A Texas Sky

by Lori Wick

unashamedly embracing each other for long moments.

  "How are you?" Cash asked,, still holding the younger

  man by the arms.

  "Good, I think. Ready for a bath and a hot meal."

  "We can do both. Right, Katy?"

  "As if you have to ask!" she said in her indomitable

  way. Cash only smiled.

  "Come on," Cash invited Dakota. "Come into the den.

  I've got to show you something."

  From the kitchen the men moved across a sprawling

  living room graced by a huge stone fireplace and into

  Cash's personal office. The oldest of the Rawlings brothers

  led Dakota to a framed portrait, turning to see his reaction.

  "When did this arrive?"

  "Just last week."

  The men gazed at the beautiful picture of their parents,

  Charles Sr. and Virginia Rawlings. Neither parent smiled,

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  but both had warm expressions. Dakota's eyes lingered on

  his mother's. Cash had been blessed with her eyes--warm

  and welcoming. Dakota's gaze next went to his father. It

  was like looking at himself in 20 more years.

  "They look great," Dakota declared.

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  "That they do. Mother wrote that she was sending it,

  but I didn't know what to expect. The ornate frame and

  bowed glass are such a surprise. Ifs more elegant than

  ranch life, but I'll take it anyway."

  "Now if Mother were here right now, she'd say it was

  time you had a woman's touch around here."

  "She'd say the same thing to you."

  "Have you been to see them lately?"

  "No. I'm thinking of going just before Grandma's visit."

  "How is she?"

  The men fell into easy dialog about everything from

  their grandmother to the increasing number of cattle Cash

  had on the ranch. At one point Katy called that the water

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  was hot for bathing, and Cash encouraged Dakota to go

  first.

  "Do I smell that bad?"

  Cash smiled, his eyes not bothering to disguise the love

  he felt

  "Ifs so good to have you home."

  "I'm glad you feel that way. I'll probably stay for a

  while."

  "Good. How's the new life going?"

  Dakota sighed. "I have so many questions."

  The men would have started on those questions right

  then, but Katy came from the dining area with orders.

  "Cash! Are you going to let this boy bathe?"

  "Go, Dak, before she has a fit."

  Katy had been with the family since the men were boys,

  so the look they exchanged was a familiar one. They did as

  they were told. Cash followed Dakota into the large

  bathing chamber off the kitchen at the rear of the house so

  they could keep talking. Katy grumbled under her breath

  that they acted just like kids, but that didn't stop her from

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  standing outside the door, listening for a moment to their

  nonstop talk and grinning from ear to ear.

  %r%r%r

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  Darvi had everything she could do not to wring her

  hands and pace. All her brave thoughts melted as she sat

  and thought about the meaning of "a change in plans."

  Several times she had asked Mr. McDermott what could be

  keeping the man he called Seth, but he seemed as uninformed

  as she.

  Another glance at the window told her darkness was

  crowding in. It was inconceivable to her that she had spent

  two whole days in this apartment, no one knowing where

  she was. She had not communicated a firm arrival date to

  her parents, and Dakota thought she was on her way

  home. The thought caused panic to claw at her throat. The men hadn't been threatening to her; they just wouldn't let her go. Working desperately not to crumble but to keep her

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  voice strong, Darvi stood.

  "I have to go now. If s been too long. He's not coming

  back, and I can't stay here anymore."

  Eliot came to his feet, mentally begging Seth to return

  before he had to gag this woman to keep her quiet

  "I think it won't be long now."

  She wasn't going to hear that again. Darvi looked

  toward the window, anger taking over.

  "If s getting dark outside! I've probably missed my train

  again. Now you must let me out of here."

  This said, she strode to the window and started to open

  it. Eliot could not stand the thought of hurting her, so he

  simply tried to take her by the arm.

  "Don't touch me! I'm going to scream until someone

  comes."

  "Is there a problem?" Seth's voice sounded at the edge

  of the room.

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  Darvi turned swiftly from the window, her eyes hot

  with betrayal.

  "What kind of people are you?" she spat "Now I want

  out of here, and I won't hear another excuse. Do you hear

  me?"

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  "Yes, I do hear you," Seth replied quietly, thinking a day

  had never been so long. It obviously nad been for her as

  well, but certainly for another reason.

  "Get your bag ready."

  Darvi was surprised but went immediately to do as he

  bid. In less than a minute she was standing in the hallway,

  ready to go.

  "May I take this for you?" Seth offered.

  "No, thank you," Darvi said without looking at him,

  and Seth wondered how much ground he might have lost

  by staying away so long.

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  "Lef s go," Seth said quietly and surprised Darvi again

  by taking her back through the living room. She remembered

  the stairs well, but it was getting dark and she had to

  take hold of the railing. A wagon was waiting in the alley,

  but Darvi didn't move toward it

  "Thank you," she said stiffly, thinking this entire ordeal

  had been a nightmare and asking God to let it be over.

  "Climb in; we'll give you a ride."

  "No, thank you," Darvi stated plainly. It was already

  quite dark, but she decided to take her chances alone. She

  didn't get five feet before a large arm dropped around her

  shoulders and steered her toward the wagon.

  "What are you doing?"

  "I can't let you go to the train station," Seth said, hoping

  she was not going to scream.

  "Please, don't do this," Darvi entreated him. "Please, let

  me go."

  "I can't," he whispered, and with that swung her up into

  his arms, stepped on the wheel, and sat down with her in

  the back of the wagon. Eliot immediately put the team into

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  motion, and Darvi screamed. Wanting very much to put his

  mouth over hers, Seth had to be satisfied with his hand,

  only to get it bitten. At the same time Darvi's other hand

  clawed at his face, and it took some doing to subdue her.

  Unfortunately, that freed her mouth for another scream.

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  Eliot was cutting through alleys and behind businesses

  as fast as he dared, but he feared that if she sounded off

  again, they were going to get nabbed. He cringed at the

  thought of the explaining they would have to do. Some of

  the police force were on
Jared's payroll, but no one would

  turn a blind eye to their abducting a woman.

  Still hearing scuffling in the back, Eliot could see that

  they'd almost made it. Another half mile and they'd be far

  enough out of town that he could move the horses a little

  faster and not cause suspicion. From there, they would

  head to the ranch, some five miles out At that point she

  could scream all she wanted to; no one who could do anything

  would hear her.

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  Darvi couldn't fight anymore. Seth held her very effectively,

  and biting his hand only lasted a few moments each

  time. She lay panting beside him, noticing for the first time

  that he wasn't trying to take advantage of her. Nevertheless,

  she didn't like it. She tried to speak, which caused him

  to ask. "Are you going to scream?"

  Darvi shook her head no.

  Seth let go.

  "Where are we going?" Darvi pushed the words past a

  raw throat.

  "To my home."

  "Why?"

  "Because we are."

  Darvi tried to see him in the dark.

  "Didn't Mr. Silk want to see me?"

  "I didn't even ask him."

  Darvi sighed. What in the world was going on?

  As though he'd heard her, Seth answered. "We'll get

  you to the ranch, and Cassy will settle you in. Tomorrow

  111 try to explain it."

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  "Who's Cassy?"

  "Eliot's girl."

  Darvi was silent for a moment.

  "I'd like to sit up now."

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  Seth was swift to help her. He'd had her pinned to the

  floor of the wagon, her wrists held in one of his hands. He

  now put a hand to her back and helped her sit up.

  "Do you want to sit on the seat with Eliot?"

  "No, thank you," she said before curling into a ball,

  wondering if she should try to jump for it. She glanced

  around at the blackness and knew it would be a mistake.

  She'd be terribly lost out here, jnd they would be hunting

  her, not to mention the fact that the team was moving fast

  now. Darvi thought she might injure herself if she tried it.

  She placed her forehead against her upraised knees and

  asked God to help her think.

  ^"S--S'

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  Darvi was surprised at what she could see of the house.

  Without permission Seth lifted her from the rear of the

  wagon and set her on the ground. The front door opened

  and the light spilled out, telling her the satchel was in

  Seth's hand.

  "Come on in," a woman's voice called. "I've got dinner

  on."

  Darvi entered a large, low-ceilinged room that was as

  well scrubbed as the apartment had been. To Darvi's

  amazement, a number of people were inside, almost all

  men. All but the woman sat eating a meal around a huge

  kitchen table. They turned to look her way, but a comment

  from tiie woman, something Darvi didn't quite catch, sent

  them back to their plates.

  "I put her in with Nate and Lindy," Cassy said after

  Eliot kissed her.

  "Do you want some dinner?" Seth asked from beside

  her, but Darvi didn't answer. When she felt a hand on her

  back propelling her forward, she obeyed.

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  They crossed the big room and entered a short hallway.

  Two doors sat across from each other.

  "You're in here," Seth whispered, his voice low, "with

  Nate and Lindy."

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  "Who are Nate and Lindy?"

  "Cassy's children. They're already asleep, but you

  won't wake them. I'll get the lamp for you."

  She was doing it again, and Seth had to harden his

  heart. The light caught the vulnerable look in her eyes; confusion

  and fear were plainly evident.

  "No one will hurt you here," he said, keeping his voice

  low, not because of the children, but because of his runaway

  emotions. "Keep the light burning all night if you want Sleep

  as late as you like. If you need something, Gassy and Eliot's

  room is right across from you. My room is back out through

  the big room and down a bit. Just call out if you need us, but

  don't try to run away. We're a long way from town."

  Darvi could only stare at him.

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  That wasn't good enough for Seth. Speaking firmly, he

  asked, "Did you hear me?"

  Darvi nodded.

  "All right Get some sleep now."

  Saying this, the tall man exited and shut the door. When

  he got back out to the big room, the men were finishing up

  and heading back to the bunkhouse. Seeing him come,

  Cassy put a plateful of food down in his spot and watched

  him sit down.

  "Is she all right?"

  "I think so."

  Cassy looked at him for a moment. "What makes you

  think she'll still be here in the morning?"

  "Because right now she's too afraid to run. Before she's

  here two days, she'll figure something out, but right now

  her spunk is gone."

  Cassy sat down and took a long drink of her coffee. She

  was a beautiful woman, smart and kind and head-over-heels

  where Seth's brother was concerned. She ran a successful

  cattle ranch, and for the most part, life was good.

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  She'd been hoping for years that Seth would find a woman

  to love, but not like this, not one he had to capture. What

  she saw as equal amounts of good and bad in the brothers

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  still amazed her. The good she saw in Seth made her want

  better for him than this.

  "I can't say as I like her," Cassy admitted.

  "Come on, Cass." This came from Eliot. "Give it a

  chance."

  "He's supposed to find someone who loves him in

  return!" Cassy shot back at Eliot, both talking as though

  Seth wasn't there.

  "It doesn't always work that way."

  "Give it time." This came from the man in question, his

  voice calm and confident. "If she stays long enough, she'll

  love us."

  "I hope thaf s true," Cassy said, "but if she doesn't like

  kids, you can haul her back to the train station or wherever

  she came from."

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  "I wouldn't expect anything else, Gassy."

  Much of the tension left the table at that moment These

  three had lived together and been friends for a long time.

  It was natural that Cassy didn't want another woman

  coming in to upset that balance.

  "I'm turning in," Seth said, finishing his food and

  standing up. "Thanks for dinner."

  "Are you going to keep watch?" Eliot wished to know.

  "I don't think so. Ill be up early, and I somehow doubt

  she'll be gone. If she is, I'll deal with it then. Maybe you

  could just check on her when you retire, Cassy. I would, but

  if she's still awake, it might make it even harder for her."

  "I'll do it. What's her name again?"

  "Darvi. Darvi Wingate." The name was said softly, a

  gentle smile on Seth's mouth.

  "Why now? Why her?" Cassy asked of Eliot after Seth

  went to his room.

&
nbsp; "I've been asking myself the same questions."

  "So what are we going to do?"

  Eliot shrugged a little. "Just wait and see."

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  m

  9

  darvi's uds opened, and she stared at the log wall in

  front of her face. She frowned in confusion before closing

  her eyes in remembrance. Tempted to pinch herself, she

  knew it was useless. This was no dream, and it was time

  she faced that.

  Rolling to her back, she spotted a window above her

  bed, sat up, and looked out. Bright sunshine filled the sky,

  and she could tell it was going to be another hot day. Just

  as suddenly as she remembered the last few days,,she

  recalled having roommates. Before undressing last night,

  she'd taken the lamp close to the room's full bed and seen

  two sleeping children. She now looked that way, wondering

  if they were still abed.

  What she saw made her blink. Sitting on the edge of the

  bed, dressed and ready to go for the day, was a little girl.

  She stared right back at Darvi, her expression open and

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  curious.

  "Hello," Darvi tried.

  The little girl continued to stare.

  "What's your name?"

  "She can't talk," a little boy said from around the door

  he'd just opened a bit. "But her name's Lindy."

  "Thank you," Darvi told him before turning back to the

  little girl. "Hello, Lindy:"

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  She gave a little wave and smiled as the boy entered the

  room and sat beside her.

  "I'm Nate," he supplied, his face just as open and

  friendly as his sister's.

  "Well, Nate and Lindy, I'm Darvi. Ifs nice to meet you."

  The words were no more than out of her mouth when

  someone knocked. Seth stuck his head around the door.

  Modest as her gown was, Darvi still reached for a bathrobe

  that wasn't there. She had to content herself with pulling

  the covers a little higher.

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  "Come on you two. Give Darvi some privacy."

  "What did you call me?" Darvi asked as the children

  scrambled out.

  "Darvi," he admitted, his eyes watchful.

  "How long have you known?"

  "Since before you fell off the bed yesterday morning."

  Darvi's eyes lit with flame.

  "We can talk about it," Seth reassured her.

  "Oh, no," Darvi countered, her voice tight "We are not

  going to talk about anything. I'm not saying a word. You have a lot of explaining to do."

  Seth only nodded. "Whenever you're ready."

  Darvi got up the moment he shut the door. Certain she

  was finally going to get on that train, she dressed yet again