Wings of the Morning

  told me at Willa's that you'd never fenced before, and I come

  in to find you giving Hawk the duel of his life."

  Smokey frowned at him, trying to recall what she had said.

  "I've been fencing since I was a child What I'd never done

  before was go for a person's face."

  Dallas' eyes slid shut with remembrance. That was what

  she had said, but she'd been a bit flustered and talking very

  fast; he had completely misunderstood her.

  "No wonder you didn't believe that I'd escaped him."

  'You can't know how I've regretted my words and actions

  that day." Dallas' voice held pain.

  "It's all right," Smokey told him before he could berate

  himself any longer. Dallas stared at her for a quiet moment.

  "Did he hurt you, Smokey?"

  "Not physically. He planned on it, but I escaped" Dallas

  watched as she wrapped her arms around herself as though

  cold, and wished he hadn't asked

  "He was so big; he loomed over me," Smokey continued

  softly, speaking to the fire. "He said if I didn't put the dress on,

  hewouldputitonforme." Smokey shook her head "I couldn't

  let him do that, so I felt I had no choice. I felt so cheap in that

  dress."

  Smokey had begun to tremble. Suddenly Dallas, no longer

  able to keep his distance, was there, his arms lovingly surrounding

  her. He held her for a moment and spoke gently.

  "I'm sorry I asked you. Don't think about it anymore. He

  can't get you now, and even if he tried, you'd protect us."

  Smokey's surprised gaze flew to Dallas' face. He was grinning

  at her, and Smokey, forgetting the pirate, laughed with

  delight. Dallas joined her and snuggled her against his chest.

  The silence in the next few minutes was warm and easy. After

  just a moment of quiet, Smokey continued to talk.

  201

  "I was really anxious on the docks. When you wouldn't let

  go of me, I pictured Haamich Wynn coming and killing you in

  his rage. I couldn't stand the thought, and so to save you, I ran

  away.

  "I'm sorry I threw myself at you that way," Smokey went

  on. She felt Dallas' chest move. "Are you laughing?" Smokey

  shifted to see his face again.

  "Yes, I am. The woman of my dreams comes out of the

  dark, kisses me in a way that makes my blood boil, and then

  apologizes for it."

  "You didn't feel used?"

  "Definitely not. I did wonder, however, where you learned

  to kiss like that."

  "I don't know; it was my first time." Smokey didn't go on to

  tell him that she thought it was always like that when a woman

  was in love.

  Dallas shifted then and could have easily kissed her. In

  fact, if either of them moved their heads, their lips would

  come together.

  "You could kiss me again," he told her softly as he caressingly

  studied every detail of her face

  "You would like that?" Smokey's voice was just as soft. He

  was the kind of man a girl dreams of. Warm and caring for

  those he loved and with a deep love for Christ. Smokey was

  finding it hard to believe that he really cared for her.

  "Oh, yes," Dallas told her. "I would like it very much, and if

  you kiss me, then I'll know I'm not pushing you where you

  don't want to go."

  "And if I don't kiss you?"

  "I'll wait until you're ready."

  Smokey's smile was so tender that Dallas' heart melted

  Smokey reached up and touched the gold loop in his ear

  before her hand went to the back of his head and she brought

  his lips to hers.

  The kiss was sweet with yearning and passion, and when

  Dallas could speak, he whispered, "I love you."

  "Oh, Dallas," Smokey breathed "Do you mean that?"

  202

  "Every word I have for a long time, but you're such a will-o'the-wisp

  that I could never keep you with me long enough

  to tell you."

  "I love you too," Smokey said before her small hands came

  up and gently cradled his face. She'd never had someone care

  for her romantically in the way Dallas seemed to care for her

  now. She found herself feeling so cherished that it took her

  breath away. It certainly didn't hurt that Dallas was so handsome.

  Smokey thought she could stare at his face forever. She

  was suddenly so overcome with joy that she reached up and

  kissed his chin.

  'You missed," Dallas teased her.

  Smokey shook her head "I never miss; I was aiming for

  your chin."

  "Ah. Then allow me to aim for your mouth."

  Smokey chuckled, but the sound was cut off as Dallas

  kissed her again. Neither one knew it could be like this, so

  sure and so in love. Wrapped in each other's arms, they continued

  to talk for the next hour. Smokey was just starting to get

  sleepy when their host knocked discreetly and came back in.

  Dallas removed his arms, but took Smokey's hand in his own

  and stayed beside her on the sofa.

  "I can hear Darsey pacing in his room, so I thought I'd

  better come down in order to rescue him." Brandon had taken

  a chair by the fire and now sat grinning at the couple on the

  sofa.

  "You look as though you've ironed out your differences."

  Dallas and Smokey smiled contentedly in return, and

  Brandon felt a little surprised that they didn't tell him they

  were getting married

  "It's not very easy for me, but we've talked some about

  Haamlch Wynn," Smokey told Brandon. "Will I have to tell the

  magistrate everything that happened?'*

  "Probably, yes. I know it won't be easy, but we don't want to

  do anything that will give Lord Lynne a loophole."

  "What did you call him?" Smokey wanted to know.

  203

  "Lord Lynne. He's the Baron of Farmington, and his

  English name is Lord Darrell Lynne. Why do you ask?"

  "During the second capture I heard one of his men say his

  name, but I thought he said Lordlin and was referring to

  someone else. It never occurred to me that Haamich Wynn

  wasn't his real name."

  Brandon's look was grim. "We've known for some time

  that he was a peer of the realm with an assumed name."

  "So you've known all along who he was, you just couldn't

  catch him?" Smokey asked

  "Not really. But it was coming quickly. You see, he hung

  himself with his own method A group of us met together

  about six weeks ago in order to compare notes. Lynne hit only

  ships owned by someone against whom he had a personal

  vendetta. He's never liked me, although I'm not sure why, and

  it was the same with everyone else who'd had ships attacked

  "When a few names were mentioned and investigated, it

  didn't take long for Lord Lynne to stand out. He's been sloppy

  lately; he hasn't even been pirating, just roaming the seas."

  "He was looking for me," Smokey put in and both men

  stared at her.

  "He told you this?"

  "Yes. He said he'd been following me for quite some time."

  She shivered a little, and Dallas put his arm back around her. "Can you tell me what he wanted?" Brandon as
ked carefully.

  "Me." Smokey told him simply, although her eyes were

  pained

  Brandon stared at her and nodded slowly. "The magistrate

  may ask you all of this. It might be easier if you tell me now."

  After a moment's hesitation, Smokey did as he suggested

  She left out nothing this time, although a few times she spoke

  with her flushed face averted, so as not to look at the men.

  Brandon's jaw was clenched in anger over some of what

  she revealed. It sounded as though Lynne planned to make

  her a permanent part of his life. Brandon told Smokey that

  the pirate had been married for years. If rumors could be

  204

  believed, his wife was a bedridden shrew, but he was married

  nonetheless.

  Suddenly Smokey was very tired. The day had been so full.

  As much as she wanted to stay and be with Dallas, she knew

  she had to get to bed With a soft-spoken word, she excused

  herself, thinking that the men would want to talk. Dallas

  surprised her.

  "I'll walk you to your room," he offered, and Brandon rose

  as they left, taking note of the fact that Dallas rested his hand

  tenderly on Smokey's back.

  He was about to follow when he spotted his wife's shoes

  on the floor. Sunny was forever taking them off and leaving

  them wherever she had been sitting. Brandon liked to tease

  her that h^rrwilHi-rwi^b-*"""**---- -*

  "I didn't know you could ride," Dallas said to Smokey the

  next morning as she and Sunny returned from an early morning

  jaunt.

  "A woman likes to keep some things a mystery," Smokey told him with a cheeky smile, and Dallas started toward her,

  his eyes watching her intently.

  Without so much as a by-your-leave, he reached for her

  waist and swung her off the horse's back. As her feet touched

  ground, Smokey smiled up at him and Dallas dropped a kiss

  on her nose. He knew they weren't alone, but he couldn't help

  himself. Her hair was coming out of its chignon, her face was

  flushed, and her eyes were sparkling with love for him. Dallas

  glanced up to find Sunny grinning at him.

  "Good morning, my lady," he said with a slight inclination

  of the head, his eyes twinkling with humor.

  "Good morning, Mr. Knight. I trust you slept well?"

  "I did, indeed."

  Dallas said no more because Brandon was suddenly there,

  doing just as Dallas had, reaching for the woman he loved.

  When Sunny was on the ground, the four of them made their

  way to the house. They were nearly to the door when Smokey

  spotted Darsey in the yard. With just a brief word, she excused

  herself and walked to see him.

  206

  The old friends said nothing for a moment, but studied

  one another in open honesty. They were both satisfied with

  what they saw. Smokey saw Darsey's blessing, and Darsey

  beheld a sweet serenity in Smokey's small face.

  "Were you really worried about me last night?"

  Darsey grinned. "Just a mite. If the look on Dallas' face

  during supper was any indication, I knew he was going to

  declare himself. I didn't have a problem with that, but you're

  not married yet, and I just didn't know if I should leave you

  alone."

  "Actually," Smokey said, as they began to walk through the

  gardens, "we haven't spoken of marriage."

  "But he loves you?" Darsey pressed her carefully, not

  wishing to intrude.

  'Yes, and I love him. If he does ask me to marry him, I'll

  accept in a moment, but I don't know if his mind has moved

  that far. As he said last night, I've been elusive for so long that

  he never had time to say what was in his heart."

  Darsey nodded, satisfied with her words. He was also

  terribly relieved He was feeling a need to return to the ship.

  "Since you now know where you stand with Dallas, would

  you object to my returning to the Aramis?"

  "Why, no, Darsey, not if you want to. Is anything wrong?"

  "No," he assured her. "It's just a restlessness that comes

  over me when I can't smell the ocean and see the waves. I'll be

  more comfortable on board knowing everything is all right."

  "Maybe I should come too," Smokey began, but Darsey cut

  her off with his hands on her shoulders.

  "There's no reason for you to come, lass. Stay here and

  enjoy yourself; you deserve a rest. After this it's the trial, and

  then everyone will be back to work. Take this time while you

  can."

  "If you're sure," Smokey began.

  "I'm sure. Now let's get into breakfast. I'm about starved"

  Darsey would have moved away then, but Smokey suddenly

  threw her arms around him. She hugged him with all

  her might, and he hugged her in return for long minutes.

  207

  "I love you, Darsey," Smokey finally said

  "And I love you, lass," he answered her, one huge hand

  tenderly cradling her face.

  "It's all right with you about Dallas and me, isn't it?"

  Smokey had to know.

  "Of course. My only concern was not knowing his intentions,"

  Nodding in contentment, they walked together to the

  door. After Smokey entered Bracken's huge front door, she

  ran upstairs to clean up. She was late to the table then, but to

  come in and find Dallas and Darsey talking amiably and then

  to have both of them turn and smile at her in love was worth

  any apology she had to make.

  Darsey left for London right after breakfast. For the next

  few hours, everyone went in his own direction. Dallas didn't

  seek Smokey out until just before lunch. He found her on the

  lawn with Sterling. Sterling's nurse was not far away, but only

  Smokey and the baby occupied a huge quilt where they played

  and laughed

  Dallas smiled at the sound as he approached Sterling

  moved a little closer to Smokey when Dallas dropped down

  beside them.

  "This is Dallas," Smokey told the child Sterling stared

  with wide eyes at the tall, unfamiliar figure.

  "Can you say Dallas?" Smokey prompted, and watched as

  he put a thumb in his mouth.

  "He can't really talk, can he?" Dallas wanted to know.

  "Not the way you and I do, but sometimes he'll try the

  sounds. You should hear his version of Smokey. Can you say

  Smokey, Sterling?"

  He grinned around the thumb in his mouth but didn't

  208

  speak. Smokey laughed at his look, and he laughed with her,

  all with the thumb firmly planted. The thumb was removed

  quickly, however, when Sterling glanced behind Smokey to

  see his father approaching.

  The little boy dropped onto all fours and began to crawl

  toward the edge of the blanket as fast as he could move.

  Smokey grabbed him before his knees hit the grass, but he

  struggled until Brandon's hands were there to reach for him.

  Both Dallas and Smokey watched as Brandon tossed his

  small son into the air and caught him in a burst of giggles.

  Smokey watched them play like this for some time, until she

  chanced to glance at Dallas. He was looking at her with such br />
  an odd expression that the smile died from Smokey's face.

  "Dallas, what is it?"

  "Nothing," he said, but Smokey was not convinced

  "Have I done something?"

  "No, no," Dallas tried to reassure her and reached for her

  hand He worked at controlling his expression, realizing he

  could not let his feelings show until they had time alone to

  talk.

  Seeing Smokey with the baby had put Dallas' thoughts in a

  whirl. His mind had suddenly pictured Smokey as his wife, his

  wife to love and hold. He saw her swollen with child as Jenny

  now was, but the baby was his--theirs--and he was there for

  the birth. He saw her on a blanket in Maine with their own

  dark-haired child grinning at her. He saw himself playing

  with his own baby, not Brandon with Sterling.

  "tonight, he told himself. Tonight I'll ask her. I'llaskherto

  be my own for as long as we both live. We've been apart so

  much that I'll ask her to marry me right now so we can begin

  our life together immediately.

  Dallas' resolve gave him such a feeling of peace that it

  showed on his face. Smokey found herself staring at him

  again. She was still coming to know this man, so she wasn't

  certain, but he suddenly looked very satisfied to her. She told

  herself that one of these days they would be close enough so

  209

  she could ask him. One of these days, she found herself

  hoping, she might even be his wife.

  The coach and driver delivering Darsey to London were

  not due back at Bracken until the following day. Just before

  dinner, however, there was a sudden commotion when the

  driver arrived back early.

  Parks was there to meet him, and after hearing his story,

  turned to seek out the family. Within minutes Brandon, Sunny,

  and Dallas were gathered to hear his account. Smokey, coming

  quietly downstairs to the entryway, heard also.

  "They arrested him almost immediately, sir, as if they'd

  been waiting." Brandon's coachman was breathless with

  excitement.

  "And you think Haamich Wynn is behind it?"

  "I don't know about that, sir, but the talk all over London is

  that he's been released and the Aramis has been confiscated

  and her crew arrested for piracy."

  Something cold ran down Smokey's spine, but she knew

  what must be done. She turned from where she had been

  standing on the bottom step to move backup the stairs. Dallas

  spotted her and caught her wrist just in time.