where he sat when his father was well. Did everyone shuffle down one space every time one of these entitled royals got sick? Platter upon platter of rich food arrived. It was enough food to feed a peasant village for a whole year. I felt sick just watching them eat. Then the reason for my sick feeling washed over me once more. I leaned back, unable to eat even the small amount of food I’d taken.
What had he thought as he’d been dragged naked through the street? Had he looked around for his… lover and, not seeing him, despaired? Was I creating fantasies out of nothing? It was entirely possible he had been a pervert indulging in shameless fornication. I glanced at John. He was eating sparingly, finicky little mouthfuls, patting his lips between chewing. I took up an apple and bit into it savagely. Fornication. Wanton. Fiancée . I was a fool. I resolved to keep my thoughts more to myself, guard my behavior around them all, and do the job I was here to do. With this in mind, I suddenly rose, bowed to my neighbor to excuse myself, and left. I shouldn’t be eating and passing the time in idle conversation. I had a man dying in my care. He deserved better, despite being the king of a court of deceiving liars.
Pleasantly cheered by my angry and miserable thoughts as I walked back toward the king’s chambers, I was annoyed to have them interrupted by the cause of them. Aleksey jogged up behind me and caught my arm. He handed me a bread roll with slices of cheese and apple pressed into it. “You didn’t eat anything.”
“Are you a servant now? Responsible for my eating habits?”
He didn’t seem offended. “Your servant is busy fetching your trunk from Mme. Costain’s, and as I suspect it weighs more than he, I felt duty bound to ensure our new physician does not faint on his first day at work.”
“Do I look like someone susceptible to fainting?”
He actually had the nerve to hold my arm, stop, and assess me, rather as if he were buying a horse. I almost expected him to check my teeth. I shook him off and said less irritably, “Stop it. You’re acting like a fool.” I plucked the bread from his hand and bowed deeply. “Thank you for your kind gesture. I am charmed.”
He continued to walk alongside me, his hands plunged into his pockets. I felt like pointing out it was neither a military nor princely look. “What will your examination entail for my father?”
“I will try to make it as noninvasive as I can, but I must examine him mentally and physically, internally and externally.” He made an uneasy face, not uncommon for laymen when medical examinations are discussed.
“You should have someone else in the room with you—not me!” He’d seen my surprised expression and perhaps thought I had been about to suggest he stay. “I don’t do sickness.” He shuddered. “But given the circumstances and rumors, I would not like anything to… happen when you were with him alone. Or afterward, come to that.”
“If he dies, you mean, I may be blamed?”
“You do have a habit of speaking your mind, Nikolai.”
I laughed bitterly. “Not really. You’d be surprised.”
I felt his eyes on me and decided to deflect any possible response he might make to this. I’d just broken my new vow to be more circumspect around him. “I thank you for the proposal. But if someone else is present, it should be someone beyond reproach.”
“His priest?”
I laughed, then realized how inappropriate this was. For all I knew, Aleksey was a devout Christian—as well as about to be married . I needed to stop making assumptions about him based on things I wished to be true and to treat him according to the things I was finding out about him that were the truth. I knew he was still watching me, so I hastened my step, causing him to fall a little behind. “Doctor Lyons would be acceptable, if you think he would agree.”
“Doctor Lyons is our servant. He does not need to be asked for his agreement.” And there it
What had he thought as he’d been dragged naked through the street? Had he looked around for his… lover and, not seeing him, despaired? Was I creating fantasies out of nothing? It was entirely possible he had been a pervert indulging in shameless fornication. I glanced at John. He was eating sparingly, finicky little mouthfuls, patting his lips between chewing. I took up an apple and bit into it savagely. Fornication. Wanton. Fiancée . I was a fool. I resolved to keep my thoughts more to myself, guard my behavior around them all, and do the job I was here to do. With this in mind, I suddenly rose, bowed to my neighbor to excuse myself, and left. I shouldn’t be eating and passing the time in idle conversation. I had a man dying in my care. He deserved better, despite being the king of a court of deceiving liars.
Pleasantly cheered by my angry and miserable thoughts as I walked back toward the king’s chambers, I was annoyed to have them interrupted by the cause of them. Aleksey jogged up behind me and caught my arm. He handed me a bread roll with slices of cheese and apple pressed into it. “You didn’t eat anything.”
“Are you a servant now? Responsible for my eating habits?”
He didn’t seem offended. “Your servant is busy fetching your trunk from Mme. Costain’s, and as I suspect it weighs more than he, I felt duty bound to ensure our new physician does not faint on his first day at work.”
“Do I look like someone susceptible to fainting?”
He actually had the nerve to hold my arm, stop, and assess me, rather as if he were buying a horse. I almost expected him to check my teeth. I shook him off and said less irritably, “Stop it. You’re acting like a fool.” I plucked the bread from his hand and bowed deeply. “Thank you for your kind gesture. I am charmed.”
He continued to walk alongside me, his hands plunged into his pockets. I felt like pointing out it was neither a military nor princely look. “What will your examination entail for my father?”
“I will try to make it as noninvasive as I can, but I must examine him mentally and physically, internally and externally.” He made an uneasy face, not uncommon for laymen when medical examinations are discussed.
“You should have someone else in the room with you—not me!” He’d seen my surprised expression and perhaps thought I had been about to suggest he stay. “I don’t do sickness.” He shuddered. “But given the circumstances and rumors, I would not like anything to… happen when you were with him alone. Or afterward, come to that.”
“If he dies, you mean, I may be blamed?”
“You do have a habit of speaking your mind, Nikolai.”
I laughed bitterly. “Not really. You’d be surprised.”
I felt his eyes on me and decided to deflect any possible response he might make to this. I’d just broken my new vow to be more circumspect around him. “I thank you for the proposal. But if someone else is present, it should be someone beyond reproach.”
“His priest?”
I laughed, then realized how inappropriate this was. For all I knew, Aleksey was a devout Christian—as well as about to be married . I needed to stop making assumptions about him based on things I wished to be true and to treat him according to the things I was finding out about him that were the truth. I knew he was still watching me, so I hastened my step, causing him to fall a little behind. “Doctor Lyons would be acceptable, if you think he would agree.”
“Doctor Lyons is our servant. He does not need to be asked for his agreement.” And there it
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