tends to give one a different perspective on life," Hans said. He continued to be nervous and jumpy, but he'd stopped responding to Otto's jibes.
"Mine's not full yet," Otto complained. "And I'm not used to doing without dessert."
"You've eaten enough for two people," Hans observed. "Maybe we ought to eat less. Our supplies won't last forever."
"I didn't expect they would," Otto said. "We will acquire fresh supplies every third day. Luke and his men may be content to eat that goulash, but I am not."
"When you speak to Luke, ask about the distance to the next town," Valeria said. "I would love a bath." But she wasn't certain there would be a next town anytime soon. She remembered the vast, flat plains stretches of Texas when they had traveled hundreds of miles without seeing a living soul.
"We should have invited him to join us," Hans said. "He could have answered all our questions."
"When did you start inviting servants to join us at table?" Otto asked.
"I'm sure he wouldn't presume," Hans said.
"What do you expect him to do, stand quietly at the end of the table answering questions while we eat?" Valeria laughed. "He'd be more likely to sit down and help himself to the best bits of everything." "Exactly," Otto said.
"But we are depending on him to get us safely to Rudolf's ranch."
"We depend upon servants to attend to our safety all the time," Otto said, impatiently, "without asking them to sit at table with us. That's what we pay them for."
"Nevertheless, I think Hans is right," Valeria said. "Mr. Attmore is different."
"How?" Otto asked.
Valeria wasn't sure she wanted to answer that question. Her feelings for Luke disturbed her. He had the same ruthlessness, the same disregard for anything that got in his way, as her father and uncle, but there was something different about him. She couldn't explain it. Whenever she tried, she ended up deciding it didn't exist. But as soon as she did that, the feeling returned as strong as ever. Something about him struck an answering chord in her, touched a need. She was drawn to him as to no other man.
Could it be his disregard for her bloodlines, her title, her past? She didn't know why she should be attracted
to a man who felt nothing but scorn for everything that had been her life up until a few months ago. It made her furious, but something about him still wouldn't let go of her consciousness.
"I guess because he's American and doesn't consider himself a servant," Valeria said, answering Otto. "In his eyes, we're all equal. Neither my title nor my money qualifies me for more consideration than anyone else."
"That's absurd. Nobody worships money more than these Americans."
"Maybe. I just know he thinks he's as good as we are."
"What else could you expect of a country that lets every man vote," Otto said.
"Women will be able to vote soon, too," Valeria said.
"Where?" Otto looked so scandalized, one would have thought someone had proposed that women in Belgravia be allowed to vote.
"I don't remember."
"I still don't see how that makes him our equal," Otto said.
"I want him to join us," Valeria said. "Hans, would you ask him?"
"I don't want to talk to him," Otto said. "Then take your wine and go to your tent."
"I haven't finished eating." He served himself the last of the lamb and boiled potatoes. The other serving dishes were already empty.
"You can clear away and bring coffee and liqueurs," she said to one of the men hovering nearby.
"Yes, your highness."
"I guess you shouldn't call me that." "Yes, your highness."
"Then how should we address you?" Elvira asked. "Exactly as you've always done," Otto said. "Duke Rudolf will expect his dignity, and that of his future wife, to be respected and preserved."
"But if no one else uses titles here, won't it seem rather awkward?" Valeria asked.
"You should leave that sort of decision to your husband," Otto said.
Luke might think she was a fool, but at least he encouraged her to think for herself. "I don't want to
"Mine's not full yet," Otto complained. "And I'm not used to doing without dessert."
"You've eaten enough for two people," Hans observed. "Maybe we ought to eat less. Our supplies won't last forever."
"I didn't expect they would," Otto said. "We will acquire fresh supplies every third day. Luke and his men may be content to eat that goulash, but I am not."
"When you speak to Luke, ask about the distance to the next town," Valeria said. "I would love a bath." But she wasn't certain there would be a next town anytime soon. She remembered the vast, flat plains stretches of Texas when they had traveled hundreds of miles without seeing a living soul.
"We should have invited him to join us," Hans said. "He could have answered all our questions."
"When did you start inviting servants to join us at table?" Otto asked.
"I'm sure he wouldn't presume," Hans said.
"What do you expect him to do, stand quietly at the end of the table answering questions while we eat?" Valeria laughed. "He'd be more likely to sit down and help himself to the best bits of everything." "Exactly," Otto said.
"But we are depending on him to get us safely to Rudolf's ranch."
"We depend upon servants to attend to our safety all the time," Otto said, impatiently, "without asking them to sit at table with us. That's what we pay them for."
"Nevertheless, I think Hans is right," Valeria said. "Mr. Attmore is different."
"How?" Otto asked.
Valeria wasn't sure she wanted to answer that question. Her feelings for Luke disturbed her. He had the same ruthlessness, the same disregard for anything that got in his way, as her father and uncle, but there was something different about him. She couldn't explain it. Whenever she tried, she ended up deciding it didn't exist. But as soon as she did that, the feeling returned as strong as ever. Something about him struck an answering chord in her, touched a need. She was drawn to him as to no other man.
Could it be his disregard for her bloodlines, her title, her past? She didn't know why she should be attracted
to a man who felt nothing but scorn for everything that had been her life up until a few months ago. It made her furious, but something about him still wouldn't let go of her consciousness.
"I guess because he's American and doesn't consider himself a servant," Valeria said, answering Otto. "In his eyes, we're all equal. Neither my title nor my money qualifies me for more consideration than anyone else."
"That's absurd. Nobody worships money more than these Americans."
"Maybe. I just know he thinks he's as good as we are."
"What else could you expect of a country that lets every man vote," Otto said.
"Women will be able to vote soon, too," Valeria said.
"Where?" Otto looked so scandalized, one would have thought someone had proposed that women in Belgravia be allowed to vote.
"I don't remember."
"I still don't see how that makes him our equal," Otto said.
"I want him to join us," Valeria said. "Hans, would you ask him?"
"I don't want to talk to him," Otto said. "Then take your wine and go to your tent."
"I haven't finished eating." He served himself the last of the lamb and boiled potatoes. The other serving dishes were already empty.
"You can clear away and bring coffee and liqueurs," she said to one of the men hovering nearby.
"Yes, your highness."
"I guess you shouldn't call me that." "Yes, your highness."
"Then how should we address you?" Elvira asked. "Exactly as you've always done," Otto said. "Duke Rudolf will expect his dignity, and that of his future wife, to be respected and preserved."
"But if no one else uses titles here, won't it seem rather awkward?" Valeria asked.
"You should leave that sort of decision to your husband," Otto said.
Luke might think she was a fool, but at least he encouraged her to think for herself. "I don't want to
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