Page 52 of Trapped with the Undercover Prince

Anna’s eyes went wide. “Wow, this is nice.” She took in the floor-to-ceiling windows letting in enough light to make it seem like you were eating outside. She glanced at the table set for seven. “There’s enough room in here for two ORs, and look at all this light.”

Gabby’s jaw sagged open.

Estelle nudged her sister with an elbow.

Anna glanced at Zar and winked.

He had to cover his laugh with a cough. Just what had she and Brigette talked about? He cleared his throat and introduced Gabby and Estelle.

“It’s great to meet you,” Anna said.

“Yes,” Estelle said slowly. “Very nice to meet you.”

Gabby was staring at Anna, but not at her face. That’s when he realized she was wearing the OR scrubs she’d had on last night.

Anna looked down at herself. “Yeah, this yellow isn’t a good color on me.” She shrugged and said, “Eh, I’ll get some regular clothes after I go check on my patients. Which reminds me...” She turned to Zar. “Could I get a ride to the hospital?”

“Of course, but let’s eat first, yes?”

“Yes, please.”

The queen and queen mother chose that moment to enter the room with the majordomo discreetly behind them.

Zar nodded at him to tell him they were all here and food could be served.

“Mother, Grandmother,” Brigette said before Zar could. “This is Dr. Anna Brown.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you,” Anna said, then grabbed the fabric of her pants with her fingers and made a small curtsy.

He’d have thought she was completely comfortable with the meeting the queen and queen mother if it weren’t for the slight blush on her cheeks.

“It’s a great pleasure to meet you as well,” his mother said. She came forward and shook Anna’s hand. “Our family, our country, and myself are very grateful for your heroism and life-saving skills.”

“Oh.” Anna’s blush darkened. “But I didn’t do anything anyone else would have done.”

“Not according to the reports I’ve been given by various eyewitnesses, people you’ve helped, and medical staff from three different countries.”

Anna blinked then shrugged.

The queen mother walked up to Anna, leaned a little closer to her, and said as if they were alone, “Own your courage and intelligence, young lady. They tell the true story of who you are.”

Anna’s face fell, and tears flooded her eyes. She covered her mouth with one hand as his grandmother gathered Anna up in a hug.

Gabby’s mouth sagged open again, and hers wasn’t the only one.

Anna shook with unvoiced tears, and she tucked her face against the queen mother’s shoulder.

“Mother?” the queen said, oddly frozen in place. “Why are you upsetting our guest?”

“Upsetting?” the older woman asked. “I’m doing nothing of the sort. Anna needed to hear that. Didn’t you, dear?” She patted Anna’s back.

Anna nodded, sniffed, and stepped back out of his grandmother’s embrace. “My grandmother used to say almost the same thing to me on a regular basis. She passed away a few months ago, and hearing it brought back so many happy memories.” Anna tilted her head to one side. “Her accent was just like yours, too.”

“Zar told us you were hunting for your family here in Lerasia. Your grandmother was Lerasian?”

“Yes, though she left when she was barely nineteen.”

“That was a dark time for the world. I don’t blame your grandmother for going somewhere safe.”

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