A Texas Sky
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in her navy suit, trying to ignore some of the creases, and
from years of solid habit, made her bed. After packing her
bag, Darvi went out to do battle. This was all before finding
the large room almost empty. The woman they referred to
as Cassy stood at the stove. As soon as she spotted Darvi,
she took a plate from the oven.
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"I have some breakfast for you," she spoke as she
moved to put it on the table.
It was on the tip of Darvi's tongue to refuse, but then she
saw it was dished up and ready.
"Thank you," Darvi only replied and sat down,
thanking the woman again when she was served a
steaming mug of coffee. Trying to calm her now-racing
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heart, Darvi bowed her head and thanked God for the
food. She might never see this woman again, but she
wanted her impression to be a favorable one.
"Darvi, is it?" Cassy asked when her guesf s head came
up.
"Yes, and you're Cassy?"
That woman nodded.
"I met your children. I hope I didn't disturb them."
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"Not at all. There is a spare room, but it's right across
from Seth's. He felt you would feel safer in with the children.
You can move if you like."
"I appreciate the offer, but I won't be needing either
room another night."
Cassy only nodded, knowing it would not help Seth's
cause for her to comment
"May I ask you where Mr. McDermott is, or, urn, Seth?
I don't know his last name."
"Redding. Seth Redding. Eliot had to run into town, and
Seth is around somewhere. I know he wants to talk with
you."
The eggs and steak on Darvi's plate were delicious, and
so was the thick slice of bread, but it was somewhat lost on
her. She spent the entire meal searching the door and windows
for any sign of Mr. Redding. He didn't appear until
after she was finished. As soon as Darvi saw him come in,
she went for her bag. Back in the large room, the handle in
her grasp, she spoke. '
"You may explain to me when you return me to town."
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"I'm not returning you to town, but we can go for a
walk and I'll tell you what happened."
Darvi could have stomped her foot with frustration, but
as with everything else in this situation, she was helpless.
She set her bag back against one wall and followed Seth
outside. He walked them toward the distant woods, his
stride shortened to match Darvi's. Not that she was very
close to him. She walked a few steps behind and some ten
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feet away. Seth glanced over at her stormy face and knew
he would just have to begin.
"Eliot--he's my half brother--and I work for Jared Silk;
he's a banker. He's not all that honest, but he pays us well,
and we're good at what we do." He glanced to see if she
was listening, but she looked away when their eyes met.
"Jared's sick of Annabelle Hewetf s column. If the truth be
told, she's often right about him, but he wants her stopped.
He came up with the plan to talk to her, and our job was to
convince her to have dinner with him,
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"The men we sent grabbed you because you look like
her, and also because she's always headed somewhere. Her
job takes her all over town, so it wasn't surprising they
found you at the train station. We thought we had
Annabelle until Eliot saw her heading into the news office
early yesterday morning. By that time, it was too late."
"What was too late?"
"I had already decided that I liked you."
Darvi stopped and gawked at the man. She could
hardly believe her ears.
"It's not forever, Darvi, at least your being forced to stay
here isn't forever, but I'm just so sure that if you stay for a
while, you'll come to care for us."
Darvi was stunned. This tall, confident, good-looking
man was staring at her with his heart in his eyes. Darvi's
head was spinning. She shifted her gaze to the wide open
land and the trees beyond. Even from here she could hear
the low sound of the cattle and understood how they made
their living.
"Mr. Redding."
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"Please call me Seth."
Darvi put her hand up. "All right. Seth. Let me get this
straight. You work for a man who wanted a woman
abducted and threatened, but the wrong woman was
taken. Now that you've met me, and even realizing I'm not
Annabelle Hewett, you want me to share your life?"
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"I was hoping you weren't Hewett, since working for
Jared would have made that relationship impossible. Much
as I hated for you to be afraid, I was very pleased to learn
you weren't her."
Darvi thought about the way she'd been treated in the
last 48 hours. Not once had the men given the impression
that she was going to be physically harmed. They had been
downright gentlemen, but it didn't make what they had
done less wrong.
"I get the impression that you're a very nice man, Seth.
Your family/' Darvi almost stumbled over the word,
knowing Eliot was living with his girlfriend and her children,
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"seems very nice too. So how is it that you believe
you can spot a woman, desire her, and take her?"
"I know if s outrageous, but I'm sure if I let you leave,
I'll never see you again."
"Thaf s right, you won't!"
Seth put his hands out as though he'd made his point
Darvi could not believe this. Things simply didn't
happen like this these days. This was 1882. This was civilization.
A man simply did not come in, pick out the female
he wanted, and carry her off into the night!
"You have to take me back to town," Darvi persisted,
working to keep her voice even. "You have to return me so
I can catch my train home. Have you thought about what
my family might be feeling when I don't show up? You
can't keep me, no matter how you feel. I am a person with
rights and feelings, and I want to leave."
"To my head it sounds very logical, Darvi, but my
heart's just not convinced."
Darvi threw up her hands in frustration and turned
back toward the house, muttering all the way. She hit the
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door so angry she completely forgot that she wanted to
make a favorable impression on Cassy.
"Do you know," she nearly shouted when she got
inside, "that he plans to keep me?"
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"He said as much," Cassy admitted, turning from the
stove top and wiping her hands on her checkered apron.
"And do you condone this, or are you going to help me
get out of here?"
"I can't help you leave, if thaf s what you're asking me.
I wish Seth had done this another way, but I still won't
interfere."
"Then you're a part of it."
Cassy shrugged. "I guess I am."
Darvi looked as stunned as she felt.
"He's a big boy, Darvi. I don't try to tell him what to do.
I'm sure you can appreciate that."
As a matter of fact, Darvi could. She knew she must not
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take this out on anyone but Seth. In fact, she somehow
sensed that not even Eliot was involved.
"We got ten!" Nate shouted as he and Lindy came
through the front door. "Ten eggs!"
"Good job. Did anyone get pecked?"
The children proudly displayed their small hands.
"Hi, Darvi," Nate said when he spotted her. Lindy
waved her greeting, but Darvi offered only a limp smile in
return.
"Okay, you two," Cassy chimed in. "Get your slates.
We've got some arithmetic to work on."
Cassy put the eggs to one side and came to stand near
Darvi, her voice low.
"Is this your traveling suit?"
"Yes."
"It doesn't look like you're going to be getting on the
train today. I've got some dresses if you want to change."
"I have two more dresses with me, but I thank you."
"Let me know if you need anything," Cassy said as she
moved to her children.
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A way out was Darvi's only thought, but she kept this to
herself.
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But we allf with open faces beholding as in a glass the glory
of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory,
even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Therefore, seeing we have this
ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not, but have
renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness,
nor handling the word of Cod deceitfully, but by manifestation
of the truth commending ourselves to every man's
conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hidden it is
hidden to them that are lost. In whom the god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine
upon them.
Darvi read the verses from 2 Corinthians 3 and 4 a
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second and third time before sitting back thoughtfully.
She would not have chosen to be in this place, but she
knew from other passages that God was in control. It was
hard to imagine a reason for this, but she understood now
that if others couldn't see the gospel--the good news of
Christ--in her, they might remain lost Darvi read the
verses again.
But does that mean I just sit here? Or do I do something to
get back to town? Darvi had no answer and kept on praying. Lord, I need You to show me a way out of this. I will never love Seth Redding because he doesn't love You, but those verses say
I'm to care about the souls of these people. Part of my heart still
can't believe this has happened, but I know that You have Your
eye on me.
Darvi spent a little more time in prayer and in reading
her Bible before changing into an everyday dress and going
back out to the big room. Cassy and the children were still
working at the table. They looked up when she came in.
"Are you any good with spelling?" Cassy asked.
"Pretty good. It all depends."
Cassy raised the book when Darvi approached.
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"Is there a rule I can tell the kids about adding ed or ing to a word?"
"What words do you have for examples?"
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"Well, "study" for one. Studied puts an i in, and
studying leaves the y in place."
"Oh." Darvi was sympathetic. "That is a hard one."
While the women pored over this, the children's noses
pressed dose as they listened, Seth came back. He had not
wanted to rush Darvi, knowing she would need time to see
that, unconventional though his approach may be, he
wanted only to take care of her. He thought it might be
easier if he made himself scarce for a time, but it had then
occurred to him that she might be giving Cassy a hard time.
He knew he couldn't allow that. Seeing her working at the
table with some of the people he loved most in the world
did his heart a world of good.
Not waiting to be invited, Seth joined them. Undy went
right for his lap, and when Cassy had the kids go back to
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their spelling words, she stayed right where she was. It was
not lost on Seth, however, that Darvi never spoke to him or
even looked at him. This surprised him--she didn't seem
to be that type of person--but considering all the circumstances,
he thought she might not have seen herself as
having any other recourse.
He was relieved when Cassy had something else for the
kids to do and called them away. Seth spoke quietly before
Darvi could get away.
"Darvi, please don't tell me you're going to spend every
day not looking at me or talking to me."
Darvi finally looked him in the eye, her own gaze
regretful. "I have no desire to be mean or rude to you, and
I appreciate your not hurting me or threatening me, but
you need to know that if I could leave here, I would. You
need to understand that I'm hoping you'll come to your
senses and return me to town. I'm praying for that very
thing."
Seth looked thoughtful, even as he reminded himself he
was going to have to be patient.
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"At least I know where I stand/' he finally said. "And
since you're so sure of your feelings, you can't object to my
trying to change them."
He wasn't listening. Darvi shook her head to clear the
confusing mix of emotions.
"I'm not the woman for you, Seth, and the sooner you
face that, the easier all this will be."
"Now, there you're wrong. You are the woman for me.
I know you are, and given time, you'll know it too."
Darvi looked into his eyes. He was completely serious.
She had been close to only one other man in love, and that
had been Brandon. Seth's eyes looked the same: tender and
warm, full of eagerness to please, with just enough male
interest to remind Darvi that he was a man. She stood up. _
"Darvi, please don't go."
She paused, making herself meet his eyes.
"I'm not running from you. I just need to get out for a
little while--for your sake, I might add, not mine."
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"You're sure?"
She only nodded and started away.
"Darvi?"
She turned one last time.
"You look beautiful in that yellow dress."
Darvi didn't try to hold back her sigh, but she still said,
"Thank you, Seth."
^-3r-3-
Even
though Darvi was trusting the Lord to get her out
of the mess she was in, she still set her mind to planning.
She spent her first afternoon with the children, who
showed her every inch of the barn. Darvi saw the chickens,
the milk cow, several horses, a goat, and even two pigs. She
also took note of the doors, where the saddles and tack
were stored, and the access to th
e haymow. Her mind was
working out how she could use all of this when she heard
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v
Cassy say she was taking the wagon to town first tiling in
the morning.
The children were already in bed, and the big room was
full of ranch hands. As Darvi was eating, a plan was
forming, one that she saw no harm in trying. She had told
Seth she didn't want to stay there, and she meant it
"Excuse me--" a male voice finally got through to her.
Darvi looked up to see one of the hands addressing her.
"Do you still write for the paper?"
Darvi shook her head. "You've confused me with
someone else. I've never written for the paper."
The man, who was very well mannered--they all
were--went back to his plate. Darvi did the same, but she
could feel both Seth and Eliot's eyes on her. Choosing to
ignore them and wishing the children hadn't gone to bed
so early, Darvi finished her meal feeling very alone. It was
a relief to see Cassy starting the dishes. Darvi left the table
to offer her help.
"Why don't I wash?" she suggested, knowing the dryer
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had to know where to put things away.
"All right. Did you have enough to eat?"
"Yes, thank you, it was delicious." Darvi glanced at the
half-dozen ranch hands still eating. "Did they come in for
breakfast and lunch and I miss them?"
Cassy laughed. "No. My cook has been with me for
years, but he's getting on. He wanted to retire, so I made a
deal with him. If he would do the breakfast and the noon
meals in the bunkhouse or on the range, I'd do supper for
everyone, including him. He didn'teven hesitate. He knew
supper was the hardest meal of the day."
Darvi nodded, knowing what she meant. The platters
that held the meat and side dishes were huge, not to mention
the dozens of plates, bowls, and cups, along with all
the flatware. Trying not to think of how her hands were
going to feel when she was done, Darvi started in. She was
impressed when she heard the men thanking Cassy on
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their way out, and even more so when both Seth and Eliot
247
offered to help.
"I think for tonight we have it under control," she said
kindly, "but don't forget us in the future."
The brothers also thanked her and went on their way.
Unknown to Darvi, Cassy did this on purpose. She wanted
to talk to the newest houseguest alone.
"Are you all right?" she started by asking.
"Yes," Darvi answered, but she didn't elaborate.