Excerpt from The Luck of Two Magpies, copyright 2012, all rights reserved.
No distribution or reproduction without the author’s express permission

As they left the library, Elisa watched Margarida sidelong. Her head was bowed, her veil hiding all her features except a curved mouth and the dimple in her left cheek.

“Why you little devil!” Elisa whispered.

Margarida’s head came up sharply, eyes sparkling, mouth stretched in as wide a smile as it could be and not be called a gloat. “ ‘Twill be a cold day in July when my son can outsmart his mother,” she crowed quietly as they approached the stairs. “Can ye imagine? That he could think to take ye from me and leave me here a’worrying about ye and my grandchild? Hold a moment.” She glared at the steps. “They do seem steeper than they were this morn.”

Elisa kissed her cheek. “Come on, Mom. I’m here for you.”

“I know it. Ah, what would I do without ye?” Margarida patted Elisa’s arm, growing solemn as they began their climb. “There is much ye must learn for court, my girl,” she warned. “Much to know to protect ye from prying questions, eh?”

##