by Penny Jordan
‘I’m sure you could do as good a job as me, Doctor, but I’d like to do the first anastomosis to show you a couple of tricks to damp down movements between the instruments and the heart.’ He flicked a glance from above his surgical mask in the direction of Amelia. ‘What do you think of the procedure so far, Sister Vialli?’
‘You are obviously well practised in working with the heart,’ she answered.
‘You have to have an intuitive feel for the heart in this type of surgery,’ he said, then, addressing the senior cardiac surgeon beside him, added, ‘Now it’s your turn, Dr Morani. We’ll set up the vessel dampening clamps for the LAD and you can do the second anastomosis.’
Under Alex’s guidance, the fellow surgeon sutured the freed-up internal mammary artery to the LAD distal to its stenosis. Finally, using the Doppler flow meter, Alex was happy that blood flow into the bypassed coronaries was satisfactory and left the senior surgeon and the registrar to routinely close the chest.
As Alex stripped off his gloves and gown he turned from the laundry bin to see Amelia staring at him, and folded his arms across his chest, his dark eyes narrowing and hardening as they met hers. ‘Are you by any chance waiting to speak to me, Sister?’
‘No…no, I was just leaving.’
‘Don’t let me keep you. I’m sure you have plenty of things to do on the ward.’
She wanted to stare him down, but in the end she had to push her pride to one side. ‘Actually I would like to speak to you if I may.’
‘I’ll have to check my diary to see if I can squeeze you in.’
‘I would appreciate it…thank you.’
‘Dr Hunter, there’s a phone call on line one for you,’ one of the scout nurses informed him. ‘It’s a young woman. She wouldn’t give me her name.’
Amelia saw the flicker of something in his dark eyes before he turned away to address the nurse. ‘Can you put it through to the office next door?’ he asked.
By the time he turned back to Amelia she had a cynical set to her mouth. ‘It hasn’t taken you long to find a replacement, has it?’ she said in an undertone.
‘Last time I checked I was a free man,’ he returned coolly. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me I’d better take that call.’
Amelia watched as he shouldered open the theatre change-room door, his arms now stiffly by his sides.
‘There’s a message for you, Amelia,’ Lucia informed her as soon as she returned from her afternoon tea break later that day. ‘Signora Gravano wants you to call on her this afternoon after your shift finishes, as if you haven’t got enough to do.’
‘It’s all right,’ Amelia said, wondering if the old woman had had another fall and reopened her leg wound. ‘She’s lonely with her daughter living abroad. I’ll go straight there after I finish.’
Once her shift was over Amelia left a message for Rico at the front desk in case he arrived to pick her up before she got back, and made her way to the old lady’s house.
There was no sign of movement at Alex’s cottage although it appeared as if he or someone had done some preliminary work in the garden. The brambles had been trimmed back and the sweet smell of newly cut grass filled her nostrils on the way past.
Signora Gravano didn’t really need her leg redressing but seemed in want of a chat, so Amelia sat with her for a while, all the time trying not to glance at the clock on the wall. Rico wasn’t the most patient of young men and she knew if she didn’t come out on time he would leave without her. There was a bus that took her as far as the turn-off to the cottage, but that still meant a walk of at least five kilometres.
‘I have heard some disturbing rumours I think you should be informed of if you haven’t already heard them,’ Signora Gravano said just as Amelia finally made a move to leave.
‘Oh?’ she said, wondering why the old woman had waited until now to state the real reason for her request to see her. ‘What rumours are they?’
‘People are saying that Prince Alessandro is not dead after all,’ Signora Gravano informed her.
Amelia hoped her face wasn’t showing the panic and dread she was feeling. ‘That seems rather far-fetched,’ she said. ‘I mean, the child’s grave is at the palace for anyone to see.’
‘I know, but there could be another explanation for that—some other child put in his place, for instance.’
‘I suppose that’s a possibility, but you know what these rumours are like. They come and go and are best ignored,’ Amelia said.
‘I have heard the king’s medical advisors noticed a startling similarity to Antonio Fierezza when they were researching the new technique Dr Hunter is pioneering. Dr Hunter’s photograph was in the medical journal they had researched and they began to wonder if he was in some way related to the family.’
Amelia sat back down, not because she wanted to but because her legs were threatening to give way. ‘Is that why he received a royal summons?’ she asked.
‘It makes sense, does it not?’ the old woman said. ‘The king does need heart surgery, of course, but this was a way of bringing Dr Hunter to Niroli to see if the likeness was something that needed further investigation by the royal officials.’
‘It is said we all have a double somewhere in the world,’ Amelia said, trying to put some rationality in place. ‘It’s just one of those things.’
‘Perhaps, but if what they suspect is true, there will be hell to pay.’
Amelia moistened her dry-as-dust mouth. ‘You mean for whomever is responsible?’
‘I would not like to be that person,’ Signora Gravano said, her black eyes suddenly very direct. ‘They have been responsible for a terrible crime for which they have never been charged.’
Amelia forced her shoulders to relax. ‘It is surely a better outcome than the original verdict of murder…I mean, if the prince is in fact still alive…somewhere…’
‘Yes, indeed, but how will the prince feel once he finds out his true identity? His biological parents are dead. He will never have the chance to meet them in person. And what of Prince Marco, who for all this time has grieved the loss of his twin?’
‘I am sure the prince can’t even remember his twin brother,’ Amelia said, recalling her conversation with Alex. ‘He was far too young.’
The old woman grunted. ‘He has lived with his parents’ grief, which would have no doubt affected him and his sisters.’
‘Is Alex Hunter aware of any of this…er…speculation?’
‘I am not sure. He is going to the palace this evening to meet the king. Perhaps the subject will be raised then,’ Signora Gravano said.
‘Someone should prepare him…’ Amelia got to her feet, testing her legs, which still felt watery. ‘It would be unfair to surprise him with this information without some sort of lead up.’
Signora Gravano smiled sagely. ‘That is why I asked you to come, Amelia. You will understand much better than the palace staff about the sensitive nature of this. Dr Hunter should be home by now. Why not go around and talk to him now before he leaves for his meeting with the king?’
Amelia ignored the short cut and made her way past Alex’s hire car to his front door, her hand visibly shaking as she lifted it to the brass knocker.
There was no answer.
She frowned as she looked back at the car parked in the shade. He must be somewhere about. He had finished at the hospital at least two hours ago.
‘Are you looking for me?’ Alex asked from the other side of the front step.
She swung around to face him, her throat closing up at the sight of him dressed in running shorts and T-shirt, the perspiration from his workout plastering the material to his toned body. ‘Er…yes…’ she said. ‘I was hoping to catch you before you left for the palace.’
One of his dark brows rose in an arc above his right eye. ‘Why?’
She shifted from foot to foot. ‘I wanted to speak to you—privately.’
Alex held her anxious gaze for a lengthy moment. She looked tired and he felt a little ashame
d of his attitude earlier. He blew out a breath and motioned for her to go inside. ‘Come on, I’ve got something I need to say to you too.’
He waited until she was seated and with a cold drink in front of her before he took the chair opposite, giving his face a quick rub with a hand towel. ‘So who’s going to go first?’ he asked.
‘I don’t mind.’ She chewed her bottom lip momentarily and added, ‘You can if you like.’
‘Right,’ he said as he pushed the towel to one side. ‘I have an apology to make. I was an idiot last night. Simple as that. No wonder you gave me the heave-o.’ He sent his fingers through the damp thickness of his hair, a small frown beetling his brows. ‘I don’t know why I came on so strong,’ he continued. ‘I know you’re not going to believe this, but it’s really not my style at all.’ He gave her a sheepish look and added, ‘I guess it’s been too long between relationships or something.’
She twisted her mouth wryly. ‘I bet it wasn’t as long as eleven years.’
‘No.’ He laughed lightly. ‘More like eleven months, but long enough to make me a bit trigger-happy.’
‘It’s all right. I understand.’
‘I wish you did.’
‘I do,’ she insisted.
‘Believe me, you don’t.’
‘How do you know what I feel?’ she asked.
He smiled at her then. ‘Yep, that vow of silence would never have worked.’
She started to purse her mouth but thought better of it. ‘I didn’t come here to argue with you,’ she said.
‘Where do you usually go?’
‘Must you make a joke of everything?’ she asked in frustration. ‘I’m trying to be serious here.’
‘So am I, Amelia.’ He reached for the towel once more. ‘Now what did you come all this way to tell me?’
Amelia stared at his right arm as he lifted it to his face to wipe the moisture from his brow, her breath coming to a stumbling halt in her chest.
There was absolutely no sign of a birthmark.
CHAPTER NINE
ALEX put the towel back down and caught her staring at him. ‘Is something wrong?’
‘No…no, nothing.’ Amelia lowered her gaze and focussed on the table separating them. She’d checked his left arm while he’d changed hands to dry off, but it too was clear of any distinctive birthmarks.
‘What did you come here to tell me?’ he asked into the suddenly crackling silence.
‘It was nothing important.’ She got to her feet and pushed in the chair. ‘I should get going. The last bus leaves at six-thirty.’
‘Wait.’ He came around to her side and stalled her with a hand on her arm. ‘Listen, I know this is going to sound really dumb, but would you consider doing me a favour tonight?’
Amelia met his dark gaze, her heart and stomach still both feeling as if they had just performed a complicated gymnastics routine. ‘W-what is it?’
His hand fell away from her arm, his expression turning awkward again. ‘To tell you the truth I’m a bit nervous about going to the palace tonight. I know it’s a lot to ask, but, since you go there all the time, would you consider coming with me tonight sort of as moral support?’
She stared at him for a beat or two, wondering if he was genuine or whether this was another ploy to get her to go out with him. ‘I don’t go there all the time,’ she corrected him.
‘But at least you’ve met the king and the staff and are more or less familiar with the layout of the place.’
‘If you think I believe for even one second that you are intimidated in any way by royalty, you must think me even more gullible than I thought,’ she said. ‘Besides, the royal aides will escort you in and escort you out. Don’t worry—you won’t get lost and end up in a dungeon with chains around your ankles.’
‘What if I strike up a deal with you?’ he said with a little glint in his eyes. ‘If you come with me to the palace I will give you a ride home and visit your father, free of charge. Will he be home tonight?’
Five minutes ago Amelia would not have bought in to his offer, but now, with his arm showing no sign of the birthmark that would have sent her father to prison, she knew she would have to accept. Without that sign there was nothing to connect her father to the disappearance of the prince all those years ago. She wanted her father to see it for himself, to put his fears to rest. Besides, her last glance at her watch had told her the bus would have long gone. A taxi fare was out of the question even if she could convince a driver to take his car up the somewhat perilous section of road.
‘All right,’ she said. ‘It’s a deal. But I will have to stay in the background. I’m still wearing my uniform.’
‘That’s OK.’ He smiled a victor’s smile. ‘I’m only going to be there for ten minutes or so according to the invitation I received. I’ll just grab a quick shower. Make yourself at home.’
Amelia let out her breath once he had gone to the bathroom and wondered if she should still warn him of the suspicions or leave it for him to deal with if and when they were raised during his visit. No doubt the king would be looking closely for the mark that would establish his lost grandson’s identity.How he would do so she couldn’t even hazard a guess. But she reasoned that if, like her, the king saw the clear skin on Alex Hunter’s arm he might not even raise the topic at all, simply treating the visit as the royal summons as which it was originally portrayed. The rumours would hopefully die down and she would then be able to nurse her father to his final rest without the threat of exposure.
Alex came out a few minutes later looking refreshed and smelling of his aftershave, a heady combination of lemons and spice that reminded Amelia of the sun-drenched citrus orchards on the island.
She felt grubby and uncomfortable in her uniform, especially now he was dressed in a dark suit and tie, the crisp whiteness of his shirt highlighting the healthy colour of his skin and the darkness of his eyes. He had shaved, which she assumed he would have to do twice a day to keep that chiselled jaw smooth. Her skin gave a little all-over shiver as she thought about how his mouth had felt on hers, and the gentle but imminently sexy abrasion of his skin as it had moved over the creamy softness of her face.
She watched as he straightened his tie, the movement of his neck indicating it probably wasn’t his preferred choice of dress.
‘Is my tie tucked in at the back?’ he asked, turning around for her to inspect it.
She had to stand on tiptoe to tuck a thin strip of his tie under the collar, her fingers skating over his skin as if they had a mind of their own. ‘There…that’s it,’ she said a little breathlessly.
He turned back around before she could step away, his eyes locking with hers. Amelia felt the air between them begin to tighten as if an invisible force were drawing her inexorably closer to him. She could even feel the sway of her body towards him, her chest brushing against his as his hands came out to hold her steady.
His eyes grew darker as his head came closer, the warmth of his mint-flavoured breath caressing her up-tilted face. She felt her eyelids dropping as his mouth came down, the first brush of his lips on hers setting her alight like a match to a meticulously laid fire. The combustion was instantaneous and enthralling; there was nothing she could do to hold back her response. It consumed her totally, the sensations rushing through her like a hot river of flame.
His tongue came searching for hers, drawing it into an intimate tangle of slow but drugging dance-like movements, each intimate thrust mimicking the pulse of his lower body where it was pressed so close to hers. She could feel the imprint of his maleness, the hard evidence of how his body responded to hers. It excited her to think he was still attracted to her, even though she had done her best to spurn him. It showed he wasn’t going to go down without a fight, that he would throw everything he could at their developing relationship no matter what the cost.
But any cost would be hers, she hastily reminded herself. As thrilling at this sizzling attraction was, it wasn’t going to last beyond a month, not
unless he was prepared to take her with him, which seemed an impossible dream. He had a life in Australia, a busy career, a loving family and a chance to change the world with this pioneering breakthrough in cardiac surgery.
What place could she have in such a life? She had been reared in poverty and shame, her life so far spent in the service of others.
And yet what made this attraction all the more irresistible was she was no longer a young naïve girl hardly out of her teens. She was a fully grown woman now, with needs and desires that could no longer be ignored. She had thrown herself into hard work to distract herself from the emptiness of her existence, but now it seemed as if that lonely existence was crying out for more. She wanted to feel like an attractive woman again. She wanted to be swept up in the magic of emotion and desire.
She wanted Alex Hunter even if she could only have him temporarily…
Alex pulled back reluctantly, his breathing still choppy. ‘Whoa there, princess,’ he said. ‘I’m drifting out of my depth here.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Hey,’ he said, cupping her face so she couldn’t escape his gaze. ‘Don’t be embarrassed. It’s a good thing. In fact it’s a rare thing. I don’t usually lose my head in these types of situations.’
‘I’m sure you’re just saying that.’
‘I wish I was, truly.’ His expression was surprisingly sincere.
‘I don’t know what to say….’ She lowered her gaze, her tongue running over her lips, tasting him, savouring him.
‘Don’t say anything,’ he said. ‘Let’s just take it one step at a time.’
She raised her eyes back to his. ‘I’m frightened, Alex. I don’t want to let things get out of control.’
He let out a sigh and hugged her close. ‘I know you’re frightened, but you don’t need to be. I want you and I intend to have you. Surely you know that by now?’
She leaned back to look up at him, her stomach quivering at the determined promise of his statement. ‘Is that why you’ve been so persistent?’