Wings of the Morning (Kensington Chronicles) (27 page)

world was Mr. Brennan so silent?

"Well," Sunny smiled a smile she didn't feel and again

spoke to Darsey. "Since you haven't eaten, will you at least stay

for tea?"

"Thank you, no," Smokey responded Sunny wanted to

scream. She had heard that American women were bold, but

this was ridiculous. She was on the verge of giving up and

telling them goodbye when Brandon walked in. Sunny was so

relieved she nearly sat down. She watched in amazement as

her husband, immediately sizing up the situation, walked

directly to Smokey and addressed only her.

"Is there a problem?"

"Not really," Smokey replied, growing weary of the conversation.

"Darsey and I need to return to London. I hope you

won't find us ungrateful, but we really must go."

"I know that Dallas expects to find you here when he

returns," Brandon told her honestly, and watched her chin

rise into the air. It was a gesture so like his wife would affect

that he had to hide a smile.

"Dallas has obviously misled you. I do not answer to him

concerning my whereabouts."

"I understand that, and I'm sorry I intimated otherwise

What I meant to say was that he told me he had wanted to talk

to you this morning, but you did not come downstairs. He

considered leaving you a note, but decided against it. I know

he'll be bitterly disappointed to find you gone."

Smokey stared at him in uncertainty. She wanted to

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believe Dallas wanted to see her, but she could not take being

tossed around for one moment longer.

"When Dallas returns and you find you still want to leave

for London, I'll take you there myself. For the time being,

please stay, rest, and enjoy yourself."

"Darsey and I do not want to be any trouble."

"You'll be no trouble at all. Dallas and I have been friends

for years. Any friend of his is a friend of mine." Brandon

paused for just a moment. "Will you stay?"

"All right," Smokey agreed softly and wondered what in

the world had prompted her.

"Wonderful," Brandon said "I'll call Parks to have your

bags returned to your rooms."

"We can take them up," Smokey told him, not completely

comfortable with the way they were waited on here.

"Fine," Brandon accommodated her. "You'll be back down

to join us for tea?"

"Yes."

Husband and wife watched her leave.

"Will you please tell me," Sunny spoke softly when the

door was closed, "what that was all about?"

Brandon moved forward and kissed her before he spoke.

"I'm sorry I never explained She is the captain of iheAramis, and be is her first mate."

Sunny's mouth dropped open, and Brandon laughed

"I really think the two of you will like each other," he told

her, "if you get a chance to talk. She's probably one of the few

women in the world who could actually rival you for independence."

"She is actually the captain of the ship?" Sunny asked in

disbelief.

"That's right."

"Does she own it?"

"Yes. It's said to be one of the fastest ships on the sea, and

she, one of the finest captains."

"But she's so petite and unassuming. I just..." Sunny

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shrugged, and Brandon hugged her. Sunny was right, Sm

did not look like she held the position she did" 1

What Brandon didn't know was that there was far more to

Smokey Simmons than even he could imagine, and that he

and Sunny would both grow to think the world of her before

Dallas returned.

Q/wfaQreven/

the rest of the DAV was a bit strained for Smokey and

Darsey, but the next morning Sunny asked Smokey if she

wanted to see her baby. It turned out to be the perfect icebreaker.

Lord Sterling Hawkesbury, future Duke of Briscoe, was

nearly eight months old and able to crawl all over the nursery.

His face split with a huge grin on sighting his mother, and

Smokey's heart melted the moment she laid eyes on him.

Both women sat down, and Sterling's nurse put him on the

floor. He made a beeline for his mother until he spotted

Smokey. In midcrawl he paused and stared at her. Smokey

could not wipe the smile from her face, and when he saw her

friendly countenance he changed direction.

She waited only until he was at arm's length before reaching

for him. It had been years since she'd held a baby, and this

one was a cuddler. He snuggled against her and popped a

thumb into his mouth, the picture of contentment.

"He's beautiful," Smokey told Sterling's mother over the

top of his head.

"We think so," Sunny responded with pleasure. "His

grandmother tells me that Brandon looked just like him at

that age."

"My friend Jenny, Dallas' sister," Smokey said to her hostess,

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who nodded, "is going to have a baby this summer. I hoping to get home in time, but I'm not sure if I'll make it?

"I'm sure you will. Brandon was telling me last night than

they need you to testify, but he hopes they have enough other;

evidence to convict the pirate." Sunny paused and went on.

"Dallas told him you had a pretty rough time of it."

Smokey nodded "I know it could have been much worse,

but it's such a helpless feeling to be powerless against a

captor."

The conversation was broken momentarily as Sterling's

nurse returned, saw the child was asleep in Smokey's arms,

and came to retrieve him. Sunny dropped a kiss on her young

son's head, and the women exited the room.

'You're not afraid to testify, are you?" Sunny asked, fairly

certain what the answer would be.

"No," Smokey told her emphatically as they walked down

the stairs. "I want to see him put away. He's never hit my ship

before, but I grow furious when I think of the hard hours we put in and then men like him who come along and help

themselves without even breaking a sweat."

"Brandon's been boarded four times," Sunny told her

guest.

"I didn't know that. He must be anxious to see this over."

"Yes, he is. I know he'd like to talk to you before the trial,

just to get an idea of what you know."

"I'd be glad to tell him anything that might help."

"I was quite certain you would feel that way," Sunny told

her with a smile. "By the way, I like to go riding about this time

each day. Would you care to join me?"

"Horseback riding?"

"That's right."

"I've never been," Smokey admitted

"Never?" Sunny was astounded and then grinned "Well,

I've never captained a ship, so I guess that makes us about

even."

Smokey laughed, and before she knew it, Sunny had

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peered her in the direction of her bedroom to find a riding

[habit that could be shortened quickly.

"It's not at all as I imagined," Smokey told Sunny just two

hours later as she sat on the back of a well-behaved gelding. "I

mean, he really goes where he's told"

"What did you expect?"

"I don't know," Smokey confessed. "A ship can't operate

on its own, but a horse has a will. I think there are verses in the

Bible, the New Testament, about that."

"I know the ones you mean; they're in James three, and

they talk about the rudder of a ship or the bit in a horse's

mouth, and then about how powerful our tongues are."

"Those were the ones I was thinking of. I always love it

when God uses illustrations I can see so well."

Suddenly both women smiled at each other. It was wonderful

and precious to find that they were sisters in Christ.

Smokey's heart became very full at the knowledge.

Sunny couldn't help thinking that Brandon had been right,

she liked Smokey immensely. She was so easy to be with, and

they never ran out of things to talk about.

They rode on, and Sunny had to squelch laughter every

time she remembered that Smokey was five years older than

she was. Not 24 hours ago, she stood opposite Smokey, thinking

she was very young and acting out of place with Darsey

standing beside her. What a woman! No wonder Dallas was

fascinated

"You mean to tell me that she actually fenced with Haamch

Wynn?" Brandon asked Darsey in disbelief.

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Darsey grinned before he answered "She holds her own

very well, sir."

"Who taught her?"

"Her father and I."

'You were his mate also?"

"Yes, sir. For years before Smokey was even born."

"Simmons," Brandon said the name softly and then shook

his head "I don't believe I knew him."

Darsey hesitated before speaking. "He never used the

name Simmons. Most knew him only as Clancy; to Smokey he

was Papa."

Brandon grew absolutely still and stared at Darsey as he

sat opposite him in his study. The women were out riding, or

he would have looked for Smokey right on the spot. A well of

amazement and then deep respect for Smokey and Darsey

rose up within Brandon. He knew there was something different

about this man and his captain.

"Smokey doesn't like to talk of it, sir," Darsey told him

bluntly, wanting to be honest, but also wanting to protect his

girl. "She prefers to be accepted on her own, for who she is."

"I understand completely, Darsey. I won't mention it, but I

will tell you this, I knew there was something special about

that woman the moment I saw her."

Darsey grinned. "I'll have to tell her that, sir. I think it

would do her good. We're a bit intimidated in surroundings

like these."

Brandon laughed outright. "You tell her she has nothing to

worry about, Darsey. She's doing just fine."

"How are you holding up?" Brandon asked Smokey the

next day during lunch. Dallas had been gone for three days.

Even though Brandon thought Smokey looked well rested and

lovely, he knew she might be getting a bit anxious.

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"I'm well. A little sore since your wife decided that I

needed to go riding yesterday and today."

Sunny laughed unrepentantly.

"Just wait, Sunny," Smokey warned her. "One of these days

I'll shanghai you and make you scrub the deck of my ship."

Sunny, who had always been fascinated with ships, rather

liked the idea.

"As you can see, that was no serious threat," Brandon said

dryly as he watched his wife's face. "Sunny and I met on a ship,

and I've always thought she might have a bit of the sea in her

veins."

Husband and wife grinned at each other, and the meal

progressed in high humor. When Sunny asked for tea at the

end of the meal, Brandon looked across the table at Smokey,

his dark eyes intent on her face

"Darsey tells me that you fence."

To his surprise, Smokey only smiled and said, "Did he

now?"

Brandon inclined his handsome head and failed to notice