by Lori Wick
315
thoughtful. When he did move, limping slightly, he didn't
go into the house but toward the barn.
Dakota planned to hit town while it was still early and
then realized it was Sunday. He would still try the telegraph
office and the sheriff but thought later might be best
Witnessing Darvi in action gave him great hope that, at
least in some ways, she was not completely at the mercy of
others.
Gathering his gear and making his way back to town,
all out of sight of the ranch house, Dakota washed up and
then went looking for the sheriff. He was pleasantly surprised
to find him alone in his office.
"Well, Mr. Rawlings, how is your search coming?"
"I found the person I was looking for. May I ask you a
few questions?"
"On one condition."
"What's that?"
"You tell me who it is."
"It's just a friend," Dakota stated, still not willing to give
Darvi's name. "I put her on the train in your station,
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thinking she was headed for St. Louis, and then I realized
someone had other ideas. I've spotted her now, and I'm
making plans to get her."
The lawman came to his feet. "You mean to tell me that
a woman was taken against her will from the train?"
"Yes, I do."
"But how do you know? How can you be sure she isn't
visiting friends?"
"She would have told me. Her plan was to head home
and see her family. If she had even known anyone in
Aurora, I would have been aware of it"
172 lori wick
All idle curiosity about this woman melted away. "Ask
your questions," the sheriff directed. He knew people
thought he was soft when it came to crime in this town, but
that wasn't true. He even suspected that some of his own
men were dirty, but he had never turned a blind eye to it
He just couldn't move without proof.
"There's a ranch about five miles south of town. Who
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owns it?"
"Cassy Robinson."
"A woman?"
"Yes. She has two children, and her boyfriend lives with
her, as does his brother, not to mention about six ranch
hands who keep the place going. She has a good-sized
spread." The man stopped and speared him with his eyes.
"Why?"
"Because thaf s where she is. I don't want to shoot
anyone to rescue my friend, but if I have to, I will. How
many children did you say?"
"Two. The girl never comes into town, but I see the boy
now and again."
The sheriff had much more he could add, starting with
Seth and Eliof s connection with Jared Silk, but he kept this
to himself. He had no way of proving if they were involved
in an abduction, a pretty serious charge, and decided to
refrain from comment, at least for the moment.
"I think I'll head out there tomorrow and see if Miss
Robinson needs any more hands."
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"Ifs Mrs. Have you done any ranch work? I have an
undercover man I could send."
Dakota thanked him but explained that he would do
fine. He asked the names of the men who lived there but
kept the conversation short. He wasn't willing to discuss
this overly much, and if he kept looking for answers, the
man might expect him to return the favor.
"I will tell you one more thing," Dakota said as he moved
toward the door. "I want whoever is behind this to answer
for it, but not until I have my friend at a safe distance. If I get
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a chance, I'll take her and run, but you can bet I'll be back
in town at some point."
For a moment the sheriff was put off but then realized
this was the very thing he wanted in his own men: determination
to see justice done and a concern for the innocent.
Unfortunately, before he could comment one way or the
other, Dakota had gone on his way
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ftrfytfr
"He's dead?" Cassy asked in disbelief. "You can't mean
that"
"He is, Mrs. Robinson. We all slept in 'cause he didn't
wake us, so when Timmy woke first and didn't find any
coffee to dear our heads, he checked. I checked too. Q is
gone."
Cassy was in shock. Q had been cooking for this ranch
since her husband had been a little boy. A more loyal, hardworking
cook she couldn't imagine. She knew he had been
tired and worn out lately but thought that her offering to
take the big meal on Sunday and evening meals during the
week would be enough.
"Mama," Nate said from beside her, and she turned to
find both children with very large eyes.
"Wake Eliot," she said softly. The children were swift to
obey.
The next few hours were spent confirming the news,
comforting the children, going for the preacher and setting
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up a time for the funeral the next day, and going about the
day's activities and chores in quiet shock. The men were
very subdued, many still feeling the effects from Saturday-night
drinking, but the family was also quiet. The children
tried to attach to Eliot and Seth, as all Cassy wanted to do
was lie on her bed.
Darvi felt at a complete loss and wandered around as
lost and confused as everyone else. She could offer no
words of comfort She hadn't known the man; in fact, she'd
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only seen him a half-dozen times. The children were very
upset, and she wondered if it was over their mother's distress
or if they had known and cared for the old man as well.
"Are you all right?"
Darvi turned to see Eliot. She nodded.
"How are Cassy and the children?"
"All resting on the bed. Lindy is almost asleep, and Nate
is drifting."
"Did the children know him well?"
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Eliot smiled. "If they knew he was cooking hotcakes
and their mother was only serving oatmeal, they would eat
as little as they could get away with and make a visit to the
bunkhouse. That, and he always had something sweet for
them."
Darvi only nodded, again at a loss for words.
"Well, I guess he's in a better place."
Darvi had all she could do to keep her mouth shut. Why
did people always say that? Why did people who gave
God absolutely no place in their life on earth assume that
someone dead was now at peace and rest? Darvi wanted to
comment or at least ask what he meant, but she didn't
think this was the time to attack the man's views.
She was doubly glad she'd kept her mouth shut when
she looked up to see that Cassy had come from the bedroom.
Eliot went to her. They spoke quietly for a moment
and then Eliot went to the bedroom and shut the door.
Cassy approached.
"You don't believe that, do you, Darvi?"
"Believe what?" Darvi asked, a bit afraid of the answer.
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"I heard what Eliot said. I saw your face. You don't
believe that Q is i
n a better place."
Darvi's head cocked a bit in genuine confusion.
"Tell me something, Cassy, why do my beliefs mean so
much to you?"
The blonde woman shrugged. "I don't know," she
admitted, "but they do. I'm so cut off out here. The days
just tend to run together. Not until Eliot reminded me that
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the preacher wouldn't be available until after church did I
even remember it was Sunday. I mean, I knew it was Sunday
because of the extra cooking, but not because it was the
Lord's day. We didn't actually attend church, but I was still
raised differently. Your being here has reminded me of that"
Darvi nodded but didn't reply. Cassy was not put off so
easily.
"You didn't answer me."
The women's eyes met.
"Do you think," Cassy repeated the question, "that Q is
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in a better place?"
Darvi put a hand on the other woman's arm.
"There are a lot of things I don't understand in God's
Word, Cassy, but this one I know. God says the way to Him
is through His Son, Jesus Christ. When we humble ourselves
and accept His free gift of salvation, then we are
assured of a better place when we die. If, urn, if this man--"
"Q."
"Q?"
"Yes. Thaf s all we ever called him.
Darvi's nod was decisive. "If Q accepted God's g ft to
him, then yes, I think he's in a better place."
Cassy saw what she had done. Rather than start a
debate about what she believed, Darvi had very neatly put
the responsibility on Q.
And where else should it be? Cassy asked herself, knowing
that the same reasoning applied to her own heart.
Cassy suddenly looked to Darvi and found anxious
eyes studying her.
"You've given me something to think about, Darvi."
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"I don't want to overburden you when you're hurting,
Cassy. I honestly don't."
"It's all right"
Darvi wasn't sure that Cassy's words matched her eyes,
but when the ranch owner gave her a small smile and
moved to go outside, she knew that, for the time being, that
was the end of it.
Gfatiktew
"THE LORD GIVETH AND THE LORD TAKETH AWAY. Blessed
be the name of the Lord."
The preacher's final words fell hard on Darvi's ears,
causing her to wonder what they actually meant, or rather,
what the preacher had meant. She'd heard those same
words many times, but as with Eliof s overused cliche"
about Q being in a better place, she wondered if the man
speaking actually believed that God was to be praised,
even in the midst of death and loss.
"Are you all right?" Seth asked her quietly as the few
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mourners broke up and started to move away.
"What does my face look like that everyone keeps
asking me that?"
Seth hesitated before saying. "In truth, I'm not sure. If I
knew you better I might have an answer, but you almost
look as though you disapprove, and since I can't think why
you wouldn't approve of giving a man a proper burial, I
assume I've read you wrong."
Darvi was shocked. Am I really so transparent? She didn't
want everyone to know that she didn't approve of the
things being said. Her frustration had nothing to do with
burying this man but with all the ridiculous concepts about
God. Gassy had seen it in her face and so had Seth.
"You're right, you have read me wrong," she tried to say
gently. "I'm not looking with disapproval because this man
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was buried. I'm very sorry for your loss, but there are some
326
things I find confusing."
Seth was on the verge of asking what they were but
stopped himself. He was certain this woman was for him,
but he was also certain if they talked right now, they'd disagree.
His brother had hinted at Darvi having some strong
religious beliefs. That was fine with Seth--she could
believe anything she wanted--but he didn't want her
knowing that he might not agree. Once they were married
they could talk on all the issues, but not now, not when he
was still trying to get close and gain her trust.
"We have a visitor," Darvi heard Eliot comment from
behind her, but she didn't look up. She walked straight into
the house and hoped that Seth wouldn't follow her. To
keep from having to face him when she realized he had
indeed trailed her in, Darvi picked up a cloth and began to
wash the crumbs from the table. She would have dropped
it in an instant if she could have seen the pleasure on the
man's face behind her, so certain was he that her actions
meant she was beginning to see this as home.
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"I'll handle it for you," Eliot offered as they watched a
rider come up the road. His offer was born of compassion,
as the running of the ranch was all Cassy's.
"If s all right," Gassy declined, squeezing his hand a
little.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Maybe you could just check on Lindy for me. She
didn't eat much breakfast."
"Will do."
Gassy moved away from the porch and waited for the
rider to near. He swung from the saddle, dropped the reins,
and covered the distance between them on foot, removing
his hat as he approached.
178 lori wick
"Good morning, ma'am," he said even as he took in her
mourning garb. "I think I've come at a bad time."
"If s all right Did you need directions?"
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"No, ma'am. I'm looking for Cassy Robinson because
I'm hoping to find work. The name's Rawlings, Dakota
Rawlings, and someone in town said Mrs. Robinson might
need an extra hand."
"I'm Mrs. Robinson, but I don't need more hands right
now."
Dakota nodded respectfully but did not have to feign
his disappointment.
"We'll be eating in about an hour," Cassy offered hospitably,
"if you care to join us."
"I appreciate that, ma'am. Thank you."
Cassy began to turn away but stopped abruptly and
faced Dakota again.
"Can you cook?"
"Yes, I can. I do better as a ranch hand, but I can cook."
"All I need right now is a cook"
Again Dakota gave that humble, polite nod. "If you're
willing to try me, I'll do my best."
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Cassy was won over in a heartbeat
"Where're you from, cowboy?"
"Originally, St. Louis, but lately I tend to roam around."
Cassy smiled at him. "Come on in. I just need to check
on something, and then I'll show you the bunkhouse and
introduce you to the men."
Dakota did as he was told, glancing back to see that Eli
was watching him and ready to follow right up to the
house.
"Stay put," he ordered the horse as he would a dog.
Then he walked into the ranch house, heart pounding and
praying at the same ti
me.
"Thank you," he said when Cassy held the door for him.
"I'll be right with you, Mr. Rawlings."
"Please call me Dakota."
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Darvi, still bent over the kitchen table, became very
slow in her movements. She heard the door behind her,
Dakota's voice, Cassy's voice, Cassy's footsteps, and then
quiet But even knowing that no one else was in the room,
she knew better than to turn around. Working at keeping
all expression from her face, she returned the washcloth to
the counter and found the solace of her room.
Hands shaking as they came to her face, Darvi sank
onto the bed, her heart pounding beneath her dress.
He's here! He's actually here. I didn't know how You were
going to do this. I couldn't imagine how I would ever be rescued.
Darvi was so overcome that she couldn't move. She sat
on the edge of the bed and worked to muffle her sobs. Not
until she saw Cassy come from her own room, saying a
word to Eliot before she shut the door, did she think to
stand up and shut her own bedroom door, thankful that the
other woman hadn't even glanced her way.
The door finally shut, she stood still and tried to assess
her emotions. It came to her that she could not just go to
him. Even though the men who slept in the bunkhouse
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had eaten at the dinner table every night, Darvi had had
literally nothing to do with them. She had exchanged a
few words with Cassy, Seth, or Eliot, but rarely did she
even look at the men. It wasn't anything personal, just her
constant attempt to keep some distance from the situation.
Darvi heard voices and turned toward the window.
Moving the sheer curtain just a bit, she watched as Cassy,
now changed into a cotton workdress, walked Dakota to
the bunkhouse. Darvi watched until they were out of sight
before sitting back and praying, her mind coming to grips
with one main fact
His being here doesn't take care of every thing, Lord. Help hint
to be wise and not get hurt. I know he's here for me. I know You
sent him, but this won't be easy. You've brought us this far, Lord.
Please help us all the way out of here.
180 LORlWlCK
"3r^-
"Gentlemen,"
Cassy spoke quietly after she knocked on
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the bunkhouse door, heard someone's call to enter, and
then stepped inside with the new cook, "this is Dakota
Rawlings. He's going to be cooking for us."
Dakota watched five men either come to their feet or
turn to look at him,