A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy) (33 page)

views on family, but family was important to her too.

"I hope you'll stay with us," Cash suddenly said. "I

hope Darvi invited you."

"She didn't, but I would appreciate the offer. When I

arrived I didn't even look around to see what the hotels

were like."

"How did you find us in the first place?" Dakota asked.

"I got as much information as I could from Sheriff

Laverty. Then my boss at the paper knew of the Rawlings

Cattle Company, and I came down with great hopes."

"And here I was," Darvi said with a smile.

Renee became a bit emotional but hid it very well. She

hadn't known she had such a beautiful niece. Darvi was in

the same boat. She had only seen an old photo of her aunt

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as a younger woman and heard of their likeness over the

years.

But Renee didn't have to leave until the next afternoon,

so the two renewed old family ties. In fact, Darvi was so

caught up in her aunf s visit that the time rushed away. Her

aunt had been gone only an hour wjien Darvi remembered

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that she had decided to leave on Saturday, which happened

to be the very next day.

5* ^5'

"Are you all set, Darvi?"

"Yes. Thank you, Cash, for everything. And please

thank Katy for me too. I tiled, but she only shooed me

away with the towel."

The two stood on the train station platform while

Dakota went to the ticket booth. Cash laughed at Darvi's

description, knowing it had to be very true.

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"If she let you say goodbye, she might become emotional,

and we can't have that."

Darvi smiled in understanding.

Dakota joined them in short order, and Cash gave Darvi

a hug. She turned to Dakota, who smiled and hugged her

as well.

"Thank you for everything."

"You're welcome. Here's your ticket Have you got

everything?"

Darvi nodded, her throat suddenly very tight

"I hate goodbyes, so I'll just go."

Not even waiting for them to reply, Darvi turned and

went on her way, swiftly taking the conductor's hand and

boarding with her satchel. So she wouldn't think about the

men behind her, Darvi made herself think about where her

trunk might be after all these weeks. ' Having watched her out of sight, Cash turned to his

brother.

"Why didn't you tell her you were going?"

Dakota gave him a quick glance.

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"The truth?"

"I wouldn't expect anything else."

"I wanted to hug her."

Cash had all he could do not to shout with laughter.

"Go on, Dak," he said with a chuckle and a slap on

Dakota's back. "Chase her down until she catches you."

224 lori wick

The men embraced, and Dakota, bag in hand, one that

Darvi hadn't even noticed, went to board the train. It

wasn't hard to find the person he was determined to sit

with; she was on the opposite side from the platform, face

to the window. Dakota stowed his bag up top, his eyes on

Darvi as he worked. Not until he sat down did she turn, her

eyes so full of vulnerability that he immediately apologized.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was coming. I didn't mean

to startle or deceive you."

"Why are you, Dakota?" she asked, honestly needing to

know.

His eyes shifted away, but he still answered.

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"It bothered me quite a bit to have you taken off the

train like you were in Aurora. When I think of how long

ago you started home, and you're still not there, it upsets

me even more. As much as it's within my power to do so,

I'll see to it this time that you arrive safely in St. Louis."

Darvi put a hand on his arm for a moment before once

again turning back to the window. Dakota let her have the

silence. He was more confused than ever about almost

everything--his feelings and his job as a Ranger, just to

name two. But right now he didn't need to dwell on those.

He had a goal, and it was not complicated: Get Darvi home.

Once he had done that, he would wait and see what the

future might bring.

3t"5"3r

The telegraph for Darvi actually arrived a few hours

ahead of her. Completely sealed in an envelope, it was from

Annabelle Hewett, telling Darvi when she would be

needed back in Aurora as a witness in Jared Silk's trial. It

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was all very businesslike and proper, allowing Renee to

keep her cover yet still remain in contact with her niece.

Darvi, however, did not know this as the hired hack

pulled up in front of her house and she listened to Dakota

A Texas Sty 225

tell the man to wait. She stood on the sidewalk while he

fetched her bag from the rear and proceeded to walk her up

to the front door of the large, blue two-story house that

loomed above them. Darvi went to that door and opened it

without hesitation.

"Mother," she called as Dakota brought up the rear,

closing the door behind him.

"Darvi!" a deep male voice came in reply, just moments

before a tall, well-dressed young gentleman rushed to the

front door and took Darvi in his arms.

"You're home! You're home!" the man kept repeating as

he appeared to be squeezing the life out of her. He let her

go for a moment but then snatched her right back into his

arms.

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Darvi caught Dakota's eye and tried to communicate

her helplessness, wishing at the same time she could read

his expression, which was very bland.

"Brandon," Darvi got out at last

That man stepped back and looked at her.

"Where are my parents?"

"Your mother had to run uptown for a minute. And

your father is at work."

She nodded and put a hand up so he could not hug her

again.

"Brandon, I'd like you to meet Dakota Rawlings. He's

the man who brought me home."

Brandon turned with a huge smile.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Rawlings." His hand came

out for a shake. "I can't begin to tell you how I've missed

her."

"My pleasure," Dakota assured him as they shook

hands. He then turned to the strawberry blonde, who was

watching his every move.

"Well, Darvi, I'd best be on my way. You take care of

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yourself."

Darvi's mind screamed that it wasn't supposed to be

this way. Brandon wasn't supposed to be there. She and

226 lori wick

Dakota had just spent two and a half more days together,

and Darvi was more taken than ever. He couldn't leave

now, not before meeting her parents.

"Thank you" was all she could manage/ her voice

coming out in little more than a whisper.

"It was nice to meet you," Dakota told Brandon before

giving a last goodbye that encompassed them both.

Darvi watched in shock and amazement as he went to

the door, exited, and shut it behind him.

Out on the sidewalk, Dakota returned to the waiting

hack, spoke to the driver, and climbed on board. Not even

after he'd taken a seat and the driver put the horse into

motion did he look back at Darvi's house. His gaze swung

here and there as they moved, but for the most part, his

eyes were down the road.

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The driver navigated a few turns, and some three blocks

later, Dakota finally spoke.

"The big white one," he said quietly.

"Yes, sir."

Just moments later the driver halted again. Dakota

alighted this time, paid the man, reached for his own bag,

and went up yet another sidewalk. Much like Darvi, he too

opened the front door without hesitation, stepped inside,

and closed it softy.

Across the wide foyer stood an elegantly dressed

woman, hair perfectly coifed, face turned to the housekeeper

as they studied a list together.

"And you found two broken chairs?" the lady of the

house inquired.

"Yes, but Croft is fixing mem right now. It shouldn't be

a problem."

"What about the glasses? Any more broken?"

"Not a one. That new girl from down the street is a

marvel. She has the nicest touch of any girl you've ever

hired."

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"Good, good," the lady said absently, her eyes once again

on the paper. When she glanced back at her housekeeper,

ATexasSky 227

however, she found her eyes on some distant spot, a smile

on her lips.

Virginia Rawlings turned to the front door for the first

time, her own smile bursting forth.

"Dakota," she said softly.

"Hello, Mother." That man's smile mirrored her own.

"You're home," she spoke again, this time moving forward.

The two met in a warm embrace, Dakota's heart

echoing her words.

Yes, Mother, I'm home.

"How are you?" virginia finally asked. At first she

hadn't talked. She just wanted to hug him, not caring the

reason he was suddenly in St. Louis and not Texas.

"I'm doing fine. How are you?"

"Worried about you."

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"Why?"

She looked him in the eye.

"The last I'd heard you had five bullet holes in you."

Dakota grinned. "And you thought that might slow me

down?"

Virginia only shook her head.

"Mother," he said, changing subjects quickly to what

was on his mind. "Have you had your fall fling yet?"

"If you mean my Autumn Garden Party," she told him

patiently, "no, I haven't. It's in 18 days."

"Can you invite the Wingates?"

His mother's brow furrowed. "Three blocks over, the

large blue house?"

"Thafs the one."

"Why?"

"I want to see a little more of their daughter."

After dropping that tidbit of information, Dakota

started for the stairs.

"Oh, and Mother," he now tossed over his shoulder,

"can you send for the tailor? I need a new suit."

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A Texas Sky 229

A moment later the bell rang at the front door.

"Dakota James Rawlings," his mother said in a no-nonsense

way, "you come back here this instant!"

Dakota turned with a smile. "I've got to clean up if I'm

going to be fitted for a suit."

"That can wait Tell me about this girl."

"Get the door, Mother," he teased her, turning to go on

his way.

Virginia had all she could do not to laugh. He was a

rascal, just like his father, but she adored him.

The matter at the door only took a moment, and the

second she was free Dakota's mother made a beeline for

the stairs. Long before she reached his bedroom, she heard

Dakota and his father talking. Not bothering to even knock