Tarnished Angel (16 page)

    Devina suppressed the laugh that rose in her throat. Just as Lai Hua had predicted, Charles had been knocked breathless.

    Her smiled widening, Devina gracefully extended a gloved hand toward Charles as she reached the bottom of the staircase. His hand curled slightly around hers as he drew her down the final step.

    "Good evening, Charles. You look extremely handsome tonight!"

    Charles paused in reply. His dark eyes held hers with a stirring warmth. "Devina, I think I can honestly say you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and you've outdone yourself tonight. Without a doubt, you'll set Tombstone society on its ear."

    Devina's laugh was genuine and spontaneous. "On its ear! Charles, Tombstone society will never forgive me!"

    Leaning forward, Charles startled her by brushing her cheek with a light kiss. "Oh, yes, it will, Devina. It will forgive you anything."

    At the sound of an unexpected step, Charles and Devina turned to face Harvey Dale's raised eyebrows. "Charles, if you've finished filling my daughter's head with nonsense, I think it's time for you to start for Schieffelin Hall. Unless it's your specific intention to arrive late for the curtain, you had better not waste time.

    "Harvey, I'm not of the opinion that it is a waste of time to tell a beautiful woman just how lovely she truly is."

    Harvey Dale's mouth gave a wry twist. "In this case, it is. Devina is well aware that she is beautiful. Blood will tell, you know. I think you will impress my daughter far more by complimenting her on her intelligence."

    "But, Harvey, your daughter's intelligence is not particularly obvious at this moment."

    At Devina's protest, Charles shook his head. An embarrassed laugh escaped his lips. "Wait, let me rephrase that comment. I meant to say it's not her intelligence that left me speechless as she walked down those steps, and I'm not ashamed to say that I'm going to enjoy escorting the most beautiful woman in Tombstone to the theater tonight."

    Appearing genuinely amused, Harvey smiled. "Well, you managed to extricate yourself from that blunder with true dexterity, Charles. But I repeat, you're going to be late."

    "Charles, I think Father is trying to get rid of us, so I suggest that we oblige." Turning to her father, Devina paused, her expression sobering. "You
have
called off the watchdog for the night, haven't you, Father?"

    "Watchdog?"

    Both Harvey and Devina ignored Charles's confused interjection.

    "I told you I would, didn't I, dear?"

    "What's this about a watchdog?"

    Devina smiled. "I'll tell you about it on the way, Charles."

    Tucking Devina's arm carefully under his, Charles was halted unexpectedly by Harvey's restraining hand. Devina's eyes rose to her father's face with annoyance, only to be struck by the concern evident there as he addressed Charles briefly.

    "If you had not already demonstrated your concern for my daughter's welfare, Charles, I would caution you now most severely. But I know that will not be necessary."

    The cutting edge of her voice softened by the visual evidence of her father's honest solicitude, Devina responded levelly, "Yes, Father, you are correct. Your cautioning is not necessary."

    Ignoring Charles's confusion, Devina urged him toward the door.

    "You heard what my father said, Charles. We're going to be late. We'd make a really noticeable entrance then."

    "You'll make a spectacular entrance whenever you arrive, Devina. I have no doubt about that."

    Devina's smile warmed, despite the nagging twitch of unease that again assailed her as she stepped onto the porch. "Charles, I think I'm going to like you very much."

    Charles's low voice met her ear in a confidential whisper as they stepped down from the last step and turned up the street: "I'm way ahead of you there, dear."

    Concealed by the darkness, Ross trained his spyglass on the
gaslit
street as a handsome couple stepped down from the porch and into the light. Shock held him momentarily
immmobile
. He followed their rapid pace up the street, a low, incredulous hiss finally escaping his throat.

    Charles Carter. A familiar burning hatred swelled inside Ross, and he indulged it for long moments before moving his gaze to the woman who walked at Carter's side. Charles Carter and Devina Dale, as well matched a pair as ever could be.

    He would see to it that they weren't together long.

    Perversely, Ross was unable to draw his eyes from the couple's laughing progress up Fremont Street. His stomach had twisted into tight knots of disgust by the time he finally lowered his glass, unable to watch any longer.

    Drawing himself stiffly to his feet, Ross ignored the semidarkness that shadowed his path as he walked rapidly to where his horse was tied. He had seen enough for this day.

    Harvey remained standing in the foyer as Devina and Charles walked briskly down the street. He noted that they made a very handsome couple, Charles with his tall, darkly handsome good looks, and Devina with her petite, pale beauty. But his mind lingered only briefly on the thought.

    As soon as his daughter and the young doctor had disappeared around the corner, Harvey reached for his hat. Stepping out on the porch, he pulled the front door closed behind him.

    With great care he placed his high-crowned bowler at the correct angle on his handsomely groomed head and straightened his shoulders. Pausing only briefly to submit to the demands of vanity, Harvey adjusted the fit of his well-tailored jacket before starting down the steps.

    With his first step onto the street, all thoughts of Devina and Charles had been thoroughly dismissed from his mind.

    "You're certain you don't want to join Wilfred and me for some late refreshments at the Can-Can?" Her slightly protruding brown eyes intent, Sally Lou Keane directed her earnest question toward Devina and Charles, her gaze darting between them.

    Thinking that Sally Lou looked for all the world like a wounded fawn, with her narrow face and awkwardly thin frame, Devina took a firm hold of her patience. Sally Lou looked sadly unsophisticated, despite her obvious attempt at chic, and Devina was weary of those
soleful
, searching eyes.

    "Yes, I'm certain, but I do thank both you and Wilfred for your kind invitation."

    Devina's look of mute appeal made Charles offer a hasty
postcript
. "As for myself, Sally Lou, I have early appointments in the morning, but I do thank you for"

    "Remember, Devina, I will be depending upon you to come to my party on Saturday night. I'll be simply devastated if you don't appear." Sally Lou's blatant interruption of Charles's response stiffened Devina's already forced smile.

    "I'll certainly make an effort to attend, Sally Lou. Thank you again for your invitation." Turning away from the young woman's anxious expression, Devina urged softly, "Shall we go, Charles?"

    His mouth twitching with amusement, Charles briefly tipped his hat in Sally Lou's direction and stepped out into the throng of    homeward- bound theatergoers. Waiting only until they were out of earshot, he turned toward Devina. Her obvious annoyance perversely broadened his smile. "It appears you'll be in great demand at social functions now that you've been informally introduced into Tombstone society, Devina. Why aren't you smiling? You were an instant success. You left the men agog and the women simmering in their envy. As expected, you knocked everyone breathless."

    Devina's small nose twitched. The heat of annoyance was heavy in her tone, increasing his amusement as she responded stiffly, "Is that so, Charles? I hadn't noticed any shortness of breath on Sally Lou's part. As a matter of fact, she barely stopped talking long enough to come up for air."

    Charles's mouth twitched again. "Yes, she is a wonder, isn't she?"

    Devina's expression stiffened. "Charles, I am not in the least amused. "

    "I know. I suppose that's what made the situation all the more humorous." No longer able to restrain his grin, Charles shook his head. "Devina, you should demonstrate more charity. Poor Sally Lou came to Tombstone with her family when she was only a child, when her father was hired as an engineer at the Lucky Cuss mine. She's lived in this town ever since, and except for an occasional shopping jaunt to San Francisco, Tombstone is all she knows of the world. She has recently become engaged to Wilfred Bellows, who is a clerk at the mine. Her marriage to him will guarantee that during her lifetime she will probably never stray far from these treeless hills. She's starved for a glimpse of the world she's never seen, and you represent that world."

    "She cannot be starved any longer, Charles, no matter what you say. She was
feeding
on me the entire evening." Her sarcastic barb delivered with a slight flick of her brows, Devina continued without waiting for his response, "How can you ask me to be more charitable? I think I was extremely gracious this evening, even though my ear is actually throbbing from Sally Lou's incessant chatter."

    "Beautiful, charming, amusing, exhilarating I found you to be all those things… but gracious to Sally Lou? No, Devina you deliver a powerfully chilling glance."

    "To which Sally Lou seemed thoroughly immune."

    "Oh, you noticed that?"

    "Charles, you're being annoyingly facetious."

    "Am I? I thought I was being honest."

    "Charles…"

    "All right, but I have the distinct impression you have no intention of attending Sally Lou's party."

    "Oh, heaven forbid!"

    Devina's horrified expression stimulated a true bellow of laughter, which Charles found difficult to control. Aware that heads were turning in his direction, Charles tried harder.

    "Charles, I told you, I do not find this situation amusing, and I do not intend to subject myself to another night of dodging Sally Lou's incessant barrage of questions and nonstop conversation." Devina paused a moment in obvious consternation, her brows drawing into a frown. "Charles, please stop laughing!"

    Charles realized they were approaching the Dale residence. Taking a firm hold on himself, he nodded. "I am sorry, Devina, but if you could've seen your face for the greater part of the evening… You looked at Sally Lou as if you could not quite believe what was happening."

    "I couldn't!"

    "As if she were some strange species you had never before encountered."

    "She is!"

    "Devina, the girl looks up to you." Charles's voice was touched with amused admonishment. "Charity, please."

    "Charles…" Devina's expression was pained. Charles Carter was the only person who had ever expected her to discomfort herself for someone else. She was ill at ease with the expectation, but she found herself even more uncomfortable with the thought that Charles Carter might disapprove of her conduct.

    Devina shook her head. "Charles, you don't really expect me to go to that party, do you? I can't. I… she…" Her voice faded away as Charles held her gaze unblinkingly, and her mouth compressed into a straight line for long, silent seconds before she burst out with obvious distaste, "Oh, all right! I'll go to Sally Lou's stupid party!"

    Charles's mouth twitched once more. "That's very generous of you, Devina."

    Devina's initial response was a suspicious glance. "Charles, are you laughing at me?"

    "
With
you, Devina. Never
at
you."