Excerpt from Antoinette's Sister by Diana Giovinazzo, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

Smiling at Leopold, I thought that finally we were a court that could be respected. That was until the next proclamation fell from my husband's lips: "Because we have such an honored guest in our presence, we will have a royal sack race!"

Leopold nearly spit out his wine. The nobles clapped in excitement.

"Ferdinand, do you think this is appropriate?" I said. I had hoped that this evening would allow us to show my brother how sophisticated we were, but, alas, I was wrong.

Ferdinand gave me a quizzical look before hurrying around the table and gathering up the burlap sacks, each one embroidered with the royal B. He held a sack out for my brother, but Leopold waved him off. "I shall stay by the queen, to keep her company while you race."

Ferdinand shrugged and turned back to his audience. "We shall have three groups. The winners of each race shall battle for the grand prize." A footman walked out, carrying a pouch on a royal cushion. Ferdinand reached his hand in and pulled out a fistful of ducats. "To the winner go the spoils!"

I stayed with my brother by the tables, watching the chaos unfold. Ladies attempted to stuff their voluminous skirts into the burlap sacks. The indigestion that had been plaguing me all day returned, making my chest burn from the acid that rose from my stomach. "Are all my pregnancies going to be such torture?" I grumbled, ripping a piece of bread. "This child better be an angel when he comes out, because I swear he has already given me enough trouble to last a lifetime."

"When is the baby due?" my brother asked.

"Not for another five weeks," I groaned through a mouthful of bread. Acid tried to creep up my throat, and the only thing I could think of was to shove more bread in my mouth to neutralize it.

"Luisa is always most uncomfortable at this stage."

"Bless her," I said, rubbing at my stomach.

"You can take a break, you know. Childbirth is quite taxing." "Being able to make any changes in this country relies on my having a boy. Once that happens, then I can rest. Anyway," I said, giving my brother a playful nudge, "this is only my second child, and you have six. I will not be outdone."

As we laughed, Signor Viventor, the royal physician, stumbled toward us. I could smell the ripe scent of old alcohol wafting from him. "La Sua Maestà." He attempted to give a little bow but stumbled again, catching himself on the arm of my chair.

Protectively, Leopold set the doctor right, though the physician swayed a bit. "I am glad to see that you are in fine health. Though I wish you would take more of my advice." He hiccupped.

"What advice is that?" Leopold asked, looking from the doctor to me.

"Why, rest of course," the doctor said, leveling a bleary-eyed stare at my brother. "It is not a prudent thing to let a woman out of bed once she has become with child. They are too fragile, you know."

I rolled my eyes.

"Do you have any suggestions for indigestion?" Leopold dared to ask.

"Leeches." Signor Viventor hiccupped again. "There is nothing that can substitute for a good application of leeches." Suddenly his attention turned to the distance. "If you'll excuse me, I have matters of state to attend to. Don't worry. The head of your military is on his way!" Signor Viventor called out as he pranced toward the people gathered with the burlap sacks.

Leopold's brows crinkled with confusion.

"Yes, you have just met the head of our military," I said. "But I thought he was a physician."

"He is. He is both, physician and head of our military." "Does he have any military experience?"

"About as much as much as his medical experience. His idea of problem-solving is to apply leeches to everything. Have an upset stomach? Apply leeches. Uprising in Palermo? The practical application of leeches to the rebels will do the trick."

Excerpted from the book Antoinette's Sister by Diana Giovinazzo. Copyright © 2022 by Diana Giovinazzo Tierney. Reprinted by permission of Grand Central Publishing, New York, NY. All rights reserved.