LITMIR.BIZ

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rather concentrate on Zoe’s lesson. What do you have planned for today?”

      Heartsick as Dottie felt, she’d been sent to Hellenica to do a job and she wanted desperately to lift his spirits if she could. “Since we’re on the yacht, I thought we’d work on the Y sound. She can already say Yiayia pretty well.”

      “That’s where her Greek ought to help.”

      “Why don’t you say hello to her in Greek and we’ll see what happens.”

      Together they walked toward the railing at the far end. Zoe saw them coming and trained the binoculars on them.

      “Yasoo,” her father called to her. The cute little girl answered back in a sad facsimile of the greeting.

      Dottie smiled. “Do you like being on this boat?”

      “Yes.”

      Today they’d work on ya. Another day they’d work on yes. “Do you know what kind of a boat this is?” Zoe shook her head. “It’s called a yacht. Say yasoo again.” Zoe responded. “Now say ya.” She tried, but the sound was off with both words.

      “I can’t.”

      Dottie felt her frustration.

      Alex handed Dottie the binoculars and picked up his daughter. “Try it once more.” He wanted her to make a good sound for him. Dottie wanted it, too, more than anything. But this was a game of infinite patience. “Be a parrot for daddy, like one of those parrot fish you were watching with its birdlike beak. Parrots can talk. Talk to me. Say ya.”

      “Ya.”

      “Open your mouth wider like your daddy is doing,” Dottie urged her. “Pretend he’s the doctor looking down your throat with a stick. He wants to hear you. Can you say ya for him?”

      She giggled. “Daddy’s not a doctor.”

      The prince sent Dottie a look of defeat. “You’re right.” He kissed Zoe’s cheek. “Come on. Let’s have a lemonade.” As soon as he put her down, she ran back to the table by the loungers to drink hers.

      Clearly Zoe wasn’t in the mood for a lesson. Who would be on a beautiful day like this? The translucent blue water was dotted with islands that made Dottie itch to get out and explore everything. She put the binoculars to her eyes to see what was coming next. “What’s the name of that island in the distance?”

      “Argentum.”

      “You mine silver there?”

      “How did you figure that out?”

      “You told me you lived on Aurum. Both islands have Latin names for gold and silver.”

      His eyes met hers. “You’re not only intelligent, but knowledgeable. We’ll anchor out in the bay. The head mining engineer is coming aboard for a business lunch. He’s also my closest friend.”

      “Where did you meet?”

      “We were getting our mining engineering degrees at the same time, both here and in Colorado at the school of mines.”

      “That’s why your English is amazing. Is your friend married?”

      “Yes. He has a new baby.”

      “That’s nice for him.”

      “Very nice. He’s in love with his wife and she with him.”

      Dottie couldn’t bear to talk about that subject. “Tell me about the tall island beyond Argentum with the green patches?”

      “That’s Aurum, where Zoe and I normally live.” He hadn’t put on his shirt yet. She could feel his body radiating heat. “As you guessed correctly, rich gold deposits on the other side of the mountain were discovered there centuries ago. Bari and I are both passionate about our work. There are many more mining projects to be explored. I’m anxious to get back to them.”

      By now she was trembling from their close proximity. Needing a reason to move away from him, she put the binoculars on the table and picked up her lemonade. “Do you miss Aurum?”

      “Yes.” His dark gaze wandered over her, sending her pulse rate off the charts. “Zoe and I prefer it to Hellenica. The palace there is much smaller with more trees and vegetation that keep it cooler. We’ll take you next week so Zoe can show you the garden off her room.”

      Dottie let the comment pass because if she were still here by then, she had no intention of going there with him. It wouldn’t be a good idea. Not a good idea at all. “Do you get her to preschool by helicopter, then?”

      He nodded. “Once she’s in kindergarten, she’ll go to a school on Aurum, but nothing is going to happen until after the coronation.” After swallowing the contents of his drink without taking a breath, he reached for his shirt. “Shall we go below and freshen up before Bari comes on board?”

      She followed the two of them down the steps of the elegant yacht to the luxurious cabins. “Come with us.” Zoe pulled on her hand.

      Dottie bent over. “I have my own cabin down the hallway.”

      “How come?”

      “Because I’m a guest.”

      She looked at her daddy. “Make her come.”

      “Zoe? We have our room, and she has hers,” he said in his princely parental voice as Dottie thought of it.

      To the surprise of both of them, Zoe kept hold of Dottie’s hand. “I want to be with you.”

      “It’s all right, Your Highness,” Dottie said before he could protest. “Zoe and I will freshen up together and meet you on deck in a little while.” Their family was going through deep turmoil. The burden of what his brother had done had set off enormous ramifications and Alex was feeling them.

      For that matter, so was Zoe, who’d behaved differently today. With the advent of Prince Stasio’s stunning news, she couldn’t have helped but pick up on the tension radiating from the queen and her father during breakfast. She might not understand all that was going on, but she sensed upheaval. That’s why she’d given up on her lesson so easily.

      His eyes narrowed in what she assumed was speculation. “You’re sure?”

      “Do you even have to ask?” Dottie had meant what she’d told him last week about his needing some pampering. He had work to do with Mr. Jouflas, but no one else was there to help him with Zoe the way he needed it. Dottie found she wanted to ease his burden. He’d made sacrifices for the love of his country. Now it was her turn, no matter how small.

      “You’re operating under an abnormal amount of strain right now. You could use a little help. I don’t know how you’ve been doing this balancing act for such a long time.” She smiled at Zoe. “Come on.”

      Dottie saw the relief on his face and knew she’d said the right thing. “In that case I’ll send the steward to your cabin with a fresh change of clothes for her.”

      “That would be perfect.”

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