A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy)

by Lori Wick

  "Are you all right?" she started by asking.

  "Yes," Darvi answered, but she didn't elaborate.

  Cassy tried not to rush her feelings, but she couldn't

  help it. Only a few minutes had passed before she said, "I

  hope you know how much Seth wants this to work."

  "I probably don't fully understand it, but then no one

  seems to understand my position either."

  "What makes you say that?"

  Darvi turned to look at her.

  "Was this originally your ranch or Eliof s?"

  "It was mine."

  "So you brought Eliot here and held him until he fell in

  love with you?"

  Cassy had the good grace to drop her eyes in shame, but

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  it didn't last for long. The longing she was seeing in Seth's

  eyes was killing her. The other men had all they could do

  not to gawk at Darvi tonight, even though some of them

  had steady girls, but their eyes weren't filled with love the

  way Seth's were. Cassy knew how little they could

  promise. Seth could hand Darvi the world on a platter, and

  probably would.

  "I guess I wish you'd give him a chance. I know if s just

  been a few days, but if you got to know him, you might feel

  differently."

  "I already know some things I wish I didn't know."

  "like what?"

  "I have no desire to show disrespect to you or the

  people you love, Cassy, but I'm horrified by what Seth and

  Eliot do for a living, and I'm sure I don't know the half of

  it."

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  "Talk to Seth. Your affection might mean that much to

  him."

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  "Thaf s just it, Cassy, if I bring this up to him, he's going

  to think that if he changes,' 111 love him. Thaf s not going to

  happen."

  Cassy's face clouded with anger. "What are the men like

  where you come from, Miss Wingate, that Seth Redding is

  not good enough?"

  Darvi knew she should have held her tongue, but they

  had gone this far and she was going to finish it. She turned

  from the wash water and faced the other woman.

  "Just a few months back I realized I was a sinner and

  needed to have a personal relationship with God. Because

  of God's Son, I'm a different person. I didn't have to do

  this; it was my free choice. But now that if s done, I'm

  working to live my life in a way thaf s pleasing to God, and

  one of those ways is not marrying a man who does not

  share my faith. The Bible is very specific about that

  "If Seth were to know Christ someday, that would be

  great, but he can't do that just to win me. He's got to do that

  for his own soul's sake. If s a matter between him and God.

  If I still sound to you as if I think I'm too good, I'm sorry,

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  but God as my witness, my only desire is to do what I

  know to be right."

  Cassy was stunned. Of all the things she expected to

  hear, this was not it. She had not an argument left in her

  head. She was not a religious woman, but she had high

  respect for anyone who was. Cassy dried a pot and

  watched Darvi's profile. She had to say something so Darvi

  would not think her upset. Absolutely nothing came to

  mind, but the dishes were almost done and she couldn't let

  it end like this.

  "Thank you for telling me, Darvi."

  Darvi turned in relief. She had remembered too late that

  this woman hadn't even bothered to marry the man she

  loved. Darvi had been wishing the tongue right out of her

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  mouth. Cass/s words were an olive branch she was not

  going to turn down.

  "I think we're about set here, Cassy. Is there anything

  else I can do?"

  251

  "No, thank you, Darvi. I think you've earned the right

  to put your feet up for the evening."

  The women didn't exchange any more words, but both

  left the wash area with the small comfort that the strange

  relationship they found themselves in was still intact

  "ARE you all right?" eliot asked cassy when he retired

  that night

  "Urn hm" was her only answer as she rocked in the

  chair. She was ready for bed but not there yet. For dozens

  of reasons Eliot knew her answer was not the end of it, but

  he was tired and just wanted to sleep, so he found himself

  somewhat cross with her.

  "If you don't want to talk about it, Cass, thaf s fine, but

  don't say you're all right when you're not!"

  Cassy didn't answer. She stayed in the chair even after

  Eliot climbed into bed, her heart pained and uncertain. She

  hadn't felt this way in a long time, not since after her husband

  had died and left her with a baby and a toddler and

  a ranch to run on her own. Those were black days, and she

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  didn't want to go back there again, but some of the old feelings

  were returning.

  "Cassy," Eliot said softly now, not able to sleep with her

  upset "What is it?"

  "She has strong religious beliefs."

  "Darvi?"

  "Yes. It's more than just being taken against her will; it

  goes against her belief in God. That really bothers me."

  "Has she told Seth?"

  "She won't do that," Cassy stated and went on to

  explain Darvi's reasons.

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  138 lori wick

  For a time the couple was silent

  "If s gotten me to thinking about the days after Chad

  died, about God and the way I was raised." Cassy turned

  to look at him for the first time. "I was raised to know better

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  than to live with a man I wasn't married to."

  Eliot was out of the bed in a flash, over to her chair and

  turning it so he could see her face in the light. With his

  hands tenderly holding her face, he whispered the words

  in his heart.

  "I'm the one who's been asking you to marry me for five

  years, Cassandra. I can't promise I won't die, but I'm the

  one who's always wanted marriage. You'll get no argument

  out of me."

  "Oh, Eliot. I don't know what I've been waiting for, but

  I think it must be time."

  He leaned down and kissed her very softly.

  "I also need to tell you, though," he knew he had to add,

  "this has nothing to do with God. I'm not sure there is a

  God. I think the only heaven we'll ever know is right

  here--good or bad--this is it. The only thing I know for

  sure is that I love you."

  Cassy nodded. Her own beliefs were not that far distant

  from his. Her grandfather had been a preacher, but her own

  father had wanted nothing to do with God. He was moral

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  to a fault over issues like drinking, wife beating, adultery,

  and fornication, but God was never mentioned. In truth,

  Cassy didn't know exactly what she believed. She only

  knew right now that she was tired. She finally climbed into

  bed, comforted by Eliof s presence beside her but wondering

  what it would be like to have the peace that Darvi

  Wingate seemed to own.

  w"
5^"'5'*

  Darvi knew she would not be able to hold her breath, so

  she didn't even try, but by reciting her family's names very

  slowly, she was able to keep her breathing shallow. As she

  A Texas Sky * 139

  hoped, Cassy checked on the sleeping children before she

  left, not realizing Darvi was under the covers in her clothes

  and ready to make a run for the barn the moment the woman

  exited the room. She had done this and was now under the

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  blanket behind the seat, barely able to hold her wits about her

  as she felt the team pull the wagon from the bam.

  I'm going to make it! I'm really going to make it! Darvi had

  all she could do not to shout with delight She'd been

  forced to leave her bag behind, but she would remedy that

  when she got to town and made a little call to the sheriff's

  office. She didn't have malicious thoughts toward these

  people, but what had happened to her could not be

  allowed without repercussions.

  If she remembered correctly, she had spotted the law

  office when she and Dakota were trying to find the livery.

  She thought it might...

  Darvi's thoughts were cut short, and her whole body

  jumped when the report of a rifle shattered the silence. She

  heard Cassy mutter, "What in the world?" and then felt the

  wagon slow and halt as a fast horse galloped up and

  stopped as well. Darvi's heart sank.

  "I think you have a passenger."

  It was Seth's voice.

  "You're kidding" came from Cassy just before the

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  blanket was tugged on and Seth came into Darvi's view.

  "I'm going to town with Cassy." Darvi stated the

  obvious.

  "No, you're not," Seth replied firmly, his hand already

  out to help her. Darvi ignored it. She climbed awkwardly

  from the wagon, none too pleased about being caught

  "Seth," Cassy began the moment Darvi stepped down,

  "I don't know if this is a good idea. She doesn't want to

  stay."

  "There hasn't been enough time, Cass. You can't expect--"

  Seth stopped because Darvi was headed for the horse. It had

  no saddle, but she didn't care. He caught her around the

  waist and hauled her back to the wagon with him.

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  "I'll see you when you get back," he told Gassy/ but she

  was far from pleased. She watched Darvi struggle in his

  arms but knew there was nothing she could do.

  Clicking to the team, she set the wagon in motion just as

  Darvi landed a strong backward kick against Seth's shin.

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  He grunted in very real pain but didn't let go until he had

  the horse's reins securely in his hand. That little move got

  him glared at, but he couldn't find it in his heart to be

  angry. He had brought this on.

  "Do you want a ride?" he volunteered, even as the creak

  and rumble of the wagon faded in their ears.

  Darvi didn't answer. She was too disappointed with her

  foiled plan. She thought that getting as far as she had

  meant she would actually make it

  I'm giving up, Lord. I thought it was a great idea, but we're

  just too isolated out here. At times I think I'm. going to lose my

  mind. I'm trying to trust, but right now I just want to scream

  and run from here as fast as I can.

  Darvi was so intent on her praying that she stumbled

  into a hole. Seth's hand was right there to catch her. She

  hadn't realized he was so close.

  "How's your leg?" she asked, eyes ahead as she walked

  swiftly back.

  "It hurts."

  Darvi had all she could do not to smile, but she knew

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  that would have been wrong. Was it wrong to kick the man

  who was holding her? That one she couldn't answer.

  Returning to the house and going straight to her room,

  Darvi tried not to start planning again.

  5"3r5inkade,

  Texas

  "This church family is wonderful," Dakota said sincerely

  as he and Cash rode home together from an all-church

  Saturday afternoon picnic.

  ATexasSty 141

  "I certainly think so. I mean, we're not without our

  problems, but God has greatly blessed in this place."

  "Is Grandma's church like this?"

  "Very much so, just smaller. Her pastor is a younger

  man with a young family. We've had some great talks, and

  he's very grounded in the Word and eager for his congregation

  to grow. Grandma adores him, and he never stops

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  telling her what an encouragement she is."

  Dakota was silent for a moment, the clop of the horses'

  hooves the only sound.

  "Do you ever think about our situation, Cash?" the

  younger man asked thoughtfully. "I mean, the way God

  reached down for you and Gram, and now Slater and me?

  Sometimes if s almost more than I can take in."

  Cash couldn't speak. He too was amazed at what God

  had done, but as always, his heart went to his parents.

  I know You want their salvation more than I do, Father. Please

  help Dak and me to be the examples we need to be. Help my folks

  to find You before it's too late.

  "I was just praying for the folks," Dakota said.

  "So was I."

  From there, the men rode home in silence.

  Aurora

  Darvi was tired of sitting in her room with no place to

  read but her bed. She had only her Bible with her, but she

  wasn't going to sit in this bedroom anymore. She didn't

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  think Cassy was back--somehow she thought that woman

  might be leaning toward her side--but she was still going

  to go out to one of the chairs by the fireplace to read. To her

  relief, she found the room empty. Taking a comfortable

  chair, she welcomed the opportunity to look around.

  It was an interesting layout. Only two rooms led off of

  the main room, and from what Cassy had said, they were

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  both hallways to bedrooms. The big room held everything

  else: kitchen area, dining area, and living room furniture

  set up around the fireplace. There were windows on two

  sides. The kitchen table was long and wide with a variety

  of mismatched chairs. The two davenports and three

  rocking chairs were well worn but clean looking.

  Darvi settled back with her Bible and turned a little to

  catch the light from the window. She had covered only two

  chapters when Eliot, Seth, Nate, and Lindy came in. Lindy

  came right to her, her eyes intent on Darvi's Bible. Darvi

  smiled and watched her touch the book and then pat her

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  little chest.

  "Do you have a Bible?"

  She shook her head no and patted the Bible and her

  chest again.

  "Do you want me to read to you?" Darvi wasn't long in

  catching on.

  Her little head bobbed again, this time in excitement.

  "I would be happy to read to you, Lindy, but you need

  to ask Mr. McDermott first."

  The men couldn't help but overhear the conversation.

  After the events of that morning
, Seth was keeping his distance,

  but Eliot came right over.

  "Do you mind if I read the Bible to Lindy?"

  The man looked completely untroubled^ "Not at all."

  Even his voice was unconcerned. "If s just stories."

  Eliot was on his way back across the room when Darvi

  asked Lindy a question.

  "Do you have another book I might read to you,

  Lindy?"

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  The little girl frowned in confusion.

  "I want to read to you, Lindy," Darvi clarified, "but I

  don't think these are just stories."

  Eliot came back.

  "Darvi, Cassy won't mind if you read the Bible4 to

  Lindy."

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  Aware that every eye in the room was on her, she still

  said, "But if I have to tell her this is just another storybook,

  I mind very much."

  "Run and get a book from your room, Lindy."

  When the little girl scampered away, Eliot met Darvi's

  eyes.

  "So you think the Bible is from God?"

  "Yes, I do," Darvi answered, glad that he understood

  what she was saying.

  "I can't speak for Cassy on that, so if you don't mind

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  reading something else..." Eliot let the sentence hang, as

  Darvi was already nodding.

  "Not at all."

  That was all the more time Lindy needed to come back

  with a thick book of nursery rhymes, stories, and poems.

  Darvi saw nothing wrong with the book, but it was something

  of a letdown for her. She sincerely hoped to read to

  Lindy from the Bible one day but invited the little girl into

  her lap and read from the story Lindy opened to. It was a

  familiar one from Darvi's childhood, and she had to fight

  the homesickness that welled up inside of her.

  She wasn't usually prone to missing home so much, but

  she had been primed and ready to go back, even if there was

  a battle, and now having been cheated out of that, her heart

  yearned for home more than it ever had before. For a time

  she read without thought, her mind on how she and her parents

  had parted. She knew things would never be completely

  settled unless they came to Christ, but she also thought it was

  right to have as little tension as possible between them.

  Not aware of the little girl's drooping lids, Darvi read

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  through the entire story before she noticed that Lindy's

  head had fallen to the side. She set the book down, but

  because they were both comfortable, Darvi kept rocking

  and holding her. It was a bit warm to be cuddling, but the

  amazement of how kind and sweet these children were to