Page 28 of Her Royal Houseguest

‘Our two countries have not even begun discussions. If you will accept my apology, then there will be no damage.’

‘No damage,’ she agreed. ‘I accept your apology and you are forgiven.’

He stiffened slightly at her phrasing. A prince was never ‘forgiven’ because he was never taken to task by anyone other than a fellow royal. But he was apologetic and he did wish for her forgiveness. So he bowed his head.

‘Thank you,’ he said.

His brother shot him a look of surprise. Though the lady did not understand how he humbled himself before her, Vaji certainly did. And he was equally impressed.

His brother spoke in Siamese. ‘You are becoming moral to admit a mistake.’

‘I am moral,’ he shot back. ‘I am rarely wrong.’ Then he continued in English to Lady Anna. ‘I must give you a service,’ he said. ‘To make solid my apology.’ Then when she stared at him, he elaborated. ‘And you must accept to make solid your forgiveness.’

‘Oh!’ she blinked. ‘I…um…that’s not necessary.’

‘It is.’

‘I see. Well, um…’

‘Perhaps I could help organise your things? I am very good at that.’

Lady Anna looked confused. Thankfully, Vaji was here to explain.

‘He has helped many of my brothers set their workplaces to order. His mind is…stiff in that way.’

‘Stiff?’

Vaji moved his hands to indicate squares. ‘His mind thinks in boxes. Your people do not fit in his boxes and so he ends up insulting you. I think this would be good. He will help you make boxes of your interests and you will show him how your boxes are different than ours.’

He flashed Deva a smile. ‘This will help in the negotiations, I think. You will see where their boxes and ours align.’

He spoke all of it in English so she would understand. When Deva looked to her, he saw her expression moved into understanding and a quiet excitement.

‘I think you are very wise, Monk Vaji.’

Ai-ya. ‘Vaji must practice humility. Do not set his studies backward.’

‘It is not flattery if it is true,’ countered Vaji, thereby proving he had no humility at all.

Lady Anna chuckled with a sweet sound that set Deva’s heart at ease.

‘Very well,’ she said. ‘I would be honoured to have you help me make boxes of all this mess.’

‘Very good,’ he said, bowing. ‘And I will perhaps help you make good boxes of your life, too.’

Her brows rose. ‘That’s quite the offer,’ she drawled. ‘Perhaps I can show you how boxes are often too rigid and cause harm.’

Doubtful. What she needed was simple organisation but he would allow her the illusion of better wisdom. For now.

‘Then we have a bargain.’

Chapter Nine

Anna had been kissed before. A few she’d invited, a few she hadn’t. But this was the first time a kiss set her belly to quivering an hour later. Right now, whenever she thought of it, her belly tightened and her toes curled.

Never in her wildest dreams could she have guessed that a prince would propose to her! Though, of course, it hadn’t actually been a proposal but an expectation that she’d want to marry him. She had no interest in marrying him—tingles be damned—and so she had said.

Except there was something about Prince Deva that kept drawing her attention. He was arrogant as any royal but clearly able to bend if needed. There was warmth between him and his brother but also exasperation. For all that they had a similar exotically handsome appearance, their personalities seemed polar opposites.