The Lost Princes of Ambria 06 - Taming the Lost Prince by Raye Morgan Page A

quite wealthy but through one thing and another, had lost all their money. All they had left from the old days, besides their house and land, was a stable of three beautiful, award-winning palomino horses, and it took all Dirk Mindert’s efforts to make enough to keep them fed and well taken care of.”
    His eyes were troubled as he remembered how it had been for these people. “The whole family had one goal—keep those horses. But while I was living there, they had to get rid of two of them. They just couldn’t keep up with expenses. They were about to lose their house and they couldn’t …?.” He shook his head as though the words just wouldn’t come for a moment.
    “I would have tried to help them, but the Mercurian government wasn’t paying me at the time. So I didn’t have much in the way of resources.” He looked down at his hands. They were clenched into fists. Slowly, he made them relax.
    “But we managed to get together enough money to keep the most important one, a beautiful horse named Belle. He belonged to the Minderts’ eight-year-old daughter, Mindy. She rode her every day. It was magical to watch the way she and that huge horse had a rapport between them. It would have been a crime to separate them.”
    Kayla murmured something and reached for his hand again. His fingers curled around hers, but he didn’t seem to know it. He was wrapped up in his story.
    “The public affairs minister and I had a falling out. Bottom line, he hated me. He tried to undercut me a couple of ways that just didn’t work out. And then, all of a sudden, he took Mindy’s horse away.” His voice deepened roughly. “He had some trumped-up national security reason. They were supposedly confiscating all horses in the sector.”
    He turned to look into her eyes. “It was a bunch of bull. I went to him to try to get it rescinded. He called the guard, tried to have me arrested.” He shrugged. “I got away.” He gazed at the wall again and took a deep breath. “I found out where they were keeping Belle and I stole her back. I took her and I rode her right across the border.”
    He looked back at Kayla as though to see how she was taking that. She looked right back. So far, she wished he hadn’t done it, but she didn’t see how it was going to be a capital offense. These things could be explained … couldn’t they? Maybe Pellea could authorize a payment?
    But Max was still telling his story.
    “I managed to have the Minderts meet me. They were about to lose their land anyway. It was time for them to go. I got them out of the country and on their way to Switzerland. They have family there.” He took a deep breath and looked at her. “And Mindy has her horse back.”
    “Oh. I’m glad. But …” It did seem a large price to pay for a horse. She admired him for his instincts to help, but … “Max, you could go to prison for this.” Not only that, but he could also be giving up his place in the royal family.
    “Yes,” he said simply. “I might.” He stared hard into her eyes, his own silver with passion. “But, Kayla, I don’t really care. There was something more important than that involved. And I would do it again. I would do it tomorrow.”
    CHAPTER SIX
     
    MAX’S hand tightened on Kayla’s. “You see, there’s more to this story. Mindy is a sweet and adorable girl. You would love her. But more than that, Mindy …” His voice choked a bit and he cleared his throat. “Mindy is blind, you see. Belle was her life companion, her only joy. You understand?” He searched her eyes, looking very serious.
    She drew her breath in sharply, and then she nodded slowly. She did understand. She had to admit, Mindy’s blindness made all the difference. The fact that he had thrown away everything he had in order to help the child … she was touched by what he’d done. “Yes. I think so. I do understand.”
    He nodded, as though satisfied with her answer and by what he could see in her eyes. “Good. It had to