Heirs Book Two: American Lady Read Online Free PDF Page B

Recortadore Carnivale,
including the running of the bulls for later in the summer. It was
one of his duties as Minister for Sports to oversee such
high-profile events that drew in enormous numbers of tourists.
    This year’s hot topic for the experienced
committee members who were coordinating logistics was how to
improve safety for the running of the bulls event. Last year two
people had sustained serious enough injuries to be taken to
hospital. Maixent knew his suggestion that they put a limit on the
number of participants this year would be passionately debated at
the forthcoming meeting. Still, in the grand scheme of governing
the kingdom it was a small decision.
    Maix sighed. Of course, that was why his
father had given him the portfolio – to make him feel that he was
contributing to the administration of the kingdom while in fact he
just rubber-stamped decisions. Mutinously he buzzed his secretary
and asked her to get Police Commissioner Beaucopas into his
office.
    “Sorry to disturb you, Gilles,” Maixent
apologized when the downcast-looking Commissioner appeared. “I just
wanted to find out if there had been any developments on Operation
Aut vincere aut moeurs?” That was the code name they had given to
the Mafia investigative operation Beaucopas had launched under
Maixent’s authority.
    The commissioner shook his head.
    “Nothing out of the ordinary has shown up so
far, your Highness. Believe me I will be the first to contact you
when there is something to report.”
    “Well, at least it’s not bad news.” Maixent
tried not to sound disappointed. He hoped this operation was not
going to fizzle into the same kind of non-event as his other work.
He paused to glance out the window. “One other thing, Gilles. The
palace may be having a private guest over Easter and I would like
to keep the event as low key as possible. No paparazzi to get
close.”
    Maixent was worried that Charley’s arrival
in St Benezet would attract media attention. Easter was also a very
family affair for the Catholic Marchessinis. He hoped the thought
of spending time with his family wouldn’t scare her.
    “I’ll order an extra contingent of Swiss
plainclothesmen for Easter. I’ll liaise with the palace press
secretary if needed as well.”
    “Good. Thank you, Gilles.”
    The Minister bowed at the dismissal and left
the office.
    Maixent felt a stir of excitement. Easter
was barely weeks away. He unlocked a private drawer in his desk,
pulling out Charley’s postcard.
    The photoshoot went well and I know my
editor will be pleased. Windsurfing at Tobago is brilliant and so
is the sun. The only thing not so brilliant is my woeful lack of
skill.
    How are those rocks going?
    He smiled at her corny comments. He still
had a stack of routine files sitting on his desk that needed his
attention. Instead he pulled out a postcard that featured a close
up of Altobello’s pebbled beaches which his assistant Anouk had
scoured the little tabac stores around St Benezet for on her boss’s
instructions. He picked up his pen.
    Glad to hear you had fun in Tobago. Now come
and have fun in Altobello. Why don’t you fly in for Easter? The
flowers will be out in force but the tourists won’t be. I have no
official engagements over the break, although we normally go en
famille to Mass at St Georges Cathedral.
    Think about it and let me know if that’s a
suitable time so I can make security arrangements. I know Aurelie
wants to see you again. And so do I. The rocks are waiting...
    Maixent read the card over, chewing the top
of his gold fountain pen. Was it too stilted? Should he cross out
the reference to Aurelie? He didn’t want to sound either too cool
or too overzealous. It was difficult for a prince to develop
relationships because the press were always sniffing around. The
private time he’d spent with Charley in Florida and New York, away
from the paparazzi’s prying eyes, had been an unexpected luxury,
like savoring a quadruple choc shake