The Making of a Princess by Teresa Carpenter Read Free Book Online Page A

museum. Stay on this side of the counter. And no touching.”
    He removed his jacket, handing it to Amanda before pulling out a pair of leather gloves and donning them to handle the weapon. With sure, precise moves, he lifted the scabbard free of the case.
    Holding the scabbard straight out in front of him, he grasped the ornate hilt and pulled the sword free. Metal slid over metal with a sweet swish as the engraved sword was revealed.
    A hum of approval sounded from the group. He carefully lifted the weapon and held it up for them to see.
    “Awesome.”
    “Look at the pretty jewels.”
    “Shiny.”
    “It looks really sharp.”
    “Is it heavy?”
    Finally a question.
    “A little,” Xavier replied. “Remember this is a weapon and it can be dangerous if mishandled. This particular sword was made for Prince Jean Claude III. Our current Prince is Jean Claude VI.”
    Setting the scabbard on the glass, he hefted the sword, enjoying the weight, the feel of it in his hand. A champion fencer, the tour had cut into his practice regimen. Handling the sword reminded him how much he missed it, how much he missed the workouts with his father.
    He swallowed hard and concentrated on describing the sword instead of the sudden longing for home, for family. The distraction worked, and the moment of weakness passed. Catching Amanda’s gaze eased the last of the loneliness.
    He addressed the need for safety and demonstrated a few moves, drawing a larger crowd.
    It occurred to him the sooner he wrapped this up, the sooner he would have Amanda to himself. A surreptitious glance at his watch confirmed he had met his agreed-upon thirty minutes. He wrapped up with the story of how Prince Jean Claude III used this sword when he led his army of two hundred men against an invasion of Pasadonia in 1848.
    “Supporters of Prince Carlos of Spain sought to gain land revenue for his bid to claim the crown by overtaking our valuable port. Jean Claude and his men defeated the larger army. Spain was denied access to the port and our goods for a year at which point Queen Isabel II reinforced her alliance by sending Prince Jean Claude a cache of a hundred guns. But it was a sword that won the assault.”
    “How big was the other army?” the blond kid asked.
    “The odds were nearly two to one.”
    “And that’s all we have time for today.” Amanda stepped up and took control. “Please help me in thanking Commandant LeDuc for his wonderful presentation.”
    A round of applause came from the gathering and several people surged forward with a barrage of questions. Xavier pasted on a smile and answered easily. Though it appeared some would like a closer look at the sword, he calmly and firmly packed it away.
    He kept an eye on Amanda who was busy handing children off to their parents and restoring the presentation area to order. When she headed his way, he bowed formally to the last two lingering gentlemen and made his leave of them.
    A huge smile on her face, Amanda wrapped him in a hug. “That was fabulous. Thank you so much.”
    “A response like that almost makes putting up with that little puck worth it.”
    She grinned and led him toward the exit. “I think you mean little punk.”
    “This too.” He shrugged, nonchalant. “For you it was my pleasure. It felt good to hold a sword again.”
    “You were very impressive.”
    “It is a skill all soldiers in Pasadonia must perfect. There are many tournaments. I enjoy competing.”
    “I bet you win, too.”
    “I do, yes.” He helped her into her coat and whispered in her ear, “I would like to show you what I can do with my sword.”

CHAPTER FIVE
    A MANDA LAUGHED AND uncharacteristically turned into his arms, looping hers around his neck. Her mother’s regret at not grabbing the chance she had to spend time with the man who’d so quickly caught her interest sparked Amanda to act spontaneously.
    She braved a kiss, and sighed into his ready response. Then, because they were still too close to