Wings of a Dove (18 page)

    Responding immediately to the panic he saw in her face, Delaney took her small hand in his. "You know I can't stay here forever."

    "Why can't you stay? Mother Case wants you to, and I do, too."

    "Allie, I have things I want to do. I don't want to be a farmer, and even if I did, I'd never be anything more than a hired man here."

    "But Papa Case"

    "Allie"
queezing
her hand even tighter, Delaney continued Allie, do you remember the day we met Mother Case? I told her that I was never going back to prison again, that I had"

    "A goal. But you wouldn't tell her what it was."

    "I'll tell you, if you'll promise not to tell anyone else."

    Allie nodded. "I promise."

    "I'm going to study very hard, like my pa told me, and when I'm ready, I'm going to the city."

    "Back to New York?"

    "No. I'm going to Chicago, and I'm going to be wealthy. I'm going to have so much money that I'll never have to worry about anything again. And I'm going to be famous, Allie."

    Allie's eyes widened as her voice dropped to a barely audible whisper. "Famous?"

    "Just like my pa "Delaney's expression hardened into a frown” before everything started going wrong."

    Accepting all Delaney said without question, Allie finally broke the silence between them. "You… you won't be leaving soon?"

    "No."

    "Not for a long time?"

    "Not for a while."

    Allie was not happy with that response, but the look in Delaney's eyes halted the words that rose to her lips.

    Touched with a sense of impending loss, Allie whispered fervently, "You'll always be my best friend, Delaney, always."

    A sudden meowing from the corner interrupted the intimacy of the moment, turning Allie toward Shadow as she detached herself from her complaining kittens and walked away. Allie scooped up the tiny striped kitten, then raised her eyes to Delaney's sober perusal.

    "Mischief will be
your
kitten, too, but I won't tell James."

    Searching her face a moment longer, Delaney drew himself up straight. "I won't tell him either."

    As sober as he, Allie watched as Delaney turned and walked     away. He picked up the harness and disappeared through the doorway into the yard, and Allie glanced back to her mewing kitten.

    The sadness inside her conflicted with her supreme confidence and pride in Delaney as Allie whispered softly, "Delaney will be famous someday, just like he said. Delaney can do anything he wants to do, because he's brave and strong and smart. But you don't have to worry. He won't leave us for a very long time."

    Pressing her cheek against Mischief's soft, warm fur, Allie added silently that she hoped that time would never come.

    His anger growing with each step he took, Delaney clutched the harness in his hand. His knuckles grew white with his choking grip.

    He was annoyed with himself. He had not meant to reveal the dream that had given impetus to his life since he was told he would be released from prison to join the Society orphans on their journey to Michigan. Put into the spoken word, the dream seemed far beyond him, even though he was determined to make it come true.

    He was annoyed with himself for another reason as well. He was not certain why he had told Allie that he would one day leave her and the farm. His stupidity in frightening her needlessly infuriated him.

    Delaney turned toward the back field where Mr. Case occupied himself fixing the wagon while he awaited Delaney's return. He strained his clear, light eyes toward the man's broad back, noting that James was approaching from the other direction, tools in his hands. His agitation increased.

    A knot of an unfamiliar emotion tightened in his stomach, and Delaney ground his teeth tightly shut. He had seen the warmth on James's face when he looked at Allie, and he had little doubt James's overtures to her were sincere. He also had little doubt that James's efforts would be just as sincere when he attempted to sever Allie's attachment to the worthless prison boy who had thrust himself upon her and his family.

    His eyes not leaving James's tall, spare figure as they both converged upon the wagon, Delaney felt a familiar heat rise inside him. Wherever James's intentions took him from here, Delaney was certain of only one thing. James had better not try to get to him through Allie. If he did, he would regret it.

    Reaching the wagon, Delaney met James's eye stiffly. No words needed to be spoken. Enemies they were, declared or undeclared, and enemies they would remain.

    His light, translucent eyes steady and cool, Delaney extended his arm toward James and placed the harness in his hand.

    Her expression sober, Allie gave the table a last, cursory glance. A light touch on her shoulder turned her to Mother Case's smile.

    "Everything is fine, dear. Sit down. We're ready to eat."

    Nodding, Allie walked immediately to her place and assumed her seat, aware that except for Mother Case, she was the last to do so. She passed a quick glance around the table. Papa Case was talking to James, and Sarah was talking to Delaney. She was smiling broadly into his eyes, and Allie felt her stomach twist. Delaney had been right: Sarah did not give up easily.

    "Jacob, dear, will you say grace?"

    Mother Case's soft request turned all eyes in her direction, and it occurred to Allie that the only way her new family was completely united was in love for this dear woman.

    Papa Case acknowledged his wife's suggestion with a nod. "Heavenly Father, we thank you for the bounty which you have seen fit to put upon our table. We thank you for…"

    Her head lowered, her hands clasped together in prayer, Allie let her mind wander from the familiar blessing. The sadness that had dogged her since her conversation with Delaney had not lessened. She had surrendered the consolation of Mischief's warmth to Shadow when the conscientious mother cat returned for yet another feeding. Allie had then wandered aimlessly in the sun-drenched fields until a tantalizing fragrance had reached her nostrils, telling her that it was time to help Mother Case with supper.

    "James, please pass the biscuits."

    Mother Case's soft voice drew Allie from her thoughts, and she looked up, catching Delaney's curious glance. She attempted a smile, which was thoroughly unsuccessful, if she was to judge by Delaney's frown.

    "Allie!"

    An annoyed summons turned Allie toward Sarah's piqued expression. "Really, I've never met a girl who spends so much time daydreaming! Please pass the biscuits and the potatoes."

    Sarah's comment brought embarrassed color to Allie's cheeks. She quickly passed the biscuits down the table, unaware of the dark looks Sarah received from the other members of the family.

    Allie's quick glance at Delaney revealed that his frown had intensified. She attempted a smile. Delaney had confided his ambitions to her, and she should be happy about that. If she persisted with this attitude, Delaney would regret having confided in her.

    "Oh, I think Allie did a bit more than daydream, today." Attempting to soften Sarah's unfair criticism, Mother Case continued lightly, "As a matter of fact, Allie made the biscuits tonight, without any help at all from me."

    Allie smiled at the compliments that sounded around the table, but her discomfort returned during the silence that followed. Her spirits low, she accepted a hearty helping of chicken stew and picked up her fork. She jabbed at the juicy meat and, ignoring the fact that she had no appetite at all, slid a small piece between her lips. It was delicious, as was all the food Mother Case prepared.

    "This stew is delicious, Margaret." His voice unnaturally hearty in the pervading silence, Papa Case smiled at his fragile wife.

    Mrs. Case smiled in return. "We have Delaney to thank for this stew," she said. Ignoring the curious glances sent his way, Delaney continued to devote his attention to his plate as Mrs. Case continued. "Delaney never ceases to surprise me with his thoughtfulness. He brought me the chicken for this stew, all cleaned and plucked and ready to be cooked. It saved me a considerable amount of work."

    Papa Case made an appropriate remark, but it was lost to Allie's ears as a thought suddenly struck her mind. She stopped chewing abruptly and looked down at the savory food in her plate. She stared at the succulent pieces of chicken as if to identify…

    She glanced up. Catching Delaney's eye, she held his gaze in silence for long moments until a small tug at the corner of his lips sent a jolt of absolute certainty through her mind.

    Allie swallowed convulsively. The small piece of chicken slipped slowly down her throat as she was compelled by a force stronger than her will to look back down at her plate. She stared at the stew with a wide-eyed, incredulous gaze, then looked back up at Delaney.

    She was still staring at him when a small bubble of laughter threatened to escape her throat. Blinking almost comically, she firmly forced it back. With sheer strength of will, she maintained her sober expression, the sparkle in her eye silently acknowledging to Delaney's innocent light-eyed gaze yet another secret that the two of them shared.

    With great deliberation, Allie turned her attention back to the meal before her. She jabbed her fork into the largest piece of chicken on her plate and popped in into her mouth. She chewed energetically, all trace of her former sadness dissolved as she fought to suppress a smile. She would never have trouble with that speckled hen again. Her laughter emerged in a small hiccup.

    Oh, Delaney…

    His expression not revealing his amused satisfaction, Delaney walked back out into the yard after dinner. The picture of Allie's small face remained in his mind, her dark eyes wide, her mouth incredulously open, and he resisted the urge to laugh. The determination with which she had returned her attention to her plate and continued eating until it was empty stirred his admiration. Full of surprises was his little Allie.

    His little Allie.

    Another picture returned to his mind, replacing the humorous one of a few moments before. He remembered the spark in her deep, dark eyes when Allie had held his gaze at the table the confirmation of yet another bond they shared. Somehow, in that fleeting moment, he had seen a glimpse of the Allie that slight little girl would someday be, and he had not yet recovered from the effects of that brief revelation.

    Delaney had almost reached the barn when his wandering thoughts were violently interrupted. A rough hand turned him unexpectedly to James's tensely controlled expression. Anger replacing the softer emotions of a few moments before, Delaney felt a small muscle tic in his cheek as James growled, "You bastard!"

    "I told you once before"

    "I don't care what you told me," James interrupted. "You had to do it, didn't you? You had to get the upper hand."

    "I don't know what you're talking about."

    "You know what I'm talking about, all right! Maybe nobody     else knows about that hen and Allie, but you and I do, and you proved what kind of person you really are by using her little secret to your own advantage. You aren't going to let go of that little girl, are you? You know she stands up for you, and you know that as long as she does, and as long as my mother feels that Allie wants you here, there's no way anybody is going to get you off this farm."

    Releasing a low grunt of disgust at James's accusations, Delaney attempted to turn away from him, only to have James's hand tighten on his arm.

    "Well, it isn't going to work much longer, Marsh! That little girl trusts me, too, now. She's going to trust me more and more, and as soon as I can make her see you for what you really are, you'll be off this farm and out on your ear!"

    His anger flooding to a full fury, Delaney controlled with the most strenuous effort the desire to smash his fist into James Case's livid, freckled face. "Take your hand off me, Case."

    James was obviously unaffected by the threat in the cold, light eyes staring into his. "Did you hear what I said, Marsh?"

    His chest heaving from suppressed emotion, Delaney repeated, "Did you hear what
I
said, Case?
Take your hand off me!
" Suddenly dropping his hand from Delaney's arm, James gave a short laugh. "Oh, no, you're not going to force me into a fight right here where Mama and Pa can see us. I'm not fool enough to give you the advantage by making them think I'm picking on you." James laughed again, a hard, joyless sound. ''No, bastard, I'm not that much a fool."