Wings of the Morning (Kensington Chronicles) (39 page)

and clean up so she doesn't see you."

Darsey didn't wait for an answer, and a rather bewildered

Dallas made his way to the crew's quarters. After washing up

and using Scully's brush on his hair, he sat on a bunk to wait,

praying all the while that Smokey would believe and accept

his love.

"You're being ridiculous." Smokey threw herself on her

265

bed and spoke to her empty cabin, but felt no better. No

matter what she said, she could not convince herself that all

was going to be well with her and Dallas.

She knew the best way to clear the matter was to talk with

him, but what if her worst fears proved to be true? She had

wanted to get away to prepare her heart for what might be. Yet

she hadn't done a bit of preparing, only fretting and stewing.

She felt the Lord calling her to trust Him, but at the moment

she was too worked up, and choosing not to listen.

Smokey hated the jumble her thoughts were in and dozed

for a time. When her thoughts began moving to Dallas and the

last time he'd kissed her and held her close, she jumped up

and reached for her brush.

Wanting to dispel any and all thoughts of Dallas Knight,

she gave her hair a ruthless brushing and then tied it in a small

ponytail at the back of her neck. She didn't bother to fuss with

anything else because she was going topside into the wind

They had been at sea for over an hour, but Darsey had

taken forever to cast off and Smokey wanted to check on

everything. She didn't have the foggiest idea where they were

headed, something for which her father would have given her

a tongue-lashing, but she planned to go up now and act as if

she were in control.

Her short legs climbed the stairs quickly, and she stormed

onto the deck like a woman with a mission. She saw a tangle of

rope that needed attention and was about to yell for Pete, but

something stopped her. Leaning against the mainmast, legs

stretched out seemingly for miles, was Dallas. His face was

expressionless, but his eyes were intent as they studied her.

"How did you get here?" Smokey asked after a moment.

"It wasn't easy," Dallas answered cryptically.

Smokey couldn't take his intense stare, and she turned her

gaze to sea. "I had to get away and think."

"About?"

"You and me. I can't think straight when I'm with you."

Smokey had given Dallas her profile as she said all of this, but

he asked her a question that brought her eyes back to his.

266

"Do you love me, Smokey?"

"Yes," she answered without a drop of uncertainty.

"Do you know that I love you?"

"I know you love the person you think me to be," Smokey

told him. Dallas was more confused than ever. "Dallas," she

now went on, frustration rising within her. "There is so much

you don't know about me. Take my family, for instance."

"I didn't think you had any family." Dallas' voice was calm

even as he attempted to piece together what was going on.

"I don't, not now, but I did You've never even asked me

about my father or mother."

"You've never asked me about my mother or father either,"

Dallas replied, trying to reason with her.

"I didn't need to," Smokey retorted. "Jenny told me all

about them."

They fell silent for just an instant, and Dallas' mind raced.

"Your mother died having you?" he finally tried and

watched Smokey nod

"Yes," she said, glad that he knew that much.

"And this was your father's ship at one time?"

"Yes."

"But you want me to know more before you'll believe that

I love you?"

Smokey nodded, calming somewhat. "Do you remember

the first time we met?"

"I think so; at Jenny's wasn't it?"

"Yes. You had just come into port and stopped for a few

minutes to see your family. You told a story that night about

seeing another young sailor. He'd raced through the coral

reefs, and you thought he was trying to rival Clancy for daring

acts. The way you spoke that night made me think you saw

Clancy as a fool."

"Are you trying to tell me that because I ridiculed a legend

that you admire, I don't love you?" The question sounded

absolutely absurd even to his own ears, and Dallas saw in an

instant that he should have kept it to himself. He watched

267

rather helplessly as Smokey turned and walked toward the

bow.

Dallas followed slowly, but for her sake kept his distance

There was something far wrong here, and he had to keep his

head if he was going to find out what it was. If he followed his

first impulse, he would grab Smokey and hold her until there

was no doubt in her mind that he was a man in love.

"I was a little girl when I learned who my father was."

Smokey spoke softly as she looked out over the sea, her small-booted

feet planted perfectly to balance her body against the

waves. Dallas watched her profile and listened intently.

"He told me he never wanted to be a hero to me, just a

loving father." This said, Smokey turned to look at Dallas, her

heart in her eyes. "It seems silly to be bothered about your

opinion of Clancy, but I am. He was my father."

Smokey could see that she had thoroughly stunned him,

but she went on.

"I started thinking about the fact that you didn't even

know that. Here we are planning to spend the rest of our lives

together and you didn't even know Clancy was my papa. How

much does it cost to build one ship, Dallas?" Smokey's change

in topics so floored Dallas that he stuttered when he spoke.

He named an approximate figure, and Smokey went on.

"I could build you ten ships on just what I have in the

Kennebunk bank alone"

Again Dallas felt as if he'd received a hard blow to the gut.

He was surprised over these things, but he still couldn't

believe they made Smokey doubt his love. He spoke carefully,

hoping he had the right words.

"I am surprised that Clancy is your father, but I also think

it's wonderful. And I wouldn't care if you had one dollar or

one million, I would love you just the same. I believe with all

my heart that we love each other, Smokey, and knowing that, I

also believe we can talk all of this out."

"I also want a white dress and a fancy wedding," Smokey

told him as if this would be the final straw. Tears began to

puddle in her eyes.

268

269

"Well, you can have both," Dallas told her with a smile.

"Not if we get married in two weeks," she said, and Dallas

watched a single tear roll down her cheek. She looked so

forlorn that Dallas wanted to cry himself. All this was very

important to her, and she hadn't known how to tell him. As he

gazed at her, she turned back to the railing and stood still. She

didn't move or speak even when she felt Dallas come to stand

behind her.

He reached with long arms and grasped the railing on

either side of her, effectively locking Smokey between his

arms. He bent and placed a kiss on the top of her head and

then one below her right ear.

"I never meant to rush you," he began softly, his chin

resting on her hair. "In the future all you have to do is come to

me, and we'll talk the problem out."

"Will there really be a future?" Smokey wanted to know.

"Definitely. In fact, it's starting right now."

Smokey turned in the circle of his arms, and looked up

into his beloved face.

"From this point forward," Dallas told her, "I'm not going

to rush you. Whatever is important to you is important to me.

You're going to have the wedding you want; I will see to it

myself. We're going to talk every day and not let any upset or

anger go undiscussed

"I don't know of any other woman who could survive what

you have this past year, and your self-sufficiency sometimes

makes me forget how much tender care you need I'm telling

you now that I'm here to give you that, and I'm going to be

more sensitive in the very near future."

Smokey's heart melted at his words, and Dallas could wait

no longer to kiss her. He held her tenderly for long moments

and kissed her with all the love and desire he had kept stored

inside When Smokey could finally breathe, she nearly laughed

at the sight behind Dallas.

"My men are watching." It was literally the whole crew.

"What do they see?" Dallas asked without turning around

"A man and woman in love," Smokey told him contentedly.

"Do they also see a man and woman who are going to

become husband and wife?"

Smokey nodded "Yes, but I won't promise not to be overcome

with fears again."

"I can deal with that as long as you promise to come to

me."

"I promise."

Dallas kissed her again, and then stared down at her with

childish wonder in his eyes.

"He was really your father?"

Smokey smiled in return. "Really."

"Wow," Dallas said in deep admiration, before he kissed

her once again. When he raised his head, it was Smokey's turn.

"Wow," was all she could get out before he kissed her

anew.

271

fourteen months later

dallas paced the small confines of the captain's cabin,

imploring the ceiling in frustration as he moved

'"Just a quick trip down the coast, Dallas,' she says to me.

'We haven't seen your folks since the wedding, and I miss

them,' she says. 'The baby's not due for ages,' were her words."

He stopped and turned quickly toward the bunk, his

expression going from frustration to worry until a small moan

escaped his wife.

"I'm sorry," he spoke breathlessly as he knelt by the bunk

and brushed the hair from Smokey's damp face. "I didn't mean

any of that. I'll never say another sarcastic word as long as I

live if you'll just wait until we get home to have this baby."

Smokey panted as the contraction died down. "I can't help

it, Dallas. He's coming, and I can't help it."

"She's coming," Dallas automatically corrected her as he

had done for six months. "We'll be there in less than an hour,"

he continued pleadingly, as though she could control the

demands of her body.

Smokey opened her mouth to tell him she was trying, but

another contraction hit. Dallas watched his wife's agony as

the pain of seeing her suffer racked his own body. Smokey

271

moaned low in her throat at that moment but said nothing;

Dallas didn't think he could take any more.

/ don 'tknow the first thing about delivering a baby, Lord.

Please help us, Dallas began to pray. He continued to pray for

the next hour.

Smokey didn't seem any more comfortable, but she was

wonderful as each pain came and went. An hour later they