A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy) (13 page)

A. Hewett

Had Annabelle been in the room right then, she would

158

have seen just how red the banker's face could get. Jared

was so furious he nearly barked at the person who knocked

on his office door. Remembering just in time that the bank's

doors were already open, he tempered his response to a

86

A Texas Sky 87

terse reply and told the men to enter. Even though he'd

sent for them, seeing them did nothing for his mood.

"Have you read this?" he asked one of his personal

assistants.

"Yes," Seth Redding answered calmly, taking a chair as

though he had all day.

"I'm sick of it! I want it stopped. Do you hear me?"

"What exactly are we supposed to do?" the other man/

Eliot McDermott, asked. "She's free to write whatever she

chooses, and we know from the last little job that busting

up the newspaper office won't stop it"

"Shut your mouth!" Jared hissed at him as he rose to shut the door, even knowing the hall and stairway were empty.

159

The men, half-brothers who could have had respectable

jobs, watched their boss secure the door and stalk to the

window. From the second-story view, he stared down on

the street, his frame tense with helpless frustration.

"What she writes is all true, Jared," Eliot added. "I don't

know why you fight it"

"I don't pay you to think," Jared now said coldly, never

taking his eyes from the window. The statement wasn't

true, but the banker was too angry to see reason.

The brothers exchanged a look. At times like these they

were tempted to ask themselves why they put up with him,

but the answer was never far from their minds: the money.

"I think I'd like to talk with Annabelle Hewett," Jared

said.

Seth came to his feet, and Eliof s stance became tense.

"Now, Jared," Seth began, "you can't go snatching mat

lady off the streets. She's too well known."

Jared finally turned to the men, his face filled with a

calm they had learned to dread.

"You're right; I can't do it. But you can and you will. I

160

don't care how you handle it. I don't even care if you hire

someone else, but I want you to offer a personal invitation

to Miss Hewett."

88 lori wick

"An invitation to what?"

"Why, to my home for dinner. We'll have a nice meal

and talk awhile. I'm sure I can convince her that she's quite

mistaken."

The men didn't bother to hide their displeasure, but

Jared was not swayed.

"Just let me know what day I'm to expect her. And boys,

keep it neat. I have a reputation to uphold in this town."

Knowing they had no one to blame but themselves, the

brothers filed out. They didn't linger at the bank but

headed right onto the street and over to the saloon to discuss

the idea. They had a plan in very little time, but later,

Seth returned to the bank only to find that Jared had come

up with a plan of his own. Nevertheless, this job was going

to cost the banker a little more than usual.

161

"You don't have to stay," Darvi proclaimed to Dakota

for the third time.

"So you've said." His reply was as calm as always, and

Darvi gave up.

They had made excellent time getting to Aurora, and

during their travels Darvi was surprised to find that

Dakota's home was very near. He could be there in a matter

of hours. Darvi saw no reason for him to stay the night just

to put her on the train. However, he was not about to leave.

Darvi was glad for the company but felt she'd been trouble

enough.

"So where do you want to spend the night?"

"I've got to get my trunk from the train station, and then I'll check into the Belmont."

"Why don't I get the trunk?" Dakota started to suggest,

but Darvi was already shaking her head.

"I appreciate the offer, Dakota, but I need my clothing

162

as soon as I check in, and I'll be able to find the trunk in no

time, since I know what it looks like."

ATexasSty 89

"Sounds fair enough. By the way, what are we doing

with Finley?"

"I'm to leave him at Garth's Livery, or some name like

that. My uncle has plans to get him back. I didn't ask where

it was, but I don't think it will be too hard to find."

"Have you stayed in Aurora before?"

"No, I haven't."

"How do you know about the Belmont?"

"Uncle Marty. He lectured me for a full 24 hours before

I left." Darvi's voice went monotone before she went on,

"What to watch for, where to go, do everything Dakota

says, don't look at strange men, don't leave your room after

dark, get your trunk from the station, leave the horse with

Garth, and I can't remember what else."

Dakota had a good laugh over this litany but thought it

sounded like Brace. He was also changing his mind about

163

Darvi being on her own. He would never leave her to fend

for herself, but she was very quick to catch on to tilings and

as plucky as he'd first expected.

The train station was a bustling place, and it took some

doing to track down the bags and trunks that were being

held. Darvi had to give her name and a description of her

small trunk, and then the man was gone for what seemed

to be ages trying to find it. Because her name was not on

the outside, he made her open the top and show her name

under the lid. The fact that she had the key should have

spoken volumes.

Finally satisfied, the man released the trunk to her care.

Dakota hefted it onto Eli's back. It wasn't the ideal mode of

transportation, but if they asked the station to deliver it,

there was no telling when the heavy piece would arrive.

There was a lad of 12 or 13 who stayed close to the hotel

lobby and was willing to carry it to Darvi's room when she

checked in. Dakota followed in their wake, his own room

key in hand.

"Thank you," Darvi told the young man, slipping a coin

164

to him.

90 lori wick

"Thank you/' he returned politely and went on his way.

"Are you on this floor?" Darvi asked Dakota.

Dakota looked at his key. "I think so, but I must be a few

doors down."

"I know ifs getting on in the day, Dakota, but can you

give me time to clean up before we eat?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing. There's no way

I'm going to enjoy my dinner until I've ordered a bath."

Darvi smiled at his understanding.

"I'll come back here in about an hour. How does that

work?"

"Wonderful. 111 see you then."

Saddlebags in hand, Dakota went to find his room, not

knowing that an hour was optimistic. Nevertheless, the two

travelers finally sat down in the hotel dining room, both

ready for a hot meal and the comfort of eating indoors.

"Dakota," Darvi asked over coffee, their order having

165

just been taken, "how did you become a Ranger?"

Dakota smiled. "I caught the bug when I was about 13.

We'd had some trouble with cattle rustling, and the Rangers

came in to help. I'd never seen such tough, capable men. I

was in awe of every one of them. From that time forward I

dreamed of having my own sturdy mount, side arm, rope,

and Bowie knife. I had access to all those things on the ranch,

but they weren't mine. At the time I had no concept of the

responsibility, but even when I understood the position, I

still longed to work hard and uphold the law in Texas."

Dakota stopped for a moment before admitting, "It was

all I ever wanted until my brother Slater came to Christ.

Cash and my grandmother already believed, but I never

thought Slater would. The change in him was uncanny, and

then he left the Rangers to settle in one town. I was ready

to string him up, but he stood up to me and told me his

decision was made. The change in his life got me to

thinking that I might have missed something.

"I don't know if I thought of it when you were telling

your story, Darvi, but Slater did what you need to do.

166

A Texas Sky 91

Although everyone in the Rangers was telling him he

didn't need to quit, he knew he couldn't stay on the trail.

He stood up to me and to Brace, and I know God has

blessed him for it"

It was on Darvi's mind to ask Dakota if he would stay

with the Rangers now, but for some reason she held back.

His salvation was as new as hers. Maybe he hadn't thought

that far. Then again, she knew nothing of Slater. Maybe

their situations were nothing alike.

"So are you ready to go home and face your family?"

"I think I am. I'm trying not to think of conversations in

my head. I've done that in the past, and it never works. The

person never says what I think he's going to, and so everything

I've rehearsed is a waste of time."

Dakota was impressed. It was so easy to do just that.

He'd done it many times himself.

"Well, you can go knowing that I will pray for you."

"Thank you. And I'll be praying for you. I never

167

thought about anyone being able to have an influence on

Uncle Marty. Maybe your life will touch his."

"I hope so. I care for him a lot."

Darvi found herself wanting to cry and hoped their

food would come soon. Quite hungry, she suddenly realized

a wave of homesickness was washing over her. The

combination of hunger, her uncle, and a need to go home

rained down on her with such intensity that she almost

gasped.

Dakota stayed very quiet They had talked for hours the

day before, and Darvi had apologized for her tears on two

occasions. Both times Dakota told her it was all right. He

hoped that if he remained quiet now, she would not feel the

need. It helped to have his stomach growl, and for Darvi to

hear it.

"I think they've forgotten us," she said, trying not to

sniff.

92 lori wick

"I think you might be right I'm going to have to make

168

myself chew. Right now I think I could swallow things

whole."

Neither one felt compelled to talk after that. Their food

arrived about ten minutes later, and that was all they

needed. By the time they finished/ the days on the road

were catching up. With little more than a plan to meet for

breakfast they bid each other goodnight

^"S1"^"

Darvi stood on the train station platform in a navy blue

suit, her satchel open as she secured her ticket inside.

Closing the top/ she looked up at Dakota who stood in

front of her.

"All set?" he asked.

"I think so."