Page 28 of A Texas Sky


  years. He's nonstop at the dinner table and in the evenings.

  He even asked me to breakfast this morning. We had a

  wonderful time."

  Darvi bit her lip suddenly, and Dakota let the subject

  drop. They had enjoyed a sumptuous meal of veal cutlets,

  baked potatoes covered with dill and cheese, baby peas,

  and dark rye biscuits. Now they had hot coffee in thin

  porcelain cups with French pastries headed their way. The

  gas lighting was soft, and the table was set in a horseshoe

  booth. There were couples on either side, but all voices

  were quiet, the waiters moving silently over the brightly

  colored rugs, making the setting more elegant

  "Will it work for you to leave here tomorrow afternoon

  instead of Wednesday morning?" Dakota inquired.

  "I think so. Is there some problem?"

  "No, but we have to go back through Kinkade, as I need

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  my horse, and it might be nice to have a little extra time on

  the other end."

  "Would it be easier if we split up at Young Springs?"

  Darvi made herself ask,. "I could go on to Aurora on my

  own and meet you there."

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  ATexasSty 253

  "I'm not letting you out of my sight," Dakota said

  bluntly.

  "But then you'll have the trouble of getting whatever

  horse I ride back to your brother's."

  "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I planned for us to ride

  the train. Ill just pay the price to put Eli in with the stock.

  You won't have a horse to worry about"

  Much as Darvi wanted to bask in the warm glow of

  knowing that he had planned all this to take care of her, she

  couldn't get Eli from her mind. She bit her lip to keep from

  smiling, but it didn't work.

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  "What's that for?"

  "Eli."

  Dakota rolled his eyes.

  "What will he have done all this time without you?"

  "Probably driven Cash crazy. My brother has better

  things to do than entertain my horse, but EU will be

  keeping a close eye out for me, and as compassionate as

  Cash is, he will have probably ridden him a time or two."

  Darvi suddenly smiled. "Admit it, Dakota."

  "Admit what?"

  "You miss him too?"

  Dakota grinned but didn't have to answer; the pastries

  had arrived. They talked for another hour, eating slowly

  and enjoying endless cups of rich coffee. It was like a

  dream come true for both of them as they covered various

  subjects and beliefs, some held very dear and others still

  under inspection. They talked about their moments of salvation

  again, both reflecting on the way God had been

  working behind the scenes and how obvious that was now.

  Dakota told Darvi nearly every word of the letter he had

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  written to his mother and appreciated her encouragement

  After hearing about Dakota's letter, Darvi thought she

  might write to her own mother and wondered if that might

  not be easier for her to take.

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  "Dakota/' Darvi asked as they finally rose from the

  table to go, "would you mind giving me the Scriptures you

  wrote to your mother, the exact ones?"

  "Not at all. Do you want them tonight, or can I bring

  mem tomorrow?"

  'Tomorrow is fine. I think I need to put some distance

  between us, so I won't write until I get to Texas."

  Her words had the strangest effect on his heart. He

  didn't say anything, but knowing she was returning to

  Texas with him and that she was so matter-of-fact about it

  filled him with hope and happiness. Though she was

  deeply affected by this fallout with her mother, he still

  wanted her with him. He wanted her close, not just to protect

  and keep an eye on her, but to be with her, to hear her

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  voice, listen to her laugh, watch her smile, and talk with

  him about a thousand different subjects. He was afraid to

  let his heart move too fast, but at times it was so hard.

  Such a moment came upon him when he dropped her

  off. He wanted to spend more time with her. He wanted to

  hold and kiss her but knew that such actions at this time

  would be a mistake. Instead he held her hand for a moment

  and lightly kissed the back of it, much like he had done at

  his parents' house that first afternoon. He looked up to see

  Darvi's smile.

  "Is something funny?"

  "No, if s just a little hard to remember the Ranger when

  I see you dressed like this and using manners one would

  expect to find only in the city."

  "Well, we are in the city," he teased a little. "I thought it appropriate."

  "Is that the only reason you did it?"

  Dakota's white teeth gleamed as he smiled, but no

  answer came to her question.

  "I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be here around one o'clock,

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  and we'll take the 1:45 train."

  "All right. Thank you for a wonderful evening."

  A Texas Sky 255

  "Thank you" was all Dakota said, and he moved on his

  way.

  Darvi's father was in the living room, but she was glad

  he was busy with a newspaper. She wanted to be alone and

  to cherish the memories of the evening.

  SrSr^r

  They were silent for the first time in hours. The conversation

  that had started at dinner in St Louis the night before

  only continued as the train moved south and west. Dakota

  had been good at his word: He had brought the list of Scriptures

  he'd put in his mother's letter for Darvi. Darvi's

  mouth was dry, and she was tired of talking, but her brain

  was still moving faster than the train. Dakota had put his

  head back and fallen asleep, but Darvi took her Bible from

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  the satchel at her feet and turned to the first verse.

  The list started with Romans 3:23: All have sinned, and

  come short of the glory of Cod. Next was Romans 6:23: The

  wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through

  Jesus Christ our Lord. Dakota had also written some notes.

  One was about the jailer in Acts who had asked Paul and

  Silas how he could be saved. Darvi found their answer in

  Acts 16:31: They said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou

  shall be saved, and thy house.

  The book of Ephesians came next with 2:8,9: By grace are

  ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of

  God, not of works, kst any man should boast. Romans 10:9,10

  went on to add: If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord

  Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him

  from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man

  believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession i$

  made unto salvation.

  Second Corinthians 6:2 left no doubt as to the urgency

  of the decision: I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the

  day of salvation have I helped thee: behold, now is the accepted

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  time; behold, now is the day of salvation. The last verse Darvi

&n
bsp; looked up was from John 20:31: These are written, that ye

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  might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that

  believing ye might have life through his name.

  Thank You, Lord, Darvi's heart now prayed. Thank You for

  saving me and showing me all of this. Help me to write to my

  own family. I want them to have this hope. I want them to know

  and believe.

  Darvi felt tired now. She hadn't slept all that well in the

  night and had woken early, hoping her mother would offer

  an olive branch before she left. No such offer was made.

  Darvi had said goodbye to her father and mother, but only

  her father had replied. Her father had started to scold his

  wife even before Darvi was out of earshot, but that hadn't

  made her feel any better.

  Quite suddenly Darvi wasn't certain if the letter was a

  good idea. She had already said enough. What she needed

  right now was for her mother to speak to her. Anything she

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  said short of that time would surely fall on deaf ears.

  Thinking she would have to discuss it with Dakota, and

  hoping that he hadn't written all of those references out for

  no reason, Darvi drifted off to sleep.

  ^"Sr-S"

  Never had Texas looked so good. Dakota had sent word

  from Dallas that they were on their way, but not until he saw

  Cash on the platform was he certain the telegram had arrived.

  The brothers embraced just before Cash hugged Darvi.

  "Welcome back," he told her with a huge smile.

  Darvi would have replied, but Dakota stepped over and

  hugged her too.

  "What was that for?" Darvi asked, even as she wished

  he would do it again.

  Dakota looked innocent. "I was adding my own welcome

  to Texas."

  "But you came with me," Darvi pointed out, eyes just

  short of laughter.

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  ATexasSky 257

  Still managing to look innocent, Dakota asked, "So does

  that mean it doesn't count?"

  "Come on you two," Cash cut in, his voice dry. "Dakota

  needs to visit a certain horse."

  "How is he?"

  "Completely depressed. He must think you're dead."

  As they moved to the wagon that would take them to

  the ranch house, Dakota could only laugh at the description;

  he knew it had to be all too true.

  ^-S"5*

  "How was your trip?" Cash wanted to know as soon as

  Darvi had returned from freshening up in her room.

  "It was fast. Very few delays. We stayed over in Oklahoma

  City one night but otherwise just slept and ate on the

  train."

  "Where did you stay in Oklahoma City?"

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  "The big hotel. I can't recall the name."

  "The Oaks?"

  "That was it," Darvi said with a smile. "You've been

  there?"

  "Several times. Oh!" Cash remembered. "A package

  came for you."

  "From whom?" Darvi asked as Cash moved to his office

  and came out again.

  "I don't know."

  Darvi took the package from Cash's outstretched hands,

  her movements somewhat cautious. Cash offered his pocktknife,

  and a moment later the strawberry blonde had it

  open. A letter came first and then, surprisingly enough, a

  black-haired wig.

  Darvi read the note, her eyes growing huge just before

  Dakota came in the front door.

  "You're not coming in here," he said sternly to Eli, who

  had clopped right onto the porch. "Now get back before I

  put you in the barn."

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  481

  With this he shut the door, but a glance out the window

  told Dakota that the horse had stationed himself in the

  yard, where he could see inside. The Ranger only shook his

  head and joined the others, surprised to see Darvi looking

  rather sober.

  "Whaf s going on?" Dakota asked.

  "She wants me to wear this wig."

  "Who wants you to wear a wig?"

  "Aunt Renee. She wrote, reminding me that Jared Silk

  is locked up but Seth and Eliot are still free men. She

  doesn't want Seth to recognize me and get it into his head

  to snatch me again."

  Dakota shook his head a little. "That's not going to

  happen."

  Doubts assailed Darvi in a horrible rush. It was so easy

  in this place, at this ranch, to forget how helpless she'd

  been, but for a moment the memories came flooding back.

  A shudder ran over her as she pictured Seth's calm,

  implacable face. He had been completely serious about

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  keeping her until she fell for him.

  Seeing her uncertainty, Dakota sat next to her, his head

  turned to watch her. Cash had quietly left them alone.

  Darvi did not look at Dakota, so Dakota sat a moment,

  giving her time to think.

  "I tell myself you won't let anything happen, but in

  truth, Dakota, you can't be with me every moment"

  "That's true."

  Darvi finally looked at him.

  "But you're still sure he's not going to get me, aren't

  you?"

  "Yes, very sure."

  She looked so troubled and confused that he took her

  hand.

  "Listen to me, Darvi. I'm not trying to play God here,

  but I'm very good at what I do. I assume your plan is to

  stay with your aunt, and I'm hoping that will work out, but

  if we need to take rooms in the same hotel in order for me

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  483

  to be dose by, thaf s what well do. Seth Redding is not

  going to take you against your will again."

  Tears filled her eyes before she whispered, "I didn't like

  it, Dakota."

  "I know," he said softly before reaching up with his free

  hand to touch her cheek. "We'll be thinking very clearly;

  we'll take all the necessary precautions; and in truth, I just

  don't think he's that stupid. As soon as he spots me, hell

  put the situation together."

  Darvi looked surprised. "He will, won't he?" she said in

  soft amazement

  "I certainly think so. He's not a fool, or he wouldn't be

  working for Silk. In fact, they probably know now. After all,

  we both disappeared at the same time."

  Darvi shook her head. "Why didn't any of this occur to

  me before?"

  "I don't know, but there's no point in worrying. We're

  going to do everything we can to keep a lid on this. I'm not

  expecting any trouble." Dakota reached for the wig, his

  mouth just beginning to smile. "Your aunt is quite a character."

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  He fingered the hair for a moment and then looked

  at her again. "You might look good with black hair, but I

  prefer what you have."

  Darvi smiled but didn't reply. She wanted to say something

  about the way he looked too--his size, his handsome

  face, his gentle manner--but she thought someone might

  be headed their way.

  Dakota watched her, wanting to speak as well but

  holding off for the same reason. Dakota didn't know when

  the time would be right, bu
t it wasn't now.

  "I've got dinner on," Katy called from the edge of the

  room.

  "Thanks, Katy," Dakota responded and stood with Darvi

  "Are you all right?" he asked as soon as Katy turned away.

  "Yes, thank you. I can't say that I'm looking forward to

  it, but I think I'll be fine."

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  A Texas Sky 261

  485

  Dakota took her arm to escort her to dinner, thinking

  she was the most courageous woman he knew.

  He would have laughed if he could have heard Darvi's

  prayer at the moment: She was asking God to give her

  strength and to help her be brave.

  "It's almost completely dark now," Darvi commented,

  her head tipped back a little. Dakota followed her gaze.

  "I love a Texas sky," he said quietly. Having eaten

  dinner, he and Darvi had taken a walk. The sky was dear

  this night--huge and full of stars.

  They were silent for a moment, both still looking up and

  trying to take it all in.

  "There's a man who runs the general store in Shotgun

  where my brother lives," Dakota began. "He's huge. He

  has to duck for every doorway, and if he's coming through,

  no one can walk beside him. Not too long ago I read in

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  Isaiah 66 where it says that heaven is God's throne and the

  earth His footstool, and I thought about what a big God He

  is. I love a Texas sky. I think if s the biggest in the world, but

  even at that, God has to duck His head to enter my world,

  because He's so huge." Dakota looked down at Darvi, who

  was staring up at him in the shadowy light. "But that is

  what He did for me, Darvi. He ducked His head and

  entered, so I could be saved."

  "Oh, Dakota," was all she could say.

  He reached out his hand and she took it, finding comfort

  in his touch. Darvi was not at all looking forward to

  returning to Aurora, not even to see her aunt, but Dakota's

  hand and words reminded her that she was not alone.

  Dakota wasn't all that thrilled himself, but he wanted closure

  to the situation so Darvi would not have to look over

  her shoulder in fear.

  And the sky only helped. If God could create a universe

  this big and perfect, He could surely handle the relatively

  small court case that awaited them in Aurora.

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  %r

  "You still awake?" Dakota asked Cash after bedtime mat

  night, barely taking time to knock.

  In truth Cash had just dropped off, but he was able to

  wake swiftly.

  "Whaf s up?" he asked as he threw the covers back and

  swung his legs out to sit on the edge of the bed. Dakota sat