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‘I’d love to think that there’s a woman out there who could put up with me.’ Alex’s tone took on an appropriately rueful note. ‘But I’m still waiting to find her.’
The female presenter laughed, looking quickly at the overhead screen. ‘Well, I think we have a few offers coming in already on our social media feeds. Thank you, Alex and Marie, for being with us this morning.’
A new topic was started, and the programme cut to a filmed report. The two presenters thanked them again, and they were hurried off the set. Marie’s heart was beating so fast she could hardly breathe.
As soon as they left the glare of the cameras Alex’s face turned ashen. Marie grabbed his arm. ‘Not a word...’ she said. Not until they could talk privately.
He nodded down at her. The kind of decision-making that had seen them through so many medical emergencies would get them through this one.
They walked back to the small dressing room where they’d left their things, and quietly managed to elude anyone who might stop them. The receptionist called after them, asking if they were going to wait for their taxi there, and Marie gave a smiling shake of her head while Alex kept walking. As soon as they were on the pavement he hailed a taxi, and to Marie’s relief the driver saw him and stopped to pick them up.
‘I suppose it was going to happen sooner
or later. I’ll speak to Sonya,’ Alex said. His whole body was tense, as if he was waiting for some new blow to appear from somewhere. ‘It can’t hurt the clinic so much now. We’ve started to establish ourselves in the community and people know what we’re about. We just have to hold on to our values and try to keep the press away.’
Clinic first. Always. But this had to hurt Alex. He’d spent so much time leaving his past behind, and now it had come back to haunt him in the most public way possible.
‘My father would have loved this.’ There was a trace of bitterness in his voice. ‘Just think—all he had to do was one good deed and the press would have come snapping at his heels.’
‘He missed a trick there.’ Marie tried to lighten the mood between them, and Alex smiled grimly.
They both knew that with a little careful management this wouldn’t compromise their work at the clinic, but it had raised a question that neither of them wanted to answer just yet. If Alex was going to be caught in the media’s spotlight, what would happen to their relationship?
Alex fell silent, his face clouded with worry. When the cab drew up outside his mansion block he paid the cabbie and wished him a good day. He didn’t say another word until they were inside his front door.
‘I’ll protect you. I’ll make sure none of this touches you,’ he said.
Marie suppressed the urge to shake him. ‘What if I don’t want you to protect me?’
‘This isn’t the time, Marie. I know you can do everything by yourself, but things would be a lot easier if you’d let me help.’
Her face was itching from the heavy make-up and suddenly all Marie wanted was to be alone. ‘I’m going to wash my face...’
He nodded, and she escaped to the bathroom, washing her face and splashing it with cold water.
Sonya had been right. Alex’s royal heritage and his determination to do something good with it was a great story. He was one of the most eligible bachelors in London, and of course there would be interest in his love life. What had she been thinking when she’d got involved with him?
She’d been thinking about his touch. About how they got each other, as best friends and as lovers. She hadn’t been thinking about the practicalities, about how when the news became public she’d be standing with him in the glare. About how she’d cope with navigating his world when she had no compass.
She wanted to get out of these clothes. She went to the bedroom, changed into a pair of comfortable trousers and a shirt. She heard the phone ring and the low resonance of his voice.
‘No. No comment... You can speak to Sonya Graham-Hall about any publicity matters to do with the clinic. You have her number... No, I really don’t have anything else to say...’
When she went back into the sitting room the jack for the landline lay unplugged on the floor and he was holding his mobile against his ear.
One minute...
He mouthed the words, holding up his finger to indicate that the call wouldn’t last long, and then spoke into the phone.
‘Hi, Sonya. Did you see it?’
Suddenly Marie didn’t want to listen to this. She went into the kitchen and set the kettle to boil, making two mugs of tea. When she heard Alex stop talking, she walked back into the sitting room.
‘Thanks.’ Alex was in full damage-control mode now. He took the tea, putting it down on the coffee table in front of him. ‘I’ve spoken to Sonya, and she’s going to field all the press enquiries for now. We don’t answer any questions from anyone.’
‘Okay.’ That sounded sensible enough. ‘So what do you think we should do?’
He pressed his lips together. ‘I don’t see that we have much choice. We don’t see each other for a while—until this all blows over.’
