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“What’s your name?”
“Kabira.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kabira, although it saddens me it’s under these circumstances.”
“Thank you. I’m a big fan,” Kabira said, her burgeoning smile morphing into a grimace and a moan, her back arching off the bed.
Anger misted her vision. Jaw set, Dani jumped up, marched over to the curtain, and yanked it back.
“Now that we’re done with the pretty photo ops, can someone come over here and take care of this patient, please?”
Gasps and various looks of shock and guilt colored the faces of the hospital staff against the sudden backdrop of the clicks and flashes of multiple pictures being taken.
Catherine’s jaw went slack for a nanosecond before she reeled it back in. She rose smoothly from her chair, as if all hell hadn’t broken loose.
“I’m sure you need to see to your patients, so it’s probably time for us to leave. Thank you again for allowing us to visit with you, Ella. Duchess?”
Dani curled her lip. “I’m not going anywhere until someone comes and checks on Kabira.”
The administrator’s expression tightened but she jerked her head, motioning one of the nurses over. The woman hurried to the machine and pressed a few buttons. Kabira’s posture relaxed and it was clear the medicine was kicking in.
Dani returned to Kabira’s side, mindful of the pictures being taken, but for once not caring about the contract or her public image.
“Get some rest,” she said, working hard to keep the fury off her face as she looked down at the young girl.
“Nice meeting you,” Kabira said, her lashes fluttering. “I can’t believe I’m finally getting the chance to meet you but it’s only ’cuz of what happened. Cosmic joke, really.”
That was one way to put it.
“Can I come back to visit?”
“You don’t have to,” Kabira protested.
“I know. But I want to.”
Another half smile. “For sure.”
“Then I’ll set it up.” Dani leaned low and whispered, “And I’ll try to sneak something good in for you, okay?”
Kabira nodded and her eyes drifted shut.
It took everything Dani had to contain herself until they were outside the hospital, past the press, and back in the car.
Dani affected her best Whitley Gilbert voice. “Well, that was loads of fun! Thank you ever so much for asking me. I had a fantastic time.”
Catherine ignored her.
Then direct it was. “What the fuck was that about?”
Catherine’s personal secretary turned to look at Dani. “You forget yourself. You’re speaking to Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal.”
Dani shot the man a hostile look. “Trust me. You don’t want this smoke.”
“It’s all right, Antony. Duchess and I can speak frankly with each other.” Catherine pressed a button, creating privacy between the front and back seats. She adjusted the material of her skirt over her knees. “That was us visiting some children in the hospital who have gone through something traumatic.”
“No, you went to visitonechild! A child who’d only been at the center a few days when this all happened!”
“Does that mean she’s less entitled to my sympathy?”
