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He started to talk but she shook her head. ‘Forget it. You’re busy. I get it. I’ll just see you at the hospital in the afternoon like we planned.’
They were walking behind a high hedge and turned a corner and she let out a little gasp. ‘Wow.’
The gardens were split level. ‘Left or right?’ he asked.
Beneath them on one side looked like the oriental gardens, even in the dark night she could see the outline of a pagoda, an arched bridge and hear the sounds of waterfalls. On the other side was a large maze. In the dark it looked quite ominous.
‘Let’s go to the right,’ she said. ‘Show me around the oriental gardens.’
‘Chicken,’ he teased as he led her down the steps towards the gardens.
She shook her head. ‘Not at all. I just think the oriental gardens look interesting.’
There was only one old-fashioned lamp post at the entrance to the oriental gardens casting a dim light on the path before them. He walked her slowly around the large gardens. Under the stars she could see the pagoda was painted red and gold with intricate styling. The light dusting of snow made it look even more magical.
Philippe showed her the Kwanzan cherry trees, the bamboo, flowering plums and Japanese black pine. He led her across one of the bridges and stopped in the middle, looking down into the dark pond beneath them. ‘I’m not sure if you can see but the pond is full of koi—they’re known as the fish of emperors.
Arissa bent forward for a better look. ‘If there’s snow falling, isn’t it too cold for them?’ she asked. The water rippled as she caught a flick of an orange tail just beneath them.
He nodded. ‘When it’s cold they tend to gather just under the bridge where it gives more shelter. But we never usually have any problems with them. They’re hardy little creatures.’
He moved his arm from her shoulders and took her by the hand, leading her around the pond edges, pointing out the weeping willow trees and water lilies. Eventually the path led them back to the entrance.
He nodded ahead. ‘Okay, have you managed to work up enough courage yet for the maze?’
She put one hand on her hip. ‘I’ve got the feeling you’ll have a distinct advantage here. You’ve grown up with this maze. You could probably go through it blindfolded.’
He opened his mouth in teasing horror. ‘Were you spying on me when I was a kid?’
‘Hardly.’ She pressed her lips together for a second. She had to say something. She wasn’t sure when else she would get the opportunity. ‘I didn’t know anything about you, Philippe, because I didn’t generally read about princes when I was a kid.’
The air was still around them. He looked down for a second. It was clear he knew where this would be heading. ‘Arissa...’ he started, letting his voice trail off.
She stepped forward and gave a little shake of her head, pressing her hand to his chest. She wasn’t afraid to touch him. She wasn’t afraid of familiarity. But she had to let him know how she felt.
‘You worked with me for nearly two weeks, Philippe. You never said a word. I felt foolish when you finally told me you were a prince.’
He sighed and nodded his head, waiting a few seconds before lifting his gaze to meet hers. ‘I didn’t want to ruin anything.’
‘With the truth?’
It was obvious he was frustrated. ‘I wasn’t there to be a prince. I wasn’t even there to be a doctor. I went to Temur Sapora for a rest—but you know how that turned out.’ He held out his hands. ‘I had two weeks of unplanned nothingness. Two weeks to get my head around what had happened here, and the role I was coming back to. Changes have been needed for years, and, although I’ve always known that, I’ve never really known where to start. The last few months have made me realise it has to be maternity services. It goes hand in hand with the safe haven work.’ He stopped and reached up and ran his hands through her curls. ‘And then, there was you.’
He gave her a smile that warmed her all the way to her toes.
‘Me?’ All of a sudden it was difficult to swallow.
‘You. Arissa Cotter. Mrs No Nonsense. Mrs Plans. The woman with a fantastic career path at her feet, but still having a commitment to, and love for the place you came from.’
The edges of her lips turned upwards. ‘Isn’t that normal?’
He moved his hand to her shoulder. ‘Maybe. It’s normal for you. And it’s normal for me. But for lots of other people...’ He shook his head. ‘Lots of other people just seem to want to leave their past and home behind them. Like ancient history.’
She took a few seconds to answer. ‘But I love my home.’
‘And that’s part of what I love about you.’
She froze. She knew it was just a figure of speech but she couldn’t help but instantly be a little scared. Love was a big word to say around someone.
Philippe didn’t seem to notice her tensing. He just kept talking, his hand drifting back to tangle in her hair. ‘But it wasn’t just that. You seemed to like spending time with me, just being me. Not a prince. Not someone who could help change in their country. And I liked that.’ He stopped for a second, his gaze locking with hers. ‘Because the truth is, for me, that’s different. The last few months working in Corinez? People treat me like I’m some kind of special event—not a real doctor. But working with you in Temur Sapora? I loved the anonymity. I loved the fact I was just Philippe. Nothing else. Because here, in Corinez, I never get to just be Philippe. They want Prince Philippe. They don’t want me.’ He put his hand to his chest again. ‘All my life that’s who I’ve been, that’s who I’ll always be. I’ve never had the chance to just be Philippe. Coming to Temur Sapora was the first time in thirty years I’ve had that opportunity.’
He let out a wry laugh. ‘And maybe I’ve got this all wrong, but I think you quite liked Philippe.’
She stood very still for a minute, letting her breath steam in the air between them. She was trying hard to understand what kind of life he’d led. The pressure put on him. Things she’d never once in a lifetime thought about—never had reason to.
She reached up and touched his face. ‘You’re different here. I noticed it from the second you stepped off the plane. Here, you’re Prince Philippe. I thought I already knew you, but I guess I only know part of you.’
He shook his head. ‘That’s not true. The person at the clinic, the person who tried to cook you dinner, the person who swam in the ocean with you. That’s me. That’s who I am. You know the real Philippe.’
She shook her head and gave a sad kind of smile. Her heart felt a little heavy. ‘For me to get to know you, I need to know all of you—not just the person you want me to see.’
She could sense he was getting anxious. He thudded his hand against his heart. ‘This is the real me. You know me. You met me back on Temur Sapora.’
But she shook her head again. ‘I met part of you. Not all of you.’ She held out her hands. ‘This is the place where you feel most at home. This is where you lived your life and grew up. I know and liked Philippe Aronaz. I’ve still to make my mind up about Prince Philippe of Corinez.’
She tipped her head to one side. ‘You might not know this, but you have a bit of a reputation as being a playboy. Or being on—’ she put her fingers in the air ‘—“the most eligible royals in the world” list.’
He visibly cringed. ‘I hate all that stuff.’
‘There’s a world of pictures out there, Philippe, of you with a gorgeous girl wearing million-dollar jewellery and clothes on your arm. Lots of girls.’
He leaned forward and caught her face with his hands. ‘But you are more beautiful than all of them.’
She shook her head. ‘But that’s not me. That won’t ever be me. I want to keep doing the job that I love and keep my head down. I don’t want to be photographed. I don’t want my life picked apart by nosey reporters. I don’t want to be one of “th
ose” people who court the media. I’m not sure that part of your life will ever change. And I wouldn’t ask you to change your life for me. This, this is your destiny.’
There was silence for a few seconds, because both of them knew that was true.
He spoke slowly, his words almost pleading. ‘But you’re here, now. You came halfway around the world with me. For a guy you met in a clinic two weeks ago. That must mean something. Don’t give up on something before it’s even started. You came here to help me work. Let’s do it. Help me. Be a part of the changes I want to make here.’
She could see the enthusiasm emanating from every part of him and it made her ache. From the second she’d looked down from her window tonight, a little part of her had worried.
Things were different here, and, even though she’d expected them to be, it was only now starting to sink in.
She couldn’t ever get back the guy she’d kissed and swum in the ocean with. No matter how much she wanted him.
She had no job to go to right now. It made sense to stay here. But the more time she spent in Philippe’s company the more she realised she was gradually losing a little part of her heart to him—a guy she could never really be with.
Did she really want to do that?
She licked her lips. ‘I’ll stay, just for a while. But I’ll be applying for other jobs. I need to find another paediatric oncology centre where there is a suitable position—and this time, I’ll sort out my own visa.’
There was a flash of disappointment in his eyes and she hated that she’d put it there. But honesty was better.
