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CHAPTER THREE

THE prince cleared his throat, breaking the spell. “After spending the day with my daughter, tell me what you’ve learned about her.”

Dottie pulled herself together. The fear that she’d alienated the prince beyond salvaging almost made her forget why she’d come to Hellenica in the first place.

“I’ll give you the bad news first. She has trouble articulating. Research tells us there are several reasons for it, but none of it matters. The fact is, she struggles with this problem.

“Now for the good news. Zoe is exceptionally intelligent with above-average motor and cognitive skills. Her vocabulary is remarkable. She understands prepositions and uses the right process to solve problems, such as in matching. Playing with her demonstrates her amazing dexterity. You saw her handling the balls and jumping rope. She has excellent coordination and balance.

“She follows directions the first time without problem. If you took a good look at that castle, it proves she sees things spatially. Her little mound had a first floor and a second floor, just like the palace. She understands her physical world and understands what she hears. Zoe only has one problem, as I said, but it’s a big one since for the most part she can’t make herself understood to anyone but you and the queen and, I presume to some extent, Sofia.”

Alex nodded. “So that’s why she’s withdrawing from other people.”

“Yes. You’ve told me she’s been more difficult over the past few months. She’s getting older and is losing her confidence around those who don’t have her problem. She’s smart enough to know she’s different and not like everyone else. She wants to avoid situations that illuminate the difference, so she runs away and hides. It’s the most natural instinct in the world.

“Zoe wants to make herself understood. The more she can’t do it, the angrier she becomes, thus the tantrums. There’s nothing wrong with her psychologically that wouldn’t clear up immediately once she’s free to express herself like everyone else does. She pushes people away and clings to you because you love her without qualification. But she knows the rest of the world doesn’t love her, and she’s feeling like a misfit.”

The prince’s sober expression masked a deep fear. She saw it in his eyes. “Can she overcome this?”

“Of course. She needs help saying all her sounds, but particularly the consonants. H‘s and T‘s are impossible for her. Few of her words come out right. Her frustration level has to be off the charts. But with constant work, she’ll talk as well as I do.”

He rubbed the back of his neck absently. “Are you saying you used to have the same problem?”

“I had a worse one. I stuttered so severely, I was the laughingstock of my classes in elementary school. Children are cruel to other children. I used to pretend to be sick so I wouldn’t have to go to school.”

“How did you get through it?” He sounded pained for her.

“My aunt raised me. She was a stickler for discipline and sent me to a speech therapist every weekday, who taught me how to breathe, how to pace myself when I talked. After a few years I stuttered less and less. By high school it only showed up once in a while.

“Zoe has a different problem and needs to work on her sounds every day. If you could be the one encouraging her like a coach, she would articulate correct sounds faster. The more creativity, the better. I’ve brought toys and games you can play with her. While she’s interacting with you, she’ll learn to model her speech after you. Slowly but surely it will come.”

“But you’ll be here, too.”

“Of course. You and I will work with her one on one, and sometimes the three of us will play together. I can’t emphasize enough how much progress she’ll make if you’re available on a regular basis.”

He shifted his weight. “How long do you think this will take?”

“Months to possibly several years. It’s a gradual process and requires patience on everyone’s part. When you feel confident, then another therapist can come in my place and—”

“I hired you,” he interrupted her, underlining as never before that she was speaking to a prince.

“Yes, for the initial phase, but I’m a diagnostician and am needed other places.”

His eyes narrowed on her face. “Is there a man in New York waiting for you to get back to him?”

No. That was a long time ago, she thought sorrowfully. Since then she’d devoted her time to her career. “Why does my personal life have to enter into this discussion?”

“I thought the point was obvious. You’re young and attractive.”

“Thank you. For that matter so are you, Your Highness, but you have more serious matters on your mind. So do I.”

There she went again, speaking her thoughts out loud, offending him right and left. He studied her for a long time. “If it’s money …”

“It’s not. The Institute pays me well.”

“Then?” He left the word hanging in the air.

“There is no then. You have your country to rule over. I have a career. The people with speech problems are my country. But for the time I’m here, I’ll do everything in my power to get this program going for Zoe.”

An odd tension had sprung between them. “Zoe only agreed to stop crying and eat lunch with the queen as long as she could return to the patio to play with you this afternoon,” he said. “She had a better time with you this morning than I think she’s ever had with anyone else.”

Dottie smiled. “You mean besides you. That’s because she was given the nonstop attention every child craves without being negatively judged. Would it be all right with you if she comes to my room for her lessons?”

“After the grilling you gave me, will I be welcome, too?” he countered in a silky voice that sent darts of awareness through her body. The prince was asking her permission after the outspoken way she’d just addressed him?

“I doubt Zoe will stay if you don’t join us. Hopefully in a few days she’ll come to my room, even when you can’t be there. The alcove with the table makes it especially convenient for the games I’ve brought. If you’ll make out a schedule and rules for me to follow, then there won’t have to be so many misunderstandings on my part.”

“Anything else?” She had a feeling he was teasing her now. This side of him revealed his charm and added to the depth of the man.

“Where does her Greek tutor teach her?”

“In the library, but she’s developed an aversion to it and stays in her bedroom.”

“That’s what I used to do. It’s where you can sleep and have no worries. In that room you can pretend you’re normal like everyone else.” Maybe it was a trick of light, but she thought she saw a glimmer of compassion radiate from those black depths. “As for your patio, I think it ought to remain your special treat for her.”

“So do I. Why don’t you go on up to your room. I’ll bring Zoe in a few minutes. Later this evening you’ll join me in the guest dining room near your suite and we’ll discuss how you want to spend your time while you’re in Hellenica when you’re not with my daughter.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Dottie murmured, but she didn’t move because she didn’t know if she’d been dismissed or not. When he didn’t speak, she said, “Do I need to wait for a maid to escort me back to my room?”

His lips twitched, causing her breath to catch at the sight of such a beautiful man whose human side was doing things to her equilibrium without her consent. “Only if you’re afraid you can’t find it.”

She stared into his eyes. “Thank you for trusting me. With work, Zoe’s speech will improve.”

On that note she left his office, feeling his all-seeing gaze on her retreating back. She hurried along the corridor on trembling legs and found the staircase back to the guest suite. Now that she’d discovered she was still employed by him, she was ravenous and ate the lunch she’d left on the tray.

Before he came with Zoe, she set things up to resemble a mini schoolroom; crayons, scissors, paper, building blocks, beads to string, hide-and-seek games, puzzles, sorting games. Flash cards. She’d brought several sets so he could keep a pack on him. All of it served as a device while she helped his daughter with her sounds.

That’s why you’re here, Dottie. It’s the only reason. Don’t ever forget it.

Alex found Dottie already seated in the guest dining room when he joined her that evening. She looked summery in a soft blue crochet top and white skirt that followed the lines and curves of her alluring figure.

He smiled. “May I join you?”

“Of course.”

“You’re sure?”

“I came from New York to try to be of help.”

It wasn’t the answer he’d wanted. In truth, he wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted, but he felt her reserve around him when she wasn’t with Zoe and was determined to get to the bottom of it. He sat down opposite her and within a minute their dinner was served.

Once they were alone again he said, “Whenever you wish to leave the palace, a car and driver will be at your disposal. Hector will arrange it. A bodyguard will always be with you. Hopefully you won’t find my security people obtrusive.”

“I’m sure I won’t. Thank you.” She began eating, but the silence stretched between them. Finally she said, “Could I ask you something without you thinking I’m criticizing you or stepping over the line?”

“Because I’m a prince?”

“Because you’re a prince, a man and a father.” She lifted her fabulous blue eyes to him. “I don’t know which of those three people will be irked and maybe even angered.”

Alex tried to keep a straight face. “I guess we won’t know until I hear your question.”

A sigh came out of her. “When did you stop eating dinner with Zoe as part of your natural routine?”

He hadn’t seen that question coming. “After my wife died, I had to make up for a lot of missed work in my capacity as overseer of the mining industry of our country. Hellenica couldn’t have the high quality of life it enjoys without the revenue paid by other countries needing our resources. It requires constant work and surveillance.

“I spent my weekends with Zoe, but weekdays my hours were long, so she ate dinner with her nannies and my grandmother, who could get around then and spent a lot of her time on Aurum with us. However, I never missed kissing my daughter good-night and putting her to bed. That routine has gradually become the norm.

“With Stasio gone the past six weeks, I’ve had to be here and have been stretched to the max with monarchy business plus my own work.”

“Do you mind if I ask what it is you do for your brother? I’ve often wondered what a crown prince’s daily routine is really like.”

“Let me put it this way. On top of working with the ministers while he runs the complex affairs of our country on a daily basis, Stasio has at least four hundred events to attend or oversee during a year’s time. That’s more than one a day where he either gives a speech, entertains international dignitaries, attends openings or christens institutions, all while promoting the general welfare of Hellenica.”

“It’s very clear his life isn’t his own. Neither is yours, obviously. Where did you go today after our session with Zoe?”

Alex was surprised and pleased she’d given him that much thought. “I had to fly to one of the islands in the north to witness the installation of the new president of the Thracian college and say a few words in Stasio’s place. I should have stayed for the dinner, but I told them I had another engagement I couldn’t miss.” Alex had wanted to eat dinner with her. He enjoyed her company.

“Do you like your work? I know that probably sounds like an absurd question, but I’m curious.”

“Like all work, it has its good and bad moments, but if I were honest I’d have to say that for the most part I enjoy it—very much, in fact, when something good happens that benefits the citizenry. After a lot of work and negotiations, four new hospitals will be under construction shortly. One of them will be a children’s hospital. Nothing could please me more.”

“Does Zoe know about this hospital? Do you share some of the wonderful things you do when you’re with her?”

Her question surprised him. “Probably not as much as I should,” he answered honestly.

“The reason I asked is because if she understood what kinds of things take up your time when you’re away from her, she’d be so proud of you and might not feel as much separation anxiety when you’re apart.”

He looked at her through shuttered eyes. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were a psychiatrist.”

She let out a gentle laugh. “Hardly. You appear to have an incredible capacity to carry your brother’s load as well as your own and still see to your daughter’s needs. I’m so impressed.”

“But?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to. It’s there in your expression. If I ate dinner with my daughter every evening, her speech would come faster.”

“Maybe a little, but I can see you’re already burning the candle at both ends out of concern for your country and necessity. It would be asking too much of you when you’re already making time for her teaching sessions.” She sat back. “I’m so sorry you lost your wife, who must have been such a help to you. It must have been a terrible time for you.”

“It was, but I had Zoe. Her smiling face made me want to get up in the morning when I didn’t think I could.”

Moisture filmed her eyes. “I admire you for the wonderful life you’re giving her.”

“She’s worth everything to me. You do what you have to do. Don’t forget I’ve had a lot of help from family and the staff.”

“Even so, your little Zoe adores you. It means whatever you’re doing is working.” She pushed herself away from the table and got to her feet. “Good night, Your Highness. No, no. Don’t get up. Enjoy that second cup of coffee in peace.

“What with worrying about your grandmother, too, you deserve a little pampering. From my vantage point, no one seems to be taking care of you. In all the fairy tales I read as a child, they went to the castle and lived happily ever after. Until now I never thought about the prince’s welfare.”

Her comment stunned him before she walked out of the dining room.

Two nights later, while Alex was going over a new schedule he’d been working out with his internal affairs minister, a maid came into his office with a message. He wasn’t surprised when he heard what was wrong. In fact he’d half been expecting it.

“If you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Pleased that he’d been able to arrange his affairs so he could eat dinner with Zoe and Dottie from now on, he got up from the desk and headed for Zoe’s bedroom. He heard crying before he opened the door. Poor Sofia was trying to calm his blotchy-faced daughter, who took one look at him and flung herself against his body.

Alex gathered her in his arms. “What’s the matter?” he asked, knowing full well what was wrong. She’d been having the time of her life since Dottie had come to the palace and she didn’t want the fun to stop.

Sofia shook her head. “She was asleep, and then suddenly she woke up with a nightmare. I haven’t been able to quiet her down, Your Highness. She doesn’t want me to help her anymore.”

“I understand. It’s all right. You can retire now. Thank you.”

After she went into the next room, where she’d been sleeping lately, Zoe cried, “I want my mommy.”

She’d never asked for her mother before. From time to time they’d talked about Teresa. He’d put pictures around so she would always know what her mother looked like, but this was different. He pulled one of them off the dresser and put it in her hand. To his shock, she pushed the photo away. “I want Dot. She’s my mommy.”

Alex was aghast. His daughter had shortened Dottie’s name, but the sound that came out would make no sense to anyone except Alex, who understood it perfectly. “No, Zoe. Dottie’s your teacher.”

She had that hysterical look in her eyes. “No—she’s my mommy. Where did she go?”

“Your mommy’s in heaven.”

“No—” She flung her arms around his neck. “Get my mommy!”

“I can’t, Zoe.”

“Has she gone?” The fright in her voice stunned him. Alex grabbed the photograph. “This is your mommy. She went to heaven, remember?” “Is Dot in heaven?”

Obviously his daughter’s dreaming had caused her to awaken confused. “Dottie is your teacher and she went to her room, but she’s not your mommy.”

“Yes, she is.” She nodded. “She’s my new mommy!” she insisted before breaking down in sobs.

New?

“I want her! Get her, Daddy! Get her!” she begged him hysterically.

Feeling his panic growing, he pulled out his cell phone to call Hector.

“Your Highness?”

“Finds Mrs. Richards and tell her to come to Zoe’s suite immediately.”

“I’ll take care of it now.”

Alex could be thankful there was no one more efficient than Hector in an emergency.

When Dottie walked into the room a few minutes later with a book in her hand, his daughter had calmed down somewhat, but was still shuddering in his arms.

“Dot—” Zoe blurted with such joy, Alex was speechless.

“Hi, Zoe. Did you want to say good-night?” “Yes.”

“She thought you were gone,” Alex whispered in an aside.

Dottie nodded. “Why don’t you get in bed and I’ll read you a story. Then I have to go to bed, too, because you and I have a big day planned for tomorrow, don’t we?”

Zoe’s lips turned up in a smile. “Yes.”

Like magic, his daughter crawled under the covers. Dottie pulled up a chair next to the bed. “This is the good-night book. See the moon on the cover? When he’s up there, everyone goes to sleep. Freddie the frog stops going ribbbbbit and says good-night.” Zoe laughed.

Dottie turned the page. “Benny the bee stops buzzzzing and says good-night.” She showed each page to his daughter who was enchanted. “Charlie the cricket stops chirrrping and says good-night. Guess who’s on the last page?” Zoe didn’t know. Dottie showed it to her. There was a mirror. “It’s you! Now you have to say good-night.”

Zoe said it.

“Let’s say the g again. Mr. G is a grumpy letter.” Zoe thought that was hilarious. “He gets mad.” She made a face. “Let’s see if we can get as mad as he does. We have to grit our teeth like this. Watch my mouth and say grrr.”

Alex was watching it. To his chagrin he’d been watching it on and off for several days. After half a dozen tries Zoe actually made the grrr sound. He couldn’t believe it. In his astonishment his gaze darted to Dottie, but she was focused on his daughter.

“You sounded exactly like Mr. G, Zoe. That was perfect. Tomorrow night your father will read it to you again. Now Dot has to go to sleep. I’ll leave the book with you.” She slipped out of the room, leaving the two of them alone.

Zoe clasped it to her chest as if it were her greatest treasure. Alex’s eyes smarted because lying before him was his greatest treasure. She fell asleep within minutes. As soon as she was out, he left the room knowing Sofia was sleeping in the adjacent room and would hear her if she woke up.

He strode through the palace, intending to talk to Dottie before she went to bed. Hector met him as he was passing his grandmother’s suite on his way to the other wing.

“The queen wants to see you before she retires.”

His brows lifted. “You wouldn’t by any chance be spying on me for her, would you, Hector?”

“I have never spied on you, Your Highness.”

“You’ve been spying for her since the day Stasi and I were born, but I forgive you. However, Stasi might not be so forgiving once he’s crowned, so remember you’ve been warned. Tell the queen I’ll be with her in ten minutes.”

He continued on his way to Dottie’s apartment. After he knocked, she called out, “Yes?”

“It’s Alex.”

The silence that followed was understandable. He’d never used his given name with her before, or given his permission for her to use it. But considering the amount of time they’d been spending together since her arrival at the palace, it seemed absurd to say anything else now that they were alone. “Would you be more willing to answer me if I’d said it’s Zoe’s father, or it’s your Royal Highness?”

He thought he heard her chuckle before she opened the door a couple of inches. “I was on the verge of crawling into bed.”

Alex could see that. She’d thrown on a pink toweling robe and was clutching the lapels beneath her chin. “I need to talk frankly with you. Zoe has decided you’re her new mommy. She got hysterical tonight when I tried to tell her otherwise.”

“I know. She’s told me on several occasions she wishes I were her mother. This happens with some of my youngest students who don’t have one. It’s very normal. I just keep telling them I’m their teacher. You need to go on telling her in a matter-of-fact way that Princess Teresa was her mommy.”

“I did that.”

“I know. I saw the photograph and see a lot of the princess’s beauty in Zoe. What’s important here is that if you don’t fight her on it, she’ll finally get the point and the phase will pass after a while.”

“That’s very wise counsel.” He exhaled the breath he’d been holding. “You made a breakthrough with her tonight.”

“Yes. I’ve wanted her to feel confident about one sound and now it has happened.”

“How did you know she would do it?”

“I didn’t, but I hoped. Every success creates more success.”

Talking through the crack in the door added a certain intimacy to their conversation, exciting him. “Her success is going to help me sleep tonight.”

“I’m glad. Just remember a total change isn’t going to happen overnight. Her vowels are coming, but G is only one consonant out of twenty-one. Putting that sound with the rest of a word is the tricky part.”

“Tricky or not, she mimicked you perfectly and the way you read that book had her spellbound.”

“There was only one thing wrong with it.”

“What’s that?” He found himself hanging on her every word, just like his daughter.

“It didn’t have a page that said the prince stopped rrrrruling and said good-night.”

Alex broke into full-bodied laughter.

Her eyes smiled. “If you’ll forgive me, you should do that more often in front of Zoe, Your Highness.”

“What happened to Alex? That is my name.”

“I realize that.”

“Before I leave, I wanted you to know that I’ve worked things out with my internal affairs minister so I can eat dinner with my daughter every night. From now on he’ll take care of the less important matters for me during that time period.”

“Zoe’s going to be ecstatic!” she blurted, displaying the bubbly side of her nature that didn’t emerge as often as he would have liked to see.

“I hope that means you’re happy about it, too, since you’ll be joining us for our meals. Good night, Dottie.”

“Good night, Alex.”

She shut the door on him before he was ready to leave. After being with her, he wasn’t in the mood to face his grandmother. As he made his way back to her suite, he thought about his choice of words. The only time he’d ever faced the queen was when he’d been a boy and had a reason to feel guilty about something.

Tonight he had a strong hunch what she wanted to discuss with him. After Zoe’s nightmare, now he knew why. If she’d told Yiayia that Dottie was her new mommy, nothing would have enraged his grandmother more. She would have told Zoe never to speak of it again, but that wouldn’t prevent his daughter from thinking it in her heart.

Until the phase passed, Dottie had said.

What if it didn’t? That’s what disturbed Alex.

Zoe’s insistence that Dottie was her new mommy only exacerbated his inner conflict where the speech therapist was concerned. Since he’d peered into a pair of eyes as blue as the flowers fluttering in the breeze around the palace in Aurum, he couldn’t get her out of his mind.

In truth he had no business getting physically involved with someone he’d hired. He certainly didn’t need the queen reminding him of what he’d already been telling himself—keep the relationship with Mrs. Richards professional and enjoy the other women he met when he left the country for business or pleasure.

Too bad for his grandmother that he saw through her machinations and had done so from an early age. She always had another agenda going. Since Teresa’s funeral, she’d been busy preparing the ground with the House of Helvetia. But until Stasi married, she was biding her time before she insisted Alex take Princess Genevieve of Helvetia to wife for the growth and prosperity of the kingdom.

Lines darkened his face. The queen would have to bide away forever because Stasi would be the only one doing the growing for the Constantinides dynasty. He was the firstborn, Heaven had picked him to rule Hellenica. Ring out the bells.

Alex had a different destiny and a new priority that superseded all else. He wanted to help his daughter feel normal, and that meant coaching her. With Dottie’s help, it was already happening. She understood what was going on inside Zoe. Her story about her own stuttering problem had touched him. He admired her strength in overcoming a huge challenge.

His first order of business was to talk to Stasio tonight. His brother needed to come home now! With Alex’s work schedule altered, he could spend the maximum amount of time with Zoe and Dottie throughout the day. It was going to work, even though it meant dealing with his ministers in the early morning hours and late at night when necessary.

Once Stasio was home, Alex would move back to the island of Aurum, where he could divide his attention between helping Zoe and doing the work he’d been overseeing for the country since university. With Dottie installed and a palace staff and security waiting on them, Zoe couldn’t help but make great strides with her speech and he’d convince Dottie she couldn’t leave yet.