From Doctor to Princess?

by Annie Claydon

  She was trembling by the time the King dismissed her. Hurrying back to her apartment, Nell blinked back the tears. They were her own business, fit only to be seen by the four walls of her sumptuous bedroom.

  Nell sat down on the bed, gulping for breath. She was just being stupid. The King had every right to ask questions, and if he’d been unfair, it was because he didn’t know about Jacob’s visit to Hugo’s apartment, and Nell hadn’t enlightened him. This wasn’t a re-run of all that had happened in her last job.

  All the same, it had a similar sting to it. Nell had rejected Martin’s advances, and he’d taken advantage of his position as her boss to deliver payback. She’d come to dread seeing him on the ward, because there had always been some barb or put-down. And she’d learned to sit in silence when he’d called her to his office, because replying to his catalogue of her faults and flaws had only made things worse. She’d thought his anger might subside over time, but if there was one thing that Martin knew how to do, it was hang on to a grudge.

  This wasn’t the same. In some ways it was worse, though. The King had been painstakingly correct, and in his own way he’d been almost kind, but his concerns were justified. She couldn’t put his criticism down to spite, the way she’d been able to with Martin. And she’d hardly looked back when she’d left the hospital, but leaving Hugo...already he was quite a different proposition.

  There was nothing else for it. She had to get the crying over and done with, pull herself together, and do better.

  * * *

  She was expecting the knock on the connecting door between their apartments. Hugo would have finished his breakfast, and would be ready for another battle of wills over whether he was well enough to do whatever he pleased. Nell had dried her tears and was ready for him.

  She opened the door, trying not to look at him, just in case he happened to be smiling. Hugo’s smile was his most effective weapon.

  ‘You did too much yesterday. You need to rest today.’

  He raised one eyebrow. ‘All right. Now that you’ve got that off your chest, would you like to join me for coffee?’

  Maybe she could have waited a little longer than two seconds to say it. ‘Yes. Thank you.’

  ‘You’ve had breakfast?’ He moved away from the door, leaving Nell to follow him into his sitting room.

  ‘No, I...’ Saying that she felt sick with apprehension wasn’t the best way of appearing strong. ‘Coffee’s fine.’

  ‘Right.’ The tray was standing ready on the table, and he filled two cups, watching silently as Nell added milk to hers. ‘What’s the matter?’

  ‘Nothing.’ She smiled breezily at him, and he frowned.

  ‘So I’m going to have to make a guess, am I?’

  Nell puffed out a breath. Maybe she should tell him, he’d probably hear about it anyway. And perhaps Hugo would respect his father’s wishes better than he did her advice.

  ‘The King called me to see him this morning. He’s not happy.’

  ‘He isn’t happy about a lot of things. Ignore him.’

  ‘I can’t ignore him. Apart from the fact that he happens to be the King, he’s also my employer.’

  ‘I’m Crown Prince, don’t I get a say?’ Hugo grinned, and Nell ignored the temptation to forgive him anything and everything.

  ‘This isn’t a game, Hugo. If you want to bait your father then go right ahead and do it, but don’t put your own health at risk just because you won’t admit that he’s right.’ Nell pressed her lips together. She could have put that more tactfully, but right now she wasn’t in the mood to do so.

  He was suddenly solemn, his gaze searching her face. Nell felt herself redden, the tears that she’d only just managed to control pricking at the corners of her eyes.

  ‘What did my father say to you?’

  ‘He heard about you being up so late the other night. There was nothing I could say to him in response, without telling him about Jacob.’

  ‘So you took the blame yourself.’ His frown grew deeper.

  ‘What else could I do? He heard about my bidding at the auction as well. And there are photographs of me supporting you to the car in this morning’s papers.’

  ‘He can’t hold you responsible for that.’ Hugo pressed his lips together, obviously aware of the conclusion that the papers had drawn.

  ‘He doesn’t. But he holds me responsible for the fact that you’re doing too much. He says that things have to change and that from now on I have to submit a daily report to him.’

  ‘Nell, I’m sorry. I’ll make it right.’ His jaw hardened into a determined line.

  ‘No, you won’t. You can’t. But if you’re reckoning on carrying on like this, then tell me now, because I’d rather leave than be fired.’

  ‘No one’s going to fire you, Nell.’

  She shook her head silently. Hugo didn’t understand, he’d never been squeezed out of a job or bullied by a boss. He was the golden boy, who everyone wanted.

  Even Nell wanted him. Despite all her exasperation, she’d started to enjoy their battles, almost to look forward to them. And in doing so, she’d forgotten the reason why she was here.

  ‘There’s a meeting arranged for this afternoon at my charity’s offices. It’s only going to be for an hour, the construction company is going to update us on how things are going. If I asked everyone to come here instead, I’d find it less taxing.’

  Hugo’s tone was almost contrite. When Nell looked up at him, there was a trace of concern on his face.

  This was a start. ‘That sounds like a good idea, Hugo.’

  * * *

  Shame was something that Hugo usually tried to avoid. If he worked hard, and met the standards that he set, he generally found that he could live with himself. But now he felt thoroughly ashamed.

  Being ill had made him crazy. It had stripped away the feeling that he was in charge of his life, and he was struggling to find the man he’d once thought himself to be. But in trying to pretend that it hadn’t happened, he’d hurt Nell, and that was unforgiveable.

  He knew exactly where his parents would be during the week, they were creatures of habit. As he expected, he found them sitting at the twin desks, placed back to back to allow murmured conversation and smiles while they completed their correspondence for the day.

  ‘Mother...’ He smiled, and his mother rose for a hug, made awkward by his lame shoulder.

  ‘Hugo, darling. How do you feel today?’

  ‘Much better, thank you.’ Hugo’s relationship with his mother was an effortless synergy of respect for her position and warmth. The one with his father involved rather more effort. ‘I’d like to speak with Father.’

  His mother sat firmly back down, waving her hand towards his father, who had looked up from the papers in front of him. Her smile told Hugo that she knew exactly what all this was about, and she wasn’t going to give either of them the chance to argue in private.

  ‘Go ahead, darling. He’s right here, in case you didn’t notice.’

  Right. Hugo turned to his father, and found himself locked in the familiar combative stare that was their usual greeting to each other. He sat down, knowing that it probably wouldn’t defuse the situation. Pacing up and down wasn’t going to help much if he wanted to imply that he was taking things easy.

  ‘It’s not Nell’s fault, Father.’

  His father turned the corners of his mouth down. ‘I’m inclined to agree with you. It is, however, Dr Maitland’s responsibility to make sure that you rest.’

  ‘And she’s doing that.’

  ‘I disagree, Hugo.’

  The silence between them wasn’t broken by his mother’s voice. Usually her intervention avoided conflict between father and son, neatly suggesting a solution that everyone could live with. But this time there was just a silence.

  ‘My behaviour isn’t her fa
ult. Nell’s a good doctor, and...she’s exactly what I need at the moment. In the future, I’ll follow her instructions.’ This was a climb-down of gargantuan proportions. But Hugo had seen humiliation and rejection in Nell’s face this morning, and they haunted him.

  ‘So things are going to change, are they?’

  ‘They will. Don’t punish her in order to get to me.’

  His father leaned back in his chair. ‘You’ve seen the papers this morning?’

  ‘It’ll blow over. How many other young women have been photographed in my company in the last year?’

  ‘Goodness only knows. I don’t know where you get the time,’ his mother interjected suddenly, and both men turned on her, frowning. ‘It’s just an observation, darling. It would make things a great deal easier if you decided that your health wasn’t such a secret.’

  ‘I want it to remain private.’

  That was one of the few things that Hugo and his father had agreed on lately, even if it was for different reasons. His father had always drawn a line between his family’s personal lives and their public duties, and that had allowed Hugo to grow up outside the glare of publicity. For Hugo, it was more a matter of not wanting to be seen as irrevocably flawed.

  King Ferdinand nodded. ‘You know I have no argument with you there, Hugo. But you have a duty...’

  Hugo nodded impatiently. ‘I know what my duty is. To be strong enough to serve the people.’

  His father nodded. ‘I assume from your presence that Dr Maitland wants to stay.’

  ‘I have no idea. But she gets that choice.’ Hugo felt his heart quicken and he ignored it. He would have to stop gauging everything by the beat of his own heart.

  ‘There’s only one person who can make sure that Dr Maitland keeps her job. That’s you, Hugo.’

  Hugo got to his feet, making an effort to swallow his anger as he turned to his mother. He bade her goodbye, omitting the same gesture towards his father, before turning and walking out of the room.

  * * *

  Hugo had been oddly compliant all day. It was as if he’d suddenly come to his senses, or at least decided that it was more politic to appear to have done so. He’d spent the morning reading through the reports from the construction company, and the meeting was a short one. Nell had been able to relax a little and take an interest in the plans for the clinic. She could see why the project excited Hugo, and why he was willing to give up almost anything to see it come to fruition.

  ‘What did Celeste say?’ Nell had gone to speak to Celeste alone, while he stayed in his apartment.

  ‘She said that last night, when the carer was with them, she got the first good night’s sleep she’s had in months.’

  Hugo nodded. ‘That’s something. It’s working, then?’

  ‘It’s early days. But, yes, I think it’ll work very well.’

  ‘Good. I’ll speak to my father...’

  ‘Not yet, Hugo. I... I’ve already taken the blame for the other night, and I’m still in one piece. Let’s wait a week and make sure that the arrangement’s working for Celeste first. Then you can speak to him.’

  ‘He should know now. That you weren’t to blame for that either.’

  Either? ‘You’ve already spoken to him, haven’t you?’

  ‘Yes. I told him that yesterday was entirely my fault and that it wouldn’t happen again.’

  The sudden feeling of warmth in Nell’s chest caught her by surprise. Nell didn’t dare wonder if she was really that important to Hugo, that he’d comply with his father’s wishes for her sake.

  ‘You didn’t need to do that... But thank you.’

  ‘My pleasure. There are always plenty of other options when it comes to defying my father. You’d be surprised at the scope his position affords.’

  He was making light of it, but the look in his eyes said something different. That she could trust him and he’d be there for her.

  The sound of the bell, at the front door of the apartment broke the silence. It couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time, and Nell willed him to ignore it, but he didn’t, rising from his seat. Maybe he was glad of the interruption.

  She heard voices in the hallway, and jumped to her feet when Queen Margaux entered the room. She was more casually dressed than in the pictures Nell had seen on the Internet, wearing a pair of tan trousers and a matching shirt, but she was still immaculate.

  ‘I’m glad to see that you’re here, resting, Hugo.’ Queen Margaux bestowed a smile on Nell that seemed to indicate she thought Nell had something to do with that. ‘Penelope. I’m very glad to meet you.’

  ‘She prefers Nell, Mother. Nell, meet my mother.’

  Nell wondered whether she should curtsey, and remembered she didn’t know how. Queen Margaux held her hand out and gave Nell’s a surprisingly firm shake.

  ‘I’m very glad to meet you, Your Majesty.’ Nell hoped that was something close to the right form of address.

  ‘Margaux, please.’ The Queen dropped a slim file that she was carrying onto the table and sat down.

  ‘Would you like some tea...?’ Hugo’s mother was obviously here to speak to him, and it was a good means of escape. It might be rude not to address the Queen by name, as she’d instructed, but Nell couldn’t quite bring herself to call her Margaux.

  ‘Thank you, but no. I’ve come to speak with both you and Hugo.’

  ‘What about? If you’re here to try and talk some sense into me, Nell already has that covered.’

  Margaux flashed another smile at Nell. ‘Then I won’t go to the trouble. Anyway, this is far more pressing. I think you should both read this.’

  She slipped two sheets of paper from the folder, holding them out. Hugo took them both and started to read.

  ‘What is it?’ Nell reached across, and he threw the papers down on the coffee table.

  ‘It’s rubbish. Outrageous... You don’t need to see it.’

  ‘If it’s rubbish then it can’t do any harm to look.’ She picked up one of the sheets.

  ‘You have to understand, Nell, that the papers will pay for stories, and people will make things up. It gives them a misplaced sense of importance.’

  ‘All right. Let me read it, will you?’ How bad could it be? Nell turned her attention to the paper and started to read. She immediately recognised the name involved. Three sentences in, she realised that it was worse than she could have possibly imagined.

  ‘This is a request for comment.’ Queen Margaux’s voice broke through her horror. ‘It’s from one of the more responsible papers, and if I speak to the editor I can refute the claims and at least delay publication. If they can’t get any corroboration then it’ll stop it completely. But if the man making these claims goes somewhere else, that might not be so easy.’

  ‘Is...there any indication he might?’ Nell felt her cheeks redden at the thought.

  ‘I had my secretary examine his social media pages, and it seems he’s already shared the story that was in the paper this morning and made a few comments. Nothing of any substance, they’re more of the I know something you don’t variety, but it shows an intention. But you know this man, Nell, he’s your ex-boss. What do you think?’

  ‘I don’t think he’s going to give up.’ Nell shook her head miserably. The one thing that neither Hugo nor Queen Margaux had asked yet was whether the allegations were true. It didn’t appear that Hugo was going to, and his mother was clearly taking his lead.

  She took a deep breath. ‘I want to say...that it’s not true. I didn’t make any passes at my former boss, he was the one who propositioned me. And I’d never offer sexual favours in return for covering up my mistakes. The previous Head of Department knew me well, I worked for him for three years, ask him—’

  ‘Don’t, Nell.’ Hugo interrupted her. ‘You shouldn’t have to defend yourself.’

  ‘I want to.
It’s the truth.’

  Queen Margaux turned to Nell, laying her hand on hers. ‘I didn’t doubt it, Nell. But thank you for clarifying things. This is a situation where we must be clear and direct in all of our dealings.’

  ‘Yes, we can be clear and direct in completely refuting these allegations.’ Hugo’s brow was still dark.

  ‘Of course, Hugo. But if you’d read the whole piece, you’d see that there’s a reference at the end to a romantic entanglement between the two of you. If Nell’s real relationship with you were known, then it might well defuse the situation.’

  Nell shook her head. ‘I’m sorry but...no. I’m Hugo’s doctor, and it’s my responsibility to make sure that if he wants to keep the details of his medical condition private, that’s what happens. I can’t allow it.’

  ‘Nell, that’s up to me.’

  If Hugo was about to make an abrupt about-turn on the question of his own privacy, Nell wasn’t. ‘You’ve already expressed your wishes, Hugo, and while I don’t altogether agree with them, it’s my duty to uphold them. I won’t have it.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘There’s always the Royal Agreement,’ Queen Margaux cut her son short.

  ‘That doesn’t apply here, Mother.’

  ‘It might. Since the papers seem already to be jumping to conclusions...’ Queen Margaux reached for the folder, taking off her reading glasses. ‘I’ll leave you both to consider the options. But in the meantime, Nell, I want you to understand that you have my full support in this. We will do whatever it takes.’

  Nell stammered her thanks, and Hugo rose to see his mother out. While they were gone, Nell concentrated on keeping breathing. Because it appeared that was about the only thing that Martin could never take away from her.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ‘I HAVE TO EXPLAIN.’ Hugo had returned to the sitting room and was regarding her silently.

  ‘No, you don’t. I don’t make a habit of explaining what the papers say about me...’ He broke off, seeing the tears that ran down Nell’s cheeks.

  ‘I do...really.’

  Hugo came to sit next to her on the sofa. ‘If you want to tell me something about this, then I’ll listen. All you need to say is that you want this stopped.’