Dating the Duke (The Aristocrat Diaries 2)

I laughed gently. “And the stuffed animals will be in size order, and her blanket folded just right.”

“And her shoes organised by season, with the exception of her wellies!”

“Because it rains all year round, so they’re not seasonal.” I rubbed my hand down my face. “Thank you.”

Adelaide shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.”

“It is. To me. Especially after… the last couple of days.”

She sighed. “Alex, we’re adults. Besides, this isn’t about… you… and me,” she finished quietly, looking away. “It’s about Olympia.”

I squeezed her hand that was still resting on my arm. “We’re still not done talking, though.”

“Oh, I know, but I am looking forwards to dragging it out.” She grinned at me, and there was a sparkle in her eye that warmed me.

The door to the study room opened, and Dr George stepped out with a smile on her face. “We’re ready for you now.”

“Oh. Adelaide, would you mind hunting Olympia down?” I asked her.

“I’ll either be two minutes or twenty.” She smiled at Dr George, who laughed, and opened the door for me. “Please, come and have a seat.”

I slipped into the study after gesturing for her to go first, then closed the door over. It was only me, Dr George, and Dr Palmer, the other doctor who’d spent time with Olympia. He was a kindly older man who reminded me quite a bit of one of my late uncles.

“Ah. Lord Worcester. Please take a seat,” he said when he saw me.

“Please, call me Alexander,” I requested for the tenth time today. He never did change how he addressed me. “Can I ask about the conclusion you’ve reached?”

They shared a look, and Dr George nodded. “We’ve reached the conclusion that Olympia is on the autism spectrum. Based on what we know, we’d say she’s high-functioning, but I think you already knew that.”

Leaning forward, I rested my elbows on my knees and blew out a long breath. “Yes, I did, although it does feel weird to finally have it confirmed after so many years.”

Dr Palmer nodded sympathetically. “You have had a long and stressful journey to reach this point. So many parents of girls do. Now we’re here, we can help you make sure that Olympia has all the tools she needs to be successful.”

I nodded slowly. “What about her school?”

“Being autistic, she’s covered by the Equalities Act. We give you more information on that in here.” He held up a blue, plastic folder. “The short version is that the school must legally adapt to her needs, and that goes for any college or university she attends, as well as her future workplaces. I’m sure it goes without saying that they also cannot discriminate against her because of her autism.”

“Of course.”

“As far as her other needs go, we can make recommendations for relevant therapies we think she might benefit from,” Dr George added. “And of course, we can send you information on therapists we trust as a starting point for you.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I would really appreciate that.”

“Not a problem. It might take us a little time, but we can do that.” She wrote something down in her notebook. “Now, have you considered—”

“I’m here!” Olympia bounced in through the door, followed by a slightly harried-looking Adelaide.

“Found her,” she breathed, putting a hand on her hip. “Excuse me.”

I fought a laugh when she huffed off in the opposite direction.

“What on Earth did you do to her?” I asked Olympia, who was rosy-cheeked and not at all exhausted from whatever the two of them had just been up to.

“Nothing.” She jumped onto the sofa next to me and swung her legs under it, grinning at the doctors. “Are we still talking about me? I liked that. That was fun. Can we do that again?”

I smiled over at her.

Maybe Addy was right.

She would be just fine.

CHAPTER TWENTY – ALEXANDER

“We cannot keep the cats,” I said to my mother, planting my feet firmly.

She blinked innocently at me. “They’ve been here for days. Why not?”

“Because I said no.”

“That’s my line.”

“It was your line when I was eight and wanted to climb the roof.”

Adelaide snorted from the corner where she was writing. “Sorry,” she said when we both looked at her. “Ignore me.”

Mum turned her attention back to me. “Oh, Alexander, do be reasonable. They’re not hurting anyone.”

“They’ve been locked in a bathroom for several days, Mother. Of course they aren’t hurting anyone—the only person they’re seeing is you.”

“Well…”

“Well, what?”

“Olympia may have been helping me care for them.”

I stared at her. She what? “I’m going to pretend like you haven’t blatantly gone behind my back more than once in the past week. I’m also going to pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Oh, Alexander.”

“I’m getting a little tired of hearing that.”

“Then listen to me! Cats would be good for her. I spoke to one of the doctors yesterday. They agreed animal support is good for autism.” She leaned back and rested her hands on her lap.