slim hand held her skirts, raising them slightly to avoid a muddy puddle before she continued on her way.

He halted his progress when she became rooted at the bookseller’s. While fancy ribbons and laces had not attracted her interest, a stack of pamphlets and chapbooks made the difference. She struck up a conversation with the bookseller, laughing at something he said. James rubbed his chin, engrossed. An unusual maid, he thought, and drew closer.

Leaning over the small collection, her head tilted to peer at the titles. Hair secured in a sedate knot, a wayward tendril escaped its constraint. The wind lifted and teased the stray lock, contrasting to the paleness of her nape. James fought the urge to reach out and twist the strand in his fingers.

He bent forward and addressed her in a low tone, “Are you looking to improve your mind, or to seek instruction?”

Elizabeth started in surprise. Her eyes widened, and for the first time, he realised how blue they were. Almost immediately they narrowed, as though she wasn’t sure how to respond to his boldness. He knew he was being forward, but he had never won a thing without pressing his advantage.

“I am looking for a book on good manners, sir. I would not expect you to recommend one.”

James grinned. Without looking away, he addressed the bookseller, who watched them. “Master Ward, would you be so kind as to introduce us?”

“I would,” the man said. “Only I haven’t made the maid’s acquaintance myself.”

Amusement flitted across her lips. “Elizabeth Seton,” she announced.

“Mistress Seton, may I present James Hart, ostler at the Chequer and Crowne,” the bookseller said, fulfilling his duty.

James swept his hat from his head. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mistress Seton.” He rather liked saying her name.

“Master Hart.” Elizabeth canted her head and hesitated for a fraction. She looked at him openly and did not avert her eyes in modesty when he returned her gaze.

“You’re new to Warwick,” he said.

“How would you know this?”

“I know everyone here.”

“Not so,” she said. One brow arched ever so slightly. “You did not know me until this moment.”

James found her bewitching. “I stand corrected, Mistress Seton. Still, you are new to Warwick.”

Elizabeth’s head dipped.

“If I were to guess, I’d say you were Mistress Stanborowe’s niece. I’ve heard that Ellendale has a new resident.”

“Indeed, your information is correct.”

“Pray, allow me the privilege of calling on you.” James leaned against the stall and nearly sent a stack of books tumbling.

“My aunt values courtesy, and you, sir, are quite forward. I can only assume she would object.”

“I assure you, mistress, I am not an objectionable fellow,” he said. “Is that not right, Master Ward?”

“Quite true.” The man’s voice shook with laughter.

“There you have it,” James said. “If you can’t trust the word of a bookseller, all is lost.”

A small smile flitted at the corner of her mouth. James found the resulting dimple intriguing. “I must be leaving.” She picked up her purchase and prepared to depart. “God save you, sir, and good day.” She reached over to pay the bookseller, but Master Ward caught James’s warning frown and casually turned away.

“Are women from the south always so aloof?” James blurted, then cringed. Lagging wit—you can do better.

She halted in surprise. “How did you know I came from the south?”

“Far south, I would guess,” he said, grasping the first thing that came to mind.

“How do you suppose?” Her eyes narrowed.

“Naturally, by your speech.”

“Indeed? I could be from London,” Elizabeth replied.

“You are as likely from London as I from Scotland.”

Elizabeth gave up trying to attract the bookseller’s attention and laid her coin atop a pile of chapbooks. She clutched her purchase to her chest in preparation for her escape.

“I will make you a wager,” he said. “If I can guess where you came from, you’ll allow me to call on you.”

“And if you’re wrong?”

“I’ll wish you good day and trouble you no more.” James offered his hand, but she ignored it. “Do we have an agreement?”

Elizabeth held his gaze for a moment. She pursed her lips, and a hint of a dimple lurked at the corners. “Agreed.”

James smiled. He hadn’t forgotten what she had told the highwayman. “Let’s see—I’ll need one word from you.”

“Which one?” Elizabeth asked.

“Owl.”

“Owl?”

“Aye, the very one. Say it again.” He crossed his arms and waited. When she repeated it, he nodded. “’Tis perfectly clear. Your speech has a Dorset flavour.” For truth, she did have a lovely, soft way of speaking.

Elizabeth’s brow arched slightly. “Are you certain I am not from Hampshire?”

“Aye. Admit it, I’m correct.”

“Fine, then, but Dorset is quite large, and that does not prove your wit.”

“An exacting maid. No doubt you’ll want me to do better,” he said with a slow smile. “I’ll need another word from you, then. Two, if you please.”

“Truly? Which ones?” The breeze strengthened, and she brushed a tangled strand from her face. James caught the haunting scent of lavender.

“Welcome home.”

With a smile, she repeated the words. The rosy bow of her mouth fascinated him.

“Unmistakable.” He grinned.

“The verdict?”

“I would lay my life upon it. ’Tis a Weymouth cast.”

“Truly impressive.” Elizabeth’s blue eyes narrowed. “Such a clever fellow to know this only by my speech. Would you not agree, Master Ward?”

This time the bookseller laughed out loud. “Quite so, Mistress Seton.”

“Thank you for your stimulating instruction, Master Hart. I find my time has grown short. Good day.” She nodded farewell to the bookseller and started to walk away.

“What of our wager?” James called out to her.

Elizabeth stopped to face him. “I’ll honour our wager at the time of my choosing. You didn’t stipulate otherwise.”

James chuckled. Damned captivating woman. He crossed his arms across his chest and watched as she walked away. With a last swish of her blue skirts, she melted into the crowd.

“Aren’t you going after her, James?” Master Ward leaned forward.

“Nay, not yet,” he smiled, savouring the anticipation. He dearly loved a challenge.

About the Author

Cryssa Bazos is a historical fiction writer and 17th Century enthusiast, with a particular interest in the English Civil War (ECW). She blogs about English history and storytelling at her blog, the 17th Century Enthusiast, and is an editor of the English Historical Fiction Authors blog site.

Cryssa's debut novel, Traitor’s Knot, a romantic tale of adventure set during the English Civil War. Traitor’s Knot is the first in a series of adventures spanning from the ECW to the Restoration and is now available from Endeavour Press.

For more information visit Cryssa's website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Interview with Cryssa Bazos

What is your favorite part of this book and why?

During the last draft, I included a new chapter where my hero, James Hart, escorts the heroine, Elizabeth Seton, to the home of an impoverished Royalist family to treat a widow for gallstones. The family has been barely managing since the war when the father was killed, leaving the widow to raise their five children. Though her oldest son is nearly a man, the mother is the glue that holds things together and being laid up has set the family back even further.

Elizabeth comes from a long line of healers and has been sent by her aunt who has been unwell herself. James is a former Royalist officer and prior to this scene, you see his frustration against the new Parliamentarian regime and how he strikes out against them on the highway. Leading up to this chapter, Elizabeth has been trying to keep a respectful distance from James. He is not the man for her, she believes, given his dangerous lifestyle. She wants to move forward, not look back, and build a new life after the war.

What I like about this chapter is that it is a quiet moment when Elizabeth and James really get to know each other, while they work together to help this family. James works out in the fields to get the plowing done, while Elizabeth tends the widow and takes the younger children in hand. Elizabeth gets to know a different side to James and starts to open her heart to him. This time is also a badly needed healing balm for James as well, and he is drawn to her warmth and caring.

“James slipped outside alone and sat on the doorstep. The first stars were coming out, and a sliver of a moon rose in the evening sky. He was tired after a long day in the fields, but he felt more at peace than he could ever remember.

Elizabeth’s voice drifted from the second floor as she readied the Norton children for bed. Already she had made a difference. It wasn’t lost on him how the Nortons hung on her every word—he couldn’t blame them; he did too.

On the morrow, he would take Elizabeth back to Ellendale. He’d have to return to the Chequer, and his normal life wouldn’t have the same flavour it once did. She had a soothing way about her, and he didn’t realize how much he craved this serenity until now.”

If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?

I’ve spent a great deal of time already with James and Elizabeth, and they are no doubt tired of me by now. I think I’ll leave them in peace. I would instead choose the young king, Charles Stuart who James has pledged to serve. At this time leading up to the period known as the 3rd Civil War, Charles is an exiled king trying to restore his crown. In later years, he would be known as the Merry Monarch, thanks to the decadence of his court and all those mistresses prancing around. I have a secret crush on Charles, not for his virility (although he was probably extremely charismatic). I see him as more than just a playboy king. Charles possessed a very dry wit, and he would no doubt be a stimulating dinner companion.

There’s one anecdote about Charles that has always amused me. In later years, he had commissioned the construction of a new palace by Christopher Wren, the great English architect. Wren, who was definitely on the short side, was giving the king a tour of the new rooms during the construction phase, and Charles, who was definitely on the very tall side, commented on the low ceilings. Wren looked around and said that he thought they were fine. Charles crouched low and proceeded to walk around and examine the ceilings. “I see your point,” he said to Wren.

I would like nothing more than to spend an evening dining with Charles, drinking his favorite sack and being entertained.

If you could have been the author of any book ever written, which book would you choose?

I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan, and when I was younger I had read the book over twenty times. (Aside: these days with my exploding digital library and TBR pile, I don’t have the luxury of re-reading books. I kind of miss those days). I do love the beautiful, lyrical language that Tolkien uses as well as the imagery he evokes, especially the Elvish places like Lothlórien and Rivendell. For language and world building, Tolkien has no rival.

Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?

I can truly say that all my characters were a product of my imagination, though I’m sure if I scratch the surface deep enough, I’ll find that they do include composites of different people, living and otherwise. To touch on a few, Elizabeth has a love of the earth and all things herbal, which came from me. I’m an avid gardener, and I’m fascinated by the medicinal properties of plants. The old herbal remedies may sound odd, but I believe there was a great deal of knowledge handed down across the ages as to what worked. But her courage, I believe, was inspired by stories of my grandmother during WWII. The women who stayed behind and kept things working were every bit as courageous as the men who left for war.

James has elements of my favorite Greek hero, Odysseus, who was a beloved of the goddess Athena for his clever wits and cunning. If there was a way to win without resorting to brute force, Odysseus was your man. I admire a hero who uses his head to turn things around. But I also consider him conflicted and wounded by the double edge of honor, in much the same way that D’Artagnan from The Three Musketeers has had to maneuver between duty and devotion.

The character of Isabel, Elizabeth’s aunt, is a composite of all the strong women I’ve known in my life who have mentored me over the years. I just love her.

What made you want to become a writer?

Books have inspired me to write. My fourth grade teacher read to us from The Hobbit and Anne of Green Gables and cemented my love of books and storytelling. I’ll never forget one assignment he gave us—to write a book. I remember being in awe because I thought books were magical (I still do) and I never considered that I could write one. My submission was The Mystery of King Arthur’s Court. There wasn’t an Arthur in those 6 chapters, but Merlin ran around making mischief. I suppose I should have reconsidered the title.

In much later years, what got me writing in earnest were books again. After a prolonged stretch of devouring one book after another, I searched my bookshelf for my next read. As I wondered what I wanted to read, a thought struck me: I want to write. I never looked back. You can’t after opening that door.

Blog Tour Schedule

Tuesday, August 1
Kick Off at Passages to the Past

Wednesday, August 2
Review at Romantic Historical Reviews

Thursday, August 3
Review & Excerpt at Locks, Hooks and Books

Monday, August 7
Interview at Aurora B's Book Blog

Thursday, August 10
Review & Excerpt at Books of All Kinds

Friday, August 11
Review at WS Momma Readers Nook

Tuesday, August 15
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Interview at T's Stuff

Friday, August 18
Interview at Let Them Read Books

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour we will be giving away a signed paperback copy of Traitor's Knot! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on August 18th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to residents in the US & Canada only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.