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

"But how? Why?"

"For one, Viventor married into the right family. Then he won the favor of my dear husband."

"But he made him the head of your military?"

"He amuses the king, and he who amuses the king is useful to Tanucci."

"Regina mia!" Ferdinand called out from the foray. "Come and bless our competition."

"You see, Brother, I am the queen of fools," I said, pushing myself up from the chair with minimal difficulty. "Il mio re," I said, lumbering up to my husband's side. "I don't need to bless this race, for the only champion I care about is you." I pulled a yellow handkerchief from my bosom, arguably his favorite feature of mine, and waved it. "A favor for my champion! May he win the royal sack race as well as he has won my heart."

Ferdinand took the scarf from me and raised it in the air.

The show was over, and I slipped back away from the crowd as a dizzy spell threatened to overtake me. Leopold was quickly by my side. "What can I do?"

"Get me a real doctor." Bracing myself against another wave of dizziness mixed with nausea, I said, "And pray that I have a son."

Summoning a few of my ladies, I made my way back to the castle, but soon after I got to my rooms, I felt my waters break.

Two hours later, my second daughter, Luisa Maria was born.