A Texas Sky (Yellow Rose Trilogy) (20 page)

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?"

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"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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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