I’m visiting with Nox in the cozy front room of his house in Ribeauville, a small town in Francia, where he and his wife, Salena work for the lord of the town. Nox is relaxing in a simple wooden chair by the circular hearth.

Did you have a happy childhood?  “I did,” he says slowly. “I grew up on a tenant farm not far out of town. Although I had to work hard, it was a decent, simple life. I also had a good friend nearby. Grant and I managed to get into all sorts of mischief together.”

You seemed a little doubtful about the answer to that question. “My childhood ended abruptly at age 14 when my parents and little brother died of an illness that ravaged our whole community. Theophilus, the Lord of Ribeauville, brought me here to work as his houseboy, though the housekeeper seemed to want me to stay in the stables instead of interfering in her domain.” He smiles at the recollection, then sobers. “That was a difficult time.”

I can only imagine how hard that was. Do you think the loss affected you? He nods. “There is no doubt. I am very reluctant to get attached to people. Salena is the only person I’ve really taken a risk with and we had to reach a crisis to make me take that jump.”

How did you meet Salena? “On the one hand, I’ve known Salena all my life since she is Grant’s little sister. But, on the other hand, in a way it feels like I met her for the first time when she caught me in a moment of dejection at a spot overlooking my childhood home. When I saw her on the road, I knew almost immediately it was her, yet she was so cautious with me. I did not think I looked like an untrustworthy fellow and here was a pretty young woman acting as if I was going to murder her where she stood! Only later did I come learn that some of her neighbors considered her something of a witch, so she is understandably cautious around people in general.”

Why would they think she is a witch? “Mostly because of one hateful woman who twisted a series of coincidences to turn the community against Salena and her family.”

Were you immediately attracted to her once she realized you were a friend? “Of course. She is beautiful, with her golden eyes that other people see as a sign of evil in her. What nonsense!” he says dismissively. “The most touching thing she did that day was to remember my family.” His voice softens. “She told me a story about my brother Diem that I had not known. It was so wonderful after all these years to have someone talk about them, to be with someone who remembered.”

Have you renewed your friendship with Grant? “Absolutely. It was partly through him that Salena and I kept being thrown together, not that either of us minded.”

Did he mind? Nox laughs. “He was shocked. Like most men, he did not think of his sister as attractive or available, and he considered me part of the family, so to see the two of us together went against his grain for a while. His wife helped at a few critical times with keeping him out of the way.”

Did anyone else encourage you? “Theo gave me some good counsel. And his wife, Lily, also.” He laughs again. “I don’t think Lily could have planned all the little actions that fed my interest in Salena during a particular visit to town. If she did, she should plan battles for the emperor.”

What happens now? What does your future hold? “We are settling into married life, and Salena into her new work with the Lady of Ribeauville. We hope for children, though the idea of another precious person in my life makes me sweat. I just want Salena to be safe so we can enjoy decades of happiness together. Keeping her by my side is the only thing that worries me any more.”

*~*

| [amazon_link id=”B00EUA1TI8″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Amazon[/amazon_link] |

The night is dark. The moon is bright. She brings his heart into her light.

The fifth book in the Evolution Series and a 49,000 word historical romance novella.

A vicious neighbor uses a series of coincidences to label Salena as the local moon-charmer, making her an outcast in rural Francia. When Salena encounters her brother’s childhood friend, Nox, out on business for the Lord of Ribeauville, she fears he will accept the locals’ tales about her, especially since they relate to the death of his family a decade before. He is, instead, as charmed by her as she is by him.

Nox’s sympathy for Salena evolves into affection in spite of his strict rule against close ties with people. Afraid to risk another loss like that of his youth, he abruptly ends their relationship, unaware that Salena has already been downtrodden by her father denying her request to venture farther out into the world.

A threat to Salena’s family prompts her to run away in the hopes of protecting those she loves while forging a new path for her life. Too late, Nox discovers that she has also run away with his scarred heart.

The books in the Evolution Series in chronological order are Unbidden, Second Love: A Short Historical Romance Story, Redeemed, Vain, and Little Witch. The Evolution Series is set what we now know as France and Bavaria in the years after Charlemagne’s death.

*~*~*

EXCERPT from Little Witch: Historical Romance Novella

“I remember them,” Salena blurted.

Nox inhaled sharply but she could not stop her words now that the thought was in her head. “Your mother always took pity on me because you boys did not like playing with a girl. I remember Diem used to spit at me to try to make me go away. He could spit farther than you or Grant.” She gave a sad laugh. “He always wanted the two of you to himself. One day when you hid from him he was stuck with me and he taught me to spit. You should have seen his face when I spit all the way from the door to the side of the road.”

Nox’s face was still averted, his eyes trained on the house. “I can picture him.” His voice wavered.

She should not have spoken of his family. “It must be very difficult for you,” she said.

He cleared his throat. “What must be?”

“To, um, to have people to miss for the rest of your life.”

His head pivoted abruptly so he could look at her. For a brief, excruciating moment, all the shields a person carried against others dropped away from him. She saw him as he must have looked on the day his last family member died, leaving him devastated and terrified and alone.

“I am sorry,” she blurted. “I should not speak of those times. My memories must just make it harder.”

He lifted a hand to stop her. “No.” He cleared his throat again. “I liked your story. Diem really taught you to spit?” he asked cautiously.

“He did, though I have not practiced for years, I assure you.”

He chuckled.  “It is nice to meet someone who remembers and, maybe, understands.”

“I can’t claim to understand,” she demurred. “I have been very lucky.”

His lips turned up in a thin suggestion of a smile. “I have been lucky, too, in a way,” he said, clearly hoping to put her at ease again. “Part of my luck has been my job with the Lord of Ribeauville. He would expect me to get on with it.” He brushed his hands together. “Do you know of the property in dispute?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Would you be able to take me to it? I mean, if you think your parents would not mind.”

*~*

If you want to keep in touch with Jill Hughey she blogs at http://jillhughey.blogspot.com, she is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jillhugheyromance, and she tweets @jillhughey.