Читать книгу The Texan's Royal M.D. - Merline Lovelace - Страница 8

Prologue

I seem to have come full circle. For so many years my life centered on my darling granddaughters. Now they’re grown and are busy with lives of their own. Quiet, elegant Sarah has an adoring husband, a blossoming career as an author and her first child on the way. And Eugenia, my carefree, high-spirited Eugenia, is the wife of a United Nations diplomat and the mother of twins. She fills both roles so joyously, so effortlessly.

I do wish I could say the same of Dominic, my impossibly handsome great-nephew. Dom still hasn’t adjusted to the fact that he now carries the title of Grand Duke of Karlenburgh. I’ve caught him rolling his shoulders as though he itches for his previous life as an undercover agent. Then his glance strays to his wife and his restlessness fades instantly. Natalie’s so demure, so sweet and so startlingly intelligent!

She quite astonishes us all with the depth of her knowledge of the most arcane subjects—including the history of my beloved Karlenburgh.

These days I live vicariously through Dom’s sister, Anastazia. I’ll admit I played shamelessly on our distant kinship to convince Zia to reside with me during her pediatric residency in New York City. She’s only a few short months away from finishing the grueling three-year program. She should be feeling nothing but elation that the end is in sight. Yet I sense that something’s troubling her. Something she doesn’t wish to talk about, even with me. I shan’t force the issue. I don’t condone unwelcome intrusiveness, even by the most concerned and well-meaning. I do hope, however, that the vacation I’ve engineered for the family over the coming holidays eases some of the worry Zia hides behind her so bright, so lovely smile.

From the diary of Charlotte,

Grand Duchess of Karlenburgh