I'm just being silly."He scrunched up his forehead as he looked at me. "Are you all right?" Yeah. I'll be fine. Do you need anything from me?" No, we'...e fine. This is Rudolfo. He just got out of the navy and I'm teaching him the construction business."Rudolfo held out his hand and I gave him mine. Instead of shaking it, he bowed and brushed his lips across the back of it. I wasn't really paying attention and he surprised the hell out of me. I yanked my hand away from him."I'm sorry, Senorita. I. Princess Sara had changed out of her white riding habit into a golden ball gown, heavily encrusted with a myriad of precious stones of many colours. On her head was a tiara whose value was obviously quite beyond price, from which flashed a thousand rays of light reflected from the chandeliers. All that this finery served to do was show up the fair young maiden's natural beauty all the more. As one besotted guest put it, those blue eyes shone more brightly than any diamond and the Princess's. " One look at Annie's beaming face should have told him that, I thought."Congratulations, young man! I was 'oping you were goin' to see sense. So, you finally realised what you've tamed, then, eh?" Tamed?" Like the fox." Oh, 'The Little Prince.' Yes, I suppose so. Or maybe she tamed me, I'm not sure." Ah, well, that's 'ow it goes, ain't it. Remember what the fox said — 'You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.'"I nodded, suddenly seeing how he was right. Of course I was. Unfortunately, it wasn't because my elbow to the head had ended it. I hadn't had that much on it. Instead, Kirsten had taken control of Carol's deflected arm. She now had it twisted behind his back in what amounted to a standing hammerlock.Whereas it reflects well on Kirsten's character that she so quickly came to your assistance, Ursus thought, I perceive that having a girl defend you probably makes you look bad among your age group.Yeah, likely. "Carol," I said loudly, "how many times do I.