Gold in the Fire and Light in the Storm

by Margaret Daley

  “That’s the first time I’ve heard you refer to yourself as old.”

  Her father’s gaze pinned her. “How would you know? You haven’t been around much in the past ten years to know what I say or think.”

  Darcy felt as though her father had slapped her in the face. She automatically took a step back, her hand coming up to her throat.

  He stalked past her, muttering, “Sean took Lady outside to…go. I’ll get him.”

  “Sean named his dog Lady?”

  Joshua’s question reminded her that she wasn’t alone and that she needed to regain her composure quickly or she would find herself breaking down in front of him.

  “Yes.” She averted her head as though she were watching her father leave, when in actuality she didn’t see much through the sheen of tears.

  “That was what I called my first dog.”

  She blinked the tears away before facing Joshua. “I know. Sean didn’t think a girl dog should be called Joshua, but he liked the name Lady so he calls her that because of you.”

  Joshua approached her, his gaze connected to hers. “I’m sorry, Darcy.”

  “About what?” Her throat thickened again, and she felt the walls of the den close in on her.

  Joshua gestured toward where her father had disappeared. “What I just witnessed between you and your father.”

  She attempted a smile that wavered about the corners of her mouth and faltered. “It’s not a secret our relationship is rocky at best.”

  “And the added tension with the fires makes everyone on edge.”

  “Don’t make excuses for him. The fires have nothing to do with it.”

  “Then what does?”

  Aware of the compassion she saw in the blue depths of his eyes, she wanted to tell him everything—starting with her mother’s illness and suicide. The words wouldn’t come out. Instead she pressed her lips together and pivoted, heading for the dining room before she did confide in him.

  What good would it do? Her mother would still be dead. Her relationship with her father would still be awful. And Joshua would own a part of her that she didn’t share with others. Even Lizzy, who had been around, didn’t know the depths of her agony over finding her mother and the suicide note.

  Darcy ran her hand over her ice-green silk dress for probably the hundredth time since leaving the farm for Lexington. Her nerves were strung so tight she was afraid they would snap. A date! She hadn’t been on one in years and wasn’t sure what to do. She hoped it was like riding a bicycle because she was working herself up into a frenzy over it.

  She glanced at Joshua, his large, strong hands on the steering wheel, his gaze trained forward on the highway, and wondered why she had accepted this date. It was a complication she didn’t need.

  But a welcome distraction, a tiny voice inside her said. The past few days at the farm had been hectic with getting ready for the horse auction. The bite of her father’s words still stung from earlier today: she hadn’t had all the paperwork done the way he had wished. No matter that she had never done it before and was learning—

  “No frowns allowed tonight,” Joshua said.

  “Sorry about that. Just thinking of all the preparation that goes into selling the horses.”

  “That’s this weekend, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. Dad’s beside himself. He’s angry that he doesn’t feel one hundred percent yet, so he has to rely on me to do some of the things he’s always done.”

  “He’s a proud man. His illness has been difficult on him.”

  “Why is it so hard for some people to accept help?”

  He flashed her grin. “Beats me. I accept all kinds of help. For instance, I need an assistant to help me with my Sunday school class for the rest of the summer. Marge had a family emergency and will be gone quite a bit.” He waggled his brows. “Any takers in this truck?”

  Darcy twisted around, checking the cab out. “I don’t see any.” She paused, then added, “Unless you’re referring to me.”

  “How about it?”

  “I won’t be able to this weekend. I’ll be so involved with the horse auction that I’m sure I’ll meet myself coming and going.”

  “You can start the next Sunday, then. I’m not picky.”

  “Gee, I’m not sure I shouldn’t be offended.”

  “Will it make things better if I tell you that you were the first and only person I thought to ask?”

  “Now, flattery works much better.”

  “I aim to please.” Joshua pulled into the hotel parking garage and found a place immediately on the ground level. “A good sign. This will be a nice evening.”

  “Of course it will, I’m your date.” As they left the garage, she linked her arm through his, her spirits lifted at the prospects of spending an evening with Joshua. She wouldn’t think about the farm for the next few hours. Tomorrow would be here soon enough and all the problems she’d left behind would still be there.

  Darcy marveled at the beautifully decorated ballroom of the hotel. It was a study in gold and glittering crystal. Elegant. Richly ornate. “You didn’t tell me half the population of Kentucky was going to be here.”

  “This is an annual event. The governor honors certain people who have done extraordinary things, from research scientists at the university to police officers.”

  “To you.”

  He leaned close to her ear, his breath tickling her neck. “I think you’re trying to get me to blush again.”

  They were escorted to a table at the front of the room and seated with a police officer from Lexington and his wife, a businesswoman who financed a relief program for a small town that had suffered from a devastating tornado, and a minister and his wife who ran a program for the needy in eastern Kentucky. Darcy felt honored to be among such people.

  Listening to them talk put some of Darcy’s problems in perspective. Even though she was only going to be in Sweetwater for a while longer, there wasn’t any reason not to become involved in the community. And she knew where she wanted to start—with Tanya and Crystal Bolton. Tanya needed help and a friend. She could do both.

  By the time the awards dinner was over, Darcy had a plan. She and Joshua, plaque in hand, left the hotel after being bombarded by the press and people who wanted to congratulate Joshua for his rescue. Noticing that he blushed and continually ran his thumb over his fingers, she smiled to herself. He wasn’t comfortable with all this attention, but she was glad she had come. She had seen another side of Joshua. Usually he was so self-assured, but up at the podium he was out of his element. He’d said a few words of thanks but had sat down almost immediately, having given the shortest speech of the evening.

  “If I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes, I wouldn’t have believed you were shy, Joshua Markham.”

  “I don’t like crowds and I certainly don’t like to give a speech in front of strangers. If you hadn’t agreed to come, I’m not sure I would have shown up.”

  She stopped, facing him. “Not come? You’re kidding! The governor was giving you a plaque honoring your heroism and you weren’t going to come?”

  He shrugged and reached around her to open the passenger door of his truck. “What can I say? I was a nervous wreck all day. The guys at the station were ready to demand I go home early from work.”

  “Going into a burning building doesn’t scare you, but getting up in front of a crowd of strangers does?”

  “Yep. That about sums it up.”

  Darcy shook her head. “I don’t understand you. You get up in church and with the kids in your Sunday school class.”

  “That’s different. I know those people and it’s never about me.”

  “Ah, I see. So if the church gave you an award for your work you wouldn’t be embarrassed?”

  He nodded. “I don’t do these things to call attention to myself or for any kind of reward.”

  “Why do you do them?”

  “Because God gave me a gift and I’m using it the way He wants me to. Someone�
�s gotta fight fires and work with the kids at church.”

  Darcy climbed into the cab of the truck and waited until Joshua rounded the front and slipped behind the steering wheel before saying, “I have a favor to ask.”

  He started the engine. “What?”

  “I want to build some ramps for Crystal in her backyard so she can enjoy going outside, and I need help to do that.”

  “I’d love to. Have you asked Tanya and Tom?”

  “Well, no, not yet, but Tanya mentioned she needed some ramps built. Do you think Tom will mind if I offer?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know. I haven’t seen him in months, and the stories I’ve heard lead me to believe he might.”

  “That’s what Tanya thought. She said something about Tom wanting to build them himself but never getting around to it. I guess all I can do is ask. Maybe he’ll surprise us all and agree.”

  Darcy settled in the seat and leaned her head back. Joshua switched on some soft, classical music, and the peaceful strains tempted her to close her eyes—just for a few minutes, she thought. The next thing she knew, Joshua was shaking her awake, his deep voice whispering to her.

  She bolted upright, noticing he was driving down the lane that led to her house. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep. You should have said something. I’ve been functioning for the past week on about half the sleep I require. I guess it finally caught up with me.”

  He breathed a deep sigh of relief. “Good. For a while there I thought it might be a statement about my scintillating conversation.”

  The teasing tone in his voice relaxed her. “You can drop me off at the far barn.”

  “Surely you aren’t going to work tonight?”

  “I need to check on a mare. I promised Dad I would when I came home. It was either that or he would have, and he was exhausted.”

  “And you aren’t?”

  “I just had an hour nap. I’m refreshed and ready to go. Besides, it should only take a minute to make sure she didn’t go into labor.”

  “Then I’ll wait for you and drive you up to the house.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “Yes, I do.” As he stopped the truck in front of the barn, his gaze met hers.

  In the yard light she saw the gleam in his eyes and the look of determination in his expression. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Okay. I won’t be long.”

  She slid from the cab, and as he started to open his door, she said, “Stay. You won’t even know I’m gone.” And she hurried toward the barn.

  Inside she made her way toward the second-to-last stall as quickly as possible in three-inch high heels. After checking on the mare, who was doing fine, she closed the door and started back toward the entrance. A noise to the left of her caught her attention. She halted, suddenly wondering where the guard was. Scanning the barn, she realized she was the only other person here. The noise was probably the cat in the tack room, she thought and resumed walking.

  A crash had her spinning around and rushing toward the tack room, heedless of the danger she might be in. Approaching the door, she lifted her arm to push it open. Suddenly it banged open and she came face to face with a short man in dirty clothes and a shaggy beard that obscured his features. But the pale blue of his eyes imprinted itself on her brain. She screamed.

  He shoved past her, sending her flying back. She hit the hard-packed dirt with a thud. She was scrambling to her feet when she heard Joshua running toward her.

  “Are you all right? What happened?”

  She waved her hand toward the rear of the barn. “He went that way.”

  Without another word Joshua sprinted toward the back and disappeared from view. Darcy pushed herself to her feet, vaguely aware that her beautiful new silk dress was probably ruined. She kicked off her high heels, then headed after Joshua. She ran into him—literally—just outside the barn.

  “Did you see the man?”

  “No, he was gone. Did you know him?”

  “No, he was a stranger.”

  “Where’s your father’s guard?”

  “Probably making his rounds—at least, I hope so. What if something’s happened to the man? What if that was the arsonist and—” She shuddered; she didn’t like the direction her thoughts were taking.

  Joshua drew her into his embrace. “Let’s check the barn and make sure the man didn’t leave anything behind. Then let’s go find the guard.”

  “You mean that man might have rigged the barn to burn?”

  Joshua gripped her hand. “Yes. On second thought, I want you to go around to my truck and wait until I check everything out.”

  “No.”

  Chapter Seven

  “What do you mean, no?” Anger lines carved into Joshua’s face.

  “I mean, no I won’t go and quietly wait for you to inspect the barn for something that might cause a fire.”

  He thrust his face within inches of hers. “What if a fire starts while I’m in the barn?”

  “Then I’ll be there to help get the horses out. Every second will count if a fire starts.” She tugged her hand from his and put both of hers on her waist. “And let me make it perfectly clear, I will try to save any horses I can.”

  “And you call me a risk taker. What kind of behavior is that?” He spoke in a very controlled voice while he was stalking toward the rear door of the barn.

  Darcy watched him for a few seconds before she hurried after him. “What are we looking for?”

  His look conveyed his displeasure at her insistence on being in the barn. “Anything unusual.” He paused at the tack room door. “He was in here?”

  “Yes.”

  “You check the stalls while I go through this room and the storage next door.”

  Five minutes into the inspection the guard showed up. Darcy sent him to check the other barn with any groom still on duty. She had visions of both barns going up at the same time.

  Half an hour later Darcy stood with Joshua next to his truck, staring at the barn. “I’m glad we didn’t find anything. But then, who was that man and why was he in there?”

  Raking his fingers through his hair—not for the first time if its disheveled look meant anything—Joshua said, “We need to get a description to the police. He could be the arsonist. Even though we didn’t find anything, maybe you came before he could set the fire.”

  “I guess I can’t postpone talking to my father any longer. I told the guard not to say anything, that I would tell Dad. But before I do, I need to check with the guard to make sure the other barn is okay. If I can tell Dad everything’s all right, he might take it better.” Who was she kidding? Her father wouldn’t take this well at all, but getting stressed over it would only make the situation worse.

  “I’ll drive you.”

  By the time Joshua parked in front of the main house, Darcy’s shoulders sagged from exhaustion. What had started out as a delightful, fun-filled evening had evolved into a tension-filled nightmare, and she still had to face the worse part of it—her father.

  Though it was after midnight, as she had suspected her father was still up in the den, reading a horse magazine. His whole life revolved around his horses and the farm. What would happen to him if the farm was destroyed by an arsonist?

  “Did you two have a good time?” Shamus looked up from his magazine as Darcy and Joshua entered.

  “The food was good. The people we met were interesting.”

  “I hear a ‘but’ in your voice, son.”

  Joshua blew out a long breath. “I could have done with a little less pomp and circumstances.”

  “He hates to give speeches, but he did a great job. It was short and to the point.” Darcy sat across from her father while Joshua stood next to her, his hand on her shoulder giving her silent support.

  “I’ve got the feeling you want to tell me something.”

  “Dad, I checked on Dragonfly and she’s doing fine.” Her throat parched, Darcy tried to coat it but failed. Her mouth felt stuffed with cotto
n. “As I was leaving, I heard something in the tack room. When I went to investigate, a man rushed out and ran me down.”

  Her father surged to his feet and started for the door.

  “Dad, wait!”

  He pivoted, anger darkening his features, his deep gray eyes boring into her. His jaws clenched, he spoke through gritted teeth. “Where is he?”

  “Gone, sir. I ran after him, but he disappeared.”

  “Did you know him?” Shamus asked Joshua.

  “I didn’t get a look at him. I was outside by my truck when I heard Darcy scream.”

  Her father shifted his attention to her. “Did you know him?”

  She shook her head.

  “What did he look like?”

  “Short, dirty with a shaggy beard. His hair was dark and his eyes were a pale blue.”

  “Angus Feehan. That’s got to be him. The last time I saw him he was growing a beard.” Her father walked to the phone, put his hand on the receiver. “Did you check the barn?”

  “Yes, sir. There was nothing. The guard and the groom on duty at night inspected the other one just to make sure. They even checked the new barn under construction.”

  Some of the tension seemed to leave Shamus as he picked up the receiver and placed a call to the police. While her father talked to the authorities, Joshua’s hand on her shoulder squeezed gently, his gaze locking with hers as they walked from the room.

  “I’d better go. I’m on duty tomorrow.”

  “Are you going to be able to come to the fairgrounds this weekend for any of the festivities?” Darcy asked when they were out in the entry hall.

  “On Saturday. I’ll stop by and see you. Tomorrow I’ll talk with the police about Angus and see if he has a connection to the recent fires.”

  “It sure would be nice to find the person before anything else happens.”

  “Good night, Darcy.” He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.

  As he exited, her hand came up to touch the place where his lips had been only a few seconds before. The casual gesture left her weak and shaken. It was the kind of kiss that might transpire between two friends, and yet…