deepening of the lines at the corners of Charles's mouth, and her eyes narrowed into angry slits. "Charles, I repeat: I do not find this situation at all amusing."
Making an admirable attempt at solemnity, Charles nodded.
"You're right, Devina, of course. But now I suggest that we"
"We?" Her brows rising with haughty disdain, Devina shook her head imperiously. "I don't know what you intend doing, but I'm going to the Wells Fargo office."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Devina."
Devina's smile turned to pure acid. "Does it surprise you to hear me say I don't care what you think, Charles?"
Charles's lips stretched into a smile. "No, it honestly doesn't, Devina. But in any case, it would be a mistake."
"Mistake?" Pushed beyond the limits of her control, Devina walked stiffly toward her original destination. Her head high, she ignored the stares that followed her. She lifted her chin higher as Charles's step sounded beside her, then turned with a haughty stare as Charles politely took her arm.
"If you please, Charles. I like to make my own mistakes. And now that I realize what I'm up against in this uncivilized outpost, you may rest assured I will be more careful in the future."
Refusing to relinquish her arm, Charles conformed to her pace while carefully tucking her arm under his. His expression sober at last, he responded, "All the care in the world won't protect you from a similar situation if you stay on this side of the street, Devina."
Devina hesitated.
"Of course, you couldn't be expected to know," Charles went on, "but respectable women don't walk on this side of the street."
A small sound of agreement came from Lai Hua, who was a few steps behind them. Devina shot a glance at her obviously shaken young maid.
"You must be joking, Charles."
"I couldn't be more serious, Devina." A hint of his previous humor returning, Charles shook his head. "Poor Bart, I suppose he walked out of the Alhambra and thought he had stepped into paradise when he saw you waiting for him."
"I was not waiting for him!"
"I think he thought you were. You really should have some sympathy for the poor fellow, Devina. Consider how disappointed he must be."
"Sympathy! He insulted me! He said I dressed like a… like a… He said I wiggled my sweet little"
"You can't fault the man for his taste."
"Charles!"
Shock bringing her to an abrupt halt, Devina stared at Charles Carter for long moments before the humor of the situation began to take hold. Oh, Lord, could this whole humiliating situation truly have happened to her? The broadening of Charles's smile was infectious, and Devina was suddenly laughing. Charles's low laughter joined hers, effectively relieving both her embarrassment and her tension.
Sober at last, Devina turned toward Lai Hua. "I apologize, Lai Hua. I should have given you a chance to explain. You may rest assured I will never make so foolish a mistake again. And I'll offer a proper explanation to my fatherif he finds out what happened."
"You may rest assured he'll hear about it, Devina. That was too good a show not to bear repeating."
Charles's soft comment turned Devina back in his direction. Her expression was pained. "You think so?"
"I know so."
"Oh, dear."
Charles's face creased with concern. "If you're afraid your father will be angry, I'll be happy to"
"Me? Afraid of my father?" Devina took a deep breath and attempted to retain her smile. "Charles, I do most sincerely appreciate your help today, but please, don't say another word about that."
His smile suddenly returning, Charles nodded. "In that case, since you seem determined to visit the Wells Fargo office, would you mind my accompanying you? I would feel much safer…"
Devina's smile softened. "Actually, now
Making an admirable attempt at solemnity, Charles nodded.
"You're right, Devina, of course. But now I suggest that we"
"We?" Her brows rising with haughty disdain, Devina shook her head imperiously. "I don't know what you intend doing, but I'm going to the Wells Fargo office."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Devina."
Devina's smile turned to pure acid. "Does it surprise you to hear me say I don't care what you think, Charles?"
Charles's lips stretched into a smile. "No, it honestly doesn't, Devina. But in any case, it would be a mistake."
"Mistake?" Pushed beyond the limits of her control, Devina walked stiffly toward her original destination. Her head high, she ignored the stares that followed her. She lifted her chin higher as Charles's step sounded beside her, then turned with a haughty stare as Charles politely took her arm.
"If you please, Charles. I like to make my own mistakes. And now that I realize what I'm up against in this uncivilized outpost, you may rest assured I will be more careful in the future."
Refusing to relinquish her arm, Charles conformed to her pace while carefully tucking her arm under his. His expression sober at last, he responded, "All the care in the world won't protect you from a similar situation if you stay on this side of the street, Devina."
Devina hesitated.
"Of course, you couldn't be expected to know," Charles went on, "but respectable women don't walk on this side of the street."
A small sound of agreement came from Lai Hua, who was a few steps behind them. Devina shot a glance at her obviously shaken young maid.
"You must be joking, Charles."
"I couldn't be more serious, Devina." A hint of his previous humor returning, Charles shook his head. "Poor Bart, I suppose he walked out of the Alhambra and thought he had stepped into paradise when he saw you waiting for him."
"I was not waiting for him!"
"I think he thought you were. You really should have some sympathy for the poor fellow, Devina. Consider how disappointed he must be."
"Sympathy! He insulted me! He said I dressed like a… like a… He said I wiggled my sweet little"
"You can't fault the man for his taste."
"Charles!"
Shock bringing her to an abrupt halt, Devina stared at Charles Carter for long moments before the humor of the situation began to take hold. Oh, Lord, could this whole humiliating situation truly have happened to her? The broadening of Charles's smile was infectious, and Devina was suddenly laughing. Charles's low laughter joined hers, effectively relieving both her embarrassment and her tension.
Sober at last, Devina turned toward Lai Hua. "I apologize, Lai Hua. I should have given you a chance to explain. You may rest assured I will never make so foolish a mistake again. And I'll offer a proper explanation to my fatherif he finds out what happened."
"You may rest assured he'll hear about it, Devina. That was too good a show not to bear repeating."
Charles's soft comment turned Devina back in his direction. Her expression was pained. "You think so?"
"I know so."
"Oh, dear."
Charles's face creased with concern. "If you're afraid your father will be angry, I'll be happy to"
"Me? Afraid of my father?" Devina took a deep breath and attempted to retain her smile. "Charles, I do most sincerely appreciate your help today, but please, don't say another word about that."
His smile suddenly returning, Charles nodded. "In that case, since you seem determined to visit the Wells Fargo office, would you mind my accompanying you? I would feel much safer…"
Devina's smile softened. "Actually, now
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