doubt it is since you appear to be interested only in your own opinions-it was not my idea to wait here," Valeria said. "I was quite prepared to climb into the coach in full view of everyone in this town. Hans stopped me, certain you'd be glad to accord me this sign of courtesy."
"I'll accord you courtesy when you earn a little," Luke said. "So far you've done nothing but sit back and wait for servants to do everything for you."
"If I had any such expectations of you, Mr. Attmore, I assure you I have them no longer. Now if you will remove yourself from my path, I would like to enter my coach. I don't want to be accused of being the one to hold up your departure."
Looking furious enough to use a knife herself, she started past him. Luke reached out and caught her by the arm. "Why aren't you wearing one of the dresses I bought you?"
"Because I despise them." She looked down at Luke's hand, apparently stunned he would do anything so shocking as take hold of her. "Release my arm."
Luke kept his grip. "Where are those dresses?"
She attempted to pull away but Luke tightened his grip.
"I asked you a question."
He thought for a moment Valeria would refuse to answer. He also thought Hans would expire of a heart attack on the spot.
"Elvira put them in the bottom of my truck," Valeria admitted grudgingly. "You can't make me wear them."
Luke glared at her for a moment longer before he released her. "I won't have to," he said, his voice dropping lower. "Before long you'll be begging me to let you wear one."
"I'll never-"
"Never make rash promises," Luke said, as he moved to one side to allow her to pass. "It's so much more difficult when you have to swallow them and your pride."
Valeria started to speak, changed her mind, and strode toward the door.
"Buck up, Hans," Luke said. "Arizona isn't like your fusty old court, but it's not half bad once you get used to it. You might even discover you have two thoughts in your head that have nothing to do with Valeria. It'll do her good to have to take care of herself. She's been indulged too-"
A scream from the street caused Luke to turn on his heel and race from the hotel.
Chapter Five
Luke found a white-faced Valeria supporting Elvira. The maid had fainted.
"It's those two men," Valeria said, indicating Zeke and Hawk.
"She ran smack dab into my chest," Zeke said, grinning. "She took one look at me and backed right into Hawk. That's when she fainted."
"Throw some water on her," Luke said.
"Don't you fancy ladies carry smelling salts?" Zeke asked. "My old mistress did."
"Everything is packed," Valeria said.
Luke delivered two sharp slaps to the maid's cheeks. She came out of her faint with a start. She looked from Luke to Hawk and Zeke. Her eyes got wide again.
"Don't faint," Luke said, "or I'll dunk you in the horse trough. These men are my brothers."
"B-brothers," the maid stammered.
"Obviously we're adopted," Luke said. "Now pull yourself together and get into the coach. You've made us late."
"Have some compassion," Valeria said. "She still hasn't gotten used to your country. You can't know how different it is from ours."
"I've been to your country," Luke said. "I've seen your royal palace."
Valeria looked so skeptical, Luke laughed. "I'll describe it to you."
"I know what it looks like," she said.
"But you don't believe I know. I can see it in your eyes. Now get your maid in the coach. We can't afford to wait any longer."
Elvira didn't wait for Valeria's help. She practically flung herself into the coach, to escape Zeke and Hawk, Luke guessed.
When Luke had first accepted the job, he'd purchased an old mail coach, had it cleaned and the seats recovered. Valeria's elegance made it look shabby.
"You'll never get that woman out again," Zeke said with a laugh that sounded as mocking as it did lacking in sympathy.
"I'll let you take her food to her," Luke said.
He ignored Zeke's flash of anger. "Want me to help?" Luke asked Valeria when she paused,
"I'll accord you courtesy when you earn a little," Luke said. "So far you've done nothing but sit back and wait for servants to do everything for you."
"If I had any such expectations of you, Mr. Attmore, I assure you I have them no longer. Now if you will remove yourself from my path, I would like to enter my coach. I don't want to be accused of being the one to hold up your departure."
Looking furious enough to use a knife herself, she started past him. Luke reached out and caught her by the arm. "Why aren't you wearing one of the dresses I bought you?"
"Because I despise them." She looked down at Luke's hand, apparently stunned he would do anything so shocking as take hold of her. "Release my arm."
Luke kept his grip. "Where are those dresses?"
She attempted to pull away but Luke tightened his grip.
"I asked you a question."
He thought for a moment Valeria would refuse to answer. He also thought Hans would expire of a heart attack on the spot.
"Elvira put them in the bottom of my truck," Valeria admitted grudgingly. "You can't make me wear them."
Luke glared at her for a moment longer before he released her. "I won't have to," he said, his voice dropping lower. "Before long you'll be begging me to let you wear one."
"I'll never-"
"Never make rash promises," Luke said, as he moved to one side to allow her to pass. "It's so much more difficult when you have to swallow them and your pride."
Valeria started to speak, changed her mind, and strode toward the door.
"Buck up, Hans," Luke said. "Arizona isn't like your fusty old court, but it's not half bad once you get used to it. You might even discover you have two thoughts in your head that have nothing to do with Valeria. It'll do her good to have to take care of herself. She's been indulged too-"
A scream from the street caused Luke to turn on his heel and race from the hotel.
Chapter Five
Luke found a white-faced Valeria supporting Elvira. The maid had fainted.
"It's those two men," Valeria said, indicating Zeke and Hawk.
"She ran smack dab into my chest," Zeke said, grinning. "She took one look at me and backed right into Hawk. That's when she fainted."
"Throw some water on her," Luke said.
"Don't you fancy ladies carry smelling salts?" Zeke asked. "My old mistress did."
"Everything is packed," Valeria said.
Luke delivered two sharp slaps to the maid's cheeks. She came out of her faint with a start. She looked from Luke to Hawk and Zeke. Her eyes got wide again.
"Don't faint," Luke said, "or I'll dunk you in the horse trough. These men are my brothers."
"B-brothers," the maid stammered.
"Obviously we're adopted," Luke said. "Now pull yourself together and get into the coach. You've made us late."
"Have some compassion," Valeria said. "She still hasn't gotten used to your country. You can't know how different it is from ours."
"I've been to your country," Luke said. "I've seen your royal palace."
Valeria looked so skeptical, Luke laughed. "I'll describe it to you."
"I know what it looks like," she said.
"But you don't believe I know. I can see it in your eyes. Now get your maid in the coach. We can't afford to wait any longer."
Elvira didn't wait for Valeria's help. She practically flung herself into the coach, to escape Zeke and Hawk, Luke guessed.
When Luke had first accepted the job, he'd purchased an old mail coach, had it cleaned and the seats recovered. Valeria's elegance made it look shabby.
"You'll never get that woman out again," Zeke said with a laugh that sounded as mocking as it did lacking in sympathy.
"I'll let you take her food to her," Luke said.
He ignored Zeke's flash of anger. "Want me to help?" Luke asked Valeria when she paused,
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