The Surgeon and the Princess by Karin Baine (ebook reader with android os .TXT) 📕

using at home and could speed my recovery.’ When she said it out loud it seemed so straightforward. That was what she wanted, wasn’t it? To get back to normal as soon as possible. Perhaps if anyone other than the laid-back Mr Lawrence had offered, she wouldn’t have been so against the initial idea. Now she was beginning to wonder if she’d let her personal opinion of the man in question cloud her judgement. If she stripped away the personality traits that made her dislike him on sight and focused on the professional interest, she could see they both had the same goal in mind. To get her back to her fighting best.

‘That’s good, isn’t it?’ Hope was written all over her mother’s face that this was somehow the answer to all their prayers. As though some high-grade gym equipment would restore her to the woman she was before her injury. For once Georgiana and her mother were in complete agreement about what they wanted.

‘Have you completely lost your mind?’

Ed glanced up from his laptop to find his business partner, Giles Winhope, sitting on his desk. ‘You got my message, then? I’d appreciate it if you kept the details between us. I promised full confidentiality.’

‘And you didn’t think to consult me before you agreed to this?’

‘You were on board with our other royal appointment. I didn’t think it would be a problem.’

‘You wouldn’t,’ Giles muttered as he sorted Ed’s paperwork into a pile and rounded up the assortment of dirty coffee cups he hadn’t got around to washing yet.

Okay, he had a casual approach to housekeeping, but he gave everything important in his life his full attention. It was no reason to accuse him of being unprofessional.

‘It’s one thing having royal approval from the queen, but agreeing to sneak her daughter in here isn’t exactly standard business practice.’

Ed had been as surprised as anyone when Georgiana had called. He’d extended the invitation but he hadn’t expected to hear from her after their meeting unless it was to demand her shorts back. In hindsight it was possible he’d taken them home with him so she would have reason to speak to him again. Even if it was to threaten him with the police. Except she hadn’t mentioned them at all during the short phone call, sticking only to the salient points.

‘I’d like to take you up on your offer of using the facilities at your clinic. In private. Pick me up tomorrow night at seven o’clock.’ She hadn’t given him the chance to speak, much less remind her that he wasn’t one of her servants. He had promised to transport her in relative privacy but he wasn’t at her beck and call. Something he’d point out to her at the first opportunity. He had family commitments, which came before everything else.

‘To be honest, I never thought she’d agree. It was her mother who thought she needed some extra encouragement.’

‘It’s going to be a circus around here. Are we going to have to get extra security to accommodate our new client? A press room? Souvenir stalls?’ Giles’s main concern was always money. He and Ed were polar opposites but that was what made them such good business partners. Ed was the heart and soul of the clinic while Giles was the money man. Neither minded admitting their strengths and weaknesses because between them they made it work. Along with the other consultants, doctors, nurses and assorted staff they employed.

When the call had first come in for Ed to have a consultation at the palace, Giles had been over the moon because it added a certain gravitas to their reputation. Those who moved in the same aristocratic circles as the Ashleys would know they were the best at what they did now they had royal patronage. That prestige added financial value to the team. It was the thought of having to pay money out to oblige Georgiana that was causing him to come out in a sweat.

If Ed was a cruel man, he’d continue to let Giles think their finances were about to take a massive hit. Fortunately, he wasn’t.

‘Ms Ashley wants to remain incognito. No staff, no press, no other gym users when she’s here.’

‘How are we going to manage that? That will seriously damage our appointment book.’ That was Giles’s speak for losing income.

‘I said we’d open exclusively for her at night. I’m a keyholder, I can arrange it, don’t worry.’ It was on his head since he was the one to suggest the move without proper consultation with the rest of the team.

‘How are you going to manage that along with your other personal commitments?’ Giles arched an eyebrow in disbelief that he could make this work but Ed wasn’t one to shirk his responsibilities.

He had surgery days at the local hospital as well as his work here at the clinic and just as many demands on him at home. The only time he’d let anyone down was in his personal life when he’d failed to carve out enough time and energy to save his relationship with his ex, Caroline. He’d thought he could settle down like anyone else but when she’d left him he’d realised there was only room for one family in his life. It hadn’t really been a choice for him, when he’d always be there for his parents, but it still hurt.

Worse than his own heartbreak was knowing he’d caused Caroline so much pain in the process. She’d done nothing wrong except get involved with someone who couldn’t give her everything she needed. Ed had sworn then not to get into another serious relationship and repeat the same mistake.

He regretted not being there for Caroline as much as everyone else in his life but it made it easier to manage his other commitments now he was single.

‘That’s up to me to figure out. This is a done deal, Giles. I’m on my way to pick her up now. I’m simply doing you the courtesy of