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
