Wings of the Morning

  on. "Darsey, how did the Aramis come to be docked in the

  south quarter?"

  Still trying to deal with all she had shared, Darsey took a

  ragged breath and began to tell of his nightmare in the last 36

  hours.

  "I didn't give you much time to return to the back room.

  When you hadn't shown in five minutes, I got nervous. When

  two more went past, I hit the door running. There was no sign

  of you.

  157

  "Someone in the tavern said that the table in the corner

  pad recently been occupied and was now empty. Hearing that,

  I| ran for the docks. As you well know, there was no trace of

  I you. I searched for a time--many of us did--but I didn't wait vvery long before going back into Clancy's and asking about the

  men who were missing.

  "No one seemed to know a thing about them, and for

  Clancy's, that's not normal. Meg and Bart know everyone who

  walks through the door, or they do soon afterward. Evidently

  those two were not new, but neither were they regulars until

  some weeks ago. Any and all attempts to gain information

  from them were met with blank stares, and since they kept to

  themselves and always paid their bill, Bart let them alone.

  "When Clancy's came up dry, I did a little more inquiring

  in the neighboring taverns. Bart went with me. Even though

  others had seen the men we spoke of, no one knew their

  names. I felt frantic at that point, and on the off chance that

  you'd returned, decided to head back to the ship. Docked

  some yards away from us was a huge frigate. I don't know why

  it caught my interest, but it was so heavily guarded that I

  couldn't get it out of my mind.

  "When they pushed off, we followed them. I knew there

  was a chance that I could be leaving you high and dry on the

  docks, but I simply had to follow that ship. Strangely enough,

  they did not head for high seas. They docked again, this time

  in the--"

  "South port area," Smokey finished for him, now understanding

  exactly where she had been. All this said, both

  Darsey and Smokey fell quiet. When Smokey spoke, she

  sounded weary.

  "I want to go home, Darsey. I want to go home to Willa's

  cooking and scolding and loving."

  "We've set a course for Kennebunk, lass," Darsey told her,

  watching as her eyes briefly slid shut with relief. She hadn't

  eaten anything yet, but for the moment there was no need.

  Darsey watched as she scooted low beneath the covers and

  closed her eyes, this time to sleep.

  159

  Q/mifo~Q/m

  159

  Smokey back for weeks. An appearance now would bring a

  myriad of questions.

  Smokey had no idea how Jenny would respond to all she

  had been through. With Jenny's present condition in mind,

  and real concern for the baby, Smokey made herself stay away.

  It was one of the hardest things she had ever asked herself to

  do.

  smokey lay in her bed at Willa's and stared at the white

  ceiling above her. She had been home for over two weeks and

  had done little but sleep, eat, and take long walks to the beach,

  where she would sit for hours and pray.

  Her encounter with Haamich Wynn made her feel as if

  something precious had been wrenched away from her. She

  had escaped physical harm, but the emotional effects went

  deep. She knew such men existed, but she had never faced one

  personally.

  Smokey also spent hours every day thinking about Dallas

  and wondering where he could be. She asked herself all the

  questions she wanted to ask him. Did he understand that she

  panicked on the docks that night? Was he angry over the way

  she was dressed, or was it concern? And always, her last

  question--why, if he was angry or upset with her, did he pull

  her back for another kiss?

  All these questions and many more swam through her

  mind. She longed for answers, but when none came she

  repeatedly forced her mind back to God's sovereign will,

  asking for His peace in this troubling time.

  She also prayed for Jenny. She hadn't been to see her since

  she returned, but it wasn't for lack of want. In truth, she

  wanted desperately to see her, but Jenny was not expecting

  "Why, Dolly," Jenny exclaimed as her brother opened the

  door to her bed-sitter after a soft knock.

  "May I come in?"

  "Of course," Jenny assured him and stayed on the settee

  after he had waved her back down.

  Dallas bent and kissed her cheek. "Motherhood agrees

  with you; I've never seen you look lovelier."

  "Thank you," Jenny told him sincerely. As her hand moved

  to her distended stomach, she wished she could return the

  compliment. Dallas was smiling and looked genuinely glad to

  see her, but as she took a moment to study his face, Jenny saw

  something that disturbed her.

  "Did I misunderstand you, Dolly, or are you back before

  you had originally planned?"

  "I am early, yes, and I'm afraid I can't stay. I'm looking for

  Smokey."

  "Smokey?" Jenny frowned in confusion and studied her

  brother's face once again. He was working hard to hide his

  anxiety, but it was there.

  "She isn't here. Did you really expect her to be?"

  He shook his head regretfully. "I only hoped Has she been

  in touch?"

  "No. Dallas, what's going on?" Jenny's use of his real name

  told him she was frightened.

  He hesitated and then spoke with a measured tone. "I saw

  Smokey when I was in London, but she was in a terrific hurry

  (^ i

  160

  and we didn't really get to talk. I was rather hoping she had

  come home, since I had an early shipment for Tate." Dallas did

  not tell Jenny that he altered his course in hopes of seeing

  Smokey. "I just wanted to make sure everything was all right

  with her."

  Jenny looked instantly relieved "I'm sure she's fine, probably

  running a little behind schedule. Knowing Smokey, she's

  made up for it by now and is halfway to the Orient."

  Dallas worked to put a smile on his face. "Just in case she

  did come this way, I think I'll ride over and check with

  Darsey's sister. Where did you say she lived?"

  Dallas had finally managed to use his normal voice, and

  Jenny gave him directions to Willa's without the slightest

  reservation.

  Willa poured coffee for Darsey and Smokey before refilling

  her own cup and sitting down at the table again. They had

  just eaten a wonderful meal of baked fish, and everyone was

  full and content.

  "That was wonderful, Willa," Smokey told her. The older

  woman smiled Smokey had been off her food for the first

  week she was home, and it was nice to see her face filled out

  again.

  "My mother's recipe," Willa said and smiled at Darsey. "Do

  you remember those Saturday clambakes, Dars?"

  Darsey chuckled and explained to Smokey. "Mother hated

  clams, couldn't even stand the smell of them. So as a new

&n
bsp; bride, when the rest of the family was eating clams, Mother

  always baked fish for herself. Mother was so good at it that

  Father wasn't long in joining her and abandoning the clams.

  "Before their first anniversary the whole family was eating

  fish on Saturday afternoons. They never stopped calling it a

  clambake, but they all ate fish."

  161

  Smokey listened with rapt attention to their reminiscences.

  She'd never had a family life like the type they had

  known, and it was all very fascinating and wonderful to her.

  She thought she could sit all evening and hear them go on, but

  there was a knock at the door.

  Willa rose to answer it, saying that their neighbor, Mrs.

  Bright, had planned to bring some fabric over so Willa could

  help make some clothes for her baby granddaughter. Neither

  Darsey nor Smokey noticed when they did not hear the sound

  of Mrs. Bright's voice, but when the deep tones of a masculine

  voice floated from the front room, they both tensed

  Smokey's back was to the kitchen door, but she kept her

  eyes fixed on Darsey's face and knew the exact moment their

  guest entered

  "Hello, Dallas," Darsey spoke easily. To his credit, he did

  not look at Smokey. "Would you like to sit down and have some

  coffee?"

  "Thank you, but I'll pass. I'd like to talk with Smokey if I

  may."

  Smokey's heart was doing funny things just hearing his

  voice, but she forced herself to turn and, with a semblance of

  calm, look at Dallas.

  "May I talk with you, Smokey?" he asked when her eyes

  locked with his.

  "Certainly," Smokey said and rose slowly from the table

  "We can go into the front room." Smokey mentally congratulated

  herself on how normal she sounded and hoped that he

  wouldn't notice how she was trembling as she led the way to

  the parlor.

  Once seated across the room from each other on the old,

  comfortable furniture, an unwelcome silence fell. Smokey

  spent a few moments looking at the hands in her lap and then

  out the window, dark as it was. She glanced up to find Dallas'

  eyes riveted on her.

  "Am I out of line to ask why you were so set on leaving me

  when we met in London?"

  162

  "No," Smokey began, "but it's a long story and I--"

  "I have time," Dallas cut in.

  Smokey nodded "First of all, I'm sorry I kicked you. That

  was terrible, and I only hope you can forgive me."

  "Were you afraid of me, Smokey? Did you think I was going

  to force you to do something against your wishes?" Dallas*

  face and voice were so pained that Smokey nearly cried.

  "No, Dallas, no!" Smokey's hand went to her mouth in

  horror. "Itwasn't that at all. I just panicked out offearforyou. I

  acted without thinking."

  "Fear for me?" Dallas' face was now a mask of confusion.

  Smokey took a deep, calming breath and began to share.

  "We were running behind schedule as you might have already

  guessed, or we would have been out of London before you

  arrived. We really should have rushed on, but I knew we

  wouldn't be back for some time and I wanted to see the folks at

  Clancy's.

  "I left the back room long enough to take care of a personal

  need, and when I came out of Meg's private rooms, a

  man grabbed me. I fought, but he held a drug-soaked cloth

  over my mouth. Everything went black, and when I woke up I

  was on a ship."

  The hair stood up on the back of Dallas' neck, and fear

  pounded in his chest. He shifted in his chair, his face intense

  as he waited for her to continue,

  "There was no one with me, and I was lying on the bed

  The room was rife with lewd art and paintings, but I wasn't

  given much time to look around When the door opened, a

  man came in." Smokey wondered how detailed she should be.

  She would be horribly embarrassed to repeat all the pirate

  had said

  "The man was Haamich Wynn."

  "The pirate?" Dallas broke his silence.

  "Yes. He told me that my capture was deliberate and that

  he wanted to get to know me better. He insisted that I put on

  that red dress."

  163

  A flicker of skepticism lit Dallas' eyes, but Smokey, thinking

  she had imagined it, kept talking. She was babbling

  slightly, and some of her facts were getting muddled

  "I noticed some fencing swords on the wall, and I told him

  I would fight him. He agreed to set me free if I won. I've never

  done such a thing before but I cut his face. He actually fainted

  at the sight of his own blood. I tied him up and ran away.

  "I ran from the ship, but my escape was immediately

  noticed, and his men came after me. That's when I ran into

  you. I was afraid of your being found with me, so when you

  wouldn't let me go, I panicked." Smokey ended with a small shrug and noticed that Dallas looked almost angry.

  "I'd heard that Haamich Wynn was a huge man."

  "He is. As big as Darsey, if not bigger."

  "And you want me to believe that you had a duel with him

  and won?" Dallas could no longer hide his doubt.

  Smokey's whole body stiffened at his tone. She stood, her

  entire being radiating anger.

  "I apologized for kicking you, Dallas, but I did not owe you

  an explanation."

  Dallas stood also. "No, I guess you didn't, but there are

  some things that bother me. I'd like to get the entire picture."

  "No," she told him. She could see that she had surprised

  him. "I've told you all I'm going to, and if that isn't good

  enough, then that's too bad. As I said, I owe you nothing, and I

  might add that I don't deserve your judgment."

  "I'm not judging you." Dallas fought to keep his voice

  even.

  "So you believe me?"

  Dallas hesitated, and it cost him.

  "Get out, Dallas," Smokey told him, her voice low with

  fury. "Get out and do not come back, not until you're ready to

  apologize for believing me a liar."

  "Smokey, if you would just tell me again how you came to

  be in the dress, I--"

  "Get out." Smokey's voice was whisper soft, and Dallas

  knew he would have to give her some time.

  164

  It was on his tongue to apologize, but he felt so muddled at

  the moment. With regret he moved toward the door. Knowing

  that he'd handled the situation very badly, he looked back, but

  Smokey was already leaving the room. He noticed that she did

  not even turn as she strode back toward the kitchen.

  Q/w/fQmie

  a

  twenty-four hours later the Aramis set sail with a full

  crew. Darsey was at the helm when Smokey came topside to

  check on the men.

  "I want answers, Darsey," she told him as she stood next to

  the older man. "I won't be home until I get some."

  Darsey, having already read her motive for leaving Willa's,

  only nodded.

  "You might be asking for trouble," he told her, his face and

  voice calm.

  "Well, I've never been afraid of tro
uble," she said logically.

  "And since I can't go on as I am, wondering and upset, I think

  I'd best do what I can."

  Darsey only nodded. The old sparkle was back in her eye.

  He knew that she had prayed constantly while they had been

  home, but he also recognized as Smokey just had, that she had

  been hiding. Now she was facing her fears and acting with the

  good sense she normally had

  If she had wanted to head out and trade in southern waters

  as she had originally planned, Darsey would have been all for

  it. But now she needed to fit together the pieces of this puzzle,

  and Darsey understood that just as well. He prayed for her and

  her responsibility as captain of their vessel. He also prayed for

  166

  167

  Dallas, who was certain to come looking for Smokey again

  and find her gone.

  "She's not here," Willa told Dallas the afternoon after

  Smokey left.

  "When do you expect her back?" Dallas asked, never

  dreaming that she was on her ship.

  Willa was as unflappable as ever when she answered. "It

  could be weeks, but I'm thinking it probably will be months."

  "You mean she's left on the Aramisr Dallas asked in

  astonishment.

  "With Darsey and the whole crew. I'm not sure how much

  trading they'll do, but Smokey needed to find some answers."

  Distracted, Dallas ran a hand through his hair and stood in

  frustration. He turned to leave, barely remembering to bid

  Willa goodbye.

  Willa shut the door and then watched from the front room

  window. "That Darsey's got me to answer to when he returns!

  Why didn't he ever tell me that Dallas was in love with her?"

  "He's good, Darsey; I'll give him that," Smokey told her

  first mate some seven weeks after they had set sail.

  Darsey could only shake his head. Their search to know

  more about the pirate Haamich Wynn reminded him of the

  night that Smokey was taken. One dead-end lead after another.

  They had been to London, France, the Netherlands, and

  even up into Norway and Sweden, and had still come up

  empty. They weren't discouraged, but more curious than

  ever.

  Smokey was wondering if this wasn't God's way of telling

  her to let the matter rest. She was quite certain of this and

  praying about heading home or doing some trading when the

  weather stepped in and answered for her.

  A storm hit hard and fast, and the Aramis and her crew

  found themselves stranded just off China Island making

  repairs. They had plenty of stores to survive, as well as to fix