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 fault. 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
