are dismissed from your position.”
“Your Highness, I do not understand,” Dr. Vogel blustered. “What have I done to deserve this?”
“You recommended sedating Samson without advising me of the dangerous side effects. Plus, I authorized an original sedation after we told him and he was in a state of distress. I did not know you were continuing to medicate him.”
“I thought to save him upset.” The doctor defended his actions.
“Grieving is a natural part of the healing process,” Katrina said. The man just rubbed her wrong.
He turned on her, causing her to flinch. She had the feeling he’d like to strike her.
“Quiet, upstart,” he snarled. “It is not your place to speak now.” To Julian he said, “Sire, you must not listen to this foreigner. She is not a trained medical professional, yet she tried to interfere in my treatment of the boy. I have served your family well for many years.”
“Count yourself lucky she contacted me. I have been displeased with my father’s progress. With this incident I am assured I am making the right decision.” In nothing more than a towel, Julian projected total confidence. “Have your resignation delivered to me by five this afternoon. At five oh one, you’ll be handed termination papers.”
The pompous man’s cheeks reddened, his outrage and anger escalated to such a degree Katrina worried for his health.
At the door, the doctor delivered a parting shot. “Prince Donal would never have treated me with such disrespect.”
“No.” Julian didn’t miss a beat. “If he’d seen his son an hour ago, Donal would have killed you.”
With nothing more to say, the man disappeared. At a nod from Julian, one of the security officers peeled away to follow the doctor.
“My Lord, your clothes.” Grimes filled the empty doorway.
Julian looked down at his naked pecs as if surprised to remember he lacked clothes. She wished she could forget. His near nudity distracted her terribly. Wicked fantasies kept playing with her mind. Even as Dr. Vogel bellyached, she’d half wished the loosely knotted towel would drop.
With a last appreciative glance, she gathered up Sammy and moved him to the sitting room to give Julian some privacy.
A few minutes later, impeccably dressed once again, he came through the lounge to say goodbye to Sammy. She received a nod. “Ms. Vicente, I’ll see you at supper.”
And then he was gone.
Sammy came to show off his new truck. She smiled her approval and made appropriate truck sounds. He grinned and drove off humming, “Zoom, zoom.”
Katrina stared at the closed door. Julian’s formality felt cold, wrong. Yet necessary. She believed her father and Princess Bernadette would approve her actions regarding Sammy’s condition. Not so much the kiss that followed.
Julian was right; they needed to refrain from such activities.
*
“What is this I hear about you cavorting with the nursemaid from Pasadonia?” King Lowell demanded when Julian answered his father’s summons the next morning.
Julian sat down across from his father in his personal sitting room before responding. He shouldn’t be surprised. His father had informants all over the palace, not least of which was Grimes.
“ Cavorting infers a bit of fun. I can assure you there was nothing pleasant about the experience.” He explained the circumstances, ending with his dismissal of Dr. Vogel. No need to mention the kiss. That was between him and the entirely too touchable Ms. Vicente.
“Was it necessary to get rid of the doctor?” Lowell plucked at his robe. He hadn’t felt up to assuming his duties for the day. Julian worried about his pallor.
“I felt so, yes. I requested referrals from the Royal Kardanian Hospital and have three interviews set up for this afternoon. I’ve given the times to your assistant. I’d like you to sit in.”
Lowell frowned but waved his hand in an accenting manner. “Back to the matter of this girl. Julian, you are usually an
“Your Highness, I do not understand,” Dr. Vogel blustered. “What have I done to deserve this?”
“You recommended sedating Samson without advising me of the dangerous side effects. Plus, I authorized an original sedation after we told him and he was in a state of distress. I did not know you were continuing to medicate him.”
“I thought to save him upset.” The doctor defended his actions.
“Grieving is a natural part of the healing process,” Katrina said. The man just rubbed her wrong.
He turned on her, causing her to flinch. She had the feeling he’d like to strike her.
“Quiet, upstart,” he snarled. “It is not your place to speak now.” To Julian he said, “Sire, you must not listen to this foreigner. She is not a trained medical professional, yet she tried to interfere in my treatment of the boy. I have served your family well for many years.”
“Count yourself lucky she contacted me. I have been displeased with my father’s progress. With this incident I am assured I am making the right decision.” In nothing more than a towel, Julian projected total confidence. “Have your resignation delivered to me by five this afternoon. At five oh one, you’ll be handed termination papers.”
The pompous man’s cheeks reddened, his outrage and anger escalated to such a degree Katrina worried for his health.
At the door, the doctor delivered a parting shot. “Prince Donal would never have treated me with such disrespect.”
“No.” Julian didn’t miss a beat. “If he’d seen his son an hour ago, Donal would have killed you.”
With nothing more to say, the man disappeared. At a nod from Julian, one of the security officers peeled away to follow the doctor.
“My Lord, your clothes.” Grimes filled the empty doorway.
Julian looked down at his naked pecs as if surprised to remember he lacked clothes. She wished she could forget. His near nudity distracted her terribly. Wicked fantasies kept playing with her mind. Even as Dr. Vogel bellyached, she’d half wished the loosely knotted towel would drop.
With a last appreciative glance, she gathered up Sammy and moved him to the sitting room to give Julian some privacy.
A few minutes later, impeccably dressed once again, he came through the lounge to say goodbye to Sammy. She received a nod. “Ms. Vicente, I’ll see you at supper.”
And then he was gone.
Sammy came to show off his new truck. She smiled her approval and made appropriate truck sounds. He grinned and drove off humming, “Zoom, zoom.”
Katrina stared at the closed door. Julian’s formality felt cold, wrong. Yet necessary. She believed her father and Princess Bernadette would approve her actions regarding Sammy’s condition. Not so much the kiss that followed.
Julian was right; they needed to refrain from such activities.
*
“What is this I hear about you cavorting with the nursemaid from Pasadonia?” King Lowell demanded when Julian answered his father’s summons the next morning.
Julian sat down across from his father in his personal sitting room before responding. He shouldn’t be surprised. His father had informants all over the palace, not least of which was Grimes.
“ Cavorting infers a bit of fun. I can assure you there was nothing pleasant about the experience.” He explained the circumstances, ending with his dismissal of Dr. Vogel. No need to mention the kiss. That was between him and the entirely too touchable Ms. Vicente.
“Was it necessary to get rid of the doctor?” Lowell plucked at his robe. He hadn’t felt up to assuming his duties for the day. Julian worried about his pallor.
“I felt so, yes. I requested referrals from the Royal Kardanian Hospital and have three interviews set up for this afternoon. I’ve given the times to your assistant. I’d like you to sit in.”
Lowell frowned but waved his hand in an accenting manner. “Back to the matter of this girl. Julian, you are usually an
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