food? Tell me and we'll have cook make it."
"Ice cream," the little voice piped up without hesitation.
"Ice cream—very good choice. It's one of my favorites as well. Since that might take a bit of time to prepare, let's have a second choice. What else do you like?"
"Black cake," with the high-pitched, emphatic reply.
"He means chocolate cake," Zena interpreted.
"That's available, I'm sure. Come, Bobby, I'll find you a chair and we'll eat black cake."
As Alex settled Bobby at the table in a chair piled high with cushions, a maid was given the command to produce some chocolate cake as soon as possible. "And tell Valentina we'd like a light luncheon, too. Maybe we could squeeze some more nourishing food into Bobby between bites of ice cream and black cake, if we're lucky," Alex teased Zena softly. Then, in a more serious tone, he added, "You look tired. Please sit down." Alex offered Zena a chair and patted her shoulder avuncularly as she sank into the softness of the down cushions.
"Thank you so very much," Zena expressed once again. She was so appreciative of his taking responsibility, however briefly. For several years now she had had to be strong, responsible, and sensible, both mother and father to Bobby. She hadn't realized how strenuous and demanding the task was until the present, when this short respite from duty was offered, and the taxing strain was lightened by the kind solicitude of Prince Alex. It was dangerous, no doubt, to become indebted to this charming prince, she thought, but she was so weary and young to have shouldered so many obligations for so long. She'd cast pragmatic considerations aside just for the moment and allow herself the luxury of being taken care of.
"Please don't keep saying thank you. It unnerves the hell out of me." Alex smiled with disarming grace. "It's the simplest thing to offer you the hospitality of my dacha until Bobby is well," he assured Zena smoothly.
The most dishonorable intentions underlay his easy hospitality, but he had plenty of time to move into the young chit's bed. The prince contented himself with putting Zena at ease for the moment. For a green virgin she had been a damnable hot piece. Before long he'd be enjoying her again, he told himself. Alex's self-assurance had been amply reinforced over the years by a plentitude of amorous females in hot pursuit. The unlimited Kuzan fortune alone would have been enough to insure a steady stream of eager women. When combined with the devastating Kuzan looks and charm, his lean, powerful physique, and— perhaps most indispensible and democratically revered by all females—a reputation for stamina in bed, Alex had always enjoyed a profligate's pick from the beauties of his day. Surely one could understand how Alex had acquired a taste for having things his own way.
The black cake arrived promptly, followed by a sumptuous luncheon that everyone enjoyed, including Bobby. The ice cream appeared within the hour, piled in a silver bowl cushioned with crushed ice. The food eased Alex's painfully drumming temples slightly, but what he really needed was some sleep.
"Could I suggest a short nap? I'm hellishly tired. Didn't get much sleep last night." Too late he caught his tongue as Zena's face flushed a rosy hue. Further commentary would only serve to exacerbate the embarrassing slip, so he continued unabashed, "Please feel free to ask the servants for anything you wish. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to rest."
The flush had diminished somewhat on Zena's fair complexion as she determinedly adapted to Alex's casual attitude, and she resolved with ingenuous pluck to present a mien equally nonchalant.
"I think Bobby and I'll nap soon. We'll wait for the doctor first."
"I'd forgotten about him. Sounds sensible. Until this evening, then." Alex wearily pushed his chair from the table, offered Zena a brief smile, rose and grabbed a bottle of brandy from the sideboard as he passed from the dining room He reflected whimsically on
"Ice cream," the little voice piped up without hesitation.
"Ice cream—very good choice. It's one of my favorites as well. Since that might take a bit of time to prepare, let's have a second choice. What else do you like?"
"Black cake," with the high-pitched, emphatic reply.
"He means chocolate cake," Zena interpreted.
"That's available, I'm sure. Come, Bobby, I'll find you a chair and we'll eat black cake."
As Alex settled Bobby at the table in a chair piled high with cushions, a maid was given the command to produce some chocolate cake as soon as possible. "And tell Valentina we'd like a light luncheon, too. Maybe we could squeeze some more nourishing food into Bobby between bites of ice cream and black cake, if we're lucky," Alex teased Zena softly. Then, in a more serious tone, he added, "You look tired. Please sit down." Alex offered Zena a chair and patted her shoulder avuncularly as she sank into the softness of the down cushions.
"Thank you so very much," Zena expressed once again. She was so appreciative of his taking responsibility, however briefly. For several years now she had had to be strong, responsible, and sensible, both mother and father to Bobby. She hadn't realized how strenuous and demanding the task was until the present, when this short respite from duty was offered, and the taxing strain was lightened by the kind solicitude of Prince Alex. It was dangerous, no doubt, to become indebted to this charming prince, she thought, but she was so weary and young to have shouldered so many obligations for so long. She'd cast pragmatic considerations aside just for the moment and allow herself the luxury of being taken care of.
"Please don't keep saying thank you. It unnerves the hell out of me." Alex smiled with disarming grace. "It's the simplest thing to offer you the hospitality of my dacha until Bobby is well," he assured Zena smoothly.
The most dishonorable intentions underlay his easy hospitality, but he had plenty of time to move into the young chit's bed. The prince contented himself with putting Zena at ease for the moment. For a green virgin she had been a damnable hot piece. Before long he'd be enjoying her again, he told himself. Alex's self-assurance had been amply reinforced over the years by a plentitude of amorous females in hot pursuit. The unlimited Kuzan fortune alone would have been enough to insure a steady stream of eager women. When combined with the devastating Kuzan looks and charm, his lean, powerful physique, and— perhaps most indispensible and democratically revered by all females—a reputation for stamina in bed, Alex had always enjoyed a profligate's pick from the beauties of his day. Surely one could understand how Alex had acquired a taste for having things his own way.
The black cake arrived promptly, followed by a sumptuous luncheon that everyone enjoyed, including Bobby. The ice cream appeared within the hour, piled in a silver bowl cushioned with crushed ice. The food eased Alex's painfully drumming temples slightly, but what he really needed was some sleep.
"Could I suggest a short nap? I'm hellishly tired. Didn't get much sleep last night." Too late he caught his tongue as Zena's face flushed a rosy hue. Further commentary would only serve to exacerbate the embarrassing slip, so he continued unabashed, "Please feel free to ask the servants for anything you wish. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to rest."
The flush had diminished somewhat on Zena's fair complexion as she determinedly adapted to Alex's casual attitude, and she resolved with ingenuous pluck to present a mien equally nonchalant.
"I think Bobby and I'll nap soon. We'll wait for the doctor first."
"I'd forgotten about him. Sounds sensible. Until this evening, then." Alex wearily pushed his chair from the table, offered Zena a brief smile, rose and grabbed a bottle of brandy from the sideboard as he passed from the dining room He reflected whimsically on
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