ROLE CHANGE CHAPTER THIRTEEN
A/N Major thanks here to Sweeet-as-Honey for all her continued help with the legal and medical details here.
If the reason for Ethan's mood changes hadn't been so distressing Cal would have found them almost amusing. He never knew which Ethan he was likely to find each day – resentful Ethan, philosophical Ethan, or the optimist that was determined to make it through all the setbacks.
On an unseasonably warm April morning, Cal wheeled his brother into the lift at Grover and Kellerman.
"I hope this doesn't take too long" Ethan sulked.
"It's too early for lunch anyway so we've lots of time to spare, and it is for your own good, Ethan."
"You hope."
Cal was tempted to turn the wheelchair back around and take Ethan home so his brother could wallow in his own misery. He just gritted his teeth and knocked at the door.
"Mr Hardy?"
"This is Mr Hardy; I'm his brother Caleb Knight."
"Thank you, Sir, if you'd like to bring Mr Knight this way" the white-haired woman smiled.
"Looks as if they're a set of geriatrics here" Ethan muttered. Luckily for him the woman didn't appear to hear this.
He was pleased, however, to be seated in a comfortable ante-room with free tea, coffee and bottled water, plus luxury biscuits.
He'd expected the magazines put out for the visitors would either be fluffy and trivial like Hello magazine, but he leaned over to pick up something that had caught his eye.
"Empire magazine! Cool!"
Ethan was enjoying a coffee and praline crunch biscuit while he browsed the list of new releases, when the older lady was back.
"Ms Seaton will see you now."
Ethan reluctantly put down the magazine, gulped at the coffee, and, wrapping the half eaten biscuit in a tissue, slipped it into his pocket for later.
Cal wheeled him through to a comfortable office with air conditioning, where a young woman came smiling towards them.
She was petite, and of slim build. Her red-gold hair shone and her face, almost devoid of make-up except for a coral lip gloss, was freckled, open… and very pretty.
"Hi, my name's Liza Seaton, and I'll be handling your compensation case, Mr Hardy."
Ethan wanted to gush about how unlike a solicitor she looked but just settled for a warm smile.
"You have a good case, Mr Hardy."
"Oh, please call me Ethan."
"Okay, Ethan and you must call me Liza. We could do with more dates and times, but I'm sure you could put those together for me by the next time. I don't suppose you kept a diary?"
Ethan shook his head and looked apologetic. Cal, however, smiled.
"I did!"
It was almost as if Ethan had changed into a small, eager puppy. He answered every question as thoroughly as he could, or said with a charm Cal hadn't heard him use since he'd come back from Paris:
"I'm so sorry, I'll need to think about that one later."
One thing that had pleased both Cal and Ethan was that if the case was successful, it wouldn't be the NHS who would need to pay but the NHS Litigation Service. Much as Ethan resented the circumstances surrounding his accident, he didn't want to drain money from a vital service to achieve a good result.
Cal should have realized that Ethan's euphoric mood wasn't likely to make him forget lunch had been promised.
As he was wheeled back out into the sun, he grinned.
"So where are you taking me to feed me?"
"I think there's a food court in the shopping centre. Fast food and a coke, eh?"
"I don't think so! Molyneaux is just round the corner, and they do the best steaks…"
"Okay, a compromise, Mr Piggy. Pizza Express?"
"If we must."
Ethan's case had looked very hopeful, Liza had explained, and she'd be in touch soon after she'd looked through Cal's diary and copied any relevant pages.
Ethan grinned… then his face fell again. Why on earth would a smart young solicitor like Liza fancy him anyway, even if she didn't have a partner?"
"She wasn't wearing a ring" Cal, who missed nothing, grinned at him.
"Whoopee. Cal… I'm only interested in the claim against the hospital and the guy who assaulted me, not in harassing the gym. I can see now that it was that bloody Maverick instructor that got carried away with his own power. If… if I get Sue round one night this week maybe you could take Sophia somewhere nice?"
"If I've any money left after feeding my hog of a brother."
Ethan clutched his heart.
"Oh you're so cruel!"
Ben wanted to run over to Sara and hug her, but obeyed protocol and merely bowed coldly to her.
"It is good to see you are in perfect health, Madam."
He couldn't believe it when he was informed that he would have to address Sara as 'Madam' in public. He wanted to call her 'Darling' or 'Sweetheart' and it hurt to be so formal after yet another absence from her.
He made up for that when they were alone.
"It's Easter week, but I thought you'd like something better than a boring egg."
He made sure she was seated comfortably as he handed her the heavy package, which he'd asked the assistant to decorate with little swirls of ribbon. She opened it as if it were a precious jewel and then almost dropped it.
"Oh, Ben! This is perfect for me. Oh, how kind."
It was a huge book with photographs detailing every ballet that had been produced in the last century. Sara's eyes shone almost greedily.
"Oh, this is the loveliest thing…but how did you persuade Karl and David to let you use funds for this?"
"I didn't; this is a present from Ben Chiltern to the woman he loves, not from Prince Stefan."
"You spent your own money? I'll take care of it always, my love."
"We need to take care of you; I'll sort out a lectern or something so you don't have to balance it on your lap."
She kissed him and this time his response was almost greedy; only the constant reminder of her pregnancy made him hold back again.
Ironically, just two weeks afterwards, Karl informed Ben as casually as if he were discussing the weather, that Prince Stefan had succumbed to his illness. He had been quietly cremated and laid in an unmarked grave.
Ben wanted to say that he deserved it because of what he'd done to Sara, but realised that he could never reveal that, especially not to cold-hearted Karl, who was now sneering:
"His excesses brought this on. Well, now things can move on once the Princess has given birth. One more visit home for you during the Christmas season, then you will return here to fulfil your final duties. We will announce the Prince's death after you have left here for good, and if you are stupid enough to return it will not only be at your own cost but will expose the Princess to an ugly scandal.
"Don't worry; I know my duty." Ben's tone was clipped.
If only his duty didn't break his heart so much.