Read Online Her Royal Masquerade (Her Royal Romance) by Natasha Moore - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Natasha Moore
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over progress reports? Mia pointed to two chairs up at the front of the classroom. The boys hung their heads as they trudged across the room.
“Miss Holmberg, you’re not going to tell the headmistress, are you?” Eric asked.
“Don’t you think I should report that a fight broke out in my classroom?” she asked with a frown. Both boys shook their heads vigorously. “Then you should think before you call names or throw punches.”
“Yes, Miss Holmberg,” the boys, best friends, said in unison. They took the chairs and grinned at each other.
Mia hid a smile as she turned back to the class. But the admonition she was going to give the rest of the students was forgotten when the door to the classroom opened and Betty, the headmistress’s assistant, strode into the room. Eric and Lars gasped, but she didn’t look their way.
Betty stepped up to Mia and spoke softly. “Miss Holmberg. You are needed in the office immediately. Miss Lund can take over your class.”
“Yes, of course.” Possible reasons, all horrifying, ran through her head. Was one of her parents suddenly sick? Had someone been in an accident? Had her grandfather collapsed in the bakery? Betty’s high heels echoed off the walls down the long hallway. Mia’s heart pounded with dread. But when she followed her into the headmistress’s office, Mia shock was even greater when she saw a tall, broad, bald Mezzanoan bodyguard standing with Mrs. Svensson.
The elderly headmistress was dwarfed by Rico. “Oh, good, Miss Holmberg. This is the head of security for the crown Prince of Mezzano. He is here to accompany you to Mezzano.”
Mezzano? “What? Why?”
“Prince Vittorio sent me for you,” Rico said, his deep rich voice somehow holding more authority than her superior.
Vittorio was furious with her. This couldn’t be good.
Vittorio had sent for her. Her heart warmed at the thought.
“I don’t understand,” she said.
The headmistress spoke up. “The prince has talked to King Karl and explained his need for a temporary teacher in Mezzano. I understand you met him the other day when you were out with the children?”
That was the excuse he was using to take her away from her home, her country? “Um. Yes. Briefly.” Mrs. Svensson and Betty nodded as if that answered everything.
“You obviously made a grand impression on His Royal Highness,” Mrs. Svensson said with a broad smile. “How wonderful.”
Mia’s heart pounded. She could see Vittorio again. All she had to do was agree to walk out the door.
“We must go,” Rico said. He took her arm in his iron grip and began to lead her out of the room while the other women merely looked on.
Mia dug in her heels, tried to stop him from dragging her out of the room. “Wait. No. I can’t go to Mezzano. I have responsibilities. My class.”
“Miss Lund will take over your class until you return,” Mrs. Svensson said smoothly.
“We are very proud of you, Mia. You will be representing Stagatland and this school internationally. It is a great honor.”
“Come,” Rico said.
Just because someone was royalty didn’t mean they could have someone else kidnapped in broad daylight. Did it? She glared at Rico. “I don’t want to go to Mezzano,” she whispered loudly, although she was afraid it was a lie.
He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. He lowered his voice. “Don’t make this difficult, Miss Holmberg. The plane is waiting.” He shifted just slightly, and she caught a glimpse of the grip of a gun beneath his well-tailored suit jacket and long black coat.
He nodded at the other women. “Thank you, ladies.” Betty opened the door for them and he drew Mia out into the hallway. Two additional tall, broad men in matching suits and long black coats fell in behind them at the end of the hall.
Mia laughed, a short bark. “He had to send three armed goons to kidnap one lowly schoolteacher?”
Rico’s laugh sounded more good-natured. “Goons? You like that, boys? She called
“Miss Holmberg, you’re not going to tell the headmistress, are you?” Eric asked.
“Don’t you think I should report that a fight broke out in my classroom?” she asked with a frown. Both boys shook their heads vigorously. “Then you should think before you call names or throw punches.”
“Yes, Miss Holmberg,” the boys, best friends, said in unison. They took the chairs and grinned at each other.
Mia hid a smile as she turned back to the class. But the admonition she was going to give the rest of the students was forgotten when the door to the classroom opened and Betty, the headmistress’s assistant, strode into the room. Eric and Lars gasped, but she didn’t look their way.
Betty stepped up to Mia and spoke softly. “Miss Holmberg. You are needed in the office immediately. Miss Lund can take over your class.”
“Yes, of course.” Possible reasons, all horrifying, ran through her head. Was one of her parents suddenly sick? Had someone been in an accident? Had her grandfather collapsed in the bakery? Betty’s high heels echoed off the walls down the long hallway. Mia’s heart pounded with dread. But when she followed her into the headmistress’s office, Mia shock was even greater when she saw a tall, broad, bald Mezzanoan bodyguard standing with Mrs. Svensson.
The elderly headmistress was dwarfed by Rico. “Oh, good, Miss Holmberg. This is the head of security for the crown Prince of Mezzano. He is here to accompany you to Mezzano.”
Mezzano? “What? Why?”
“Prince Vittorio sent me for you,” Rico said, his deep rich voice somehow holding more authority than her superior.
Vittorio was furious with her. This couldn’t be good.
Vittorio had sent for her. Her heart warmed at the thought.
“I don’t understand,” she said.
The headmistress spoke up. “The prince has talked to King Karl and explained his need for a temporary teacher in Mezzano. I understand you met him the other day when you were out with the children?”
That was the excuse he was using to take her away from her home, her country? “Um. Yes. Briefly.” Mrs. Svensson and Betty nodded as if that answered everything.
“You obviously made a grand impression on His Royal Highness,” Mrs. Svensson said with a broad smile. “How wonderful.”
Mia’s heart pounded. She could see Vittorio again. All she had to do was agree to walk out the door.
“We must go,” Rico said. He took her arm in his iron grip and began to lead her out of the room while the other women merely looked on.
Mia dug in her heels, tried to stop him from dragging her out of the room. “Wait. No. I can’t go to Mezzano. I have responsibilities. My class.”
“Miss Lund will take over your class until you return,” Mrs. Svensson said smoothly.
“We are very proud of you, Mia. You will be representing Stagatland and this school internationally. It is a great honor.”
“Come,” Rico said.
Just because someone was royalty didn’t mean they could have someone else kidnapped in broad daylight. Did it? She glared at Rico. “I don’t want to go to Mezzano,” she whispered loudly, although she was afraid it was a lie.
He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. He lowered his voice. “Don’t make this difficult, Miss Holmberg. The plane is waiting.” He shifted just slightly, and she caught a glimpse of the grip of a gun beneath his well-tailored suit jacket and long black coat.
He nodded at the other women. “Thank you, ladies.” Betty opened the door for them and he drew Mia out into the hallway. Two additional tall, broad men in matching suits and long black coats fell in behind them at the end of the hall.
Mia laughed, a short bark. “He had to send three armed goons to kidnap one lowly schoolteacher?”
Rico’s laugh sounded more good-natured. “Goons? You like that, boys? She called
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