The Surgeon and the Princess

by Karin Baine

  ‘I slipped.’ She sounded pathetic and knew she looked even more so, sprawled here with her stump on show for the world to see.

  ‘I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Did you hurt yourself?’ He knelt beside her in the puddle of water. The genuine look of concern on his face as he brushed the wet strands of hair out of her eyes made her want to weep. She loathed seeing sympathy on people’s faces yet at the same time she was desperate for someone to see, to realise, what she was going through inside. To confide those feelings in anyone meant trusting again and she wasn’t ready for that. She could only stay strong if she listened to herself and didn’t rely on others for her happiness.

  ‘It’s nothing serious. I’ve felt worse.’ The dark humour was supposed to cover her uncharacteristic bout of self-pity but she could sense her chin wobbling and giving the game away. If Ed showed her any more compassion there was every chance she’d fling her arms around him and cry on his shoulder. The whole scene was mortifying and she was tempted to roll over and let the water claim her.

  ‘This is why I told you not to come here alone. For your own safety.’ He reached over to grab a few of the towels and covered her body to keep her warm. Oh, yeah, she was lying here in her wet underwear too. Honestly, she didn’t think she could’ve done a better job of humiliating herself if she’d tried.

  ‘I know... I’m sorry.’ She hiccupped, fighting the sobs trying to burst out of her throat.

  ‘All you had to do was ask, Georgiana, and I would’ve come with you.’ The words came out on a sigh, so it sounded less of a scolding and more like disappointment in her. That made it so much worse.

  ‘I know... I’m sorry,’ she repeated. Really, what more could she say? This was her fault, not his. All because of her stubborn pride.

  She tried to sit up but Edward was having none of it.

  ‘Stay still until I’ve checked you over.’

  ‘I’m sure I’ll be fine,’ she insisted as he gently felt her head for signs of injury.

  ‘There’s no sign of any blood and I don’t see any abrasions. Did you lose consciousness at any time?’

  ‘No. I don’t feel sick or have any problems with my vision either. I’m pretty sure I don’t have a concussion.’ She was able to diagnose herself even if he wouldn’t take her word for it.

  ‘It doesn’t mean you couldn’t develop symptoms later. I’ll get you an ice pack to stop any swelling developing and you can rest up in my office for a while where I can keep an eye on you.’

  ‘I don’t need looking after. I can manage on my own.’ She struggled to sit up to prove her point but Ed didn’t budge from her side.

  ‘What is your problem? Why are you so against anyone helping you? Or is it just me?’

  With his piercing eyes locked onto her, Georgiana had nowhere to hide from his questions. He had every right to be annoyed with her. She’d kept him up all night, ignored his warning about coming here alone and now he was the one left picking up the pieces. That was how she saw herself now—broken pieces of the woman she used to be and someone who could never be repaired. Not that she could voice any of that to him when it sounded so pathetic.

  Unfortunately, those emotions she’d been supressing for so long bubbled to the surface because of this one act of kindness. Instead of giving him an answer or a snappy comeback to cover her embarrassment, she burst into messy, ugly tears.

  * * *

  ‘Georgiana? I didn’t mean to upset you. Sorry. Please don’t cry.’ Ed thought he couldn’t feel any worse than he had when he’d seen her lying on the floor in pain. Now he’d made this strong, seemingly fearless Amazon sob into his chest by shouting at her.

  She seemed so fragile and vulnerable in his arms and, though he liked having her there, he hated the idea of her being so upset. Georgiana wasn’t a woman who showed her emotions easily. Unless it was to express her dislike towards him. Although now he was beginning to wonder if he’d got that wrong about her too.

  He should’ve been keeping a closer eye on her. Instead he’d had his head buried in paperwork for a cause he was having difficulty getting off the ground. If Georgiana had been anyone else here he would’ve insisted on being involved in their training regime but there was something about her that made him go against all his instincts. He could tell she needed to do things on her own but he shouldn’t have let that compromise her safety.

  Now she was hurt and embarrassed, desperately trying to cover her leg as though he hadn’t already seen it. Naturally it bothered him to see it but from a personal point of view, not for any aesthetic reason. It was an indication of the amount of suffering she’d gone through. Something he’d probably never be able to understand. She was such a strong individual but one slip on a wet tile seemed to have broken her and he knew she’d hate for him to witness it. He had a strong-minded younger brother who was just as determined to manage his disability on his own. Jamie’s spina bifida was something he and the family had lived with for his entire life, so Ed knew that sometimes the smallest upset could cause a setback. He was always there to make sure that didn’t happen.

  ‘Shh. It’s all right,’ he soothed, his arm around her, holding her tight to him. ‘Everything’s going to be all right.’

  Georgiana continued to weep into his chest, silently now but with no less sorrow.

  In different circumstances he was sure she’d jump on that, demanding to know how things could possibly be all right when she wasn’t about to grow her leg back, but for now she seemed content to let him placate her.

  Eventually her shoulders stopped heaving with the effort of crying and she withdrew from him.

  ‘I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. Shame probably.’ She wiped away the tears and offered up a heartbreaking half-smile, trying to dismiss everything he’d just seen.

  ‘There is absolutely no need to be ashamed about anything. Nor do you have to keep pushing me away, Georgiana. I know what your injuries are. I deal with similar every day.’ He saw her flinch at the acknowledgement but if that was holding her back from accepting help, they had to address it.

  ‘It—it’s something I’m still struggling to accept myself,’ she admitted through stuttering gulps of breath.

  ‘I know we haven’t got off to the best start, but I’m being honest when I say I want to help speed your recovery as much as I can.’

  It was true. This mission might have started as a favour to her mother but Ed genuinely wanted to help Georgiana. He knew the hardship involved for those with mobility issues. His brother Jamie’s fight had affected the whole family. That was why he did what he did here. To give every patient, every family, the chance to reach their full potential.

  The clinic could give her a boost physically and, given tonight’s outburst, she needed a friend to get her through this. Though he was sure she’d never say as much. Her pride and obstinacy had got her this far but there was a chance it could prevent her progressing any further. He recognised something of himself in her. That determination to do everything herself was in line with the responsibilities he shouldered with his family. It was better for him to be on his own dealing with everything than put the burden on anyone else’s shoulders.

  Perhaps that was why she’d been on his mind since their fraught first meeting. He’d watched her work out to the point of exhaustion, sweat trickling down the back of her neck. Yet she’d carried on because she knew that was what it would take to meet her eventual goal. He was a hypocrite for warning her about burning herself out when he’d have acted exactly the same way.

  Not many would’ve managed his workload, balancing a successful, demanding career while caring for his loved ones. He did because he saw no other choice. At least, not one he cared to entertain. Like Georgiana, he didn’t want strangers getting involved and taking over his duties. He managed and though committing his time to her too was going to put further strain on him, he’d do it
. Because she needed him. He’d never turn down someone in trouble when he had the capacity to help and potentially change her life for the better with his work here.

  Anything else that drew him to her—those troubled brown-green eyes, her fierce spirit and her blatant disregard for anything he said—were extraneous. Yes, the quicker they were able to get Georgiana to the level of fitness and recovery she was happy with, the better. Then he had no need to see her again or keep her on his list of people to care about.

  * * *

  Georgiana didn’t know how long they’d been sitting on the wet floor but it was the most comforted she’d been since her operation. It was probably the only time she’d let anyone hold her, much less see her cry. She didn’t know why he was different. Perhaps it was simply because he was there when she was at her lowest or that he didn’t shy away from her when she barked at him. Most likely it was because on some level he seemed to understand what she was going through. He wasn’t pushing her to talk the way everyone else did.

  She supposed he’d seen a lot of people in her situation and she wasn’t anything special to him. Yet he was here, pretending this was perfectly normal behaviour. Not for her it wasn’t and, regardless of his poolside manner, she knew she’d come to regret this whole scene. This was the opposite of surviving on her own.

  ‘I should get changed. I’ve taken up way too much of your time. I’m sure you have someone waiting up for you at home, cursing me up and down.’ As soon as she withdrew from his body heat she began to shiver uncontrollably.

  ‘I’ll grab your things for you. You can change where you’re sitting. I promise I won’t look.’ He was joking around with her, easing the intensity of the situation. It didn’t escape her attention that he’d avoided confirming or denying if he had anyone to go home to.

  Edward collected some extra towels, her clothes and, to her horror, her prosthetic. Technically it counted as one of her ‘things’ and he wouldn’t think anything of it, but she’d never get used to treating it as casually as any other accessory.

  ‘Thanks.’ She took the pile from him and set it beside her, her leg balancing on the top.

  True to his word, Edward turned away and put some distance between them. The changing room wasn’t far but getting there would’ve been another humiliation too far.

  ‘We should arrange a proper timetable so we know where we both stand. If you let me know what nights you want to come, I can make the arrangements.’ He kept talking as he walked, preventing any awkward silence as she dried and attached her leg.

  ‘I was thinking of coming most nights if that’s possible? I know that’s asking a lot of you.’

  ‘No. That’s fine. Same time? Same exit strategy?’ Georgiana could hear the smile in his voice and was glad he was comfortable enough to make fun of her. So many tiptoed around her it was insulting. She’d lost a limb, not her sense of humour or any IQ points.

  ‘As long as you remember to bring your invisibility cloak for me. Oh, you might want to pop a mattress in the back of the car too.’ She only realised how that sounded as she pulled her top on.

  ‘Excuse me? I know things have thawed between us but I’m not that kind of guy.’ A shocked Edward was peering back at her when she popped her head through her hoodie.

  She was certain he was exactly that kind of guy but she was horrified her jokey remark could be construed as some sort of sleazy come-on.

  ‘I didn’t mean... I was talking about for in here in case I fell again.’ The end of this night couldn’t come a second too soon. At this point in time she just wanted to get into bed, pull the covers over her and forget how big a fool she’d repeatedly made of herself tonight.

  Silence. Then to her relief he laughed, a deep hearty chuckle that echoed around the room and caught her in the midst of its warm embrace.

  ‘Edward!’ she scolded but she was relieved he was teasing her rather than offended by her unintentional advances.

  ‘Ed, please. Edward’s so formal. Only business acquaintances give me the full first-name treatment.’ He came over and stretched out a hand to help her up to a standing position. Usually she would refuse, to make a point, but they were past that now. She accepted his hand graciously.

  ‘Thank you, Ed.’

  ‘Does this mean I can call you Georgie now?’

  ‘Definitely not.’

  * * *

  He insisted on taking her to his office, stopping to retrieve an ice pack on the way. Georgiana couldn’t believe the sight she was greeted with on opening the office door.

  ‘Excuse the mess. I’m working on something.’ Ed made an attempt to tidy away the papers littering his desk and the floor but she’d seen enough for the guilt to surface.

  ‘You should’ve said you were swamped with paperwork. I’d never have dreamed of taking you away from work if I’d known.’ Not that she’d given him a chance to explain he didn’t have time to entertain her tonight. Looking back, she’d dictated what he was doing and at what time. Perhaps she’d inherited a smidgen of that self-centred streak from her parents after all.

  ‘It’s fine. Take a seat. It’s just a charity idea I’m working on. Nothing that can’t wait.’ He pulled a chair over for her and placed the ice pack gently on the back of her head where she’d hit the floor.

  Georgiana flinched as the cold compress met the tender area on her scalp. ‘What’s the charity? Is this something the clinic is championing?’

  ‘No, it’s a personal venture of mine. A children’s charity for young amputees. New limbs aren’t dished out as and when they’re needed. There’s a budget, a limit on what these kids can have. Generally, that means nothing fancy and it certainly doesn’t cover sports blades or water limbs. The government, much the same as my business partner, tends to deal in figures rather than human stories.’ He handed her a sheaf of papers with the smiling faces of children beaming out from the stark white sheets of A4.

  ‘These are patients of yours?’

  ‘Some. Others are possible candidates who could benefit from the scheme. Not everyone can afford private healthcare, but I want this available to all. If we can get the funding. I have a list of potential donors but I’m having trouble finding somewhere willing to host a gala dinner where I can present my ideas and secure some business sponsors. Not everyone wants to support a worthy cause if they’re not making money from it themselves.’

  Georgiana watched disappointment gradually cloud the absolute joy that had been on Ed’s face when he was talking about the subject. It seemed such a shame for the whole thing to stall at the start line when such a great idea could do so much good. She’d seriously underestimated this man and his good intentions. It put her to shame when she was in a position of some influence and chose to hide rather than help the less fortunate as Ed was doing. Although she wasn’t ready to put herself out there personally, there was something she could do to contribute and to pay him back for his generosity and compassion towards her. It apparently hadn’t crossed his mind to ask her for help or even advice on the subject.

  ‘Why don’t I ask my parents if you could host the event at the palace? I’m sure they’d be happy to contribute in some way even if it is just to donate the use of the ballroom for one night.’

  ‘Do you think so? That would be amazing. Thank you so much. I can give you all the information you need to convince them.’ He began to scoop up armfuls of papers in preparation.

  Georgiana laughed at his childlike enthusiasm, though it was pleasing to see him so passionate for the cause he’d chosen to support. Not many put themselves out for others. Especially when they had a workload as big as he apparently had. ‘I’m sure knowing it’s your brainchild will be enough supporting evidence for my mother to give the go-ahead. I’ll run it past her tomorrow and let you know.’

  ‘Thank you so much. You don’t know how much this means to me.’ Judging by the width of his smile, she ha
d a fair idea. It also gave her a little glow inside to know she’d contributed to something positive. The first time since her return home.

  As they made their way back out to Ed’s car, Georgiana had a real sense of making progress tonight. This was the extra push she needed to truly get back everything she’d lost and she was grateful a persistent Ed had stumbled across her in the palace after all.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ED KICKED HIS chair out from his desk and stretched with a yawn.

  ‘Did your princess keep you up all night?’ Giles was standing in the doorway, grinning at having caught him in a rare moment of visible fatigue.

  ‘Something like that.’ He lifted his coffee cup and took a sip only to find he’d let it go cold.

  ‘I don’t suppose you’re going to admit to taking too much on with this?’

  Ed looked enviously at the mug Giles was cradling in his hands, steam curling up into the air and wafting the smell of freshly ground coffee beans towards his nostrils.

  ‘Never,’ he insisted, regardless that he was so tired he could have slept where he was sitting. Giles didn’t need to know what had happened last night with Georgiana. He’d only worry they’d get sued by the royal family for health and safety violations. Although, he doubted she’d want anyone to know about her tumble when she was embarrassed enough that he’d been there to witness it.

  In a way he was glad he had been there, not only to help her, but to provide the emotional support she so clearly needed too.

  Besides, it wasn’t Georgiana’s fault he was so tired today. What was supposed to have been a brief stop at his parents’ house had gone on longer than expected when he’d discovered some loose carpeting at the top of their stairs. He wouldn’t have slept at all for worrying if he hadn’t taken the time to nail it back in place. If either of them had tripped and fallen he’d never have forgiven himself.