Wings of the Morning (Kensington Chronicles) (4 page)

crew of the Aramis did the grabbing.

Dallas finally thanked Yusuf and returned to his ship.

Within minutes they were underway. He had one other stop.

Some miles down the coast, in Casablanca, a load of sugar

awaited him. From there, he was forced to admit, he had no

other leads.

"My immediate plans? Why would he ask such a thing?"

Smokey frowned at Darsey where he stood framed in her

cabin doorway.

"I think he's unhappy that you won't deal with him directly,

but I think what he really wants is to get a look at

Smoke."

"Well, I don't deal that way. Tell him we'll take our business

elsewhere."

Darsey, although tempted to argue, nodded and left, leaving

the door open. Within minutes Smokey heard the voice of

the merchant apologizing profusely. Smokey had not been

making idle threats, she never did, but the man had obviously

been bluffing over what he was willing to pay.

It would be so much simpler to handle some of these

exchanges myself, Smokey thought to herself. Darsey had told

her on many occasions over the last year that she no longer

needed to conceal her identity; maybe now was the time to

listen to him.

Smokey put her quill down, rose from the desk, and moved

to the cabin door. Seconds later she walked calmly across the

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deck to where Darsey stood dickering with the most successful

merchant in Greece.

Her men on deck stopped what they were doing at the

sight of her. As was her custom, she was dressed in black knee-high

boots, dark, baggy trousers and a long, full overshirt that

completely hid her figure from neck to knee. Her hair, as

usual, was completely concealed under a knit cap, pulled

down to the bottom of her ears.

Smokey came forward, knowing that she had stopped the

merchant in his tracks. She also knew that even though she

was dressed like a boy, her face and hands would give her

away. The skin of her cheeks was as smooth as a baby's, and her

hands, although work-roughened, were slim, with long fingers

and fine-boned wrists. She looked like a cabin boy, but

she moved and spoke like a woman in command

"Is there some problem, Mr. Brennan?" Smokey addressed

Darsey properly as she stopped beside the two men.

"Yes, Captain. Nikos feels the price is a bit steep," Darsey

told her and tried not to laugh at the stunned look on Nikos'

face.

"What did you have in mind, Nikos?" the young captain

asked solicitously, although her voice held a hint of steel.

"You are Smoke?" the man nearly stammered.

"My friends call me Smokey," she told him, "but you may

address me as Captain Simmons. Now please tell me, what

price did you have in mind?"

The man's eyes flicked down the front of Smokey, but he

hers when Darsey made a sound in

The man's eyes flicke

quickly raised his face to

the back of his throat.

Smokey sighed and reached for her hat. With the movement

of her hand, a fall of black hair came down over her

shoulders and back. The merchant blinked, and Smokey disovered

great relief in having her identity revealed

^, "Now that you know for certain," she spoke dryly, "let us

E down to business. Do you pay my price, or do we sail?"

IJBlpay," he said without hesitation, agleam of respect, as

BBP'fcething else, entering his eyes.

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Smokey allowed Darsey to handle the transaction from

that point, and the unloading proceeded shortly. She watched

from the deck as the Greek merchant left the ship and then

gestured wildly to some sailors on the dock. Seeing the word

spread was like watching ants running around a mound-- Smoke was a woman! Smokey could almost hear them.

The Aramis finished her business in Greece and made

four more stops in the next week. Each and every time,

Smokey handled the negotiations and let herself be seen, and

although she did not remove her hat again, the truth was being

brought to light.

She was amazed at how quickly the word passed The

whole business began to wear on her, and she finally told her

crew to head for home. Twenty days later they were back in

port, and Darsey and Smokey headed to Willa's.

Smokey was rescued from the usual letdown of leaving

her ship by the arrival of a letter from Jenny Pemberton. She

invited Smokey to come for a visit at her soonest possible

convenience, and to stay for an indefinite period of time. Smokey sent an immediate note of acceptance, with plans to

leave for Kennebunkport in three days' time.

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"Do you think she'll be here this morning or this afternoon?"

Jenny asked Tate for the second time that morning.

Tate chuckled and kissed her cheek He had finished with

breakfast and needed to be out the door.

"I think she'll be here by noon."

"Why do you think that?" Jenny's face was a mask of

confusion.

Tate shouted with laughter. "Honey, you asked me what I

thought, so I just made a guess."

"Oh, Tate," Jenny laughed. "Go to work so I can fret in

peace."

Tate kissed her again, this time on the mouth, and moved

toward the door. Jenny watched him go and then did just as

she'd predicted

"Go on with you, Smokey!" Willa put in. She never failed to

see to every need when Darsey and Smokey were in port, but

she took care of them in a stern, yet loving way. "If you were

going to be an inconvenience in any way, they wouldn't have

asked you."

Smokey hesitated and Darsey rose. "Come on, I'll take you

over."

"Why do you suppose she asked me, Darsey?"

Darsey paused on his way to the door and turned to look at her. Became she sees what I see--a vulnerable, lonelyyoung

woman who makes your heart ache just to look at her.

"She asked you," Darsey finally spoke out loud, "because

you've been praying for a friend, and God has decided to

provide one."

Darsey hoped she wouldn't press him further, because he

knew he couldn't take it. She was so rarely insecure, but when

she was, all Darsey wanted to do was sit down and weep. He

was relieved to see Smokey nod so he could turn back to the

door.

The subject was not raised on the way to the Pembertons',

but Darsey knew that Smokey was having second thoughts

about the visit. He was determined to get her there, however,

so conversation was brief.

Once they had arrived, he sent Smokey to the front door

with a kiss and a wish that she have a good time. He silently

hoped she would stay for a month, partly because she needed

the fellowship, and partly because he was getting too old to be

roaming the sea.

Ithought you were headed to the Pembertons' today,"

XSSSft l K l ^ When the breakfas< dishes

* "I aT^^f.6 had made no move< 'eave the table.

*s^^^^^*^** *>

mey re not expecting me for lunch."

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When Smokey knocked, a servant answered the front door

of the Pemberton home, a huge house that sat right on the

Atlantic. She was greeted cordially, but felt her palms sweat

as she stepped across the threshold and into the entryway.

Smokey didn't know houses like this existed.

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From her place by the door, Smokey looked as far as the

open doors would allow. She could see what looked to be a

library, a huge parlor, and possibly another smaller parlor.

Windows directly opposite the foyer, on the east side of the

house, gave her a splendid view of the sea.

She was tempted to walk to them and look out, but kept

her place and continued to gaze around her. She was still

studying the smoothly painted walls and light oak flooring

when Jenny called her name and approached

'You're here," Jenny said with a grin after she'd given her

a quick, impetuous hug. "I'm so glad you could come," she told

Smokey sincerely, as she slipped her arm within Smokey's and

led her toward the parlor. "YoucanastTar^if -*. ni*-u..**'--

t ---,..- . ~ww .v in Hie KJiuien.

The mention of the kitchen reminded Smokey that she

had been uncertain as to when to come. "I wasn't sure if I

should come before or after lunch... I mean, if you would be

prepared to have me for lunch." Smokey stopped when Jenny

chuckled

"Our cook is a dream. She can have a banquet on the table

with just a few hours' notice. I assure you, you would have

been welcome whenever you arrived."

Jenny wasted no time in making Smokey comfortable. She

gave her an immediate tour of the entire house, and Smokey

was more awestruck than before. The kitchen and dining

rooms were immense and sparkling clean. The room off the

foyer that Smokey had taken to be a second parlor was in fact a

music room. Next to this was a sun room, with more windows

looking out to the east.

The stairs were wide and carpeted as they led Smokey and

Jenny to the second floor, which had nine large bedrooms.

The two young women ended their tour in what was to be

Smokey's bedroom during her visit. After showing her around

the vast room, Jenny left her to freshen up.

A maid had put her few things away, and Smokey didn't

know quite what to do with herself. Her men always took care

35

of her on ship, but that was their job. Somehow this felt

decadent. At Willa's, or aboard the Aramis, she had more jobs

waiting for her attention than the hours of the day allowed.

Smokey circled the room slowly and stopped by the window.

It was a huge piece of glass covered with sheer, lacy

curtains. Captivated, Smokey touched them almost reverently.

They were so unlike anything she had at home or on shipboard

Suddenly Smokey realized the curtain was hiding a

spectacular view.

Moving gently, she pulled the curtain aside to display a

sweeping panorama of the Atlantic. Smokey stared as though

mesmerized Living inland from the port at Kennebunk didn't

give her daily views of the sea when she was at home. Why, it

was almost like being aboard ship!

Suddenly Smokey found herself wondering whether she

would ever sail again if she owned a house on the sea. Such a

thought had never occurred to her, and she immediately felt

upset at the idea. Before her thoughts could run rampant,

however, she remembered she did not have a house like this

and probably never would Her business was a tremendous

success, so she could easily have afforded to buy a home of her

own, but the idea of living alone did not appeal to her in the

least.

Her next thought, that of asking Willa to move, made her

laugh out loud Dynamite couldn't shift Willa from the house

where she had raised all five of her children. The idea was so

outrageous that Smokey couldn't hold her chuckles. She was