CHAPTER ONE

      PRINCE Alexius Kristof Rudolph Stefano Valleder Constantinides, Duke of Aurum and second in line to the throne of Hellenica, had been working in his office all morning when he heard a rap on the door. “Yes?” he called out.

      “Your Highness? If I might have a word with you?”

      “What is it, Hector?” The devoted assistant to the crown poked his head in the door. Hector, who’d been the right hand to Alex’s father and grandfather, had been part of the palace administrative staff for over fifty years. He knew better than to disturb Alex unless it was urgent. “I’m reading through some important contracts. Can’t this wait until after lunch?”

      “The national head of the hospital association is here and most eager to thank you for the unprecedented help you’ve given them to build four new hospitals our country has needed so badly. Would it be possible for you to give him a little of your time?”

      Alex didn’t have to think about it. Those facilities should have been built long before now. Better health care for everyone was something he felt strongly about. “Yes. Of course. Show him to the dining room and I’ll be there shortly.”

      “He’ll be very pleased. And now, one other matter, Your Highness.”

      “Then come all the way in, Hector.”

      The substantial-looking man whose salt-and-pepper hair was thinning on top did Alex’s bidding. “The queen instructed me to tell you that Princess Zoe has had another of her moments this morning.” In other words, a temper tantrum.

      He lifted his dark head. His four-year-old daughter meant more to him than life itself. For this reason he was alarmed by the change in her behavior that was making her more and more difficult to deal with.

      Unfortunately the queen wasn’t well, and Alex had to shoulder his elder brother Stasio’s royal responsibilities while he was out of the country. He knew none of this was helping his daughter.

      For the past four months her meltdowns had been growing worse. He’d been through three nannies in that period. At the moment Alex was without one for her. In desperation he’d turned to Queen Desma, his autocratic grandmother, who, since the death of his grandfather, King Kristof, was the titular head of Hellenica, a country made up of a cluster of islands in the Aegean and Thracian seas.

      She had a soft spot for her great-granddaughter and had asked one of her personal maids, Sofia, to look after her until a new nanny could be found. What his grandmother really wanted was for Alex to take a new wife. Since by royal decree he could only marry another princess, rather than being able to choose a bride from any background, Alex had made the decision never to marry again. One arranged marriage had been enough.

      Lately Zoe had been spending most of her time in the quarters of her great-grandmother, who’d been trying in her unsubtle way to prepare Zoe for a new mother. The queen had been behind the match between Alex and his deceased wife, Teresa. Both women were from the House of Valleder.

      Now, with Teresa gone, his grandmother had been negotiating with the House of Helvetia for a marriage between her grandson and the princess Genevieve, but her machinations were wasted on Alex.

      “I had breakfast with her earlier this morning and she seemed all right. What happened to set her off with Sofia?”

      “Not Sofia,” he clarified. “But two new situations have arisen. If I may speak frankly.”

      Only two? Alex ground his teeth in worry and frustration. He’d had hopes this was a phase that would pass, but the situation was growing worse. “You always do.”

      “Her new American tutor, Dr. Wyman, just handed in his notice, and her Greek tutor, Kyrie Costas, is threatening to resign. As you know, the two have been at odds with each other over the proper curriculum for the princess. Dr. Wyman is out in the hall. Before he leaves the palace, he requests a brief audience with you.”

      Alex got to his feet. Two weeks ago he’d been forced to withdraw her from the preschool classes she went to three times a week because her teacher couldn’t get her to participate. Fearing something was physically wrong with Zoe, he’d asked his personal physician to give her a thorough examination. But the doctor had found nothing wrong.

      Now her English tutor had resigned? Alex’s wife, who’d spent a portion of her teenage years in America, had died of a serious heart condition. Before passing away she’d made him promise Zoe would grow up to be fluent in English. He’d done everything in his power to honor her wishes, even hiring an American tutor. Alex himself made an effort to speak English with her every day.

      He took a fortifying breath. “Show him in.”

      The forty-year-old American teacher had come highly recommended after leaving the employ of Alex’s second cousin, King Alexandre Philippe of Valleder, a principality bordering the Romanche-speaking canton of Switzerland. No longer needing a tutor for his son, the king, who was best friends with Alex’s brother, had recommended Dr. Wyman to come to Hellenica and teach Zoe.

      “Your Highness.” He bowed.

      “Dr. Wyman? Hector tells me you’ve resigned. Is my daughter truly too difficult for you to handle any longer?”

      “Lately it’s a case of her running away when she sees me,” he answered honestly. “It’s my opinion she’s frightened about something and hardly speaks at all. What comes out I don’t understand. Mr. Costas says it’s my method, but I disagree. Something’s wrong, but I’m only a teacher.”

      Since Zoe’s medical exam, Alex had considered calling in a child psychiatrist for a consultation. Dr. Wyman said she was frightened. Alex agreed. This behavior wasn’t normal. So far he’d thought it was a case of arrested development because Zoe had been born premature. But maybe not having a mother had brought on psychological problems that hadn’t been recognizable until now.

      “If she were your child, what would you do?”

      “Well, I think before I took her to a child psychologist, I’d find out if there’s a physiological problem that is preventing her from talking as much as she should. If so, maybe that’s what is frightening her.”

      “Where could I go for that kind of expertise?”

      “The Stillman Institute in New York City. Their clinic has some of the best speech therapists in the United States. I’d take my child there for an evaluation.”

      “I’ll look into it. Thank you for your suggestion and your help with Princess Zoe, Dr. Wyman. I appreciate your honesty. You leave the palace with my highest recommendation.”

      “Thank you, Your Highness. I hope you get answers soon. I’m very fond of her.”

      So am I.

      After Dr. Wyman left, Alex checked his watch. By the time he’d had lunch with the head of the hospital association, the clinic in New York would be open. Alex would call and speak to the director.

      Dottie Richards had never ridden in a helicopter before. After her jet had touched down in Athens, Greece, she was told it was just a short journey to Hellenica.

      The head of the Stillman Speech Institute had picked her to handle an emergency that had arisen. Apparently there was an important little four-year-old girl who needed diagnostic testing done ASAP.