To Charm a Prince by Grasso Patricia

Author:Grasso, Patricia [Grasso, Patricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Lachesis Publishing Inc
Published: 2013-07-22T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Three months passed. Samantha’s life fell into a routine, Grant and Drake filling her days. In the morning, she tutored the boys in reading while the prince assumed responsibility for their ciphering numbers. After lunching like a real family, they passed most afternoons in play, and Samantha was always chosen first for games.

The nights belonged to Rudolf. Pretending he was her husband proved easier than she had imagined. Each evening when they retired to their bedchamber, Samantha went without guilt or remorse into his arms and gave herself completely to the prince.

January’s days lengthened. Melancholy sunsets, woodsmoke-scented air, and the rhythmic sounds of a piano and a violin playing a duet marked the passing of January.

February’s gray skies delivered rain and then waxing sunshine. As the days grew longer, catkins dangled from birch trees while buds adorned the maples.

Courageous crocus opened their petals when the blue skies of March arrived, and pussy willow buds swelled with the changing season. Migrating robins began to appear; the starlings’ speckled plumage was replaced by spring’s glossy black.

On that fifteenth day of March, Samantha sat in the carved stone gazebo on the far side of the pond and watched the boys playing in the treehouse nearby. Beside her sat Giles, the deerhound. She would have been up in the trees herself if she hadn’t been feeling a tad queasy from the enormous luncheon she’d eaten. As spring drew ever closer, she’d begun to dread the idea of returning to London and wished they could remain in Scotland forever. The only thing awaiting her in London was bleak reality.

Samantha smiled when she heard Grant telling his brother, “I will be the prince, and you will be the servant.”

“I don’t want to be the servant,” Drake protested. “I want to be the prince.”

“I’m older, so I’m the prince,” Grant announced.

“That isn’t fair,” Drake whined.

“Boys, come down here.”

Reluctantly, the boys moved toward the ladder. Grant said, “I’ll go first.”

“I want to go first,” Drake argued.

Grant ignored him and hurried down the ladder. He laughed at his victory, which only angered the eight-year-old even more.

“No good sneak,” Drake shouted.

“Come here,” Samantha called. When they stood before her, she said, “Brothers should never argue. Apologize at once.”

“Sorry,” Grant said, his expression sour.

“Sorry, too,” Drake said.

“I want you to say something nice about each other,” Samantha said. “Drake, you go first.”

“I like the way you always protect me,” the eight-year-old told his brother.

Samantha nodded with approval. “Your turn, Grant.”

“I like the way you don’t know as much as I do,” the ten-year-old told his brother.

“I do so.”

“Grant, you are a troublemaker,” Samantha said. “Sit here beside me, and I’ll tell you a story.” When they settled, she began, “Today is the fifteenth day of March, also known as the ides of the month. A long time ago there lived a famous Roman named Julius Caesar who wanted to be the emperor of Rome. A soothsayer told him—”

“What’s a soothsayer?” Drake interrupted.

“A fortune-teller,” Samantha answered. “Anyway, the soothsayer told Caesar to ‘beware the ides of March.

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