had to admit that he was very tired.
He led the way through the quiet corridors of the palace, Nell and Jacob arm in arm behind him. As he ushered them through one of the back doors and across the small courtyard towards the neat row of cottages used by palace employees, he wondered whether she’d be quite as gentle and understanding when Jacob was no longer within earshot.
It took Celeste a while to answer the door, and when she did so she was bleary-eyed, pulling on her dressing gown. Looking after Jacob was becoming a twenty-four-hour-a-day task for her, and she’d clearly been fast asleep when Hugo had texted her to say that Jacob was with him. He waved away her apologies and said goodnight, hearing Nell’s voice behind him echoing the sentiment.
The door closed and he turned to Nell, watching as the smile slipped from her face. That capable, no-nonsense expression didn’t fail to send a tingle down his spine, even if he was far too tired to make the best of whatever conflict was brewing.
‘So, Jacob wanders at night?’ She walked next to him back across the courtyard.
‘Yes. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say anything about it.’
He couldn’t see the flash of her eyes in the darkness, but imagined it there. ‘This place is full of secrets, isn’t it? How long do you think you can cover this up?’
‘I don’t need very long. Before I went into hospital, I was talking to Celeste about getting a carer for him at night so that she could get some sleep. I contacted her after I was taken ill and she said that things were okay and she was managing on her own.’ He turned the corners of his mouth down. Clearly things hadn’t been okay, and Celeste had just not wanted him to worry.
‘Celeste’s his daughter?’
‘Yes. Jacob came to work here at the palace when he was sixteen, it’s the only home he knows. My father’s always said that he and Celeste have a place here for as long as they want.’
‘So why all the secrecy?’ Nell frowned, clearly bothered by it.
‘When he heard that Jacob had been wandering at night, my father went to see Celeste and mentioned to her that a nursing home might be the right place for Jacob, and offered to pay the bills. Celeste took that as a royal command...’
‘But he was really just trying to help.’ Nell gave Hugo’s father the benefit of the doubt. Maybe Hugo should, too.
‘I’m sure he was. But Celeste doesn’t think it’s the right thing for Jacob and neither do I. Like I said, this is his only home and he’d be even more disorientated than he is now in a new place.’
‘Okay. Let me get this clear.’ Nell stopped suddenly in the middle of the courtyard, and Hugo felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. They were in full view of the palace, and he didn’t take anonymity for granted the way that Nell obviously did. He saw a light flip on, and then back off again. Probably nothing.
‘Your father thinks that the best place for Jacob is a nursing home, and you think it’s best for him to stay here.’ Hugo dragged his attention back to what Nell was saying. ‘So instead of talking to him about it, you’re going to get a night carer in, see if that works and then tell your father about it.’
When she put it like that it didn’t sound the best way of doing things. But then Nell didn’t know his father. ‘Yes. That’s essentially it.’
She held up her hands in a gesture of resignation. ‘Okay. You have an agency in mind, where you can get this carer?’
‘Yes...’ Hugo had wondered how he was going to break the news to her that tomorrow he’d be busy making those arrangements.
‘Right. Give the details to me. I can do an assessment of Jacob and talk to Celeste about what she thinks is best in the morning, and we’ll get things moving. If we can get someone in for tomorrow night, then Celeste can get some sleep and think better about her long-term options.’
Her tone brooked no argument, which was generally like a red rag to a bull where Hugo was concerned. But Nell was right. And although he’d only known Nell for a matter of hours, he trusted her. She’d take good care of his old friend.
‘Thank you. I’d appreciate that.’ He started to walk towards the back door of the palace, where they’d be out of sight of anyone who happened to be traversing one of the rear corridors.
‘That, of course, is dependent on your not taking advantage of my being busy elsewhere to do something you shouldn’t.’ Nell caught up with him.
‘Of course.’ He opened the door for her and she walked through.
‘I’d feel happier if you said it.’
He could see her face now, shining in the dim light of the corridor. A little humour mixed with the kind of determined compassion that he reckoned must make her a very good doctor.
‘My mother’s intending to cheer me up over lunch tomorrow. You can hand her the keys to the ball and chain if you want.’ Nell raised her eyebrows and he sighed. ‘If you’d be good enough to see Jacob in the morning, you have my word of honour that I’ll rest.’
A stab of guilt accompanied the thought that he’d been a little hard on Nell. For the last two weeks, he’d gritted his teeth and submitted as gracefully as he could to the authority of his doctors and nurses and the limitations his own labouring heart had put on him. Yesterday morning, when he’d arrived back at the palace, he’d resolved to leave all that behind. He had to get back to normal as quickly as possible if he was to achieve the goals he’d set himself.
None of that had anything to do with Nell, though. She had a job to do, and when she smiled at him, everything else seemed to retreat back into obscurity.
‘Thank you.’ She gave him a now we’re getting somewhere smile. Maybe they were.
HUGO LOOKED RESTED and relaxed. Like someone who had spent yesterday in his apartment doing nothing in particular while Nell assessed Jacob and made all the arrangements for a carer to come and help Celeste. Which was just as Nell wanted things to be.
But today was sure to bring new challenges. Hugo had wished her a good morning, and Nell had responded by picking up his car keys and giving him a lecture about staying within his limits. Ted, his bodyguard, had flashed her a quiet smile and got into the front passenger seat of Hugo’s car, while she fiddled with the driver’s seat, pulling it forward.
‘Remember to drive on the left.’ Hugo’s quiet voice had sounded from the back of the car, and she’d ignored him, slipping off her high sandals and starting the car.
Ted directed her through the morning traffic to a large house, set back from the road and gleaming white in the sunshine. She’d followed the ushers’ signals and parked the car between two others, which would have cost her the approximate value of her own flat had she been careless enough to scratch them.
‘You look very nice.’ Hugo bent towards her as they walked together to the circle of awnings laid out behind the house.
‘Thank you.’ On the basis that she couldn’t compete with anyone
