Wings Of The Morning Part 22

G/uwfo~Qfy smokey bunked as she read the clock on the mantel in her room, certain that it must be wrong. It said 2:00, and the sun was streaming through her window. Could she have slept that long?

They had arrived at Bracken, the most gorgeous home Smokey had ever seen, about 8:00 the evening before. She'd met the Duke and d.u.c.h.ess of Briscoe, a couple much younger than she had envisioned, and then been shown to a small dining room where she, Da.r.s.ey, and Dallas had been given a light supper. She could not at the moment even remember what she ate.

Directly after the meal she had been shown to a bedroom the size of Willa's entire house. Smokey didn't believe she would ever fall asleep in such a cavernous s.p.a.ce, but sleep she did and for nearly 17 hours.

Smokey was just thinking about rising when someone knocked. TUgging the covers up a bit higher, she called an entrance. Da.r.s.ey walked in and softly shut the door.

"Good afternoon," Smokey said after he'd taken a chair by her nightstand.

His eyes twinkled when he spoke. "I'm glad to see you decided to join us. I've been checking on you all day, wondering if you were ever going to wake up."

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183.

'I was rather surprised to read the clock a few minutes ago.

"So -you Just woke up?"

Smokey gave a sheepish nod and then grinned at him.

"Have you ever seen a house like this in all your life?"

"House?" Da.r.s.ey questioned her. "I believe mansion or palace would be more fitting."

"I think you're right. Willa would spend all her time cleaning, certain that no one could do a better job. It would put her in an early grave."

Da.r.s.ey agreed and then glanced around the room. He said his own bedroom was just as magnificent. "I was offered lunch," Da.r.s.ey added, "but I wanted to wait for you."

Smokey nodded. "I'd be a little intimidated to be here without Dallas," Smokey admitted. "I hope he's around when I get downstairs."

"He won't be," Da.r.s.ey said flatly, and Smokey wondered at his tone. "He had to leave for Denmark. He's got a s.h.i.+pment due in. Said he'd be back in three days, maybe four."

Smokey was so surprised that she did not immediately speak. Da.r.s.ey watched her face and knew that he would have thrashed Dallas if he could have laid hands on him.

"I can't stay here without Dallas," Smokey finally said. "I mean, they're his friends and I just wouldn't feel right."

"I must admit that I was feeling the same way."

"All right." Smokey made a swift decision. "Give me a few minutes. I'll get dressed and come downstairs and explain."

Da.r.s.ey left then, but with a heavy heart. If Dallas really cared for Smokey, why would he go off and leave her? It seemed to Da.r.s.ey that he'd had plenty of opportunity to explain his plans. Smokey was just starting to look rested, and the last thing she needed was to travel all the way back to London today.

Da.r.s.ey went to his own room to pack up, completely unaware of the way Dallas had paced the floor of the library Ukeacaged animal that morning, waitingfor Smokey to come down.

Less than an hour later, captain and mate appeared downstairs at Bracken Da.r.s.ey was holding the handle of his own rl^ed cS ^well aTsmokey's satchel. T^ey stood in the ouiet entrvway gripped with indecision.

^ImoSTwas on the verge of knocking on one of the nume^ doors off the foyer, hoping to find someone to wC she could explain their sudden departure, when a voice spoke behind them.

itarHpHe both Smokev and Da.r.s.ey turned to find a tall, nea^cada Sual with a very proper air address08 Sarks, head of housekeeping here at Brackea Lady Hawkesbury is expecting you in the salon. If you and Miss StaSeT a"nd S eSS a puzzled glance but folJd etheSmrsey still holding W j to one of the numerous doors and opened it. ****.***

^^^1^,^^=^ pleasure^ a picture or grace * % * from her place on the sofa. "I hopeyou both slept well. I know yTmustte hungry, so I've ordered tea tobe^servedand--^ Sunny, a warm and sensitive hostess, suddenly noticed her ^Sthing wrong?" she asked Da.r.s.ey kindly, making "We appreciate your kindness, but we need to get bacfc to London."

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"Oh," Sunny's eyes swung to Smokey for an instant, and although her mind was racing, her look was calm.

"Is there something we can do?" Sunny finally asked, automatically addressing herself to Da.r.s.ey.

"You've been more than kind," Smokey put in again, "and I thank you for the good night's sleep, but we really must be on our way."

Panic began to spiral through Sunny. She knew that Dallas expected them to be here when he returned, and why in the world was Mr. Brennan so silent?

"Well," Sunny smiled a smile she didn't feel and again spoke to Da.r.s.ey. "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.

"Da.r.s.ey 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 185.

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."

"Da.r.s.ey 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 s.h.i.+p?" Sunny asked in disbelief.

"That's right."

"Does she own it?"

"Yes. It's said to be one of the fastest s.h.i.+ps on the sea, and she, one of the finest captains."

"But she's so pet.i.te and una.s.suming. I just..." Sunny 186.

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 Da.r.s.ey, 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, 188.

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 s.h.i.+p 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 s.h.i.+p, so I guess that makes us about even."

Smokey laughed, and before she knew it, Sunny had 189.

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 s.h.i.+p 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 s.h.i.+p 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 G.o.d uses ill.u.s.trations 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 Da.r.s.ey 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 Da.r.s.ey in disbelief.

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Da.r.s.ey grinned before he answered "She holds her own very well, sir."

"Who taught her?"

"Her father and I."

'You were his mate also?"