A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy) (17 page)

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

215

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

216

standing outside the door, listening for a moment to their

nonstop talk and grinning from ear to ear.

%r%r%r

118 lori wick

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

217

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.

218

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?"

ATexasSky 119

"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.

219

"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

220

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.

120 lori wick

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.

221

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."

222

"Who's Cassy?"

"Eliot's girl."

Darvi was silent for a moment.

"I'd like to sit up now."

ATexasSky 121

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'

223

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.

224

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."

122 lori wick

"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.

225

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